For starters, Boomer likes the back-up plan

[Arkansas Bengal]

For starters, Boomer likes the back-up plan

Posted 1 hour ago

Geoff Hobson Editor Bengals.com 

Boomer Esiason's advice to AJ McCarron: "Close your eyes, envision you doing it and getting it done and know that this is something you can easily do and don’t get caught up in the emotion of it.” 

 

Norman Julius Esiason predicts it.

After Saturday night’s Wild Card Game (8:15-Cincinnati’s Channel 12) against the Stealers at Paul Brown Stadium, he will no longer be the last Bengals quarterback to win a post-season game. He says that honor, for at least a week, is going to belong to Raymond Anthony McCarron Jr.

“Don’t you love his attitude about it?” Boomer Esiason asks of AJ McCarron’s play-off aplomb. “He seems like he’s a really good kid. It sounds like he’s really got his crap together. I don’t expect him to go out and throw for 350 yards.

“They’ve got more than enough players,” Esiason says.  “They’ve got one of the best rosters in football. Act like it. They should act like they should expect to win this game. Especially with a beat-up Stealers team coming in that has major holes.”

The Bengals have spent the week telling everyone they’re not living in the past and you have to believe them since roughly a third of them weren’t alive on Jan. 6, 1991 when Esiason engineered a 41-14 victory over Houston at old Riverfront Stadium in an AFC Wild Card Game between division rivals. Esiason is on board with the kids. He has virtually no recollection of the game. Told he threw the ball in the stands after a 10-yard touchdown run, Esiason didn’t blink.

“Somebody has to have the legs,” he says. “Let it go, will you? You guys have been to the playoffs five straight years.”

Esiason is an NFL lifer. He played in the game for 14 years and for longer than that now he has been one of the most eloquent voices about the best and worst of the league in the CBS-TV studio and in the radio booth.   The funny thing about pro football, he says, is there are always equalizers out there and so it is with this latest passion play known as Bengals-Stealers and that is why he is picking the Bengals even though McCarron’s three NFL starts are matched against Stealers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s three Super Bowl starts.

“There’s a lot not going the Stealers’ way right now,” Esiason says. “This is not a top ten or top five defense. They can be thrown on. They can be run on. And they certainly aren’t the running team they have been before. But saying all that, they have one of the great quarterback-wide receiver tandems that you’ve ever seen. If it is inclement weather, that benefits the Bengals.”

One of the equalizers. Mid-40s and rain cushioning the inexperience and the lethal play-making of Big Ben and his X-Box receivers, Esiason says.

“The Stealers have to be thinking about this,” he says. “This is the sixth straight backup quarterback they’ve played. Is that how they got into the playoffs?”

Ryan Mallett hit them up for 9 of 18 on third down. Brock Osweiler threw for three TDs and nearly 300 yards against them before he got benched. McCarron went 66 yards to A.J. Green for the first TD pass of his career. And back before it all went to mush, Johnny Manziel went off for 372 yards and managed to score nine points.

“I think AJ is going to be OK. From what I’ve seen the past few games, he’s not overwhelmed by it,” Esiason says. “I think he’s catching the Stealers at the right time. That’s not a great defense by any stretch of the imagination. The only way I could see him struggling is if there are problems with trying to pick up blitzes and the protection breaks down and it kind of snow balls on him.”

But Esiason says there is a great equalizer to having a second-year back-up quarterback with all of 92 career passes.

“The talent. It’s why everyone wants to hire Duke Tobin,” Esiason says of the Bengals director of player personnel that signed on this week to stay longer in Cincinnati despite feelers from at least two teams.

“You see it every day. Same guys. Same guys practicing against each. But the national perspective is they have one of the league’s best rosters,” Esiason says. “I don’t think (Stealers running back) DeAngelo Williams (ankle) is going to make it. So you have to make them one dimensional. Put it on Ben, Antonio Brown, (tight end) Heath Miller. The defense has to play like it did in Denver. Flying all over the field. (Michael) Johnson, (Carlos) Dunlap, (Geno) Atkins. This is the week they wear the hat. They have to dominate. They’ve got to hold them to around 20-23 points. That means you can win, 24-20, 23-20, something like that. But anything more than 24 I think AJ is going to have a tough time matching that production.”

Esiason says his receivers have to show their talent. He  understands about not putting the kid in a bad situation so he throws the killing turnover.

“But those guys like A.J. Green and Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones have to catch the ball for him,” Esiason says.

The only thing Esiason can remember from that 1990 AFC Wild Card Game is, of all things, NBC announcer O.J. Simpson. Simpson did the on-field interview after it was over and four years later at the height of his murder trial, Esiason’s sister Robin called her brother to let him know his interview had become a part of the evidence. While interviewing Esiason, Simpson apparently wore a pair of gloves and shoes that were of particular interest.

Then they went to Los Angeles the next week and nearly snuck into the AFC title game before losing 20-10 in the fourth quarter to the Raiders.

What Esiason remembers is Raiders running back Bo Jackson getting tackled right in front of him by Bengals linebacker Kevin Walker and no one realizing at the time that they had just seen Jackson carry the ball for the last time.  Jackson was so strong that the routine tackle popped his hip out of place.

The Curse of Bo? The Bengals haven’t won a play-off game since knocking out one of the game’s great running backs. In one Wild Card Game they lost their quarterback on the second play and it looks like they’re not going to have him at all in another one.

“No,’ Esiason said. “What’s wrong with you?

“They’ve been to the playoffs five straight years,” he says and he says this time they’ll win with talent trumping an injury. “It’s funny how the NFL always seems to even itself in some way, shape, or form.”

McCarron, he says, can get it done and he gives his fellow Bengals quarterback some parting advice.

“AJ has been through the wars at Alabama. He had a great coach. He knows what it takes to win games,” Esiason says. “My hopes for him would be just close your eyes, envision you doing it and getting it done and know that this is something you can easily do and don’t get caught up in the emotion of it.”

 

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/For-starters-Boomer-likes-the-back-up-plan/a682abe8-acd9-4a13-8878-f797c6b10fbd

[T-Dub]

I'm not Boomer Esiason here but I would suggest McCo0ter play the game with his eyes open.  He should probably spit out his chaw & put some shoes on as well.

[Arkansas Bengal]

I'm not Boomer Esiason here but I would suggest McCo0ter play the game with his eyes open.  He should probably spit out his chaw & put some shoes on as well.

OK, you don't like McCarren...we get it.  But do you have to hijack every goddam thread with your fucking hillbilly references? 

Jesus Christ, he's our  fucking quarterback for the foreseeable future and is the only hope we have end a 25 year curse. 

Your bullshit attempt at redneck humor is not funny, so please knock it off.

 

[T-Dub]

 

Actually I have nothing at all against McCo0ter, in fact I said before that he played pretty well in a tough situation @ Denver, & we won last week so we're all good there.

What I do have a bit of a problem with is making this guy off limits for what is some very mild joking by this site's usual standards. Considering the amount & often low quality of the shit that has been talked about various other players on the roster, for some of you to get your jimmies all in a rustle over the M(0oter nickname - to the point of a word filter? is hypocritical as fuck.  Unless you're dating the guy or related (Uncle Daddy?) why do you give a shit?

As for it being funny or not, that's entirely your opinion.  I can tell you this though; the more assinjured you get about it the funnier it gets.  "Hijacking every thread"?  Oh, the irony.  If I may quote:  "Can we not discuss the team's QB on a team website?!"  In a thread about the QB in question, no less? Pot, meet kettle.

 

 

[Arkansas Bengal]

 

Actually I have nothing at all against McCo0ter, in fact I said before that he played pretty well in a tough situation @ Denver, & we won last week so we're all good there.

Why I do have a bit of a problem with is making this guy off limits for what is some very mild joking by this site's usual standards. Considering the amount & often low quality of the shit that has been talked about various other players on the roster, for some of you to get your jimmies all in a rustle over the M(0oter nickname - to the point of a word filter? is hypocritical as fuck.  Unless you're dating the guy or related (Uncle Daddy?) why do you give a shit?

As for it being funny or not, that's entirely your opinion.  I can tell you this though; the more assinjured you get about it the funnier it gets.

 

 

Sure it's ok to poke fun at a southern white guy with your redneck jokes...what if it was a BLACK quarterback? 

Would you be ok with "He should probably wipe the KFC fried chicken grease off his hands & go see his parole officer before the game"?

I suspect the answer would be HELL NO!

[T-Dub]

Sure it's ok to poke fun at a southern white guy with your redneck jokes...what if it was a BLACK quarterback? 

Would you be ok with "He should probably wipe the KFC fried chicken grease off his hands & go see his parole officer before the game"?

I suspect the answer would be HELL NO!

I didn't realize that being a redneck was genetic, but way to show your ass!

[big_dish]

Sure it's ok to poke fun at a southern white guy with your redneck jokes...what if it was a BLACK quarterback? 

Would you be ok with "He should probably wipe the KFC fried chicken grease off his hands & go see his parole officer before the game"?

I suspect the answer would be HELL NO!

yep. It's a stupid, stale as fuck nickname and the double standard is offensive.

[T-Dub]

yep. It's a stupid, stale as fuck nickname and the double standard is offensive.

 

What double standard are you referring to?  What I find offensive is closet racists looking for the slightest excuse to spout their bullshit.

The ignorance to equate someone adopting a (usually comically over-exaggerated) Appalachian/Southern cultural identity as somehow equivalent to the genetic crapshoot that is a man's race also deserves mention as not necessarily offensive so much as.. Well, it does illustrate the mindset behind such comments, if still a little bit sad for being so predictable.

 

Maybe next we can explore such burning questions as

HAO CUM THAR AINT NO WHITE HISTRY MUNTH?!

[|Tigers Johnson|]

We are on the brink of eliminating the Steelers from the playoffs... And this is what you guys want to talk about?

 

if you ever wonder why a lot of people left this site, look back to this thread.

[Gremzz]

Yeah, this is stupid. Every post this week should be about how Shittsburgh is worst team ever and will lose.

[|High School Harry|]

[Jason]

 

I didn't realize that being a redneck was genetic, but way to show your ass!

Redneck?  What exactly makes him a redneck? 

[T-Dub]

Redneck?  What exactly makes him a redneck? 

 

Who knows man, it's just based on a nickname that I assume comes from him playing for 'Bama.  I didn't make it up & in all honesty it probably would've been forgotten a long time ago if a few people didn't get their feels damaged by it, & particularly if those same people weren't known for blasting other players with much worse stuff long past the expiration date for it being funny or even making any sense at all. Or for generally trolling the shit out of the place regarding whatever axe they happen to feel like grinding at the moment.

If you're asking how calling dude McC00ter amounts to racism you'll have to direct that question at the people making the comparison. IMO it's a bit of a stretch, to put it nicely. If you want to get any deeper than that, pull on a pair of waders & make a post in the J&D forum.

[AmishBengalFan]

I'm confused by the McC0oter thing?  Is Cooter a forbidden word now?

All you Franceses.... Lighten up.  

[Hooky]

Ark has a point. The same people that rabidly preach against hate speech against other races and cultures have no problem with assuming that all whites south of the Mason Dixon are stupid, redneck hillbillies. Those jokes are not only acceptable, but encouraged.

[T-Dub]

I'm confused by the McC0oter thing?  Is Cooter a forbidden word now?

All you Franceses.... Lighten up.  

 

Yeah, spelling it normally  gives you AJ "Way Better Than Dalton" McCarron <-- that.  Because censoring things with trollbait comments is clearly the best way to get people to stop saying something.

[UncleEarl]

Ark has a point. The same people that rabidly preach against hate speech against other races and cultures have no problem with assuming that all whites south of the Mason Dixon are stupid, redneck hillbillies. Those jokes are not only acceptable, but encouraged.

Not the same.  Being a redneck has more to do with how you act than how you look.  Yes, many assume if you are from the south you are a redneck, but it isn't the same.  A southerner can throw on a suit and few will assume he is a redneck.  Can't change the color of your skin and the prejudices that come from the color of your skin.

[SouthPaw]

I'm not Boomer Esiason here but I would suggest McCo0ter play the game with his eyes open.  He should probably spit out his chaw & put some shoes on as well.

you see, this is the problem.  That's all you managed to take from that article?  But, everyone else around here are considered the trolls and flame throwers.  Great article and proves wrong the shit opinion that Boomer "hates" the Bengals.  

[Hooky]

Not the same.  Being a redneck has more to do with how you act than how you look.  Yes, many assume if you are from the south you are a redneck, but it isn't the same.  A southerner can throw on a suit and few will assume he is a redneck.  Can't change the color of your skin and the prejudices that come from the color of your skin.

Bullshit. People called Clinton "Bubba" and other southern politicians regardless of what they wear, which are usually suits, are seen as back wood.

And you really don't think that a black man in a suit would be seen differently than one with his underwear sticking out?

[Hooky]

you see, this is the problem.  That's all you managed to take from that article?  But, everyone else around here are considered the trolls and flame throwers.  Great article and proves wrong the shit opinion that Boomer "hates" the Bengals.  

+1. Hope you're sitting down.

[UncleEarl]

Bullshit. People called Clinton "Bubba" and other southern politicians regardless of what they wear, which are usually suits, are seen as back wood.

And you really don't think that a black man in a suit would be seen differently than one with his underwear sticking out?

Bubba was an actual nickname for Bill Clinton, not an insult.  If you have lived in the south you would know that Bubba isn't an insult.  

A black man in a suit is still seen as a black man by far too many.  If you don't get that I can't help you.

[Hooky]

I don't need help. Most people would just see a man in a suit, it sounds like you wouldn't.

[UncleEarl]

I don't need help. Most people would just see a man in a suit, it sounds like you wouldn't.

Can one not make a comment about race without someone accusing them of being racist?  I didn't accuse you of being racist.  I did point out that many do not see past race.  I also pointed out that there is a difference between race and regional prejudice.  Do  you really want to feel like you "win" the argument that badly?

[Hooky]

Can one not make a comment about race without someone accusing them of being racist?  I didn't accuse you of being racist.  I did point out that many do not see past race.  I also pointed out that there is a difference between race and regional prejudice.  Do  you really want to feel like you "win" the argument that badly?

No. I went too far. But the answer to the first question is no, unfortunately. That's a problem that people can't have a discussion about it, it is always an argument. Either one or both parties ends up being called racist. I'm sorry. Let's move on.

What was this thread about again? Oh yeah, the albino.  Just kidding.

[|Lucid|]

This is an interesting discussion, but it isn't appropriate for this forum. Are you gentlemen done, or should I move this to the J&W forum?