2011 Bengals Discussion Part II

[cincrazy]

It doesn't matter what the Bengals do, because of the 1990s, some people will never give them credit. Ever. Even when it's well deserved.

[Mario-Rijo]

It doesn't matter what the Bengals do, because of the 1990s, some people will never give them credit. Ever. Even when it's well deserved.

It's true. People refuse to believe anything but what they want to. What I said earlier about Mike Brown not understanding how to win is just as rationale just as logical an argument when presented with the facts as him not wanting to win. I'm not convinced of either side of the argument honestly but because I find no facts that support the "doesn't want to win, just wants to make money" argument, lame decade old rumors aside. I have to believe it's more about his lack of knowledge but coupled with a foolish, extremely stubborn notion that he does know what he is doing. We have seen some of his stubbornness slowly peel away. We have seen an improvement in the quality of players and personnel since Marvin has gotten here and even again since the '05 squad fell apart due to baggage. And alot of why we have gotten better is because people who like Dom says shouldn't be a part of the organization like Katie who has done a fair job of finding a reasonably competent head coach who has directed and fought against Mike Brown to direct us to the right players and such.

I have a lot of respect for the opinions of many here including Dom and I fully get what they are saying and why they are saying it but I think they are dead wrong about who the Bengals are and where they are heading as far as I'm concerned.

[texasdave]

Just in case anyone missed this. Simply incredible. That's an ESPY nominee.

Jerome Simpson Front Flip Touchdown - YouTube

[RiverRat13]

The schedule thing is way overblown by a lot of people. I haven't found an exact up-to-date ranking, but from what I've read in articles written a couple of weeks ago, the Bengals are going to end up with somewhere around the 16th-20th most difficult adjusted strength of schedule. So basically league average or slightly below league average.

[traderumor]

Well think of it this way: his front office is continually staffed with family members. Now, either you think that he goes out and interviews folks and his family just happens to beat these people out of jobs every time, or you think that just being related or marrying into the family qualifies you to run a football team.

What I'll never understand are people who think that a hundreds of million dollar football operation shouldn't be run by the most talented people in the industry rather than people who marry into a family and think it would be neat to give this football thing a try.

Let me tell you something- I own a business, a very successful one, and I don't have my mother as a sales manager. What on earth qualifies Mike Brown to run a football team? Are Katie Blackburn and her husband really the best this franchise can do? I mean, of all the people in the industry that have spent their lives learning the game, learning about personnel decisions, talent evaluations, and what a coincidence, Mike Brown puts his daughter and her husband in....and you say, "I've never understood why someone can't be good at both?" well here's the thing, my friend: they aren't good at football, and we've seen that over a twenty year same size.

Can an attorney run a football team? Not this one. Twenty years and not one playoff win. Zero. Nada. Nothing.

If you want to say things are looking up due to weak scheduling, have at it. I would prefer to have a team where people see us on it and think they have a tough schedule. That is never going to happen as long as Mike Brown owns this team, because he is a business man first, football second.

Dom, your response is very surprising. You are typically very good at arguing logically, but this response totally skirted my comment.

You asserted that "Mike Brown is an attorney, therefore he should not be 'running' an NFL franchise because attorneys cannot run businesses." Are you saying that lawyers will hire family members, therefore they cannot effectively run an NFL franchise?

While your points may be valid about Mike Brown, you did not respond to "lawyers cannot effectively run an NFL franchise." I'm just trying to figure out why his professional credentials are an argument for why he is not a good football man.

[kaldaniels]

Dom, your response is very surprising. You are typically very good at arguing logically, but this response totally skirted my comment.

You asserted that "Mike Brown is an attorney, therefore he should not be 'running' an NFL franchise because attorneys cannot run businesses." Are you saying that lawyers will hire family members, therefore they cannot effectively run an NFL franchise?

While your points may be valid about Mike Brown, you did not respond to "lawyers cannot effectively run an NFL franchise." I'm just trying to figure out why his professional credentials are an argument for why he is not a good football man.

I've been on the sidelines on this one and would love to chime on this post, but I will allow Dom the honors.

[RBA]

Just in case anyone missed this. Simply incredible. That's an ESPY nominee.

Jerome Simpson Front Flip Touchdown - YouTube

I don't think anyone missed it. That gets a hot dogging award.

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Looks like a new pricing plan for next year. Cheap seats will be $20 cheaper

And the good news continues. According to Bengals.com posters who called today to order season tickets for 2012, phone lines are again jammed with buyers.

I don't know what's gotten into Mike Brown, but I'll gladly take it. From the recent great drafts to the Jay Gruden hire to the Palmer trade steal from Oakland to the BOGO offer to the reduced prices for 2012 ... he's on a bit of a roll right now.

[traderumor]

I've been on the sidelines on this one and would love to chime on this post, but I will allow Dom the honors.

Feel free, but keep in mind that I am not questioning the assertion that "Mike Brown is not a good football man" but that "attorneys can not be good football men." In other words, the only objection I raised had to do with the correlation between Mike Brown being an attorney and his inability to be a good football man.

[Redsfaithful]

No, they can't beat New England. The Pats have lost, what, one game at home over the past few years, and you think they would honestly lose a home playoff game to a team with the 24th ranked offense? The Bengals? Who held on to beat the Cardinals by the skin of their teeth, who couldn't beat the Texans without their best players? Let's not get ahead of ourselves- they can't even crack the Steelers, believe me, New England would eat them for lunch.

But we won't have to worry about it, because Cincy is going to be bounced while the Pats are sitting home watching it on tv.

The Steelers are almost certainly better than New England. You're really sleeping on how bad New England's defense has been. Their offensive line has also been a mess. I think either Baltimore or Pittsburgh will bounce New England without much difficulty, but I do think the Bengals would have a shot. They only have one bad loss all year. I mean my god they're starting a rookie QB drafted in the second round and they're 9-6 and have only been blown out once. That's incredible. Any other franchise would be receiving huge accolades from the media and from fans (and to be fair I think the media has come around much more since they got that 9th win.)

They've had troubles closing teams out, but if it wasn't the Bengals I don't think anyone would find that surprising with them being one of the youngest teams in the NFL.

We will see this Sunday. I really have a good feeling. Baltimore has struggled on the road and the Bengals are healthier than last time, I think they're going to get in.

[RedFanAlways1966]

The Steelers are almost certainly better than New England. You're really sleeping on how bad New England's defense has been. Their offensive line has also been a mess. I think either Baltimore or Pittsburgh will bounce New England without much difficulty...

I thought I heard/saw that as of today both #1 seeds had the two worst defenses in yards allowed in the NFL. Of course if NE loses this Sunday they may lose that #1 seed. All the same...they are the #1 seed in the AFC right now. Surely that counts for something. If they keep that #1 seed that means Pittsburgh or Baltimore will have to play in Foxboro. I'll bet any amount of money that Baltimore will not win at NE (see Baltimore's road record/stats this year).

NE's offense (despite their mess of an O-line) has outscored the next closest AFC team by 105 points! The team has won 7 games in a row! I root against them every game they play, but they are pretty good.

[hebroncougar]

It doesn't matter what the Bengals do, because of the 1990s, some people will never give them credit. Ever. Even when it's well deserved.

Well, let's face it, the 1990's were well deserved too. They were totally inept.

[KoryMac5]

This Sunday the Bengals put the 90's to bed. I'm pumped up and ready to watch the battle!

[kaldaniels]

nm

[cincrazy]

I thought I heard/saw that as of today both #1 seeds had the two worst defenses in yards allowed in the NFL. Of course if NE loses this Sunday they may lose that #1 seed. All the same...they are the #1 seed in the AFC right now. Surely that counts for something. If they keep that #1 seed that means Pittsburgh or Baltimore will have to play in Foxboro. I'll bet any amount of money that Baltimore will not win at NE (see Baltimore's road record/stats this year).

NE's offense (despite their mess of an O-line) has outscored the next closest AFC team by 105 points! The team has won 7 games in a row! I root against them every game they play, but they are pretty good.

Their defense is a mess. They're secondary is atrocious. The line can't get any pressure. The linebackers as a group are average at best. And teams that can get pressure on the QB can slow that offense down. It's a great offense because of Brady, but they have no deep threat, no outside threat to worry about. They're very beatable. I'm not saying the Bengals would beat them, I don't think they would. But they'd have a shot.

And are we forgetting that Baltimore went into NE not too long ago and completely obliterated them? I wouldn't rule the Ravens out.