Ping: Butter, Shorty, RendeR, and damnmikebrown

[scooper]

WHO DEY!!!!!

That's more like it!!!!

I'm telling you, this team is finally headed in the right direction. There will be more victories this season and with this weak division, they are right in the thick of things. What sucks is knowing they should be 4-2 but I'm happy with what I've seen so far. I can't wait for Sean Alexander's homecoming game next Sunday.




By the way, I never thought I'd see the day when I felt better about the Bengals chances on a given weekend than Notre Dame's.

[Butter]

Hey, I got PINGed!

I pretty much ignored football most of the day yesterday to spend time with my kids.

Then I flipped on the frickin' Browns game, and it said 24-7 Cincy in the 2nd Q. I don't think the Bengals have had a 17 point lead in quite a while. I guess they did beat the Texans pretty bad last year....

Yeah, I'm pretty excited about things myself! They're really only 1 game out of the divisional lead right now. Go figure!

[scooper]

Bump for RendeR!

[Kodos]

Nice win, guys. I think the Bengals may be turning things around, even if there is still a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng way to go. You can look to the damned Cowboys for inspiration though.

[Butter]

The Cowboys are running on that "Parcells" novelty. Once he wears out his welcome with the players, they'll be back to 8-8 in no time.

[korme]

damn straight

[JeeberD]

Originally posted by Butter_of_69
The Cowboys are running on that "Parcells" novelty. Once he wears out his welcome with the players, they'll be back to 8-8 in no time.

Yeah.....

[scooper]

Originally posted by Butter_of_69
The Cowboys are running on that "Parcells" novelty. Once he wears out his welcome with the players, they'll be back to 8-8 in no time.

I don't think so. I think he's a good coach who is getting the most out of what talent he has to work with. And he's in a division full of teams that are imploding. I think we'll see the Boys in the post season. I don't wish for that, but I think it will happen.

Not keeping Bruce Coslet around helped, by the way.

[panerd]

Here's a Bengal fan signing in from Saint Louis. I may be the only person in town who watches Sunday Ticket Bengal games at the same time Rams games are on. My friends get pissed off whne they come over to feast on the selection of 6-7 games and end up watching Bengals-Browns and Bengals-Ravens twice a year. I have a $100 bet with one of my buddies that the Bengals will finish the season 8-8 or better. I can't wait to sport my Justin Smith jersey at the dome in week 16 when I am collecting.

And I totally agree that the Raiders game should have been a win and we would be tied for the division lead. (It is pushing it to say that we should have won both the Raiders and Buffalo games.) But who would have thought we would be hanging like that in Buffalo and Oakland at the beginning of the year? Of course the Bills and Raiders haven't done a whole lot to justify the close losses either. Here's hoping the Bengals can knock of Seattle at Cincy and then take out a weak looking Cardinal team to even their record.

[Vince]

<-- Here's another person hoping the Bengals can knock off the Seahawks.

[scooper]

Welcome aboard panerd! I'm driving this bandwagon and Shorty's taking the tickets! (I'm not sure he can reach the pedals to drive)

[Easy Mac]

Is anyone else having the urge to butter up Shorty, RendeR, and damnmikebrown

[JPhillips]

As an ex SO/OH boy let me add my congrats to Lewis and the Bengals. The problem though is still a lack of killer instinct. They played three great quarters and still almost pissed it all away. No way they go anywhere close to 8-8 unless they start picking things up in the fourth quarter.

That being said, I think Lewis is the answer long term for this team. I loved watching him yelling when they were up by twenty. Its been a long time since I've seen a Bengal coach show that kind of passion and control.

[damnMikeBrown]

I'm far too pessimistic to jump on the bandwagon. I'll run along side and throw things though...mostly at team management and hope for a fatal strike.

It's one game, and damn if I could see it. It was blacked out. I also saw the update in the 2nd Quarter, and did a double take. I couldn't believe our kids were up by 17.

If we're 7-9 it'll be a bloody Marvin Lewis Miracle.

My hopes for this season are modest. Player development and improved discipline. I'd like to see our LB's gell, our WR corps to finally start living up to expectations. Love to see Washington develop. That kid we got in the 4th round, the one who was shot. Really want him to get into the role of a professional CB. Of course there's Palmer. Would like to see him play in a half dozen games this year. Maybe start one or two at the end or in case of injry, but no more. Then, most of all, I would like to see the OL come together. They can be a strength, especially with Steinbach if he develops.

I don't want to hear any bitching. I don't want to hear about club house cancers. I don't want to hear about contract troubles. I just want effort, discipline & development. I'll give 'em a pass on loosing 10 games if they give me those 3, and look like they're improving.

[Butter]

Originally posted by scooper
I don't think so. I think he's a good coach who is getting the most out of what talent he has to work with. And he's in a division full of teams that are imploding. I think we'll see the Boys in the post season. I don't wish for that, but I think it will happen.

I'm not saying they'll be 8-8 this year. But in about 2-3 years after Parcells gets "tired" of coaching again, they'll be back to 8-8... or worse. They'll probably make a deep playoff run in the next couple of years though.

[scooper]

DMB, I've watched every game but Sunday's, which I listend to. Here's my observations on your wish list:

Player development and improved discipline.

We're seeing that already. Former teams would have folded in Oakland, Cleveland and Buffalo. We didn't win all of those but kept poise and discipline. Last season's first offensive play was proceeded by a delay of game. We're seeing nothing like that now.

As for development-Warrick has really developed, as has Schoebel, Mark Roman is playing well, and a few others of whom much has been expected but little was shown the last few years. I think the offseason intensity and participation is a big reason for this.

I'd like to see our LB's gell, our WR corps to finally start living up to expectations. Love to see Washington develop.

The LB's are OK, but there is work to be done. They still don't cover too well, but they have played well against the pass and have contributed a pass rush the last couple years. I think the unit needs more speed, Kalid Abdullah could be a steal if he develops but he needs some added strength. He has been a beast on special teams.

WR's are playing great. Chad Johnson is arguable among the top 2-3 in the AFC, top 5-6 in the league right now. Some of his catches are amazing and some good DB's have not been able to cover him. As mentioned above, Warrick is also showing something. He has been great on third down. He as over a dozen third down catches for firsts. He's always gotten open, but now he's holding onto the ball and making plays after the fact. He has a few touchdowns as well.

As for Washington, he's coming along slowly, but doing OK. Rookie WR's usually don't contribute much early, Moss-types excluded. He had a couple key third down catches in the Cleveland game. The emergance of the TE's as receivers has taken some pressure off of him.

That kid we got in the 4th round, the one who was shot. Really want him to get into the role of a professional CB. Of course there's Palmer. Would like to see him play in a half dozen games this year. Maybe start one or two at the end or in case of injry, but no more.

That's probably not going to happen this year. He has not even been activated yet. I still hold out hope for future seasons, though. He was really behind this year, he basically had no offseason and was playing catch-up from the beginning. Marvin threw some strong words his way in yesterday's press conference about the need to earn playing time. Nothing is being given to players this year. That's a good thing.

Then, most of all, I would like to see the OL come together. They can be a strength, especially with Steinbach if he develops.

There is work to be done here. The pass protection has been solid, very solid. But the running game is just not there yet. They need to strengthen the interior. It's more than a need to come together. They need to upgrade the center and right guard positions in the offseason. Steinbach and Jones are coming along nicely. The left side will be good for years.

This is one of the biggest reasons why the Ravens were able to pull within reach Sunday-the inability to run the ball and put them away. That was due to three factors- 1. Corey's not quite back to full strength/speed yet, 2. the weak interior O-line, 3. They were playing against the Ravens' D.

I don't want to hear any bitching. I don't want to hear about club house cancers. I don't want to hear about contract troubles. I just want effort, discipline & development. I'll give 'em a pass on loosing 10 games if they give me those 3, and look like they're improving.

So far, this has been there. I was as fed up as anybody after last season, but what I've seen this year is night and day different. The players have fully bought into Marvin's plan. And players are being held accountable. That leads to hard work, discipline and development. I don't know to be happy about the developments or sad about just how low the team was before. But I think we have good things to come. If you are looking for improvement and six wins, I think you will get that.

[RendeR]

I've been "pinged" and "bumps for" in the same thread, gosh I feel special =)


From what I've seen thus far this year, this team is a little dose of self confidence and one or two plays from being a legitimate contender. I'm not saying I expect to make the playoffs, but looking at the remainder of our schedule,a nd the fact that we can beat everyone in our division the next time through, I honestly see 8-8 or even 9-7 as a viable possibility.

They are the Bengals, and god knows they can turn south without warning, but I'm hoping and feeling in my gut that Marvin is going to show them they can do anything, and they just might buy into it now.

I dunno how it will turn out, but damnit for the first time since 89, I honestly have hopes for the end of the season and beyond.


ren

[scooper]

That's the spirit! Welcome aboard. I can't wait until Sunday. I hear they're throwing a little welcome home party for Sean Alexander down at Paul Brown Stadium.

[RendeR]

Don't underestimate those seahawks though. When that team is on, they can thrash anyone in any stadium. I just hope our run defense is up to the task.