C'Mon Bengals - Don't Fail Us Now (Andy Dalton Misses Practice With Flu)

[PatsDeb]

Bengals' Andy*Dalton misses practice with the flu - NFL - SI.com

Great - Andy Dalton misses practice with the flu and the dumb Bengals are practicing outside in freezing weather. When the Pats played in Houston in the Superbowl they closed the roof, supposedly because it was supposed to rain (the sun was out during the game, but it did pour afterwards). It got so stuffy in there it was almost unbearable. I think I remember Pats players mentioning this problem when they've played in Houston.

Shouldn't the Bengals be practicing indoors to simulate stuffy on-field conditions, and not subjecting their players to potential cold weather illness (before I am flamed I know the cold doesn't cause illness, but it does lower your resistance)?

I have been so sure since the playoffs were announced that we will play the Bengals in the first round, but maybe not if they are dealing with a flu problem. GRRR!

 

[Fball]

I disagree w/ the cw that the Bengals will be an easier draw for the Pats.

People underestimate that team. They're pretty young, and have matured all season long. They have played almost everyone tough. They have a very good defense, an amazing wideout, solid running game, and Dalton has shown flashes of being an outstanding QB.

I don't see a huge difference between them and this year's Steeler's team, in terms of strengths & weaknesses.

 

[patsfan-1982]

im not sure i want to play the Bengals in the first round anyways with big ben not being 100% they have the best offense in the AFC playoffs and have a top 10 defense

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I disagree w/ the cw that the Bengals will be an easier draw for the Pats.

People underestimate that team. They're pretty young, and have matured all season long. They have played almost everyone tough. They have a very good defense, an amazing wideout, solid running game, and Dalton has shown flashes of being an outstanding QB.

I don't see a huge difference between them and this year's Steeler's team, in terms of strengths & weaknesses.

They are also are a relative unknown, and that tends to mitigate some of the advantage that familiarity affords with Tom and Bill prepping.

As for Dalton, suck it up, Brady's played and won after spending pregames hooked up to IV's... Welcome to the NFL where the game waits for no man - let alone if he aspires to be a franchise QB.

 

[PatsDeb]

So you guys would rather play the Steelers than the Bengals? Has Marvin Lewis ever beat BB? Do you think Ocho could be some help in deciphering the unknown element? I don't know. It seems like the Steelers would be the tougher out.

 

[BadMoFo]

They are also are a relative unknown, and that tends to mitigate some of the advantage that familiarity affords with Tom and Bill prepping.

As for Dalton, suck it up, Brady's played and won after spending pregames hooked up to IV's... Welcome to the NFL where the game waits for no man - let alone if he aspires to be a franchise QB.

So the guy isn't allowed to skip a day of practice to recover from an illness?

 

[BadMoFo]

So you guys would rather play the Steelers than the Bengals? Has Marvin Lewis ever beat BB? Do you think Ocho could be some help in deciphering the unknown element? I don't know. It seems like the Steelers would be the tougher out.

I don't get it either. Bit of overconfidence or fake confidence. Big Ben's injury isn't going to affect him as much as people think, just watch.

Bengals haven't beaten any team with a winning record all year and they're led by overachieving rookies and a coach that should have been fired years ago. I'd prefer Broncos, Bengals then Steelers.

 

[oldrover]

For the MOST part... last year's playoff game notwithstanding... BB seems to gameplan better against someone he's already played that season.

That said, I don't care who they play next week. As long as they beat 'em.

 

[ProudestRyno]

I don't get it either. Bit of overconfidence or fake confidence. Big Ben's "injury" isn't going to affect him as much as people think, just watch.

Bengals haven't beaten any team with a winning record all year and they're led by overachieving rookies and a coach that should have been fired years ago. I'd prefer Broncos, Bengals then Steelers.

Fixed for you...

Ben's is milking the hell out of his "injury". He exaggerates his injuries and everyone knows it, and he knows they know it, but he does it anyway.

You watch, Ben will be completely fine at the start of the game. If Denver takes the lead or he plays poorly for a stretch, he will begin to limp. If the Steelers then take the lead, he will no longer be limping.

He uses injuries as an excuse (without actually saying the words) and he uses them to make himself look like the hero when he does "defy odds".

He might be a little hurt, but he exaggerates the hell out of it.

 

[ProudestRyno]

For the MOST part... last year's playoff game notwithstanding... BB seems to gameplan better against someone he's already played that season.

That said, I don't care who they play next week. As long as they beat 'em.

Good point. I had the opinion that I'd like to see Cincy as well, but after you pointing this out, I am re thinking my opinion...

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I don't quite understand why some fans want the easier way out to the Super Bowl?

Wouldn't it be more 'proud worthy' of us if we wanted to play the best in the conference and say that we accomplished beating teams that no one thought we could with our defense?

That would mean playing Pitt and Baltimore if it happens,those 2 teams are head above the other 3 teams.

I would prefer playing the best entering the Super Bowl....maybe some here want the easy way out....I prefer it go the harder direction and make them earn it
.....Beating the Bengals and Texans with rookie QBs or beating Tebow who can't throw is definately the easier route.

 

[oldrover]

There is no easy way to the SB. There was no easy way to winning the last 8! Remember Indy? Or Buffalo? Or Washington? Or Miami? NONE of these games were easy. Whoever the Pats play will give them a tough game.

 

[Raymond]

I do believe Cincy is the only northern team that has no indoor practice facility.

They really are perceived by the NFL players association as cheapskates.

 

[PatsDeb]

I don't quite understand why some fans want the easier way out to the Super Bowl?

Wouldn't it be more 'proud worthy' of us if we wanted to play the best in the conference and say that we accomplished beating teams that no one thought we could with our defense?

That would mean playing Pitt and Baltimore if it happens,those 2 teams are head above the other 3 teams.

I would prefer playing the best entering the Super Bowl....maybe some here want the easy way out....I prefer it go the harder direction and make them earn it
.....Beating the Bengals and Texans with rookie QBs or beating Tebow who can't throw is definately the easier route.

But earning the No. 1 seed earns you the easy route - you have one less game to play and supposedly earn the easier foe(s). No shame in that I say, and if we can play (and hopefully beat) the Bengals while Pittsburgh or Baltimore gets knocked out by the other, meaning we only have to face one of them, I am all for that.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

But earning the No. 1 seed earns you the easy route - you have one less game to play and supposedly earn the easier foe(s). No shame in that I say, and if we can play (and hopefully beat) the Bengals while Pittsburgh or Baltimore gets knocked out by the other, meaning we only have to face one of them, I am all for that.

I hear what you are saying and respect it,however The team has not beaten a team all season with a winning record based on final standings.

If the team gets the job done against teams that are above .500 and a win over Pitt AND Baltimore ..... that stops all questions about them being 'lucky' with thier schedule the past 2 months.

I am tired of hearing the Pats were 'lucky' to get such a pansy schedule,like Kraft had something to do with the schedule

Go out and beat the 2 other best teams in the conference and shut everyone up I say.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Is there an actual debate going on here as to who the best team for the Patriots to play next week? Are some suggesting that they really want the Patriots to play the Steelers instead of the Bengals?

I must have picked the wrong week to stop taking drugs.

1. Bengals are the best team for the Patriots to play
2. Steelers and Ravens beat the living crap out of each other leaving the winner physically battered.
3. We don't have to wait past Sat to know who we are playing. An extra day to game plan.

So, what's the upside of playing the Steelers? I'd really like to hear it. BTW, you don't get 2 trophies for taking the hard way to the SB, it's the same one.

 

[PatsDeb]

I hear what you are saying and respect it,however The team has not beaten a team all season with a winning record based on final standings.

If the team gets the job done against teams that are above .500 and a win over Pitt AND Baltimore ..... that stops all questions about them being 'lucky' with thier schedule the past 2 months.

I am tired of hearing the Pats were 'lucky' to get such a pansy schedule,like Kraft had something to do with the schedule

Go out and beat the 2 other best teams in the conference and shut everyone up I say.

See, I don't get the "you didn't beat a winning team all year." Didn't the Broncos & Jets (and I think a few other teams) have winning records when we beat them? They finished 8-8 or worse at the end of the year in part because WE BEAT THEM. Weren't the Jets supposed to kill us and send us to our doom twice this season, based on their record and how they were playing at the time? If we get to the Superbowl and win it going the "easy route" as I have described, no one will say, in 6 mos. (except Jets fans and true Pats haters), "Yeah, but you didn't deserve it because you played an easy schedule." Heck, everybody else in our division played basically the same schedule as us, and none of them could make it past 8-8, whereas we got 5 more wins than they did. Was it really that easy?

All 3 of our losses we could have won if a few bounces had gone our way. We did not get blown out by any opponent and were in every game until the end. Green Bay only had 2 more wins than us and they lost to a pathetic team that we beat. What does that mean? Not much to me, except we earned the No. 1 seed and if that gets us around having to play one (or both) of the two other elite teams in the AFC en route to the Superbowl, I say good for us and screw everyone else!

 

[brdmaverick]

See, I don't get the "you didn't beat a winning team all year." Didn't the Broncos & Jets (and I think a few other teams) have winning records when we beat them?

Yes, it turns out that all we had to do in order to beat a winning team was to lose to the Jets in one of the games. Therefore the other one (the win) would be a victory against a winning opponent. Shame on the Pats for winning both games.

 

[NEP4Life]

Yes, it turns out that all we had to do in order to beat a winning team was to lose to the Jets in one of the games. Therefore the other one (the win) would be a victory against a winning opponent. Shame on the Pats for winning both games.

Excluding their loss(es) to the Patriots leaves Oakland, the Jets, the Eagles, the Cowboys and the Broncos all with winning records, and puts Miami at 0.500.

In any case, that kind of discussion is largely fodder for mediots, since 1) it doesn't really matter and 2) it takes up air time/column inches.

 

[pdangle]

Damn, you mean they could of lost to all 5 of them and instead been the most underrated 8-8 team in the league? WTF were they thinking?!?

Excluding their loss(es) to the Patriots leaves Oakland, the Jets, the Eagles, the Cowboys and the Broncos all with winning records, and puts Miami at 0.500.

In any case, that kind of discussion is largely fodder for mediots, since 1) it doesn't really matter and 2) it takes up air time/column inches.