New England,Denver r Balt. ?

[jgreene95]

I personally want N.E.

Beat Brady & Co. = respect.

 

[Gypsumstack]

I don't think there is anyway to end up playing Baltimore in round 1. They are locked into the 4 seed and we are locked into 6.

Given our horrible history against Denver, I'd have to go with the Pats being my matchup of choice, although the only chance we have against Brady is if the defense beats the shit out of him the entire game.

 

[bengaldoug]

I could care less who we play. Whoever it is, we'll be a huge underdog playing with nothing to lose.

 

[Restore the Roar]

I don't think there is anyway to end up playing Baltimore in round 1. They are locked into the 4 seed and we are locked into 6.

Given our horrible history against Denver, I'd have to go with the Pats being my matchup of choice, although the only chance we have against Brady is if the defense beats the shit out of him the entire game.

I think I read that if Bmore wins and the Pats lose next week, they would flip flop seeds and we would play Bmore.

 

[Restore the Roar]

Per ESPN AFCN blog

So, what is there left to resolve? The Ravens' playoff seed. Baltimore is currently No. 4 and would play host to the Colts in the first round if the season ended today. If the Ravens win in Cincinnati and the Patriots (11-4) lose at home to Miami, Baltimore would move up to the No. 3 spot (by virtue of its Week 3 win over New England) and face the Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium in the first round. According to ESPN Stats & Information, there is no chance for the Ravens to jump to one of the top two seeds and get a first-round bye.

 

[Servo]

I want Hou or Balt. Those are the only teams that I see as beatable. I think we crushed by NE. Just not at that level yet.

 

[bengaldoug]

We could play great defense at New England and still give up 30+ points.

 

[grayghost668]

don't the Bengal play the Ravens next beat them and it should give you the division

 

[bengaldoug]

don't the Bengal play the Ravens next beat them and it should give you the division

Nah, they clinched by beating the Giants. We would lose the tiebreaker if we beat them.

 

[Be Weary of Query]

via bengals.com


» Baltimore (10-5) will create a playoff rematch against the Bengals with a win at Paul Brown Stadium this week and a home loss by New England (11-4) against Miami. The Ravens and Patriots would share the AFC’s third-best record at 11-5, and a head-to-head victory on Sept. 23 puts the tiebreaker in Baltimore’s favor. If the Ravens lose or tie, or New England wins or ties, Baltimore is the No. 4 seed and will host locked-in fifth seed Indianapolis in the Wild Card round.

» New England (11-4) is in the No. 3 spot through Week 16. To keep the No. 3 spot over Baltimore, the Patriots need a win or tie vs. Miami, or a Ravens loss or tie against the Bengals. But if the Patriots beat Miami, and if Houston (12-3) and/or Denver (12-3) loses, the Patriots will have a tiebreaker shot at the No. 2 or even No. 1 seed. The Bengals and Patriots have never met in postseason. In the last Bengals visit to New England, in the 2010 season opener, the Patriots won 38-24.

» Houston will be the No. 3 seed -- and host Cincinnati in postseason for the second straight year -- with a loss at Indianapolis, combined with a win or tie by Denver (vs. Kansas City) and a New England win. The Texans would cede the best AFC record to Denver, and they would lose a tiebreaker for the No. 2 spot to New England, which defeated the Texans head-to-head on Dec. 10.

» Denver will be the No. 3 seed with a loss at Kansas City combined with a New England win vs. Miami. The Broncos and Patriots would both be 12-4, and New England would win a two-team tiebreaker on better AFC record (11-1 to 9-3). If Houston joined Denver and New England in a three-way tie at 12-4, Denver would still finish as No. 3, with New England at No. 1 and Houston at No. 2.

 

[bengaldoug]

I could see Houston losing, especially if Foster can't go. They're probably the most vulnerable of the top three teams. I wouldn't mind another shot at them, after they destroyed us last year. Not saying it would turn out differently, but they have seemed off their game lately.

 

[Be Weary of Query]

I could see Houston losing, especially if Foster can't go. They're probably the most vulnerable of the top three teams. I wouldn't mind another shot at them, after they destroyed us last year. Not saying it would turn out differently, but they have seemed off their game lately.

Their defense is really scary though...I think Foster is going to be fine.

going to Denver would not be ideal...

New England is...well...

at Baltimore? That might be the best scenario.

 

[bengaldoug]

Their defense is really scary though...I think Foster is going to be fine.
going to Denver would not be ideal...

New England is...well...

at Baltimore? That might be the best scenario.

I hope he is ok.....I need him for the fantasy Super Bowl next week.

 

[cincygrad]

I'd rather play New England than Houston. Houston's offense gives us fits because they do a lot of bootlegs and that seems to confuse Rey. They also have a tremendous defense which would be difficult for our limited offense.

I actually think our defense would give Brady some fits. We're getting tons of pressure right up the middle and that could bother him. I don't like our chances much against either Houston or New England, but I'd rather play either of them over Denver.

 

[JBUCK66]

Houston looks beatable.
Denver, a slug fest
Brady, we get out coached

 

[Servo]

I'd rather play New England than Houston. Houston's offense gives us fits because they do a lot of bootlegs and that seems to confuse Rey. They also have a tremendous defense which would be difficult for our limited offense.

I actually think our defense would give Brady some fits. We're getting tons of pressure right up the middle and that could bother him. I don't like our chances much against either Houston or New England, but I'd rather play either of them over Denver.

There are no good matchups but I think the Bengals can beat Houston. I really don't think they can beat NE. Brady, Hernandez, Gronkowski, Belichek...honestly I think it will be ugly. Houston we've got a puncher's chance against. I've been very impressed with Zimmer lately and think he could be effective v. Kubiak/Schaub...Balt is beatable by any measure. Paper tigers.

 

[flamingrey]

There is absolutely ZERO reason for Indianapolis to play any of their starters. If they lose to Houston, they're guaranteed a 1st round matchup against the Ravens, and assuming they win that game, they're guaranteed a 2nd round matchup against the Texans. Outside of the Bengals, those are the 2 worst teams in the playoffs, AFC and NFC.

I would be shocked if they play to win that game. And if they do, Bruce Arians (or Pagano if he's back) deserves to be fired on the spot.

 

[futballiscool]

Weather, injuries, and various factors could change the odds. but just a general idea of the Bengals chances on the road in the playoffs against the AFC division champs imo...

Baltimore- 50 percent chance the Bengals win
New England- 30 percent
Houston- 20 percent
Denver- 15 percent

Also I wouldn't be shocked to see Houston wakeup in the post season and represent the AFC. That's a complete football team imo. Rodgers and Brady can make any defense look bad on the wrong day, and Minnesota was in playoff mode last week.

 

[cincygrad]

Weather, injuries, and various factors could change the odds. but just a general idea of the Bengals chances on the road in the playoffs against the AFC division champs imo...

Baltimore- 50 percent chance the Bengals win
New England- 30 percent
Houston- 20 percent
Denver- 15 percent

Also I wouldn't be shocked to see Houston wakeup in the post season and represent the AFC. That's a complete football team imo. Rodgers and Brady can make any defense look bad on the wrong day, and Minnesota was in playoff mode last week.

I agree about Houston -- They have a great team that looks like it went asleep a little during the last few weeks. I think New England was fired up when they played them and Minnesotta was playing for their lives. It will be interesting to see if Houston can come back or if they just peaked too early.

 

[flamingrey]

Weather, injuries, and various factors could change the odds. but just a general idea of the Bengals chances on the road in the playoffs against the AFC division champs imo...

Baltimore- 50 percent chance the Bengals win
New England- 30 percent
Houston- 20 percent
Denver- 15 percent

Also I wouldn't be shocked to see Houston wakeup in the post season and represent the AFC. That's a complete football team imo. Rodgers and Brady can make any defense look bad on the wrong day, and Minnesota was in playoff mode last week.

Houston's pass defense is horrendous. Cushing was a huge loss, and with the revamped o-line from last season, their running game nor their offense as a whole is what it used to be.

Baltimore - 40 percent
Houston - 33 percent
New England - 10 percent
Denver - 5 percent