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Be Weary of Query
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I feel I know where the majority of the board will land but I will pose the question anyway...but add some *detail that might make your choice a little more difficult?
Group A
Make a run at the Playoffs with six games left to play.
It's entirely plausible that the Bengals squeak in as the #6 seed. With 2 games left with Cleveland and Oakland on the schedule, that (potentially) gets them to 8 wins right there. Denver is also very winnable which would get us to 9. Assume they lose at the Chargers and the Steelers. 9-7 at the end might be good enough to get that #6 seed.
The Bengals have the advantage over those still in the hunt for that last spot (head to head wins against the Dolphins, Colts). The Titans could make a push but if they lose Monday Night at Houston, they would have a tough hole to get out of at 5-6. Of course, we still need to leapfrog the Ravens to get to that final spot. However, they still have at the Chiefs and at the Chargers left on their schedule. 9-7 is probably good enough to get in for that last spot.
It can still happen with a string of wins and a little help.
*but...would this scenario affect your choice = the Bengals make it in as the #6 seed with A.J. coming back healthy and face the first round matchup in Pittsburgh. The Bengals go there and get absolutely smoked.
Like, call the National Guard because they obliterate us so bad. I, personally, would find it near impossible to root for a Steelers win...let alone against us in embarrassing fashion in the Playoffs but you might not. What if getting beat by the Steelers three times in the Marvin Lewis era in the Playoffs is the final nail? It would be near impossible to sell this club to the fanbase if they bang the same tired drum of "injuries" and what not and brought Marvin Lewis back for a 17th season...especially if they lose, once again, to the Steelers in the Playoffs.
It would also provide the opportunity for Vontaze to do something so egregious during the game that he gets banned from the league! Wouldn't that be exciting?
And, of course, there's always the remote possibility that we actually win the game?! But let's assume they lose...because, that's what they do:
Historically, we know how the coaching search goes but let's hope that someone other than Mikey is helping to pull the strings at this point, perhaps they go outside their comfort zone and seek out a young, fresh, up and comer for head coach (it happened about 16 years ago). The apathy around this team is not the same as the despair prior to Marvin getting hired in January 2003 but its equal, in some respects. The equivocation is the fans need a reason to believe again. This is a team with a good core still in place (aging at premier skill positions but still has some pieces and was the youngest team in the league right before the start of the season) with a division that is ripe for a sea change (Roethlisberger will be 37 next season, Ravens are in transition with a possible new head coach coming, the Browns are...well). It could be quite attractive for a coach from the outside.
Group B
Lose out and finish 5-11.
The desire here is that the team failing (miserably) after a 4-1 start only to lose 10 of their next 11 will be the final catalyst for Mike Brown to read the writing on the wall, skywriting in the sky, billboards by the stadium, etc. and move on from the Marvin Lewis era.
5-11 would lock them in for a high draft pick (probably top ten).
(same as above) Historically, we know how the coaching search goes but let's hope that someone other than Mikey is helping to pull the strings at this point, perhaps they go outside their comfort zone and seek out a young, fresh, up and comer for head coach (it happened about 16 years ago). The apathy around this team is not the same as the despair prior to Marvin getting hired in January 2003 but its equal, in some respects. The equivocation is the fans need a reason to believe again. This is a team with a good core still in place (aging at premier skill positions but still has some pieces and was the youngest team in the league right before the start of the season) with a division that is ripe for a sea change (Roethlisberger will be 37 next season, Ravens are in transition with a possible new head coach coming, the Browns are...well). It could be quite attractive for a coach from the outside. (/same as above)
*but...would this scenario affect your choice = the Bengals would find it quite easy to point to injuries for the reason for the spiral.
The 4-1 start would be framed with "with our core players healthy, we were division leaders" and they could pin the rest of the losses on being a byproduct of the injuries. They could also point to "stability within the organization" as the others in the division are undergoing a rebuild of sorts (Cleveland, Baltimore) as a reason to hold onto Marvin. They could also state that Marvin "deserves another chance to compete with a complete roster" or some other bullshit. You know you can almost hear those quotes in Mike Brown's voice.
I think I fall into Group A. I am going to want them to win and make the Playoffs. If they lose to the Browns tomorrow, I might flip to Group B. My expectations would be at an all-time low going into that game...which would cushion the inevitable. From there, the hope is that another embarrassing loss in the Playoffs to the Steelers will feed the chatter nationally and spur change. Of course, there would be that part of me that would be hopeful for a postseason win that we, and Marvin, so desperately seek. We then would come back to Earth at New England or Kansas City the following week. Maybe Marvin will deem his time in Cincinnati a success and ride off into the sunset with that one playoff win finally under his belt?
We can certainly dream.
Group A
Make a run at the Playoffs with six games left to play.
It's entirely plausible that the Bengals squeak in as the #6 seed. With 2 games left with Cleveland and Oakland on the schedule, that (potentially) gets them to 8 wins right there. Denver is also very winnable which would get us to 9. Assume they lose at the Chargers and the Steelers. 9-7 at the end might be good enough to get that #6 seed.
The Bengals have the advantage over those still in the hunt for that last spot (head to head wins against the Dolphins, Colts). The Titans could make a push but if they lose Monday Night at Houston, they would have a tough hole to get out of at 5-6. Of course, we still need to leapfrog the Ravens to get to that final spot. However, they still have at the Chiefs and at the Chargers left on their schedule. 9-7 is probably good enough to get in for that last spot.
It can still happen with a string of wins and a little help.
*but...would this scenario affect your choice = the Bengals make it in as the #6 seed with A.J. coming back healthy and face the first round matchup in Pittsburgh. The Bengals go there and get absolutely smoked.
Like, call the National Guard because they obliterate us so bad. I, personally, would find it near impossible to root for a Steelers win...let alone against us in embarrassing fashion in the Playoffs but you might not. What if getting beat by the Steelers three times in the Marvin Lewis era in the Playoffs is the final nail? It would be near impossible to sell this club to the fanbase if they bang the same tired drum of "injuries" and what not and brought Marvin Lewis back for a 17th season...especially if they lose, once again, to the Steelers in the Playoffs.
It would also provide the opportunity for Vontaze to do something so egregious during the game that he gets banned from the league! Wouldn't that be exciting?
And, of course, there's always the remote possibility that we actually win the game?! But let's assume they lose...because, that's what they do:
Historically, we know how the coaching search goes but let's hope that someone other than Mikey is helping to pull the strings at this point, perhaps they go outside their comfort zone and seek out a young, fresh, up and comer for head coach (it happened about 16 years ago). The apathy around this team is not the same as the despair prior to Marvin getting hired in January 2003 but its equal, in some respects. The equivocation is the fans need a reason to believe again. This is a team with a good core still in place (aging at premier skill positions but still has some pieces and was the youngest team in the league right before the start of the season) with a division that is ripe for a sea change (Roethlisberger will be 37 next season, Ravens are in transition with a possible new head coach coming, the Browns are...well). It could be quite attractive for a coach from the outside.
Group B
Lose out and finish 5-11.
The desire here is that the team failing (miserably) after a 4-1 start only to lose 10 of their next 11 will be the final catalyst for Mike Brown to read the writing on the wall, skywriting in the sky, billboards by the stadium, etc. and move on from the Marvin Lewis era.
5-11 would lock them in for a high draft pick (probably top ten).
(same as above) Historically, we know how the coaching search goes but let's hope that someone other than Mikey is helping to pull the strings at this point, perhaps they go outside their comfort zone and seek out a young, fresh, up and comer for head coach (it happened about 16 years ago). The apathy around this team is not the same as the despair prior to Marvin getting hired in January 2003 but its equal, in some respects. The equivocation is the fans need a reason to believe again. This is a team with a good core still in place (aging at premier skill positions but still has some pieces and was the youngest team in the league right before the start of the season) with a division that is ripe for a sea change (Roethlisberger will be 37 next season, Ravens are in transition with a possible new head coach coming, the Browns are...well). It could be quite attractive for a coach from the outside. (/same as above)
*but...would this scenario affect your choice = the Bengals would find it quite easy to point to injuries for the reason for the spiral.
The 4-1 start would be framed with "with our core players healthy, we were division leaders" and they could pin the rest of the losses on being a byproduct of the injuries. They could also point to "stability within the organization" as the others in the division are undergoing a rebuild of sorts (Cleveland, Baltimore) as a reason to hold onto Marvin. They could also state that Marvin "deserves another chance to compete with a complete roster" or some other bullshit. You know you can almost hear those quotes in Mike Brown's voice.
I think I fall into Group A. I am going to want them to win and make the Playoffs. If they lose to the Browns tomorrow, I might flip to Group B. My expectations would be at an all-time low going into that game...which would cushion the inevitable. From there, the hope is that another embarrassing loss in the Playoffs to the Steelers will feed the chatter nationally and spur change. Of course, there would be that part of me that would be hopeful for a postseason win that we, and Marvin, so desperately seek. We then would come back to Earth at New England or Kansas City the following week. Maybe Marvin will deem his time in Cincinnati a success and ride off into the sunset with that one playoff win finally under his belt?
We can certainly dream.
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