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

[cincygrad]

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.

Is that just reflective of morning betting activity after the Browns appeared disinterested in winning last night?

 

[alf8478]

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.

The only difference this time is that they won't be playing the same team the following week.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Mayfield officially OUT

I'd likely play the starters 1 qtr and sit them...just to keep the rust from building, but if OL doesn't look like it'll hold up, I have no issue playing him 1-2 series and yanking him regardless...

Great time to play Allen, and allow the young guys some continued run w/Carmen at LG and Adeniji at RG, etc...etc...or even get looks at Smith at RT, if he's active.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Mayfield officially OUT

I'd likely play the starters 1 qtr and sit them...just to keep the rust from building, but if OL doesn't look like it'll hold up, I have no issue playing him 1-2 series and yanking him regardless...

Great time to play Allen, and allow the young guys some continued run w/Carmen at LG and Adeniji at RG, etc...etc...or even get looks at Smith at RT, if he's active.

I would allow Chase to play for a quarter to get his 12+ yards to break Chad Johnson's single season record. You never know if the chance will come up again. I would assume with Burrow and Chase, they will break this record many times over, but while you are that close, just let him break it so he is breaking his own record every year instead of trying to catch up to someone else. I can for sure see Burrow sitting though.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I would allow Chase to play for a quarter to get his 12+ yards to break Chad Johnson's single season record. You never know if the chance will come up again. I would assume with Burrow and Chase, they will break this record many times over, but while you are that close, just let him break it so he is breaking his own record every year instead of trying to catch up to someone else. I can for sure see Burrow sitting though.

He gets 1 qtr...LOL

 

[Cincyfan78]

Burrow - OUT - for Sunday's game.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Mixon and Bell also out with Covid. Spain dealing with sprained ankle, will not play, hope to have him back for playoff game.

 

[alf8478]

We can't have nice things.

 

[cincygrad]

Guys testing positive right now will clear for the rest of the postseason once they have two negative tests. My big concern is Burrow practicing all week with COVID guys (those that haven't yet tested positive but might have it) and failing next Monday. If the Bengals were smart, they'd be testing all of their players every day this week. Strategically, most weeks it makes sense not to test players once they pass the Monday test, but given that this week's game doesn't mean anything, I'd test the hell out of the building to make sure they stop spread before the playoff week.

If you are gambling on this weekend's Bengals/Browns game, you truly have a gambling problem. There is no way to read this type of game.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Get them all in a room...get positive - get negative - clear for the playoffs.

Covid Party time.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Also, Su'a is expected back for the playoffs...so, maybe that's good.

 

[cincygrad]

Get them all in a room...get positive - get negative - clear for the playoffs.

Covid Party time.

Yeah.... This is the Bengals. With our luck, Burrow would be a 'long-hauler' and out of commission for the next three seasons.

 

[DanBengalfan]

if we can get far enough ahead we can simply run the ball and eat up the clock.

just so long as we don't make another 2nd string QB have a career game.

 

[futballiscool]

Guys testing positive right now will clear for the rest of the postseason once they have two negative tests. My big concern is Burrow practicing all week with COVID guys (those that haven't yet tested positive but might have it) and failing next Monday. If the Bengals were smart, they'd be testing all of their players every day this week. Strategically, most weeks it makes sense not to test players once they pass the Monday test, but given that this week's game doesn't mean anything, I'd test the hell out of the building to make sure they stop spread before the playoff week.

If you are gambling on this weekend's Bengals/Browns game, you truly have a gambling problem. There is no way to read this type of game.

Like everything Covid-related in our society I find the NFL testing process a bit confusing but I believe Vaxxed players are no longer subject to weekly testing. Unless Burrow gets a symptomatic case or is deemed a close contact of someone who tests positive or is selected for a random test he should be fine to play

 

[cincygrad]

Like everything Covid-related in our society I find the NFL testing process a bit confusing but I believe Vaxxed players are no longer subject to weekly testing. Unless Burrow gets a symptomatic case or is deemed a close contact of someone who tests positive or is selected for a random test he should be fine to play

Yeah.... Also makes me wonder if he already had an asymptomatic case in the past few weeks. Brandon Allen tested positive. Mixon just tested positive a few days after having some close contact cigar smoking with Burrow during a lockeroom celebration. I looked over the new details and you're right - Asymptomatic guys don't have to get tested unless their name comes up randomly or because of some concern. Still makes me uneasy as we head into the playoffs. I'd hate to get this close to a chance to break the streak and then have Brandon Allen as our starter.

 

[futballiscool]

Yeah.... Also makes me wonder if he already had an asymptomatic case in the past few weeks. Brandon Allen tested positive. Mixon just tested positive a few days after having some close contact cigar smoking with Burrow during a lockeroom celebration. I looked over the new details and you're right - Asymptomatic guys don't have to get tested unless their name comes up randomly or because of some concern. Still makes me uneasy as we head into the playoffs. I'd hate to get this close to a chance to break the streak and then have Brandon Allen as our starter.

I think with the emergence of omicron the NFL threw in the towel on stopping lockerroom spread and just want to finish the season ($$). If there's a silver lining to the positive tests this week it means those players miss a meaningless game and if any of them are unvaxxed they're no longer subject to testing the rest of the season once they're negative

 

[alf8478]

Like everything Covid-related in our society I find the NFL testing process a bit confusing but I believe Vaxxed players are no longer subject to weekly testing. Unless Burrow gets a symptomatic case or is deemed a close contact of someone who tests positive or is selected for a random test he should be fine to play

I never understood the testing process. When I had Covid last year, my doctor told me that I would continue to test positive for up to 90 days, and I got three tests within that time frame and was still positive, so I don't get how a player tests positive and then negative the next day, unless its all false positives.