Bengals Banter: Steelers Week (deux), 6-2 Bengals cheering for Broncos tonight

by jsl413 on Nov 9, 2009 8:00 AM EST in News Comment 22 comments

The Bengals are national media darlings again after completing the season sweep of the Baltimore Ravens yesterday, moving to 6-2 for the first time since 1988. I talked a lot about the game yesterday. Here's what the national media said late last night (I don't include Peter King's MMQB because, amongst other reasons, it's not up yet). Here are post-game quotes. Here are many stories of national media heaping praise onto our beloved pumpkin cats.

SI.com's Don Banks loves him some Bengals, devoting about 25% of his snap judgments to props for Carson, Cedric, and Mike Zimmer. Man, I love me some Zimmer.
James Walker, who appropriately dubbed the Bengals a darkhorse in the AFC this summer, writes (again?) that the Bengals are no (longer a) joke. The best thing about this season is that the remaining schedule is pretty easy, with 4 games coming against teams with 2 or less wins (Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Oakland), and winnable games @Pittsburgh, @Minnesota, @San Diego, and @New York Jets. It's a shame none of the tough 2nd half opponents are coming to PBS, but 11-5 (dare I say 12-4) sure looks doable.
CBS Sports' Gregg Doyel similarly advises football fans to "take off the blinders." It's time to believe! He's really in touch with the Bengals fan base that has a really hard time buying into Mike's Bengals, but isn't it about time we lock ourselves into our front-row seats on the band wagon?
NFL.com's Vic Carucci writes that the Bengals, who have several significant wins this season, are silencing more and more critics every week (there's also a cool video recap of the game. Jonathan Joseph's pick was insane). Our defense really has a lot of believers after shutting down the Ravens twice.

Speaking of defense, Geoff Hobson sings some mighty praise for Zimmer's boys.

"And the Ravens had just 180 yards before running back Ray Rice churned out a classic garbage-time 35 yards on the last play of the game on a checkdown pass that underscored just how much Cincinnati dominated the game with the coverage of cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnthan Joseph, as well as rookie nickel back Morgan Trent."

CNati.com's Scott Priestle writes that the victory over Baltimore was another step toward the playoffs. That's right, folks, the playoffs are looking more and more reachable every week. Also from Priestle: praise for Joseph and Hall. These guys have GOT to be headed to the Pro Bowl, right? Along with Domata Peko, Whitworth, Carson and Chad? Am I forgetting anyone?
Joe Reedy has his excellent-as-usual recap of the game e at Cincinnati.com, where (also) Chick Ludwig reports that Carson wants Purify to replace Henry, rather than "one-dimensional" Simpson. Powerful words.
Paul Daugherty calls these Bengals the "New Same Old Bengals." Worth a read!
Tom Ramsetter writes that Predric Benson shut up Ray Lewis. John Eradi reports that Ray Rice says the Bengals are a stout defense.

By now, it's probably noon, and you've accomplished absolutely nothing at work today. If that's the case, then I consider it a job well done. Happy Monday!

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Benson

If Ced leads the league in Rushing he may also go to the Probowl.

by jim0ijk on Nov 9, 2009 8:13 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I fixed it.

If Ced leads the league in Rushing he ~~may also~~ better go to the Probowl

"If it wasn't this, it'd be something else."

by ZJiff30 on Nov 9, 2009 8:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Now that more like it!!!!

by WHYUS!! on Nov 9, 2009 9:05 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

even if Ced is in the top 3

he’ll get there.

by GrooveLeg on Nov 9, 2009 9:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

thats

by WHYUS!! on Nov 9, 2009 9:06 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Even Boomer finally bought in!!

so he said last night.

by WHYUS!! on Nov 9, 2009 9:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

i just read peter king’s article. you’re better off not including it, as he still only gives us respect as an apparent requirement for his job.

i'm going to go america all over your ass!

by Raging Clue on Nov 9, 2009 9:24 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

King is kind of a d-bag

but he said some good things about Marvin as potential COY.

"If it wasn't this, it'd be something else."

by ZJiff30 on Nov 9, 2009 9:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually...

…we’re better off not including Peter King’s name as an actual football journalist. He’s like the Hollywood Reporter of football, really.

by TheWalrus1971 on Nov 9, 2009 10:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i swear he used to be better. i know i used to enjoy his work. but how much can you hate on a team? seriously? he actually dropped us in his “fine fifteen” rankings this week; we could probably win the super bowl and he’d write the next day that if the bengals wanted to be taken seriously, they’d have to beat pittsburgh in the super bowl three times in a row. and his man-crush on all things patriots or manning is ridiculous. maybe i just handled it all better when dr. z was around to offset it.

i'm going to go america all over your ass!

by Raging Clue on Nov 9, 2009 10:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

i had the same reaction. He gives them no credit. It’s funny that he loves Dr. Z, but then breaks his commandments of power rankings. The bengals have not experienced a skid, and beat the steelers, but the steelers are 3 places ahead of them?

party foul.

by brandone on Nov 9, 2009 10:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

while driving into work today

i saw a car decked out in Ravens gear. Super Bowl champ bumper sticker among about 8 other stickers, license plate hanging in the window that said “Raven Fan” or some shit, the whole 9…

i rolled down the window (he had his cracked) and yelled “WHOOOOOOO DEYYYYYYYYY”. he gave me the finger and said, “fuck you”. dude was PISSED.

my response- “WHOOOOOOOOO DEYYYYYYYYYYYY BITCH”. it was by far my classiest moment as a bengals fan.

by GrooveLeg on Nov 9, 2009 10:03 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

lol, nicely done

by CincyMike56 on Nov 9, 2009 10:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

LMAO!!!

That is some very funny stuff there!!! I gotta make sure I remember that for when I see a car decked out in Steelers garb…..

by Rick Fields on Nov 9, 2009 1:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe 0 Bengals will play in the Pro Bowl

Remember that the Pro Bowl is the week before the Super Bowl this year, so hopefully our players will be too busy preparing for the big game to take in that honor.

by CincyMike56 on Nov 9, 2009 10:36 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Of course, but they could still be selected for the Pro Bowl.

by jsl413 on Nov 9, 2009 10:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

of course

I just couldn’t help but take advantage of the rare opportunity to state that the Bengals are legitimate enough to at least enter the super bowl contenders conversation.

Good links and notes!

by CincyMike56 on Nov 9, 2009 11:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I concur....

Yeah, the big game will be much more important than losing perhaps a Ced Benson, Johnathan Joseph or Palmer to an injury that didn’t have to happen. I don’t understand this new formula at all…..

by Rick Fields on Nov 9, 2009 1:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Next.......

Bring on the Steelers!!! Not only is this going to be a great game, but it’s also going to be just about the most important and defining game we have played in since that January 2006 playoff game against the same team.
This game should have been one of those in which they put in for the former “flexible scheduling” for the Monday or Sunday night game. Who wouldn’t want to see a game between the reigning Superbowl champions and one of their biggest rivals, who happen to be 6-2. Getting there with some heart stopping, end of game heroics for half of the season?
One thing that people have to know about us Bengal fans is that we never give up or quit rooting or turn off the TV when things aren’t going as planned. 4-11-1? We were still there watching, and most of us at home watching, hoping there could be a glimmer of hope(which there was: Ced, O-line, Defensive performance at the end of the season) when all else was going wrong. An maybe this will start getting us some well deserved respect throughout the league. Apparently we don’t have much, otherwise these other teams would have shown up more prepared to give us a challenge and not write us off. I guess it blew up in their face.

by Rick Fields on Nov 9, 2009 12:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Steelers.....

I am tired of hearing the “Who has won more Superbowl rings?” argument from Steeler fans…. The point that everyone will make and agree upon is “Who is in first place in the AFC North in week 9 of the 2009 NFL season?”.
This is a “What have you done for me lately” league, which in many respects, it’s a good thing. The Steelers are “So last year”. We already beat them once in ‘09. And we’re just waiting to see next weeks exciting game. Yes, Pittsburgh are still the reigning champs……
…..But what have they done this year? Won 5 games…… and ZERO against us… They don’t have as good a division record, and will be hard pressed to catch up with us on it. And most importantly, we are 6-2, 4-0 in the division, and ready for anything that anyone can throw at us.

by Rick Fields on Nov 9, 2009 12:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs