Playoff picture

[cincygrad]

With the SD win yesterday, it's looking like the Chargers can position themselves for a playoff spot if they beat us on Sunday. They'd have only two tough games remember -- @Denver and home against KC in week 17. That week 17 game has a high potential for rested starters for the Chiefs.

 

[bengaldoug]

The way Rivers played yesterday, if we have to deal with that then good Andy will have to show up for a day. It is within the realm of possibility, as their defense was quite accomodating yesterday to Alex Smith.

 

[flamingrey]

With the SD win yesterday, it's looking like the Chargers can position themselves for a playoff spot if they beat us on Sunday. They'd have only two tough games remember -- @Denver and home against KC in week 17. That week 17 game has a high potential for rested starters for the Chiefs.

If they win next week, we're only 1 game ahead of the pack vying for the 6th seed. We're also only 1 game ahead of Pittsburgh for the division crown assuming they beat Baltimore. And if they beat us, they will likely own the tie-breaker.

 

[cincygrad]

If they win next week, we're only 1 game ahead of the pack vying for the 6th seed. We're also only 1 game ahead of Pittsburgh for the division crown assuming they beat Baltimore. And if they beat us, they will likely own the tie-breaker.

Yeah, but I was an asshole for rooting for the Pats to beat the Steelers.

 

[flamingrey]

Yeah, but I was an asshole for rooting for the Pats to beat the Steelers.

Nobody said you were an "asshole" for it, but it was pretty dumb at the time, all things considered. The Steelers were sitting at 2-5 with their only wins coming against the Jets and Ravens. The Bengals and Patriots were tied at 6-2. To argue any other way is silly.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I guess the way I look at it: The Bengals are not in the playoffs until they are actually in the playoffs. Until then, I will root for that position, and results that help secure that position. In the case of the NE/Pitt game, I would have rooted against Pitt (and I did).

Once the Bengals have a secured spot in the playoffs, then I will worry about seeding.

If history has shown anything, it is no one is in the playoffs until they are officially "in", especially the Bengals, and no one is out of the race, especially the Steelers, until they are officially "out".

 

[DanBengalfan]

 

[Money]

If they win next week, we're only 1 game ahead of the pack vying for the 6th seed. We're also only 1 game ahead of Pittsburgh for the division crown assuming they beat Baltimore. And if they beat us, they will likely own the tie-breaker.

Why would you assume an underdog beats the favorite in that game? You may want to worry about the team that has already beaten the Bengals once this year. I guarantee a sweep will own the tie-breaker.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Why would you assume an underdog beats the favorite in that game? You may want to worry about the team that has already beaten the Bengals once this year. I guarantee a sweep will own the tie-breaker.

worry? both our teams might be playing quite differently by then. also, beating a team by 3 at home pretty much just means your about equal. as I remember it, both teams played horribly.

 

[cincygrad]

Why would you assume an underdog beats the favorite in that game? You may want to worry about the team that has already beaten the Bengals once this year. I guarantee a sweep will own the tie-breaker.

The Ravens haven't played well this season. The Steelers have and ARE currently playing well. Stop being so sensitive.

 

[cincygrad]

Nobody said you were an "asshole" for it, but it was pretty dumb at the time, all things considered. The Steelers were sitting at 2-5 with their only wins coming against the Jets and Ravens. The Bengals and Patriots were tied at 6-2. To argue any other way is silly.

I was rooting for the Pats because of this exact situation.... I was worried about the Steelers getting hot and having a chance to make some noise with a favorable second half schedule.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I was rooting for the Pats because of this exact situation.... I was worried about the Steelers getting hot and having a chance to make some noise with a favorable second half schedule.

Years of failure simply taught me to never count the Bengals "in" until they are actually in.

Years of watching the Steelers make runs late in the season taught me to never count them out until they are officiall "out".

A great seed would be nice, but it doesn't matter if you don't make the playoffs first.

However, I could see where many people would start looking at seeding. At that point in time it was not out of the question to see the Steelers implode, Bengals were playing well and could have cruised (especially if they beat Miami), so I can see both sides of the coin.

It's just a matter of how comfortable you are with assuming the Bengals were (at that time) going to make the playoffs.

 

[DanBengalfan]

I was rooting for the Pats because of this exact situation.... I was worried about the Steelers getting hot and having a chance to make some noise with a favorable second half schedule.

also because their fans are annoyingly gay

 

[DanBengalfan]

 

[flamingrey]

I was rooting for the Pats because of this exact situation.... I was worried about the Steelers getting hot and having a chance to make some noise with a favorable second half schedule.

Not sure who, but there were several in the thread rooting for the Steelers just because they're the Steelers and they couldn't ever see themselves rooting for them.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I was actually rooting for the Steelers at the time because I wanted a leg up in the #2 seed. I figure if we can keep winning, we have our own destiny in our hands. If we do nothing but lose and lose out to the Steelers for the division crown this year with them starting off 0-4, we do not deserve to be in the playoffs anyways. So I was all for the Steelers in that game, same of course I was all for my Broncos in that game Monday night. It was sickening seeing my Broncos lose a 24-0 halftime lead to that shit of a team here in the North, NE. No reason NE should have one that game.

Back at having to just keep winning and hope someone else can take care of the Patriots down the stretch here.

It would be nice as hell to avoid the first round of the playoffs, and in the second round have a home game where we are currently undefeated this year.

That #2 seed is going to be very important.

 

[DanBengalfan]

the bengals have too many excuses ready to become the #2 seed

 

[bengaldoug]

the bengals have too many excuses ready to become the #2 seed

There are no excuses. They have five winnable games left, if they don't win them they've nobody to blame but themselves. Either they are good enough or they are not.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

My thoughts here

AFCN

Bengals have some tough games remaining (@SD, IND, @PIT, MIN, BAL) and with Dalton on the road (especially in the DIV) I wouldn't be comfortable either. But...a 2 game lead, is a 2 game lead...no sense looking back as Satchel Paige used to say. A win this week will likely eliminate the loser of the PIT/BAL from contention.

Steelers are playing better since getting spanked in NE...imo they had nowhere to go but up from there...RZ OFC is still not good enough to win a playoff game on the road imo, but another topic...This week imo is the key game for both PIT & BAL...the loser HAS to win out for any shot, even the 6th seed.

Ravens are in the same boat as the Steelers...win this week, their final 4 games are tougher than PIT imo.

Bottomline...win this week and you guys can pretty much start making playoff plans, as you will get to 10 wins...lose, you still have the upper hand, but I imagine the pressure will be double in the IND game.

 

[kramer1]

The Colts stink. The Vikings stink. We'll beat Baltimore at home.

Is 10-6 good for the 3 or 4 seed? We'll see.