stebain

(heads up, Cross posted)

Impressive win today by Baltimore today, from what I'm reading. Nice
non-collapse by the Bengals vs Pittsburgh.


I think the Ravens have the edge over the Bengals for the rest of the year,
slightly easier schedule.

Ravens:
vs Bengals
@Raiders
@Browns
vs Steelers

Bengals:
@Ravens
vs 49ers
@Rams
vs Browns


Baltimore could run the table.
I'm personally rooting for a loss against the Bengals, but even then it
easily could be 10-6 for
Baltimore with the Bengals going 9-7 (assuming win vs Browns as well).

Hopefully, for my team, Marvin watches the way your defense manhandled the
49ers and your offense picked the defense.

turk

Anyone ever tell you that you can be too polite?

Bengals win in Baltimore, the one game after that that looks dangerous is
St. Louis, so even if they lose that and get the tie break over Baltimore
they win the division. Bottom line, the team that wins next week has the
inside track on the division.

turk

stebain

don't overlook the 49ers. They may not be elite, and certainly looked bad
today, but I wouldn't think of them as powder puff. (*** jokes aside).


You are just stating the obvious there. Whoever wins this game has the best
record in the North, therefore having the inside track. All they would have
to do is match win-for-win the other team.

seeker72_

I gotta root for two rivals I hate with a passion???Is that what the
playoffs are like???I like the old losing bengals better then.......
NOT
feels funny ,almost surreal being in a playoff race.

brian aubel

Not that obvious. If the Bengals win they hold the tie-break having swept
the Ravens. Thus the Ravens in that scenario would have to win out, and the
Bengals win only one game, or win two and Cinci lose out. In this case if
Cinci wins 2 of 3, the Ravens would be out no matter what they do.

Should Baltimore win, then it gets interesting. With a Baltimore win, Cinci
will need to win one more than Baltimore over the last three, with
tiebreaking formulas coming into play. If Baltimore wins out, Cinci is done.

stebain

for "inside track", it is as obvious as I said. Whether they take advantage
of having the inside track is what you have stated.

rãvnsfãn ®

Thanks! Most Ravens fans did not learn of the Bengals comeback until on
their way home after the game. When they announced the score when
Pittsburgh was leading late during our own game, I had to calm my wife
down and remind her of what we did the week prior against the
Seahawks..., the old "it ain't over till it's over" thang. Low and
behold your Bengals got it done and to tell you the truth, I like it
better this way. Bengals and Ravens in Baltimore for the division
lead..., I could not have scripted it any better personally...
especially because I'll be there rockin' the house like we did against
the Donks and the '9ers

I see the rest of the schedule as a wash. The Rams are your thorn and
the Steelers our own as they have owned us these past few years. No time
like that game (in Baltimore) to dispense with that legacy however. They
won't have much more than pride to play for unless the Ravens ARE in
sole possession of the division lead by one game at that particular
point.

BTW: AFC North is no longer the weakest division in the NFL thanks to
both the Bengals and Ravens at 7&5 each.
From the brief glimpse I got it appears that the NFC North now assumes
that dubious distinction


The Bengals could just as well. Regardless it goes through Baltimore and
I like our odds and record at home.

Last time the Bengals with their bye had two weeks to prepare for the
Ravens. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then and I
believe for the Bengals it will be what was learned during that bye week
time off and what has or has not been forgotten since our game that is
of greater importance than what they will extract from a mere 2 weeks
worth of game films featuring a rejuvenated offense lead by Anthony
Wright and NOT Jamal Lewis.

Lost in all the talk of winner-take-all is the possibility that these
two teams could be playing each other a third time in the post season.
That would be cool as well.
--
RãvNsfãn ®

"Talk is cheap..., lets go play"
( NFL Hall Of Famer... Johnny Unitas - Baltimore Colts )

stebain

Is that cat really that good or is there some "we can't defend the new guy
cuz we don't know what he does?" to it? Amazing story.

locutus

You two are so nice to each other it is sickening....

:P

rãvnsfãn ®

Could be one, the other..., or both. Will he implode under the pressure
of this game, or... will he be "in the zone" like he was against the
Seahawks where darn near everything he threw in the second half had "TD"
on it? Your guess is as good as mine or anyone else's at this point.
Three games does not make or break a QB. To those that claimed to have
followed his career, this success was -NOT- expected. Obviously there
had to be a reason why he was slated as our 3rd stringer. It wouldn't
surprise me that he might just be that good. Billick has yet to prove
(to me at least) that he is capable of evaluating and molding QB
talent.

--
RãvNsfãn ®

"Talk is cheap..., lets go play"
( NFL Hall Of Famer... Johnny Unitas - Baltimore Colts )