Game Thread: Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals

[fightinredantz]

The Broncos are on a 2 game win streak and the Bengals are on 3 game losing streak with the loss today against to the Browns. The Bengals might be without Green and Dalton or both might be back. This will be net territory for the Broncos as they will have to guard against let down. This will be another early kickoff which has not been friendly so far this season (Ravens, Jets, and Chiefs). I would think the Broncos might be favored going into Cincinnati, but we will see.

DC are you going to be in the stands?

 

[Draft Crazy]

The Broncos are on a 2 game win streak and the Bengals are on 3 game losing streak with the loss today against to the Browns. The Bengals might be without Green and Dalton or both might be back. This will be net territory for the Broncos as they will have to guard against let down. This will be another early kickoff which has not been friendly so far this season (Ravens, Jets, and Chiefs). I would think the Broncos might be favored going into Cincinnati, but we will see.

DC are you going to be in the stands?

Yes I am.

 

[iknowftbll]

This game is huge. Bengals are not playing good ball right now and while the Broncos haven’t looked good in winning they have somehow been able to cobble together enough defense and offense to get themselves back into the playoff discussion. Getting to 6-6 is massive. This team has some tenacity and believes in itself. I like what we are seeing from them.

 

[fightinredantz]

Andy Dalton to IR, Jeff Driskel to start for the Bengals.

Here is a link:
Bengals QB Dalton on IR with thumb injury

 

[iknowftbll]

^ Thst could go either way I guess. The Broncos won’t have a lot of film on Driskel and you never know how a team is going to rally around a backup. Still the smart money says this favors the Broncos.

We’re out a couple players too.

 

[fightinredantz]

ESPN is showing Broncos favored by 3.5 points.

 

[iknowftbll]

ESPN is showing Broncos favored by 3.5 points.

They’d better not believe the hype. I hope they don’t. This team could be something special but they can’t trip up.

 

[fightinredantz]

With the adversity that they have gone through this year I think that is less likely, but it is another hurdle. Vance will have to guard against the let down the next 4 weeks.

 

[Draft Crazy]

Barrett out 3-4 weeks with hip.

 

[LGM]

We were blown up by the Jets. I'm not holding my breath that we "should" beat anyone this year.

We are winning in spite of the play calling, clock management, and decision making. I think we win, but it's closer than it should be.

 

[SpiritOf77]

Vance returns to Cincy

Although it's been a few years, Marv is still there .. and the Bengals are in freefall

With the teams we've faced over the past month or so and how we have risen to the occasion the past two games, I don't think this will be Jets II

 

[iknowftbll]

“Closer than it should be” is an expression that I find interesting. The 2015 season made me completely reevaluate my idea of what an NFL game “should” be.

I recall that season it seemed like no matter how good or bad an opponents defense was our offense performed at the same level. Our defense, as good as one any team has fielded in the modern era of football, was much the same: bad teams did better against them than many expected and they shut down the best offenses like they weren’t even trying.

NFL games are a weird beast. After SB50 i realized I wouldn’t change a single snap of the 2015 season. It happened exactly like it should. The remainder of this season will be no different. Maybe the outcome won’t be as much to our liking as 2015 but this season will finish exactly like it should.

My guess is after gutting our hard fought close games against teams far better than the Bengals some may be expecting a decisive win this week. I just don’t think that’s this year’s Broncos. I’m guessing the Broncos go in and gut out a nasty 23-20 win or something like that.

It’ll happen exactly the way it should.

 

[58crash]

Vance returns to Cincy

Although it's been a few years, Marv is still there .. and the Bengals are in freefall

With the teams we've faced over the past month or so and how we have risen to the occasion the past two games, I don't think this will be Jets II

That will probably happen when we play the browns

 

[LGM]

“Closer than it should be” is an expression that I find interesting. The 2015 season made me completely reevaluate my idea of what an NFL game “should” be.

I recall that season it seemed like no matter how good or bad an opponents defense was our offense performed at the same level. Our defense, as good as one any team has fielded in the modern era of football, was much the same: bad teams did better against them than many expected and they shut down the best offenses like they weren’t even trying.

NFL games are a weird beast. After SB50 i realized I wouldn’t change a single snap of the 2015 season. It happened exactly like it should. The remainder of this season will be no different. Maybe the outcome won’t be as much to our liking as 2015 but this season will finish exactly like it should.

My guess is after gutting our hard fought close games against teams far better than the Bengals some may be expecting a decisive win this week. I just don’t think that’s this year’s Broncos. I’m guessing the Broncos go in and gut out a nasty 23-20 win or something like that.

It’ll happen exactly the way it should.

I have a problem with that philosophy, unless you somehow are speaking on a metaphysical level...

Games rarely turn out as they should, due to a number of factors. Referees, weather, mental mistakes, coaching, etc.

Not to say that there is any quantifiable measurement for all these things; maybe someone has one, but I don't. I just look at a team and say that this team has better players in more positions, and should win.

Then, Mike Tyson punches you in the face.

 

[fightinredantz]

I think how close this game is more about what the Bengals do or don't do. If the team is quitting on Lewis (I have no idea if that is the case as I have not seen them play a game all year) then this might be very one sided in our favor. If the Bengals come out and fight hard this will be another game that is close.

 

[Draft Crazy]

We were blown up by the Jets. I'm not holding my breath that we "should" beat anyone this year.

We are winning in spite of the play calling, clock management, and decision making. I think we win, but it's closer than it should be.

Off our bye week last year! At home.
We lost to the 0-6 Giants last year minus 8 key starters. They had WR’s off the raft that week to field a team.

Sooo yeah that game made me realize anything is possible.

 

[iknowftbll]

I have a problem with that philosophy, unless you somehow are speaking on a metaphysical level...

Games rarely turn out as they should, due to a number of factors. Referees, weather, mental mistakes, coaching, etc.

Not to say that there is any quantifiable measurement for all these things; maybe someone has one, but I don't. I just look at a team and say that this team has better players in more positions, and should win.

Then, Mike Tyson punches you in the face.

My point is expected outcomes in the NFL often get turned on their head, sometimes for the variables you mentioned but often simply because the players are all elite athletes.

 

[SpiritOf77]

My point is expected outcomes in the NFL often get turned on their head, sometimes for the variables you mentioned but often simply because the players are all elite athletes.

I firmly believe that emotions and chemistry ( for lack of a better word ) play an enormous role when it comes to winning and losing ..

Yes, all that can be tied in with preparation, intelligence, experience, etc .... But you get the right combination of guys together - all who share a certain mindset - they don;t necessarily have to be "the best" ( whatever that is ), but they can be unstoppable ..

It's like getting into "the zone" .. We saw it with the underdog 1980 USA Olympic hockey team, we saw it in 2011 with the underdog Japanese women winning the World Cup as Japan was reeling from the tsunami, Brett Farve playing out of his mind in MNF just after he lost his Dad ... Did anyone think the '86 Mets were going to lose Game 7 after pulling out Game 6 - there was no way they were losing that game ..

And all those Tebow games .. that final drive vs the Jets - you could see it happening and there was no way to stop it - the guy couldn;t hit the broadside of a barn, but there is something to be said for players and teams that carry "it" or can tap into "it" - whatever "it" is - momentum, chemistry ?? ... a team can have great players, but great players have bad games, bad stretches, etc .. But chemistry and momentum are just about impossible to stop .. you just gotta ride it and put your head down and keep going ..

I am hoping that after trading away DT, after getting thru some impossibly tough losses, that Vance and this team are all on that same wavelength and go in to every game with a justifiable "us against the world" mentality ..

.

 

[SpiritOf77]

 

[iknowftbll]

I firmly believe that emotions and chemistry ( for lack of a better word ) play an enormous role when it comes to winning and losing ..

Yes, all that can be tied in with preparation, intelligence, experience, etc .... But you get the right combination of guys together - all who share a certain mindset - they don;t necessarily have to be "the best" ( whatever that is ), but they can be unstoppable ..

It's like getting into "the zone" .. We saw it with the underdog 1980 USA Olympic hockey team, we saw it in 2011 with the underdog Japanese women winning the World Cup as Japan was reeling from the tsunami, Brett Farve playing out of his mind in MNF just after he lost his Dad ... Did anyone think the '86 Mets were going to lose Game 7 after pulling out Game 6 - there was no way they were losing that game ..

And all those Tebow games .. that final drive vs the Jets - you could see it happening and there was no way to stop it - the guy couldn;t hit the broadside of a barn, but there is something to be said for players and teams that carry "it" or can tap into "it" - whatever "it" is - momentum, chemistry ?? ... a team can have great players, but great players have bad games, bad stretches, etc .. But chemistry and momentum are just about impossible to stop .. you just gotta ride it and put your head down and keep going ..

I am hoping that after trading away DT, after getting thru some impossibly tough losses, that Vance and this team are all on that same wavelength and go in to every game with a justifiable "us against the world" mentality ..

.

I definitely agree and am getting hints of it with this team. It’s like a blending of the 2015 and 2011 Broncos teams. It’s going to be interesting to see how they keep at it. Pretty much every game in front of them is an elimination game at this point. But when you reach 6 losses as early as the Broncos did it’s remarkable they’re even talking playoffs at this point because a lot of teams would have quit by now.

We’ve all been critical of VJ but the guys seem to be playing hard for him and for each other. There’s a lot to be said about that solidarity and now that they’ve gutted out some turbulence (and still have to deal with it in the form of injuries) they are a battle tested group.

I’m getting ahead of myself here but can you imagine if they get into the playoffs and get a third matchup with the Chiefs?