Tom Hammond and Mike Mayock are calling the game for NBC.

 

I really like Mayock.

It has been more than 7300 days since the Bengals won a playoff game. The Bengals best chance of winning a playoff game this year is against Houston. I will be pulling for the "W", but the Bengals are the Bengals. They will no doubt lose in a painful and unnecessary way. [Cat Scratch Fever muffed chip shot??? back breaking penalty as time is about to expire???, multiple false starts ???...]

It has been more than 7300 days since the Bengals won a playoff game. The Bengals best chance of winning a playoff game this year is against Houston. I will be pulling for the "W", but the Bengals are the Bengals. They will no doubt lose in a painful and unnecessary way. [Cat Scratch Fever muffed chip shot??? back breaking penalty as time is about to expire???, multiple false starts ???...]

 

See I don't know, I think this year maybe the luck has changed some for the Bengals. In the past the Bengals would be the ones falling in the end zone that would have tied the game, in the past the Bengals would find away to miss the playoffs and not get the teams they needed to lose to lose. Even good teams need lucky breaks sometimes, and I admit the Bengals have got some. However every year some playoff team gets some, and then ends up making a run. I am thinking and hoping that maybe the luck really has changed for the Bengals and is on their side now. It should be a close game but I think they pull it out! Who Dey!

See I don't know, I think this year maybe the luck has changed some for the Bengals. In the past the Bengals would be the ones falling in the end zone that would have tied the game, in the past the Bengals would find away to miss the playoffs and not get the teams they needed to lose to lose. Even good teams need lucky breaks sometimes, and I admit the Bengals have got some. However every year some playoff team gets some, and then ends up making a run. I am thinking and hoping that maybe the luck really has changed for the Bengals and is on their side now. It should be a close game but I think they pull it out! Who Dey!

 

I don't see how anyone can be excited about this team right now. Their last 8 games they are 3-5 with a 3 point win over Cleveland, a ugly win over St. Louis and a win over Arizona that probably doesn't happen if a wide open wide out doesn't fall down. They are constantly being penalized for stupid penalties, their pass rush has disappeared, and the 2 headed rookie monster has returned to earth. I think the future is bright but Houston will likely win by more than a score even as banged up as they are.

As good of a draw as a 6th seed as you can get, but still will be tough as bad as the Bengals are playing.

I don't see how anyone can be excited about this team right now. Their last 8 games they are 3-5 with a 3 point win over Cleveland, a ugly win over St. Louis and a win over Arizona that probably doesn't happen if a wide open wide out doesn't fall down. They are constantly being penalized for stupid penalties, their pass rush has disappeared, and the 2 headed rookie monster has returned to earth. I think the future is bright but Houston will likely win by more than a score even as banged up as they are.

 

I agree, but Houston isn't exactly on a roll either. I think the Bengals have to love facing an injured 3rd string rookie QB. In all honesty you should beat a team like that.

I don't see how anyone can be excited about this team right now. Their last 8 games they are 3-5 with a 3 point win over Cleveland, a ugly win over St. Louis and a win over Arizona that probably doesn't happen if a wide open wide out doesn't fall down. They are constantly being penalized for stupid penalties, their pass rush has disappeared, and the 2 headed rookie monster has returned to earth. I think the future is bright but Houston will likely win by more than a score even as banged up as they are.

 

I think you nailed it, all things considered the future is bright and that is more than enough reason to be excited now.

Vegas has the Bengals as 3 point dogs as of right now.

I think the Bengals get even this time; should be close though. I'll take them by 3.

I don't see how anyone can be excited about this team right now. Their last 8 games they are 3-5 with a 3 point win over Cleveland, a ugly win over St. Louis and a win over Arizona that probably doesn't happen if a wide open wide out doesn't fall down. They are constantly being penalized for stupid penalties, their pass rush has disappeared, and the 2 headed rookie monster has returned to earth. I think the future is bright but Houston will likely win by more than a score even as banged up as they are.

 

I am excited about this team now because what happened in the regular season means NOTHING now. Whats funny is if the Bengals beat the Ravens people say they are hot going into the playoffs, even though they still would have just been 4 and 4 in their last 8 games. However since they lost which is still winning 2 out of their last 3 which is not bad, people say they are not doing well since they been 3 and 5 over their last 8 games. While the Giants were horrible down the stretch too, get dominated by the Washington Redskins just two weeks ago and only won like 3 or so games over their last 8. Yet since they won two in a row, they are now a hot team? Even though they shown they could be a team like the one who got destroyed by the Redskins and lost to Seattle at home? While the Bengals have no bad losses, and even the losses they have to the top teams they were in it with great chances to win everyone except the 2nd Steelers game.

 

So I see no reason not to be excited for this team. They have shown they don't lose to bad teams, and can play with the good teams. What perfect time to finally beat the good teams starting in the playoffs. Which is very possible, considering we see many times lately a 5 or 6 seed getting hot starting in the playoffs and doing things they never did in the season. So there is plenty of reason to believe, and be excited. It's the playoffs and if yoru team is in it you should be excited about their chances because anything is possible. Who Dey!

Enjoy the final week of excitement. You have approximately 5 days left and then Mike Brown starts another year of sucking the mesmerized fans back in with his genius draft picks aquired in the CP trade. They guy is a mastermind at preying on the weakminded desperate Bengal fan.

 

Texans by 14.

Texans 21-17.

Bengals 19-17

The key to this game is opening up the offense. The Bengals need to stretch the field and put this one in Dalton's hands. Their running game stinks. Open things up; put some passing plays not seen much this year into the game plan; take some shots at the long ball with Green and Simpson. Run a couple long patterns for Gresham and see if you can hit a big play with him. I also would get more carries for Scott into the game plan. I would go 50/50 on the playing time between Scott/Benson early and let's see who is making plays. Open it up, get on top, and then you can go back to running the ball more if you want to control the game tempo.

The key to this game is opening up the offense. The Bengals need to stretch the field and put this one in Dalton's hands. Their running game stinks. Open things up; put some passing plays not seen much this year into the game plan; take some shots at the long ball with Green and Simpson. Run a couple long patterns for Gresham and see if you can hit a big play with him. I also would get more carries for Scott into the game plan. I would go 50/50 on the playing time between Scott/Benson early and let's see who is making plays. Open it up, get on top, and then you can go back to running the ball more if you want to control the game tempo.

 

Totally agree. It seems like taking the chances down-field have gone away. Green has been a non factor the last two games.