2015-2016 NFL thread

[THE Bigzoman]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...atop-afc-north

THis is what pissess me off.

The bengals could win the AFC North for a decade and people would still act like we don't exist. I can't remenber the last season where cincy placed less than 2nd.

It's always Pitt or Baltimore. I mean, shit man. Pitt is having a terrible offseason right now. They have no D, and Antonio Brown may be going bye bye. Not to mention they have the toughest schedule next year.

What does everyone say will put Pitt over the top?

OMG OMG LAEVON BELL OMG OMG ARGHHHHHH

Because Cincy TOTES didn't have a standout running back in Jeremy hill....who got more rushing yards than Bell.

[ProphetFlume]

I'm learning to really enjoy the cycle of Bengals fans.

-Postseason loss: Ugh. We suck. This is why no one trusts us.
-Preseason: Why does no one ever believe in us!
-First weeks of season: We're off to a hot start and still get no credit? What do we have to do?
-Midseason: Y'all gonna see. This won't be like last year!
-Last few weeks of reg season: I hate how we're doing. We really need to fix things up if we want to get anywhere.
-Postseason loss: Ugh. We suck. This is why no one trusts us.

[Jibjabb]

Andy Dalton is a complete joke. Thats why nobody gives Cincinnati any respect. And I dont blame them

[xskarma]

I'm learning to really enjoy the cycle of Bengals fans.

-Postseason loss: Ugh. We suck. This is why no one trusts us.
-Preseason: Why does no one ever believe in us!
-First weeks of season: We're off to a hot start and still get no credit? What do we have to do?
-Midseason: Y'all gonna see. This won't be like last year!
-Last few weeks of reg season: I hate how we're doing. We really need to fix things up if we want to get anywhere.
-Postseason loss: Ugh. We suck. This is why no one trusts us.

I think there's a few teams that could be said to work like that, especially if you substitute post season loss for just getting to the post season. Dolphins and Chargers especially come to mind.


Bengals play in a tough division, and have been making the post season for years now. Some credit should be due. I think the main problem is that no one's scared of them. They just need that 1 post season win or 1 convincing win against a percieved better team to make fans look at them differently.

Last year's Broncos game was close to a statement, but then the Broncos got humiliated on their own field by the Colts and the Bengals lost first round again, making their 1 statement win more a statement about the Broncos then it was about the Bengals.

The Bengals have played the Patriots close the past 2 years, winning at home and getting an unfairly motivated Patriots team away last year. Even then that win wasn't as lopsided as it seemed on the final score. Depending on hwo the schedule turns out I think they're going to be in the conversation again for division wins and post season appearances.


Speaking of: SCHEDULE TOMORROW WOOOOHOOOO! 8 pm ET, be there or be square.

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I should add, there's been some talk about the NFL promoting the 50 year superbowl thing all year, and do it by commemorating match ups between superbowl teams in the process. If that's really the case the Patriots will open against the Eagles.

I think the more logical option though is that they pick the easiest to market match up for the season opener, in which case it will be the Steelers.

We'll see tomorrow though. Maybe they surprise us and start with a Buffalo-New England season opener. (though I'm praying they don't )

[Northern Goblin]

If thats the case, they'll promote the Oakland/Minnesota game in homage to the '76 Raiders.

Christ I wish we still had that team.

[draynay]

I should add, there's been some talk about the NFL promoting the 50 year superbowl thing all year, and do it by commemorating match ups between superbowl teams in the process. If that's really the case the Patriots will open against the Eagles.

I think the more logical option though is that they pick the easiest to market match up for the season opener, in which case it will be the Steelers.

We'll see tomorrow though. Maybe they surprise us and start with a Buffalo-New England season opener. (though I'm praying they don't )

That's interesting, the Saints do play the Colts this year.

The Steelers have the Seahawks and Cardinals this year, so there's some good options there.

[THE Bigzoman]

I think there's a few teams that could be said to work like that, especially if you substitute post season loss for just getting to the post season. Dolphins and Chargers especially come to mind.


Bengals play in a tough division, and have been making the post season for years now. Some credit should be due. I think the main problem is that no one's scared of them. They just need that 1 post season win or 1 convincing win against a percieved better team to make fans look at them differently.

Last year's Broncos game was close to a statement, but then the Broncos got humiliated on their own field by the Colts and the Bengals lost first round again, making their 1 statement win more a statement about the Broncos then it was about the Bengals.

The Bengals have played the Patriots close the past 2 years, winning at home and getting an unfairly motivated Patriots team away last year. Even then that win wasn't as lopsided as it seemed on the final score. Depending on hwo the schedule turns out I think they're going to be in the conversation again for division wins and post season appearances.


Speaking of: SCHEDULE TOMORROW WOOOOHOOOO! 8 pm ET, be there or be square.

- - - Updated - - -

I should add, there's been some talk about the NFL promoting the 50 year superbowl thing all year, and do it by commemorating match ups between superbowl teams in the process. If that's really the case the Patriots will open against the Eagles.

I think the more logical option though is that they pick the easiest to market match up for the season opener, in which case it will be the Steelers.

We'll see tomorrow though. Maybe they surprise us and start with a Buffalo-New England season opener. (though I'm praying they don't )

A few things Dray.

Keep in mind that the Bengals play the AFC West, NFC West, Bills, and Texans in addition to our division games this year. We have the 2nd toughest schedule this upcoming season. The first goes to the Steelers (Who play the Patriots and the and Colts)

Brady's worse game was actually that 12-6 loss they took against at PBS in 2013.

I'm hoping they put Cincy in the west coast for 2 straight weeks.

Playing Oakland and SF back to back would guarantee those two wins.

When Seattle comes to cincy it might be a primetime game.


Also, everyone forgot about that Broncos game Dray. I still remenber that night. It was one of the best football games I ever got drunk too. The ending literally had me lost for words.

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Andy Dalton is a complete joke. Thats why nobody gives Cincinnati any respect. And I dont blame them

Andy Dalton did an amazing job this year given the fact that he literally had no weapons at receiver or Tight End.

When Jermaine Greshem is your best target, something is wrong.

[Darth Belichick]

Andy Dalton, while not great, is a servicable QB and better than a lot of other out there. My question is: why does Cinci still keep Marvin Lewis around? Maybe a coaching change would help?

[draynay]

A few things Dray.

wut?


These Philip Rivers trade rumors are getting out of control, now I'm hearing 3 team deal where the Chargers get Bradford and picks, the Eagles get Mariota, and the Titans get Rivers. Doesn't make much sense for the Chargers since they get a total questionmark at QB on the last year of his contract, how would they be any better off? At least with the other rumor they get a young QB to build around.

[Darth Belichick]

Depends on the picks the Chargers get I would think. They may be prepared to eat Bradford's contract for a year and go into a little rebuild without Rivers and once Bradford is gone.

[Northern Goblin]

Eagles taking 2nd to confirm a Mariota draft is entirely fine with me, this might put the nail in the coffin of the "Raiders to trade up from #4 to #2 to land Williams over Jacksonville" rumours.

[icausewipes]

This could go Oakland Raiders bad if Mariota does not pan out for philly. On paper they are the least talented offensive team in their division and losing the picks could set them back .

[THE Bigzoman]

wut?


These Philip Rivers trade rumors are getting out of control, now I'm hearing 3 team deal where the Chargers get Bradford and picks, the Eagles get Mariota, and the Titans get Rivers. Doesn't make much sense for the Chargers since they get a total questionmark at QB on the last year of his contract, how would they be any better off? At least with the other rumor they get a young QB to build around.

Confused u with Xskarma.

[Northern Goblin]

This could be the best Christmas day in a few years for me.

[xskarma]

Schedules are out!

I was an hour late so I get to relevant pages to see that season opener is Steelers - Patriots, yay! called that (even though it wasn't hard to call). Go to actual schedule, week 2 Bills away game... Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

[draynay]

Saints schedule is a bit less worrisome than last years was, just got to contend with Eagles/Falcons on a short week, 3 prime time games, a late bye for once, don't have road games in back-to-back weeks for the whole season, cool. Front end of the schedule is the toughest part, Saints play like they did last year and they could start 2-5, but then they could win out from then on.

[Northern Goblin]

Aside from the whole "We're playing at 1:25 am on Christmas Day" thing I'm in two minds over, the Raiders schedule is really nicely set up this season, no chain of tough games early on. They get past the Ravens in week 2 and they could realistically be 4-0 by the time they face Denver.

Depending on how the season is going though, week 14-16 could be rough. @Denver then home to SD and Green Bay before then finishing the season @KC. Still we'll know by that point if this is a season worth competing over or something to save face, I still stand by my 8-8 prediction and be happy. Anything better would be the stuff of dreams, playoffs or no.

[icausewipes]

Snip

They play indy then NE, so buffalo could get a nice jump on the conference or start 0-2.

[xskarma]

This schedule is pretty damn bad for the Patriots. Brutal start when you consider the Patriots are usually still tinkering when the season starts against 1 big AFC rival and 1 big Division rival, both of which could be crucial at the end of the regular season. Early bye week, and then twice a 4 game stretch with some of our worst games back to back to back to back.

1 Steelers
2 @ Bills

3 Jaguars
4 BYE

5 @ Cowboys
6 @ Colts
7 Jets
8 Dolphins

9 Washington
10 @ Giants

11 Bills
12 @ Broncos
13 Eagles
14 @ Texans

15 Titans

16 @ Jets
17 @ Dolphins

If you think I'm overreacting by labeling that first block of 4 games brutal, think again. That Dolphins game is on a Thursday, meaning we have 2 divisional games in 10 days.

Second block of 4 games starts with Bills in a Monday night game, meaning we have a short week leading up to the Broncos away game as well. That stretch is both crucial and tough, with our biggest division rival, and 1 of our main AFC rivals, followed by a high tempo Eagles team and an away game all the way over in Texas with another probable AFC rival.

And we finish the year with 2 away games against division rivals, which is never easy either, especially not the Dolphins who we lost to last season in Miami (and deservedly so).


I can only hope that the Jets turn out to be absolutely TERRIBLE on both sides of the ball, cause that would make our first stretch of 4 games easier AND the back end of the schedule easier. I suspect though that we're not going to be so lucky. >.<


All in all not very happy with this schedule, but Patriots will have to play through it now and we'll see what happens.

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Hmm, just realised that we play the Steelers on a Thursday and then have 10 days before we play the Bills. That extra time *might* just save our season.

[THE Bigzoman]

Aside from the whole "We're playing at 1:25 am on Christmas Day" thing I'm in two minds over, the Raiders schedule is really nicely set up this season, no chain of tough games early on. They get past the Ravens in week 2 and they could realistically be 4-0 by the time they face Denver.

Depending on how the season is going though, week 14-16 could be rough. @Denver then home to SD and Green Bay before then finishing the season @KC. Still we'll know by that point if this is a season worth competing over or something to save face, I still stand by my 8-8 prediction and be happy. Anything better would be the stuff of dreams, playoffs or no.

Hue returns for your home opener.

I'm not sleeping on Carr and this Raider team this year.

The AFC West is more open than most people realize.