I can't see Bengals staying close
I was on with Dan Patrick on his national radio show, and I'm headed to WCPO-TV for the noon news shortly. Everyone I talk to thinks the Bengals have a chance to win. I don't. I don't think it will be close.
Sorry, I guess.
The Bengals are banged up in the offensive backfield and linebacker. The pass defense can't stop anyone. Normally reliable special teams have not been right all season. Rudi Johnson is out, though I like Kenny Watson a lot as a player (and he's as good a guy as you'll meet off the field; man to man, I hope he does well.)
Still.
The Bengals are way too dependent on Carson Palmer and the pass offense. New England's secondary will get physical (see Super Bowl XXXVI, Patriots vs. Rams) with the Bengals receivers and work to get inside Chad Johnson's head.
I stick by my Edge pick in the paper this morning: Patriots 41, Bengals 24.
The Bengals limp into the bye at 1-3 with a three-game losing streak and losers of six of their last seven games.
All that said, as a proud resident of the City of Cincinnati (College Hill), I hope the city's efforts to put on its best face for national television are productive. It's great to see downtown alive as a growing residential neighborhood and singular regional destination. That's why we built the stadium.
posted by Mark at 10:32 AM
42 Comments:
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Post a Comment*Mark,
I don't know if I can argue with any of the points you make. I am very aware of the possibility that it could be a blow-out and the Bengals could be slapped around. But I also know that NFL football is a game of emotion...and if New England is flat and we are sky high...we could pull the upset. But I would not bet my house on it.
George in Zanesville.
as much as i'd like to be proven wrong, i have to agree with you, mark. we all know that anything can happen in the NFL, but it's impossible to argue that the bengals are more than an average team. meanwhile, the pats have been untouchable all year.
Quit being a pessimist. The Bengals are going to be like caged animals in a corner. They are going to come out swinging and I think that they will deliver the knockout blow!
Mark is right. There is no way the Bengals should be able to keep up with the Pats on either side of the ball.
Caged Animals?
Who let the Poodles out?
Pats 51 Bengals 27
Mark, you are right on every one of your points, every part of my brain tells me the Bengals should loose. But, I have a feeling in my gut the Bengals win this game. I think they are going to play with a chip on their shoulder because NOBODY thinks they can win this game. The Bengals have always been better at the underdog role. The Patriots are bound to have a bad game or two this year. I just hope its tonight. Bengals win 35-27
The only question tonight is which two quarters will the Bengals play like blind obese donkeys?
The "stamp" of a Marvin Lewis team has been proven to be:
2 good quarters, 2 bad quarters.
This season is OVER.
Bengals 6-10 at best.
Here's to the 2nd best football team in Cincinnati!
We're gonna get worked. I'll be watching with my eyes half-covered tonite. I'm not going to let my son watch this one.
You are probably right. Still, weird things often happen on Monday Night Football, things that don't normally seem to occur in regular Sunday games. Maybe the Bengals can find a way to tap into a boisterous crowd early, get some momentum, and make something good take place. I'm not ready to give up on them just yet - anything can happen, unlikely as it may seem.
Hey 11:19, crack kills.
This is the first away game for the Cheatriots since they were caught cheating.
Bengal fans should chant in unison "Cheaters! Cheaters! Cheaters! Cheaters! Cheaters!" the entire time the Cheatriot offense is on the field.
It may be a close game, until halftime. This is not a good matchup for the Bengals. Their only hope is a shootout, but they don't matchup well in a shootout either.
While I think the Bengals will put up some points, the Patriots defense will make some stops.
The Bengals defense will not be able to stop the Patriots passing or running, and will be worn out by the third quarter.
Then it will be garbage time.
Offensively, the Bengals are the best team the Pats have faced so far this year. We will test their defense. Defensively, you just never know....with Mauroney banged up, we might be able to hang. Don't crown the Patriots just yet....look who they've played.
This game could be a loss but right now I think that we as fans just need to root for the Bengals to get healthy over the bye, hopefully get Rudi and Ahmad back for Chiefs in two weeks, and hopefully get Chris Perry back the week after that. An easier schedule plus a healthier team will make for some wins.
I flew into Cincinnati(from Boston)yesterday for the Pats-Bengals game tonight. Your city is quite beautiful and the folks Ive met have been very hospitable.
That said I dont see the Bengals standing a chance with a one dimensional offense and a weak defense. Emotion only takes you so far and the Patriots under Belichek are cool under pressure, and as well prepared as any team I have ever seen. This New England squad is "scary good."
Thanks for letting us visit, Cincinnati and its people are truly nice.....
jr from fall river,massachusetts
Spot on Mark...Leon will be toast...Deltha will try to win a contract and play out of sync...Jonathon will demonstrate the sophomore slump...the safeties play 90% of the time so with that the Pats will go deep and score a bunch. The saddest part of all this is that they will fall apart as quickly as they did in the playoff game against the Steelers - this team is Groundhog Day the movie.
What's the line on Marvin saying: it was only six plays and 3rd down situations. Call it what it is: a thin layer of talent with snake bit and characterless draft picks with a FRANCHISE player who is a "non stop motor" in a Pacer.
Who have the Patriots played? The Jets? The Bills? A troubled San Diego team?
People are way too quick to think the Patriots are the best in the NFL.
We certainly have the ability to compete and win against the Pats. All they have is consistency. We've got the talent and the players to match them, we just need to put it together.
Tonight is THE NIGHT! Who Dey!!
When the fans start yelling "Cheaters..." Belichick will say, "See, just like I said in the locker room. They don't respect us."
Works every time.
Good Luck,
BG, from Boston
Get ready for more nervous laughing and some elementary assessments from Marvin Tuesday morning at his press-confrence. My brain says Patriots and my heart says Bengals. As always I'll go with my brain...Brady tears the secondary up. Welcome to Cincy Pats fan. Hope you enjoy the stay. What have you all took in so far?
Do this not sum up everything?:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=sando_mike&id=3037743
Bryan,
I think the legit question is: Who have we played?
All they have is consistency? Is that not everything and everything that we lack? Ranked 1st in defense and offense. 3 Super Bowls this decade. Yeah, people are really jumping the gun on this team. I hope you weren't suggesting we match them talent-wise on both sides of the ball. Painful to read m'man.
"What have you all took in so far?"
This is what happens when you border a hillbilly state.
The Bengals are wasting the careers of Palmer, Johnson and Housmandzadeh with a disgusting defense.
Anyone who thinks this defense can keep the Patriots below 30 points hasn't watched the first three games.
Man for man, there's just not enough talent on defense. The schedule and some of the shocking results in the AFC mean they won't be out of it even at 1-3. They have to sweep Pittsburgh, which they can do. But they're nowhere near the class of the Patriots or Colts.
Tonight is absolutely a telling night. A win and this is a Bengals team that may be able to actually do something. A close loss and these are the same Marvin Lewis Bengals, get better but not great. A Bad loss and, I think everyone will agree, These are the same Bengals of old, no hope of ever doing anything substantial. With that there is one thing that I have to continually remind fellow Cincinnati Fans to keep in mind while watching the game tonight; 1 winning season in 17 years.
i agree with bryan. who have they played??? it will be tough to win but not impossible.
Mark, you must feel very guilty about saying all this about the Bengals. Otherwise, there is no need to point out your love for the city, your residency, or anything else. Look, the Bengals are playing poorly, the Pats are not. No need to mince words here, or to try and soften the blow. Say it like it is...Pats over the Bengals by a country mile!
The Bengals can, have and will score with anybody...I find it funny how they've done it week in and week out for almost 2 years now and there are those out there that question their ability to stay with the opponent...Having said that, the Pats will score in bunches tonight too...Here's hoping we play as physical a game as we did against Baltimore...Bengals 41 - Pats 34
12:28PM, smart move. The Patriots hate it when people get on their case about stuff. Like before the Chargers game. Everyone in the national media and across the NFL hating on them. I remember how they just curled up in the fetal position and the Chargers rolled them. So chant "Cheaters" very loudly so that the entire team hears it. Guaranteed to produce the desired results.
The mind knows, but the heart feels. Contrary to popular belief, both tell me that the Bengals will win tonight. Favored to loose by more than seven points in their own backyard, I think the Bengals are going to come out the same way they did against the Chiefs in 2003. Realizing they have nothing to loose, they will play a smart, physical game (which they are more than capable of doing as evidenced by their performance on MNF just 3 weeks ago) and prevail over an overconfident, untested Patriots team. We will all remember it as the day the Bengals salvaged their season as grew as a team. Who Dey!
Esq.01 from California
MARK---AMEN!!!
Good job and well said. I am proud of you for calling this team what it is---GARBAGE....Melvin Lewis has done nothing but waste Carson, TJ, Chad, & Rudi. He is a poor example of a NFL Head Coach....
I'll do you one better...Pats--45 Ben-GALS---20....Marvin on the hot seat after tonight's embarrassment
I bet all of you so-called fans that have already given up on the Bengals will be high-fiving your buds at the water-cooler tomorrow if we pull off a win. The lack of fan backbone makes me sick.....root for your team and don't give up until the last whistle blows!! Here's to keeping the faith!!!
Who Dey!!!
No one thought we would beat Denver on MNF in 2002 either. On the bright side - the Bengals can't look any worse than the Eagles did last night.
Is it a joke that all of you think the Bengals can win? The freaking BROWNS put up 51 against Cincy's D. How are they going to cover Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker, Ben Watson, stop the run against Maroney and Sammy Morris? It is imposible. Further, Tom Brady will be able to make a nice turkey sub with cheese and then make a 60 yard pass to Moss as the O-Line has allowed ONE, yes one sack all season against probowlers like Shawn Merrimen, Shaun Phillips, and Aaron Schobel.
Mark,
You are not very football-smart. Stick to writing bad band lyrics on your blog instead of lame, unsubstantiated football analysis. That's more in your realm. Bengals 34 Pats 20.
Mark,
How did you speak to Dan Patrick? His show went off the air August 17 (a day I remember as an avid DP fan). Anyway, I only see the Bengals winning if they can play their hearts out to keep the Pat's lead to greater than 10 pts going in the 4th quarter and then getting a turnover or two. I'd say if they played 10 times, the Pats would win 8 of them. Here's to hoping this is one of the two...
Bengals are a Super Bowl caliber offense pared with one of the worst defenses that I've seen in my 34 years, and that was before all of the injuries. I correlate this team with where Indy was in 2002/2003. It is going to be an ugly game, Pats 41, Bengals 28, but the game itself won't be that close.
Upsets do happen. We saw it over the weekend with the college games and yesterday with the Cardinals beating the Steelers (who would've picked that one?). I'm a fan, so I'm going to stay positive. It's a daunting task, but you never know what could happen. I think the Bengals could surprise us all.
Mark,
Why do you even cover sports. My guess is you probably never played anything but maybe softball.
PD hates Mike Brown. PD talks in the third person and is full of hot air. PD makes minimum wage and blows it all at the Establishment.
Lock this thread, PD claims victory. Dubya is the greatest President in the history of man kind.
Part of the reason I am not big Bengals fan is due to the stupid saying "Who Dey". Doesn't everyone realize they stole it from New Orleans? I don't think you should have a chant if you can't back it up. Here's to the greatest 8-8 team in the NFL!
Hey IDIOT! The Saints stole it from the Bengals! Mike Martin came up with the saying 'Who Dey' in 1981! The saints came up with 'who dat' in 1983. Who stole from who you IDIOT?! But Anyways my boys SUCK AGAIN. Carson Chad and T. are overrated and onlyn care about their numbers and not wins. 1-3 and gunning for the old fashioned 3-13 like the Coslet days.
For the above IDIOT...
The chant of "Who Dat? Who dat say they gonna beat dem Saints?" originated in minstrel shows and vaudeville acts of the late 1800s and early 1900s, and was then taken up by jazz and big band performers in the 1920s and 30s. It became a familiar joke with soldiers during World War II and such. Finally, it was adapted by Southern University and New Orleans public schools in the 1960s. Saints fans trace Who Dat back to the late 1970's and even have Saint's merchandise and promotional items from Rally's Hamburgers to prove it.
Bite me.
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