Be honest now!!!!!

[Oviedo]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I think that when you put it in perspective the team has overcome alot and done well so far. Remember at this time last year we were 7-7 with real questions. This year we are 10-4 which is a +3 swing in our favor.

We still have many of the issues we had last year but some thing have gone our way. The biggest difference has been Troy was actually on the field to save a couple of games, but he is unfortunately broke again. Sooner or later we have to get past the defense designed around Troy doing something remarkable because we can't count on that forever.

Overall a very good season in which we have not eliminated ourselves from being in the game for the big prize. All you can ask for is that you give yourself a chance and we keep doing that.

[feltdizz]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

We are in a great position... and the funny thing is most of the "experts" on here have left because they knew it would be a lost season.

I think we are in a great place...

Good but not great and below the radar. We usually play our best football when we are in this position. If we get the #2 seed I think most analyst and experts won't give us any respect and rightfully so. We smoke and mirrored our way into the playoffs this year.

[fordfixer]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I will tell you what I predicted in two weeks when I find out.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

We are in a great position... and the funny thing is most of the "experts" on here have left because they knew it would be a lost season.

I think we are in a great place...

Good but not great and below the radar. We usually play our best football when we are in this position. If we get the #2 seed I think most analyst and experts won't give us any respect and rightfully so. We smoke and mirrored our way into the playoffs this year.

doesn't matter how you get there, all that matters is what you do once you are in the playoffs.

if you don't believe that or don't subscribe to that theory, check out our road to the Super Bowl in 2005...

[tiproast]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I thought you guys would be good this year - I had a hunch the Bengals would regress back to their usual level.

Hope to see you in Foxboro for the AFCC game, if both our teams get that far.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I thought you guys would be good this year - I had a hunch the Bengals would regress back to their usual level.

Hope to see you in Foxboro for the AFCC game, if both our teams get that far.

we hope to meet you there...

if we meet in the AFCC and you win, I'll gladly send you some Chocolate Macadamia Nuts and some really good Kona coffee.

and if the Steelers win, you can send me something from the NE...what you guys got besides good seafood over there, taffy perhaps?

and if the Steelers don't make it for whatever reason and you do, then beat the sh!t out of the NFC opponent in the Super Bowl and do the AFC proud.

[tiproast]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I thought you guys would be good this year - I had a hunch the Bengals would regress back to their usual level.

Hope to see you in Foxboro for the AFCC game, if both our teams get that far.

we hope to meet you there...

if we meet in the AFCC and you win, I'll gladly send you some Chocolate Macadamia Nuts and some really good Kona coffee.

and if the Steelers win, you can send me something from the NE...what you guys got besides good seafood over there, taffy perhaps?

and if the Steelers don't make it for whatever reason and you do, then beat the sh!t out of the NFC opponent in the Super Bowl and do the AFC proud.

I live in Central Coast California now - we have good wine in this area (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay). And lots of almonds.

But I lived in New England most of my life. Some local food specialties are seafood and cranberries, but they don't travel well (and it's foolish to send seafood to a state that has opakapaka readily available ).

If the Pats lose I'll send you some real maple syrup and a Boston Creme Pie (it's really a cake).

I used to travel to Maui occasionally for work. My favorite coffee place was Bad *A*S*S* Coffee in Kihei. Do you ever get over there? (This site's dirty-word filter made me edit the word after Bad in the previous sentence. Jeez - this place is more puritanical than NE.)

[Oviedo]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I thought you guys would be good this year - I had a hunch the Bengals would regress back to their usual level.

Hope to see you in Foxboro for the AFCC game, if both our teams get that far.

I never had a doubt the Bumgals would fall apart. They are a once every five years team where they do good once every five years. Always have been and probably always will be since they will likely not extend their coach and should get rid of their grossly overrated QB and WRs.

The best thing that could happen to the Bumgals is to leave their shame behind and move to LA for a fresh start.

[TallyStiller]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I expected better.

A Lombardi is still a possibility and I will continue to expect another until it's impossible.

Given the number of injuries, I'm ok with where we are right now.

But I want and expect more.

Always have.

Always will.

I'm with you, Flip... I teach middle and high school social studies and spent a few years coaching the JV football team's lines. Always liked giving my patented Third Punic War pre game fire 'em up speech... in 146 BC, the Romans defeated the Carthaginian army... after which, they flateened the city of Carthage, sold the population into slavery, and rubbed salt into the ground so that the area would be forever desolate, never able to support a human population again. That's victory, and what I expect out of my B & G on a weekly basis.

[AngryAsian]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I expected 12-4 with hopes of better, but once the Ben suspension was handed down I was hoping we just make the 11-5 mark. I knew that our CB depth would inevitably cost us games and I honestly think that has been the crux of at least 2 of our losses. This OL has been patchwork and that has been the main reason we haven't been able to execute on the offensive side of the ball. I'm not an Arians apologist by any means, and he has to shoulder some culpability with some of the bone-head calls he's decided to go with in certain situations... but you can't effectively move the ball if you can't control the trenches.

Like a lot on this board have said... CB, OL, DL are the only positions we need to address this upcoming draft.

Offensively, if one looks at it... 2 years from now our starting three of Wallace, Sanders and Brown could be elite. I see Mendy the slasher, Redman the dozer and Moore the soft hands coming out of the backfield. Ben (with the proper plays called) could generate some serious stats... if we had a friggen line that actually was serviceable. Let's face it... the 2005/2008 campaigns are the only years Ben had an average line.... the rest of the years has been below average to downright abysmal.

[Oviedo]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I expected 12-4 with hopes of better, but once the Ben suspension was handed down I was hoping we just make the 11-5 mark. I knew that our CB depth would inevitably cost us games and I honestly think that has been the crux of at least 2 of our losses. This OL has been patchwork and that has been the main reason we haven't been able to execute on the offensive side of the ball. I'm not an Arians apologist by any means, and he has to shoulder some culpability with some of the bone-head calls he's decided to go with in certain situations... but you can't effectively move the ball if you can't control the trenches.

Like a lot on this board have said... CB, OL, DL are the only positions we need to address this upcoming draft.

Offensively, if one looks at it... 2 years from now our starting three of Wallace, Sanders and Brown could be elite. I see Mendy the slasher, Redman the dozer and Moore the soft hands coming out of the backfield. Ben (with the proper plays called) could generate some serious stats... if we had a friggen line that actually was serviceable. Let's face it... the 2005/2008 campaigns are the only years Ben had an average line.... the rest of the years has been below average to downright abysmal.

Don't forget Dwyer at RB.

I would have no issue with a heavy dose of OL, DB (need a safety) and DL in this draft but I would also not rule out grabbing a good TE. Spaeth is a free agent and Johnson couldn't catch a cold if his life depended on it. We saw how limiting it is with Heath out against the Jets. Need another top TE.