Hard to not like the Bills at least a bit. We really are kindred spirits in terms of the community's relationship with their team. That said, karma has to be worth something in that we were pretty gracious about the whole Hamlin thing. In the old days, I'd say such a decimated line had no chance--now I have an unprecedented trust the both the QB and the coaches.
And not to be too satisfied with the year so far-but it is hard to overstate the new level set by this current ensemble. This is the way you forge a community (not locker room) culture. My kids have had multiple out of uniform Bengal days this season at school. Last month, they got to witness Longworth Hall in all her glory followed by the 4:30 feature game that resulted in the Bengals over the Chiefs. We seriously see the Super Bowl as an every-year possibility. It really is amazing.
I have a tremendous amount of respect for the Bills organization. There is a terrible trend of teams building dome stadiums throughout the league. Buffalo has some of the harshest weather and they intend on keeping their stadium outdoor with the proposed renovation. Football is an outdoor sport and it is sad to see teams like the Chicago Bears opting for a dome stadium.
What a wonderful and descriptive picture of Buffalo. It is hard to dislike a place that has Niagara Falls in its backyard and a historic downtown hotel that houses it own microbrewery. Keep ‘em coming! Bengals by 5. More Bengals’ and Burrow and the men’s magic.
The Men are always the underdogs. Only chance they've got is to overcome. Gonna be cold and windy up there. My niece's first husband was stationed at Fort Drum. Would come home at lunch and clear the driveway a second time. Hope it isn't snowing.
Working my way through the Christmas books. Last one left is Grisham.
Doc, Great stuff on Buffalo and our little burg Cincinnati. Touugh choice calling the Bills 24-23 over The Men, but I get ya. Now, let me offer this: only Bengals running game all season long came the two weeks Mr. Mixon was sidelined (concussion protocol, if I recall correctly) In his absence some guy named Samaje...Perine - the seemingly forgotten #34 carried the ball with authority, purpose, even anger since he was in the running for the famous GMFB Angry Run his first week starting in place of Mixon. Not saying replace Mixon, but sure would like to see a little 1-2 punch balancing the carries between the two and maybe creating an unbalanced Bills D. Wouldn't even mind seeing Chris Evans get some carries - he seems to have speed to burn, but ... Well, we all know they pay the coaches big bucks to make the right decisions and I am not an NFL coach. All that said, I believe Zak Taylor will have this team ready O-line or no O-line. As many say, it's why they play the game. I offer no prediction, but sure am hoping the Bengals get the win and move on - maybe even home for a AFC Title Game against a surprising "Why Not Us" Jacksonville team. Just sayin'!!!!
As crazy as it might sound, I think the Men pull it off. It might not be a 98-yard fumble return for a TD, but the defense steps up and makes a critical stop or turnover in the second half. Why do I say this? I look at four of the past five playoff games. An interception by Pratt of Carr ... interceptions by Hilton and Wilson of Tannehill ... huge sack by Hubbard of Mahomes, followed with interception by Bell in OT ... Hubbard with "The Fumble in the Jungle."
Heck, if Wilson isn't called for ticky-tack holding on that last drive by the Rams, add another outstanding defensive stand by the Men, and make it five straight playoff games the D came up huge.
Much less to say, I think they do it again Sunday, and the patchwork O-line gives St. Joe just enough time to do some damage. 28-24 Men over the Bills, and a trip back to Arrowhead next weekend.
My daughter and her family live in Buffalo. I had hoped she would have married and moved to Florida, or at least a warm climate that I could visit. She has been very kind about her support of the Bengals, up til now, at least.
I think the only chance the Bengals have of winning is by creating turnovers. I worry about Mac missing kicks because he doesn't seem to perform well in colder weather.
This is the time of the year that the idiots come out of the woodwork at the gym. You are lucky that guy wasn't also tying up the Smith machine, which happens often at our Planet Fitness (and we only have 3 of them). I've seen people tie up a machine an hour to do four sets with the actual machine. We have the 'red towel guy' who puts a towel on a Smith plus six other machines and expects nobody else to use them until he is finished. At your club, do young people tie up all the benches in the dumb bell area to rest their weights on between sets? They never use the benches. The problem with Planet Fitness is that they won't say anything to anyone because it is the 'judgement free zone'. I'd rather work out with 20 considerate 'lunks' than the clueless people who could care less that they are holding up progress. At least we can work out during the day to avoid the big crowds.
For whatever reason, the Bengals have given me the confidence to think they can handle anything at this point, so I'm looking forward to the game without too many misgivings. The OL is an issue, but St. Joe just seems to figure it out. Hard to believe that's what I think after all these difficult years, but it just feels better knowing they are good enough to shoot it out even in a tough place like Buffalo.
One thing does bug me. Why isn't Josh Allen described as a "running quarterback"? His called runs happen as often as LaMarvelous but no one ever says Allen is a "running quarterback". If Jackson isn't pro style, why is Allen? What am I missing?
Perhaps our rivalry with Buffalo will be one based on respect instead of derision the heathen media seem to love to whip up when discussing games with Pittsburgh & Baltimore. Respect is healthier than indifference. I have quite a few friends who are very passionate about their UK Wildcats. They are fun to talk with because the passion in these men is tempered with respect that other teams are allowed to win occasionally. Having spoken a few times with Doc's lovely (and talented) wife, she has a similar passion for her Steelers and a healthy respect for other people's opinions. This begs the question: is there a good adjective for these types of fans that are respectful and will cheer for you when your team wins?? Them having that respect for others doesn't diminish their team's success.
I've long wished the Bengals quarterbacks would talk with or watch films of Boomer. He was very good at the play action fake handoff. Developing and using that skill with both Mixon & Perine in the backfield may be helpful to keep the D-lines out of Joe's bidness on every down.
God bless Hamlin for a full recovery and God bless the Bengals for knowing exactly where Hamlin use to play and exploit the situation. Hayden Hurst over the middle. His YAC will be huge.
I was at the 1989 AFC championship game and intensely disliked them then. I also remember the fuss they made over the quick huddle. Now I’m glad Hamlin is alive and recovering but I will still root for the Bengals. Fan since 1968!
The Men as underdogs, I’m Ok with that ... Villanova over Georgetown, Miracle on Ice, 1990 Reds, Joe Willy and the NYJ over Johnny U and the Colts, etc, etc, etc.
This reminded me of a trip a I took to Buffalo to visit a friend a little more than 50 years ago. One night we went down to a lakeside "joint" where I met her guy friends and they were all in flannel and all in for the Bills. You nailed it.
Hard to not like the Bills at least a bit. We really are kindred spirits in terms of the community's relationship with their team. That said, karma has to be worth something in that we were pretty gracious about the whole Hamlin thing. In the old days, I'd say such a decimated line had no chance--now I have an unprecedented trust the both the QB and the coaches.
And not to be too satisfied with the year so far-but it is hard to overstate the new level set by this current ensemble. This is the way you forge a community (not locker room) culture. My kids have had multiple out of uniform Bengal days this season at school. Last month, they got to witness Longworth Hall in all her glory followed by the 4:30 feature game that resulted in the Bengals over the Chiefs. We seriously see the Super Bowl as an every-year possibility. It really is amazing.
I have a tremendous amount of respect for the Bills organization. There is a terrible trend of teams building dome stadiums throughout the league. Buffalo has some of the harshest weather and they intend on keeping their stadium outdoor with the proposed renovation. Football is an outdoor sport and it is sad to see teams like the Chicago Bears opting for a dome stadium.
What a wonderful and descriptive picture of Buffalo. It is hard to dislike a place that has Niagara Falls in its backyard and a historic downtown hotel that houses it own microbrewery. Keep ‘em coming! Bengals by 5. More Bengals’ and Burrow and the men’s magic.
The Men are always the underdogs. Only chance they've got is to overcome. Gonna be cold and windy up there. My niece's first husband was stationed at Fort Drum. Would come home at lunch and clear the driveway a second time. Hope it isn't snowing.
Working my way through the Christmas books. Last one left is Grisham.
Doc, Great stuff on Buffalo and our little burg Cincinnati. Touugh choice calling the Bills 24-23 over The Men, but I get ya. Now, let me offer this: only Bengals running game all season long came the two weeks Mr. Mixon was sidelined (concussion protocol, if I recall correctly) In his absence some guy named Samaje...Perine - the seemingly forgotten #34 carried the ball with authority, purpose, even anger since he was in the running for the famous GMFB Angry Run his first week starting in place of Mixon. Not saying replace Mixon, but sure would like to see a little 1-2 punch balancing the carries between the two and maybe creating an unbalanced Bills D. Wouldn't even mind seeing Chris Evans get some carries - he seems to have speed to burn, but ... Well, we all know they pay the coaches big bucks to make the right decisions and I am not an NFL coach. All that said, I believe Zak Taylor will have this team ready O-line or no O-line. As many say, it's why they play the game. I offer no prediction, but sure am hoping the Bengals get the win and move on - maybe even home for a AFC Title Game against a surprising "Why Not Us" Jacksonville team. Just sayin'!!!!
As crazy as it might sound, I think the Men pull it off. It might not be a 98-yard fumble return for a TD, but the defense steps up and makes a critical stop or turnover in the second half. Why do I say this? I look at four of the past five playoff games. An interception by Pratt of Carr ... interceptions by Hilton and Wilson of Tannehill ... huge sack by Hubbard of Mahomes, followed with interception by Bell in OT ... Hubbard with "The Fumble in the Jungle."
Heck, if Wilson isn't called for ticky-tack holding on that last drive by the Rams, add another outstanding defensive stand by the Men, and make it five straight playoff games the D came up huge.
Much less to say, I think they do it again Sunday, and the patchwork O-line gives St. Joe just enough time to do some damage. 28-24 Men over the Bills, and a trip back to Arrowhead next weekend.
I've been known to be wrong, though. Haha.
Simple for me. I will root like he...crazy for my Bengals. Should we lose I'll root for the Bills. A kindred city, with kindred fans.
My daughter and her family live in Buffalo. I had hoped she would have married and moved to Florida, or at least a warm climate that I could visit. She has been very kind about her support of the Bengals, up til now, at least.
I think the only chance the Bengals have of winning is by creating turnovers. I worry about Mac missing kicks because he doesn't seem to perform well in colder weather.
This is the time of the year that the idiots come out of the woodwork at the gym. You are lucky that guy wasn't also tying up the Smith machine, which happens often at our Planet Fitness (and we only have 3 of them). I've seen people tie up a machine an hour to do four sets with the actual machine. We have the 'red towel guy' who puts a towel on a Smith plus six other machines and expects nobody else to use them until he is finished. At your club, do young people tie up all the benches in the dumb bell area to rest their weights on between sets? They never use the benches. The problem with Planet Fitness is that they won't say anything to anyone because it is the 'judgement free zone'. I'd rather work out with 20 considerate 'lunks' than the clueless people who could care less that they are holding up progress. At least we can work out during the day to avoid the big crowds.
For whatever reason, the Bengals have given me the confidence to think they can handle anything at this point, so I'm looking forward to the game without too many misgivings. The OL is an issue, but St. Joe just seems to figure it out. Hard to believe that's what I think after all these difficult years, but it just feels better knowing they are good enough to shoot it out even in a tough place like Buffalo.
One thing does bug me. Why isn't Josh Allen described as a "running quarterback"? His called runs happen as often as LaMarvelous but no one ever says Allen is a "running quarterback". If Jackson isn't pro style, why is Allen? What am I missing?
I am glad that I am not the only "get off my lawn" guy.
Perhaps our rivalry with Buffalo will be one based on respect instead of derision the heathen media seem to love to whip up when discussing games with Pittsburgh & Baltimore. Respect is healthier than indifference. I have quite a few friends who are very passionate about their UK Wildcats. They are fun to talk with because the passion in these men is tempered with respect that other teams are allowed to win occasionally. Having spoken a few times with Doc's lovely (and talented) wife, she has a similar passion for her Steelers and a healthy respect for other people's opinions. This begs the question: is there a good adjective for these types of fans that are respectful and will cheer for you when your team wins?? Them having that respect for others doesn't diminish their team's success.
I've long wished the Bengals quarterbacks would talk with or watch films of Boomer. He was very good at the play action fake handoff. Developing and using that skill with both Mixon & Perine in the backfield may be helpful to keep the D-lines out of Joe's bidness on every down.
God bless Hamlin for a full recovery and God bless the Bengals for knowing exactly where Hamlin use to play and exploit the situation. Hayden Hurst over the middle. His YAC will be huge.
I was at the 1989 AFC championship game and intensely disliked them then. I also remember the fuss they made over the quick huddle. Now I’m glad Hamlin is alive and recovering but I will still root for the Bengals. Fan since 1968!
The Men as underdogs, I’m Ok with that ... Villanova over Georgetown, Miracle on Ice, 1990 Reds, Joe Willy and the NYJ over Johnny U and the Colts, etc, etc, etc.
This reminded me of a trip a I took to Buffalo to visit a friend a little more than 50 years ago. One night we went down to a lakeside "joint" where I met her guy friends and they were all in flannel and all in for the Bills. You nailed it.