first playoff win since MC hammer said you can't touch this?

[DanBengalfan]

looking probable.

Playoff generator has us hosting the raiders.

git'er-dun

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Titans and Chiefs lose and we win, number one seed. 5% chance but.....

 

[futballiscool]

Raiders are my favorite possible match up but I think they lose to the Chargers next week and miss the playoffs

Pats are the team I most want to avoid because of the Belichick factor.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

After beating the chiefs I say bring on anyone. Granted, it is a different story in KC thank it is in Cincy, but I love this team.

 

[futballiscool]

After beating the chiefs I say bring on anyone. Granted, it is a different story in KC thank it is in Cincy, but I love this team.

They proved today they can beat anyone but I still want the most advantageous match up.
Out of the potential wildcards I want to avoid the Pats because of Belichick and the Colts because of Taylor.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Colts outdoors at Cincy and our 4th ranked rushing D? I'll take that matchup.

 

[futballiscool]

Colts outdoors at Cincy and our 4th ranked rushing D? I'll take that matchup.

Usually dome teams are finesse but the Colts are built for outdoor football. A rain/wind/snow storm might actually favor them because they're so dependent on the run game.

I'll take the matchup as well, it's just not a preferred one imo. They can control the clock and keep our offense off the field.

 

[cincygrad]

I feel insane for saying it, but I think I'd rather play the Patriots than the Colts. As you said, the Colts are an outdoor playoff football team and they can really shorten the clock and keep Burrow off the field. At this point, the Bengals need to just roll with Burrow - His arm will take them as far as they can get. A good running team worries me.

 

[cincygrad]

And as good as Belicheck is at scheming - Burrow has torched a lot of good DCs.

 

[alf8478]

The colts defense scares me more than their offense. Give me the pats, Raiders or chargers

 

[futballiscool]

And as good as Belicheck is at scheming - Burrow has torched a lot of good DCs.

This is true but Belichick has made a career out of making star young QBs look pedestrian. You can go back to early Peyton Manning in the post season or Kyler Murray and Justin Herbert the past two seasons. Burrow and the Bengals might be too good and with too many weapons even for him to stop but I'd rather find that out in the conference title game rather than the wildcard round.

I think the Bengals should be a 4 point favorite against the Pats and a 5 point favorite against the Colts when the game is at the PAUL. Those teams just have an X factor that scares me though

 

[Cincyfan78]

Actually, I'd take a matchup with Pitt, should they get in...(they won't)....

Imagine having the confidence to say that sentence, with a straight face, and no one outside batting an eye...That's where we are in 2022....

 

[CrashDavisSports]

The colts defense scares me more than their offense. Give me the pats, Raiders or chargers

I would say the Ravens and Steelers are least likely to to make it regardless. Crazy shit has to happen for them to make it.

So sitting at 3, we would play the 6th seed.

My guess is it has to be the Colts, Chargers or Raiders.

I would rather have the Colts or Raiders. I want nothing to do with the Chargers. Raiders in the snow and cold 3 hours time difference and exhausted from trying to beat the Chargers this upcoming week, which they would have to win to leap frog Indy and the Chargers and hope for a Colts loss.

Otherwise, we are playing the Colts if they win as I fully expect Buffalo or New England to hold on to the 5th seed.

The Colts defense is pretty good. I think we can pass on anyone, although catching the ball may be a little trickier and it becomes harder to hold on to balls with big hits (Colts have to deal with that too). I would still take our #4 rush defense and man the Colts WR's with a single high cloud.

It could be the Chargers if they win and the Colts lose, but I really do not want to see that game. I would prefer to save the air assault for KC again.

 

[futballiscool]

The Bengals are 2.5 pt underdogs vs the Browns on Sunday. I wonder if Vegas has inside information that the Bengals are resting key starters or if it's just speculation on their part

 

[cincygrad]

The Bengals are 2.5 pt underdogs vs the Browns on Sunday. I wonder if Vegas has inside information that the Bengals are resting key starters or if it's just speculation on their part

I think they are assuming Burrow is sitting. I think that's a fair assumption. We really have very little control over our opponent for week 1 of the playoffs even if we win, so I'd be okay with backing off on guys that are banged up.

 

[futballiscool]

I think they are assuming Burrow is sitting. I think that's a fair assumption. We really have very little control over our opponent for week 1 of the playoffs even if we win, so I'd be okay with backing off on guys that are banged up.

That makes sense but at least going in to the week the Bengals can have as high a seed as 2 or as low as 4. It makes me think they might wait at least until the Chiefs game Saturday night to see how they should play this one.

 

[cincygrad]

That makes sense but at least going in to the week the Bengals can have as high a seed as 2 or as low as 4. It makes me think they might wait at least until the Chiefs game Saturday night to see how they should play this one.

It would be interesting to see them let Allen air it out a bit. He always struck me as a guy that could get hot but not really do anything consistent. If all the receivers are playing, you could let him throw it around the field a little. Mayfield may be out for Cleveland and motivation might be pretty low for that club given everything they've been through this month with COVID, close losses, and a disappointing season.

 

[futballiscool]

The line's moved 5 points in favor of the Bengals the past couple hours. They're now a 2.5 point favorite. That can't be entirely Mayfield's injury news.

 

[Cincyfan78]

That makes sense but at least going in to the week the Bengals can have as high a seed as 2 or as low as 4. It makes me think they might wait at least until the Chiefs game Saturday night to see how they should play this one.

FWIW - ZT said in his presser yesterday the decision would be made before that - stated, they didn't feel that waiting until Saturday night to determine who is playing in less than 12 hours would be sufficient.

What does that mean? No clue - but sounds like whatever decision is made will be made, likely, by Friday.

 

[cincygrad]

I wonder if it will be like the 2009 Marvin Lewis strategy.... Tell everyone in the media that you are playing to win. Play all of your starters without a game-plan designed to win. Play like complete crap. Get your doors blown off. Limp into the start of the playoffs.