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Why is THIS playoff game going to be different


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This team's record is the best in the Marvin Era..and since Super Bowl 23...we show flashes of being dominant.  I think we can advance with AJ as QB, that is really the least of my concerns...but what is it that makes this season special?  This team has looked terrible in flashes as well.  Our o-line has been really bad lately...we can't run the ball effectively.  The play calling has been up and down...we play a vanilla Defensive scheme and go into a cover set much too often.  Analytics are important in every field for a reason...here are the statistics that stick out to me...

Marvin - 0-6 in the playoffs

Marvin - 6-23 prime time games

Stealers - 14-3 in our stadium

Bengals - Only won one game this season when they were not favored (Baltimore week 3) and lost two that they were favored (Houston and 2nd Stealers game)

I'd love to see some counter points \ positive stats for us..so please counter post the eff outta this.

I know underdogs win...and this would be our underdog story...against all odds we beat the team who has bullied us for years..one of the teams who kept us from getting a bye..a team who wrecked our 2005 Superbowl...a team who thinks of us as their punching bag. 

Will this be the year Marvin has his team fired up and they come out big and play a full 60 minute lights out complete football game????

 

 

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My heart and blind optimism say this will be different.  I love this team and it would make this season so much sweeter if we beat the Stealers to get the playoff monkey off of our backs.  However, if I use my head and look at how we play vs. the Stealers I'm not very optimistic.  I know many people here think we're the better team, but I disagree.  Even if we had Andy, they have the better offense.  While our defense is better than theirs they present lots of issues for us.  The beat us on the line of scrimmage each time we've played this year.  In addition to that, we  continue to use Gio to pass block and while he's willing, bigger LB's easily push him into the QB.  Regardless of how Pitt's played the last couple of weeks, they're more than likely going to put up at least 24 points on us in some way or fashion.  The question then becomes, can we score at least 25?

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Marvin shouldn't have to fire his team up, they're playing the Stealers in primetime, with the whole country watching, trying for their 1st playoff win in decades.  Nobody should have to fire the players up for such a game.....and if they do....that's 100% on the player and that player probably shouldn't be playing anyways.  

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if we by some chance are up by 13 to 16 points in the 1st half . I don't want to see lewis play our guys in the crap prevent D .

2 years ago we were 8-0 at home and got blown out by the chargers . we don't even play a close game , let alone win a game in the playoffs ,

unless we are up by at least 23 points , you NEVER let up in a game or playoff game . you know who does that and will do it .

his name is marvin lewis . I hope we win but with lewis as the leader , it's very hard to think in a good way . GO BENGALS !!

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You can do all the analysis and look at stats all you want.   IF you remove your bias which declares a unit like the O-line to be "bad".    You will see that this Bengal team fits among the best in the AFC and if Andy Dalton returned healthy and playing the way he was they'd be the "on paper" best in the AFC.

But that's completely worthless.    In every playoff game  the entire team has underperformed what they performed at in the regular season.   Then there are odd ball things that happened and some down right bad luck.

Stats and analysis are going to tell you the team is among the best in the AFC.     Heart is going to keep you non confident because you know we've had bad gameplans, on more than one occasion used up all challenges in the first quarter, half time fights, a reliable kicker goes bonkers, 3 consecutive 2nd half turnovers etc.

There's nothing you'll find that's going to give confidence to get past the management and the luck of this team in the playoffs. 

 

 

 

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Won't be different. Marvin Lewis cannot coach a team in big games successfully.

 Remember OUR offense and defense cordinators are also helping Marvin at halftime. What does that tell us? (All three of them struggle.)  Why don't our leaders on the team say to the 3 of them. Don't let up on the Stealers in the second half. Continue to do what we have been doing.  Don't play to lose, but play to win this time. 

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Marvin shouldn't have to fire his team up, they're playing the Stealers in primetime, with the whole country watching, trying for their 1st playoff win in decades.  Nobody should have to fire the players up for such a game.....and if they do....that's 100% on the player and that player probably shouldn't be playing anyways.  

Totally agree on the whole "fire the team up" horseshit.  They are men.  They are professionals.  If they cant get up by themselves then they should be getting paid doing something else.   So overrated.  The team that makes more plays will win the game regardless of who is "fired up."  

 

Like ive said before, the only thing different, when it comes to coaching, seems to be how they call the game when Mccarron is in versus how they call it when Dalton is in.  If its McCarron that has to play this week, they are going to have to unleash him.  Plain and simple. 

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 Remember OUR offense and defense cordinators are also helping Marvin at halftime. What does that tell us? (All three of them struggle.)  Why don't our leaders on the team say to the 3 of them. Don't let up on the Stealers in the second half. Continue to do what we have been doing.  Don't play to lose, but play to win this time. 

I do agree with this...Both our boys need to have solid game plans and make the proper continuous adjustments...let's not forget that our two old coordinators have their teams in the playoffs as well.  That should show that they are pretty damn good coaches...they were 0-2 in the playoffs as well....the common denominator in this equation is Marvin Lewis.  Sooner or later when all the managers have been cycled through the eyes will fall on the CEO.

Kind of segues to my comment about having the players fired up..and the people saying they are men who shouldn't need to be.  I mean fired up to play...not emotionally, but mentally.  Have them play smart..keep those stupid emotional penalties at bay...don't shoot ourselves in the foot, like we have a tendency of doing.  Play a complete smart football game.  A head coach coaches people...everyone in the NFL has talent and can make the plays..it's getting that out of them consistently and managing the people...that is what makes a great HC. 

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Why I liked the Steeler match up from the first thought was not "revenge" but rather because of it boiling down to making the plays that are there.    It's generic as can be but it's true.

1 big mistake from the last game that was shown when the Steeler lost to the Ravens.    Steeler LB are better a running and chasing vs. taking on blocks.     Ravens got on #50  in runs up the middle quite easily and he struggled.

Throwing it to AJ Green and Marvin Jones on the sideline because their CBs are 7 yards off is only going to give Shazier, Timmons and Mitch chances to take cheap shots on the WRs. 

I wouldn't be scared of the Steeler running game.   It seem Baltimore was content to DeAngelo run in the first half.   Then when the Stealers tried to turn on the passing game in second half completely out of sync. 

 

 

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Oh shit...battle of the 0-fers.  If yous a betting man...who'd yah pick?  I think Tomlin is the better coach.  Maybe it's the coolness that gets me.

What has he won with his guys?  Most of his success has come with Cowher holdovers.

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 Remember OUR offense and defense cordinators are also helping Marvin at halftime. What does that tell us? (All three of them struggle.)  Why don't our leaders on the team say to the 3 of them. Don't let up on the Stealers in the second half. Continue to do what we have been doing.  Don't play to lose, but play to win this time

:39:

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