2011 Bengals Discussion

[Todd Gack]

Please. The pool of players is the largest ever. Athletes are bigger, faster, stronger and while maybe not smarter, certainly play smarter because of the technology that they have to help them play smarter. I am so tired of hearing that today's sports are watered down. They aren't. Teams today would obliterate teams from 10 years ago, much less 20+, in all sports.

Comparatively speaking, the late 80's, early 90's was a golden age of the NFL. Pick any of the losers in those conference championship games and they would run all over an of the Super Bowl teams of the past 10 years.

The quality of play and rules in this league has severely downgraded the quality of play and yet we all think this is awesome football. I'm just looking at all of these Super Bowl matchups of the past 10 years and I'm vomiting comparing it to those great teams of the 80's and early 90's before the salary cap completely ruined the greatness of the NFL.

But hey, enjoy your parity and seeing the referees and the salary cap decide more winners in today's game than ever before.

[Todd Gack]

Lineman are much bigger/strong/faster than they ever have been. That equates to dominating at the line of scrimmage. Line backers are smaller than they are now and slower. Running backs are bigger and faster, as are wide recievers. So now we have smaller and slower guys trying to chase down and tackle faster, more agile and stronger guys with the ball.

I don't really think I am taking it too far. Of course they would lay a hand on them, but there wouldn't be pile ups all that often because pile ups happen when both sides are evenly matched and the line doesn't go anywhere. Put todays linemen against linemen of yesteryear and todays linemen will absolutely dominate the line of scrimmage on every down.

You're comparing the athlete alone instead of the quality of play altogether in the NFL. The game is crap today. Too many games decided by questionable penalties, injuries, and just plain horrid play. Give me the Cowboys and 49ers dynasties of 20 years ago over what you call an 'exciting' game today. Those games were much more fun to watch.

[dougdirt]

You're comparing the athlete alone instead of the quality of play altogether in the NFL. The game is crap today. Too many games decided by questionable penalties, injuries, and just plain horrid play. Give me the Cowboys and 49ers dynasties of 20 years ago over what you call an 'exciting' game today. Those games were much more fun to watch.

I am not concerned about the way the game is played today so much versus then. The players are simply better because of the advantages they have. But lets leave it at that, like we were asked to last page, and get back to the Bengals of 2011/2012.

[Ohayou]

6-2 and they can't even break the Top 10 in power rankings...

[Boss-Hog]

I hate to break up a good argument, but this is a Bengals thread, guys.

I think the "today vs. yesteryear" argument is fascinating and worth talking about, and if you want to continue it I'd be glad to move the related posts in this thread into a separate thread for you to continue discussing it, if you all would like that.

But for this thread, for the last three pages or so it's been only this topic with Bengals talk sprinkled in about every 5th or 6th post. So please try to keep it on topic.

This, please.

[bucksfan2]

Comparatively speaking, the late 80's, early 90's was a golden age of the NFL. Pick any of the losers in those conference championship games and they would run all over an of the Super Bowl teams of the past 10 years.

The quality of play and rules in this league has severely downgraded the quality of play and yet we all think this is awesome football. I'm just looking at all of these Super Bowl matchups of the past 10 years and I'm vomiting comparing it to those great teams of the 80's and early 90's before the salary cap completely ruined the greatness of the NFL.

But hey, enjoy your parity and seeing the referees and the salary cap decide more winners in today's game than ever before.

Are you sure you aren't talking about the Bengals glory days as well? Late 80's early 90's, maybe we can go back and freeze Paul Brown, or at least clone him.

The Super Bowls were utterly forgettable during the 90's and into the early 2000's. Remember the Niners vs the Chargers? Heck the Bengals Super Bowl loss was on of the best SB's of all time until recently. I will take a nail bitter SB with two lesser teams as you suggest, over a epic blowout.

[redsfandan]

If the "today vs. yesteryear" argument keeps up much more someone's gonna have to rename the thread.

[Ohayou]

Stephen A. Smith shows Dalton some love on First Take.

[cincrazy]

I think this team has a better shot against Pitt than many are giving it.

People routinely point out that the Bengals haven't played anyone, while failing to point out that the Steelers and Ravens have played the same schedule, with only a few differences. Pittsburgh has only created four turnovers all over, has offensive line issues (which plays to our strength) and has numerous injury issues. This team has a very good shot to win this Sunday. And I think a win is very important. It would get this crucial stretch off on the right foot.

[redsfan30]

If this team can take two of the four games with Baltimore and Pittsburgh, we will be playing football in Cincinnati in January.

[bucksfan2]

I think this team has a better shot against Pitt than many are giving it.

People routinely point out that the Bengals haven't played anyone, while failing to point out that the Steelers and Ravens have played the same schedule, with only a few differences. Pittsburgh has only created four turnovers all over, has offensive line issues (which plays to our strength) and has numerous injury issues. This team has a very good shot to win this Sunday. And I think a win is very important. It would get this crucial stretch off on the right foot.

I just saw the final play of the Ravens Steelers game and still am shaking my head at the defensive call. With 16 or so seconds left and 30-35 yards to go needing a TD I have no idea why the Steelers went with press coverage bringing 5 men. Lay off the WR, force Flacco to go underneath the coverage and you win the game. As it was the DB got beat and Flacco made a good throw for a TD that never should have happened.

That said here are my thoughts for this upcoming game:

Its tough to get up for 3 games in a row. The Steelers had the Pats, Ravens, and now the Bengals. Had the Steelers beat the Ravens I would have liked the Bengals odds more.

The key for the Bengals will be to get Ben on the ground. The Steelers (Mike Wallace) are very good at the deep ball, the Bengals (Leon Hall) have a weakness there. If the D Line can get pressure on Ben and bring him to the ground it would greatly improve their chance at winning.

Andy Dalton can't make costly mistakes. He needs to continue to play like a seasoned QB and not a rookie.

The mistakes need to be limited. The OLine can't give up as many holding calls as they did in the last two weeks. Jerome Simpson needs to hang onto the ball. Gresham (if he plays) needs to catch the ball. Andre Caldwell needs to catch the ball.

If I were a betting man I would take the Steelers but I think the Bengals have a good shot at winning. However they will need to play their best football game of the year in order to do so.

[5TimeWSChamps]

If tge D-Line gets to Ben, we will win. If we get no pressure we will lose. Simple as that

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[Yachtzee]

The Bengals of this season remind me of a line from the movie "Yellowbeard" starring Graham Chapman of Monty Python, "Yellowbeards are always most dangerous when they're dead." After losing Palmer and CJ, the Bengals were left for dead before the season started. To that I say, "Bengals are always most dangerous when they're dead."

[GAC]

You guys wanna see anger and frustration? Check out this Brown's season ticket holder outside the stadium, You go guy!

A Browns Fan's Reaction To Today's Game Against Houston - YouTube

[redsfandan]

You guys wanna see anger and frustration? Check out this Brown's season ticket holder outside the stadium, You go guy!

A Browns Fan's Reaction To Today's Game Against Houston - YouTube

"You are a factory of sadness!!"


That's pretty good. lol