Odds are not in our favor

[CrashDavisSports]

So what is everyone's thoughts on the QB curse in their first SB and losing?

Not only does that have things going against us, but the rest of the conference is just flat out stacked now. Teams have done a great job of acquiring and distributing talent around the rest of the teams in the conference. The parity is crazy.

We are coming off a SB. Our young QB and WR group is another year older and experiences. Our QB gets his first full offseason to prepare. We beefed up the offensive line. We get Ossai back and added talented rookies to our secondary to grow with.

I think our defense will be much better if everyone can stay healthy. WE were a pretty dang healthy team last year, and that resulted in us keeping our stars on the field more and making a run into the SB. We are building an indoor facility. Things have really changed for the better around this team, and I am very impressed with the coaching staff to grow and learn from one another as well. I think in many ways, we are much better than last year.

However, I still question our overall secondary, as of right now. Will Bates just not care as much playing on the franchise tag? Will guys repeat what they were able to do last year in Hilton and Awuzie. How will the offensive line gel together and how long will it take? Do we have enough depth at WR? Will Hurst be able to as capable as Uzomah? Will our team stay healthy enough to not be required to test the amount of young depth we have acquired?

 

[alf8478]

My expectations are that the team overall will be better, they will play better, but probably have the same record as last year and either (narrowly) miss the playoffs or be one and done.

And that's mostly because while they have improved, so has the rest of the conference, for the most part. I don't expect them to avoid the injury bug again this year. And it will interesting to see if defensive coaches will catch up to their offense and figure out how to slow them down.

 

[cincygrad]

I definitely think the super bowl curse is a thing.... And I think it mostly has to do with the fact that getting to the Super Bowl requires some luck along the way. And the Bengals had a lot of luck when it comes to injuries and they had some career years from some of their players. Even with this curse, I think this year's team could be very good - Maybe the best team in the NFL. Here's my reasons:

- A number of young players are still getting better. Jonah Williams has only played 30 games. He will probably still improve. Chase and Tee are young and haven't hit their primes. Burrow gets his first regular offseason. Mixon is in his prime with the best O-line he has had.
- The coaches will improve. Taylor strikes me as a guy that is humble enough to learn from mistakes. I think he'll improve as a coach. Lou is coming into his own.
- In the postseason, the D was phenomenal. The way Lou managed personalities and maximized his talent was amazing. I think this unit could be a stingy bunch again this year.
- Burrow will thrive behind a better line.

I know history doesn't favor us.... And I agree that the AFC is stacked. But I don't think there are any teams that have a leg up on us going into next season. Everyone is on the Buffalo tip - And they should be great.... But there are a lot of expectations there and they'll have to live with the bullseye on their back as well.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I definitely think the super bowl curse is a thing.... And I think it mostly has to do with the fact that getting to the Super Bowl requires some luck along the way. And the Bengals had a lot of luck when it comes to injuries and they had some career years from some of their players. Even with this curse, I think this year's team could be very good - Maybe the best team in the NFL. Here's my reasons:

- A number of young players are still getting better. Jonah Williams has only played 30 games. He will probably still improve. Chase and Tee are young and haven't hit their primes. Burrow gets his first regular offseason. Mixon is in his prime with the best O-line he has had.
- The coaches will improve. Taylor strikes me as a guy that is humble enough to learn from mistakes. I think he'll improve as a coach. Lou is coming into his own.
- In the postseason, the D was phenomenal. The way Lou managed personalities and maximized his talent was amazing. I think this unit could be a stingy bunch again this year.
- Burrow will thrive behind a better line.

I know history doesn't favor us.... And I agree that the AFC is stacked. But I don't think there are any teams that have a leg up on us going into next season. Everyone is on the Buffalo tip - And they should be great.... But there are a lot of expectations there and they'll have to live with the bullseye on their back as well.

I think this is probably where I'm at.

I think the QB curse is a "thing" and yet, I also think it's circumstantial. Many of those teams needed multiple career years, and lucky bounces. Mainly, some of those QB's were not near the level that we feel Joe is at. That's the big thing to me. If they've had a QB, then the organization often times flitted it's nose at the defensive side of the ball, sinking all of the money into offense. Even then, by the time Matt Ryan made it, the offense wasn't nearly as potent as it had been, and the defense fell off after that as well.

Other QB's; Goff...please. Newton...please. Jimmy G....better than the other 2, but more of a game manager that needs things to go right.


The Bengals beat KC twice. Once at KC. Bengals beat Tenn on the road. They were in nearly every game in the regular season, save a couple, and including both games against NFC playoff teams. These weren't fluky games, but games where the defense and offense showed promise. In addition, the Bengals have not ignored one side of the ball over the other. Both the offense and defense continue to get upgrades and are focused on. Will that change in a year, or two, when contracts are up? We'll see - but nothing suggest right now that either side of the ball would see a drastic step back in expected results.

Injuries are something that always play a key role. Bengals were lucky to a point last year, but not nearly as lucky as maybe we think they were. They lost 2 IOL, and lost their RT. The OL that was already not good got massively worse as the playoffs approached. Trey Waynes still never played on defense, and considering how big a role he could have played if healthy...makes you wonder about Apple's few plays and if they are given up if Awuzie is bumped down to the #2 spot....Higgins missed time, Wilson missed time and both needed off-season surgery. Burrow twisted his knee again...Even along the DL, Oassai and Hubert missed full seasons - would Hendrickson have been even better if he wasn't on fumes in the playoffs and super bowl?

So, yes - the Bengals maybe avoided a MAJOR injury like to Chase, Burrow, Reader, but they still had their fair share of guys who were expected to produce/help that ended up either injured, playing injured, or missed full seasons.

I think the Bengals have upgraded, I think the OL will kick the offense up another notch, not just because of Burrow, but because now it will also allow Mixon to run more effectively...and if you struggle to stop Mixon, you'll never stop Burrow. The defense is still loaded, and added some good depth pieces - though I think they could still use a true veteran CB on the outside to be sure....but the rest is in shape and have been improved by returning players and additions in the draft/FA....

Other teams improved, but so have the Bengals - and you have to feel that the window is still squarely open. Yes, it will still take some luck, and yes guys still need to perform, but watching guys like Joe and Chase and Reader - you get the feeling they know that they can't let up....going to be an interesting season to see how this team handles success.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I think this is probably where I'm at.

I think the QB curse is a "thing" and yet, I also think it's circumstantial. Many of those teams needed multiple career years, and lucky bounces. Mainly, some of those QB's were not near the level that we feel Joe is at. That's the big thing to me. If they've had a QB, then the organization often times flitted it's nose at the defensive side of the ball, sinking all of the money into offense. Even then, by the time Matt Ryan made it, the offense wasn't nearly as potent as it had been, and the defense fell off after that as well.

Other QB's; Goff...please. Newton...please. Jimmy G....better than the other 2, but more of a game manager that needs things to go right.


The Bengals beat KC twice. Once at KC. Bengals beat Tenn on the road. They were in nearly every game in the regular season, save a couple, and including both games against NFC playoff teams. These weren't fluky games, but games where the defense and offense showed promise. In addition, the Bengals have not ignored one side of the ball over the other. Both the offense and defense continue to get upgrades and are focused on. Will that change in a year, or two, when contracts are up? We'll see - but nothing suggest right now that either side of the ball would see a drastic step back in expected results.

Injuries are something that always play a key role. Bengals were lucky to a point last year, but not nearly as lucky as maybe we think they were. They lost 2 IOL, and lost their RT. The OL that was already not good got massively worse as the playoffs approached. Trey Waynes still never played on defense, and considering how big a role he could have played if healthy...makes you wonder about Apple's few plays and if they are given up if Awuzie is bumped down to the #2 spot....Higgins missed time, Wilson missed time and both needed off-season surgery. Burrow twisted his knee again...Even along the DL, Oassai and Hubert missed full seasons - would Hendrickson have been even better if he wasn't on fumes in the playoffs and super bowl?

So, yes - the Bengals maybe avoided a MAJOR injury like to Chase, Burrow, Reader, but they still had their fair share of guys who were expected to produce/help that ended up either injured, playing injured, or missed full seasons.

I think the Bengals have upgraded, I think the OL will kick the offense up another notch, not just because of Burrow, but because now it will also allow Mixon to run more effectively...and if you struggle to stop Mixon, you'll never stop Burrow. The defense is still loaded, and added some good depth pieces - though I think they could still use a true veteran CB on the outside to be sure....but the rest is in shape and have been improved by returning players and additions in the draft/FA....

Other teams improved, but so have the Bengals - and you have to feel that the window is still squarely open. Yes, it will still take some luck, and yes guys still need to perform, but watching guys like Joe and Chase and Reader - you get the feeling they know that they can't let up....going to be an interesting season to see how this team handles success.

I agree with all this. Plus, I mean, the Tom Brady Patriots didn't have a conference or division like the Bengals do, but for shit sakes, Brady played in how many damn superbowls with just the Patriots? 9? I think Burrow and Chase have a chance to help propel this team into contention every single year. Depending on what they bring down upon contract signing time may determine how much additional help they get to try and push us into contention every year.

 

[jbuck]

no such thing as a curse. ok? We will roll with this new OL

 

[DanBengalfan]

there is luck involved, in every game. even we got a few breaks along the playoffs. we just need to make these games differ by more than 1 score so that the referee subjective interpretation of holds, interference, false starts, and so on don't dictate the outcome of the game, and I think the improved offensive line should help with that.

...

all teams need to stay healthy to do well in the playoffs. you never know if Pittsburgh or Baltimore will have a good run. Cleveland has a new QB, who may have some good games, before his legal issues catch up with him again.

I think we proved that we belong in the same class with Buffalo and KC and other playoff teams, I don't know that we are definitely better, or that we will now dominate those teams, it's going to be a toss up again, which team is better at the end.

 

[jbuck]

we're over due in the luck department. I figure we will rattle off 3 straight SBs

 

[CrashDavisSports]

we're over due in the luck department. I figure we will rattle off 3 straight SBs

Okay CincyFan78, now when we totally suck ass this year, you can blame jbuck. I am the reason we lost the SB, but jbuck is responsible for the next 3 years of hell.

 

[Cincyfan78]

we're over due in the luck department. I figure we will rattle off 3 straight SBs

 

[jbuck]

I have no idea. maybe lack of filters

 

[DanBengalfan]

it all boils down to which teams have the worst injuries.

some injuries would really hurt us, and some not as much, and the other teams have the same issues.