3 is the magic number for the Bengals.

[Matt700wlw]

If either the Steelers or the Ravens win out, which one of them can't, the best they can be is 11-5.

The Bengals need to win 3 of the next 5 to clinch, as of now to be 11-5. They have the tie breakers. There's no reason they shouldn't be able to do that, looking at their schedule.

If some other teams want to help out, that's cool too....the Bengals need to take care of business. The wildcard will take care of itself.

[goreds2]

Congrats,

gosteelers2

[Redhook]

3 is the number, but the big game will be in San Diego in a few weeks. It appears the winner of that game will get the much-coveted first round bye. I'd love to see the Bengals win that game, but it's gonna be very tough.

[cincrazy]

3 is the number, but the big game will be in San Diego in a few weeks. It appears the winner of that game will get the much-coveted first round bye. I'd love to see the Bengals win that game, but it's gonna be very tough.

Well, the winner of that game would be battling New England for a first round bye. I wouldn't discount the Pats yet. I actually think they're starting to peak.

[traderumor]

The Bengals really need two more wins, making it to 10-6. The home games against Detroit and KC should fit the bill. The game I am least comfortable with is SD, Minny has played a cupcake schedule and is likely a winnable game. But then, SD may be playing their best football right now, so maybe the timing of our game will be right. My bold prediction is that we lose one of Minny/SD and win the rest to go 12-4. If our fate is sealed going into the NYJ finale, then make it 11-5.

It is hard to imagine that the Steelers or Ravens will win out, which they would need to do to make it to 11-5.

[DTCromer]

At first, I thought the Bengals would split SD/Minny. . . with more than likely beating Minny and losing to SD. Now, I think the Bengals will lose to both. Minnesota is tough to beat at home. Their run defense is damn good and even better than the Steelers and Ravens this year. Both Pitts and Baltimore have proven to be 9-7/ 8-8 teams this year so the Bengals victories against them seems less and less impressive.

[KoryMac5]

At first, I thought the Bengals would split SD/Minny. . . with more than likely beating Minny and losing to SD. Now, I think the Bengals will lose to both. Minnesota is tough to beat at home. Their run defense is damn good and even better than the Steelers and Ravens this year. Both Pitts and Baltimore have proven to be 9-7/ 8-8 teams this year so the Bengals victories against them seems less and less impressive.

DT I give you props as you called the Oakland game. But I figure even a blind squirrel finds a nut in the mud sometimes and while I would agree with your observation on Baltimore you are dead wrong on Pittsburgh. Baltimore has really changed its approach this year and has become a pass first franchise. Flacco isn't that type of a franchise QB yet to where he can put a team on his shoulders and carry them. Baltimore really has lost some of its identity and the defense has gotten old.

Pittsburgh on the other hand is still the same old pain in the butt team. They are banged up with Troy Polamalu and Ben Roethlisberger sitting out time for a knee injury and a concussion. However with that being said lets not forget they already beat Minnesota and the great Brett Favre plus they are also the defending Super Bowl Champs. Two victories against Pittsburgh still look pretty impressive to me.

Lets not forget that the Bengals just went 6-0 in the AFC North which is often mentioned as the toughest conference in all of football this season. I feel the Bengals will split with SD and Minn and win out the rest. Let's not forget that SD already lost to Pitts and Baltimore this season and barely survived the Giants who are mediocre at best. 11-5 looks pretty reachable to me on the season.

Who else doesn't care about the BYE, I like the looks of this team playing on the road. Who Dey!

[Degenerate39]

IMO The Bengals really need that first round bye just in case the Steelers get the Wild Card. I don't think the Bengals can beat the Steelers 3 times in a year.

[Hoosier Red]

Man you guys are slow today,

"First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin, then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceedest on to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it." Amen

[Redhook]

I don't think the Bengals can beat the Steelers 3 times in a year.

It would be tough, but how sweet would that be? It'd be the best thing outside of winning the Super Bowl.

If we don't get the bye, I'm hoping the Bengals would host the Broncos. I'd love to see a rematch. I think the Bengals would beat them by 12-14 points with no problem this time around.

[Yachtzee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxmKRyLdBho

[TeamSelig]

I think we lose to SD and Minnesota. Then again, I've been negative about future games the entire season... so far it has worked out well.

SD is on the west coast, that is a loss. Minnesota has great run defense like someone mentioned before. They rely on their running game to set up the pass, which is good for us EXCEPT they have a guy named Adrian Peterson. I just don't like the match up.

[Tony Cloninger]

I am hoping Brett turns in hist first 3-4 interception game against the Bengals. He is due...is he not?

I do not trust those KC and NY Jets games...even though they should beat those teams...for some reason they have had a history of losing to those teams more often than not. It really does suck to know Bengal history so well that you are afraid the past is going to creep into the future and repeat itself.

[bucksfan2]

IMO The Bengals really need that first round bye just in case the Steelers get the Wild Card. I don't think the Bengals can beat the Steelers 3 times in a year.

I would almost rather see the Steelers than say the Titans or even Jags. A banged up Steelers team, especially without Polamolu at 100% isn't nearly as dominant.

[TeamSelig]

I'm not very positive against the KC and the Jets either. The Jets have a fairly solid defense, it seems if Sanchez is on, they are a pretty good football team.

The first step is beating the Lions. A loss to them would be very disheartening. If we beat them, we just need to split with Min/SD and KC/Jets.

[The Operator]

Sanchez hasn't been on much at all this year though. He's been an interception machine, and with The Bengals dominant corner tandem, I could see them having a big day against him, assuming they don't take the keys away from him and run the ball 7 times out of 8.

I'm actually somewhat confident about The Minnesota game, for whatever reason. They've played a fairly weak schedule and Favre is bound to have one of his multiple-INT days some time this year, he's had themoff and on his whole career. Back in '05, The Bengals picked him off 5 times with Deltha O'Neal and Tory James. Why not again, with younger, better corners?

The SD game is what scares me. The Bengals suck on The West Coast.

[Tony Cloninger]

They need to get their pass rush going again....1 sack in 2 games vs 2 average OL.

The Cowboys were all over the Raiders QB and they were not blitzing all the time.

[cincrazy]

Sanchez hasn't been on much at all this year though. He's been an interception machine, and with The Bengals dominant corner tandem, I could see them having a big day against him, assuming they don't take the keys away from him and run the ball 7 times out of 8.

I'm actually somewhat confident about The Minnesota game, for whatever reason. They've played a fairly weak schedule and Favre is bound to have one of his multiple-INT days some time this year, he's had themoff and on his whole career. Back in '05, The Bengals picked him off 5 times with Deltha O'Neal and Tory James. Why not again, with younger, better corners?

The SD game is what scares me. The Bengals suck on The West Coast.

Because Favre has Adrian Peterson in the backfield, and Rice, Harvin, and Berrian to throw to ;).

[yab1112]

Back in '05, The Bengals picked him off 5 times with Deltha O'Neal and Tory James

I was at that game :thumbup: I was scared about Minnesota but I saw these numbers today for the Bengals defense:

Run Defense: 3rd (81.9 ypg)
Scoring Defense: 1st (15.8 ppg)

Simply put, those numbers will keep you in any game.

[sonny]

Count me in as feeling pretty good against Minnesota. I think Favre could show his age and get a little tired by this point in the season. I'm by no means guaranteeing a victory, but a win sure wouldn't surprise me

[camisadelgolf]

The Bengals are going to win at Minnesota, and this is why:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pzN-K49OMk