Santa arrives at the Dayton mall
2009 Ohio State football
Trotwood-Madison vs. Winton Woods
Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > November > 17 > Entry
Memo to Browns, Steelers & Eagles fans
BROWNS POISED TO FADE;
STEELERS ARE TOO LUCKY;
EAGLES JUST PLAIN CLUELESS
Memo to the Cleveland Browns: You’re going down tonight against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
And you’re going down when the Cincinnati Bengals invade the “Mistake on the Lake” on Dec. 21.
Memo to the Pittsburgh Steelers: You were lucky against San Diego. You won’t be as lucky on Thursday night, Nov. 20.
Memo to the Philadelphia Eagles: Get a head coach and quarterback who know the rules.
Yes, Virginia, an NFL game can end in a tie. Too bad the Eagles didn’t know that. Had they known the rules, they might have played with more urgency in overtime against the Cincinnati Bengals.
POST GAME WITH McNABB:
Q: What happened out there today?
A: When you go through the course of a game, it’s important on our side of the ball to be consistent and eliminate turnovers and put ourselves in position to score. Today I just didn’t do it. I was being careless with the ball and trying to be aggressive and it lead to turnovers. I thought our defense did a great job. They limited them to field goals. Offensively, we need to score touchdowns, and do it the right way.
Q: Can you pinpoint why the offense has struggled in the past four games and how much does that weigh on you?
A: It’s no weight on me at all, actually. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. In this game, you’re going to go through some dry times. And unfortunately, that’s what we did this game. We weren’t able to sustain some drives. When you have turnovers, it limits your opportunities to win games. But I don’t think it’s something that you need to focus on. Sometimes it’s going to happen. You need to have a short-term memory, and move on to the next play.
Q: How do you feel about losing to a 1-8 team?
A: I said during the week, just watching film on them, you couldn’t tell they were 1-8, especially their defense. They play hard. They read their keys, and they do a great job with what’s given to them. We didn’t come into this game thinking this is a 1-8 team, that they were pitiful, and that we could score a lot of points. We still feel confident in what we can do. It just didn’t happen tonight.
Q: How big of an opportunity gone by is this?
A: Every opportunity that you have, you have to take full advantage of. And when you don’t, you have to be able to move on and obviously take advantage of the next opportunity. There’s 16 opportunities. There’s no way we can sit back and say, ‘We don’t have to worry about this week.’ Every game is important. And we have to be able to move on and treat it as such.
Q: Are you confident your offense can turn around their recent struggles, and, if so, what makes you feel that confidence?
A: You have to. (You can’t) sit back and try to move different things or try to wait and see. We’ve just got to get it done now. I have confidence that it can get done. But again, we have to able to do it out on the field.
Q: How do you feel after a tie?
A: I’ve never been a part of a tie. I never even knew that was in the rule book. It’s part of the rules, and we have to go with it. I was looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game. But unfortunately, with the rules, we settled with a tie.
Q: Did you not know the game was over at the end of overtime?
A: When the game was called, I kind of figured, ‘There’s ties in the NFL.’
Q: You seriously didn’t know there are ties in the NFL?
A: No, I didn’t know that.
Q: Several other players in the locker room mentioned they were surprised the game wasn’t going into a second overtime. Is that something the players need to be aware of?
A: I guess we’re aware of it now. In college, there are multiple overtimes, and in high school and Pop Warner. I never knew in the professional ranks it would end that way. I hate to see what would happen in the Super Bowl and in the playoffs.
Permalink | Comments (27) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By Chris
November 17, 2008 12:50 AM | Link to this
I guess the Steelers were also lucky when they beat the Bengals by three touchdowns earlier this year.By KLE
November 17, 2008 5:13 AM | Link to this
Chickster. If you have attUverse you can get the game thursday. KleBy Manny
November 17, 2008 7:20 AM | Link to this
The Bengals and their fans (both of them) should be dancing in the streets with a tie. Afterall, it is not another loss.By Dan
November 17, 2008 7:30 AM | Link to this
The Bengals will get crushed Thurs. They’re coming off a short week & Fitz’s body will still be reeling from 8 sacks & Hines loves to punish us!!By Ft. Myers Foursome
November 17, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this
No mention of the organized half-time walkout. I can only assume it was a total failure. Maybe next time he’ll keep his ideas to himself.By VoHo
November 17, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this
Darn — this coulda’/shoulda’ been a win if Chad and Chris Henry hadn’t gone all Braylon Edwards on us. Just CATCH it! Memo to Chick: Your “hero” Trent had a nice game but he also had a cheap shot to the QB’s head… not exactly hero material.By VoHo
November 17, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
Darn — this coulda’/shoulda’ been a win if Chad and Chris Henry hadn’t gone all Braylon Edwards on us. Just CATCH it! Memo to Chick: Your “hero” Trent had a nice game but he also had a cheap shot to the QB’s head… not exactly hero material.By Chris
November 17, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this
Steelers will go down? I doubt it. I am a Bengals fan that has lived in PIT for 16 years. Ben loves playing the Bungals. The TV news media called them the Bungals last night on TV. Cincy is a big joke over here. They hate Cleveland and laugh at Cincy. It makes me wonder how Dick Lebeau is awesome here and how he floundered in Cincy. Hmmm, Management issues, ya think? Steelers field a worthy team every year. It will never happen, but get the Brown family out!By fan_from_afar
November 17, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this
The worst thing about yesterday’s game was the analysis of the Bengals organization by the TV announcers. They showed the billboard that had been purchased by fans saying “please hire a GM” - but then Moose and Goose and whatever other barnyard animal TV announcers all focused on Marvin Lewis. They didn’t mention one word on the Brown family - the ones who are really to blame for this entire debacle.By joe
November 17, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this
Hey fan-from-afar. Read my lipps. Marvin Lewis is the problem!By biff garbonzo
November 17, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this
I am shocked that McNabb didn’t know that the game could end in a tie.By Doco
November 17, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
A sports writer talking smack. I love it! I just wish you had something to base it on Chick. 8 sacks of our “mobile” quarterback by the Eagles and an injured O-line starter? The Steelers may get a dozen. I doubt it will be close Thursday. Our defense is our best chance to win. (Never thought I’d say that this year.)By Brian
November 17, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this
Calling Marvin “the problem” amounts to blaming the cough rather than the tuberculosis causing it.By Doco
November 17, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this
Hey Joe. I heard you shot your woman down, down to the ground… Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Anyway, if Marvin is indeed the problem, then Shula, Coslet, and Lebeau were the problems also. That’s 4 problems in a row. Who hired those problems? All the important decisions are made at the top…by one man…Mr. Brown.By Steven Ross
November 17, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this
fanfromafar: go back and listen to the announcers commentary. They supported Lewis but were semi-critical of Brown. You heard it wrong.By dice
November 17, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this
HAHAHA! Hey Chick Dude, What are you smokin?? Probably the same stuff at the beginning of the year when you predicted the Bungholes would make the playoffs! You are a pathetic little man who is jealous of the Browns and Steelers. We beat you in Cincy will will crush you in Cleveland. Fear The Quinn!! Mistake by the lake? Cincinnati the black eye over Ohio! Chick I bet the Bungholes PR dept could careless that you cover the Bungholes.By fan_from_afar
November 17, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this
S-Ross, I may not have been clear in my statement, but what I said was that the announcers “focused” on Lewis. I agree with your point about them supporting the coach. They said that he wears too many hats and has too little help - they even praised him for the 8-8 seasons which shows just how bad the Bengals Org. is when “average” is praise worthy. But they weren’t semi-critical of the Brown family. They were somewhat critical of “management” and “the front office”. I wonder if they even know who owns and runs the team. I wanted to hear Mike Brown’s name linked to that television shot of the billboard asking, begging, pleading, PLEASE hire a GM! Trust me when I say that nobody watching that game on regular TV here on the East Coast knows who Bengals “management” is. I know that Mikey is too much of a coward to take accountability of this horrid franchise on his own, but can’t somebody… anybody with a real voice in the nfl world stand up and say “This guy is the worst owner in all of sports” - and say it loud enough that it will reach Mikey’s brain through the insulation of all his daughters, cousins, son-in-laws, and his own thick skull???By John
November 17, 2008 12:01 PM | Link to this
All this “talk”, and MB is the only person still reaching his goal. He looks at the attendance statistic and is pleased on game day, then counts his money the rest of the week. We must not take the Bengals too serious; MB only wants to fill the stadium seats on game day. ML and the rest of us want the Bengals to be contenders, but that is really out of our hands.By joe
November 17, 2008 12:02 PM | Link to this
You said the Bengals would beat the Steelers last time. You can’t even beat a quarterback that throws 3 interceptions and fumbles once. All of that and you get 13 points? With 5 quarters to score in. SanDiego scored 10 points and 7 of them were agift from the zebras. Since when is holding your ground and having a reciever run into you interference? On top of that the throw was no where near the reciever in the endzone. You think the Bengals are just unlucky? I guess they’ve been that way for the last couple decades huh? I appreciate your loyalty but you should be a Ravens fan we are lucky and good.By joe
November 17, 2008 12:07 PM | Link to this
You said the Bengals would beat the Steelers last time. You can’t even beat a quarterback that throws 3 interceptions and fumbles once. All of that and you get 13 points? With 5 quarters to score in. SanDiego scored 10 points and 7 of them were agift from the zebras. Since when is holding your ground and having a reciever run into you interference? On top of that the throw was no where near the reciever in the endzone. You think the Bengals are just unlucky? I guess they’ve been that way for the last couple decades huh? I appreciate your loyalty but you should be a Ravens fan we are lucky and good.By p
November 17, 2008 1:05 PM | Link to this
Its amazing how a tie at home can bring out the Chickster (ben-gal) cheerleader. The Browns by 3 touchdowns over the bengals. EASY!!! But you are usually wrong, look at your predictions in the DDN all year.By Dave
November 17, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this
What a homer! The Browns will beat Buffalo in a tough game tonight and win easily against the Bengals.By bungle hater
November 17, 2008 2:28 PM | Link to this
wow this guy is stupid, talking smack to teams that have already BEAT the bungles this year. And your what….1-8??? ties dont count little buddy. keep to writing about and to bungles fans. GO BROWNS!!! P.S. Steelers 31 Bungles 14 Count on it!!! BROWNS 27 Ben-gals 13By blindeye
November 17, 2008 10:08 PM | Link to this
Cincy can’t beat the steelers. They’d have to prove they can run the ball to beat the steelers and they can’t run the ball. Makes you wonder how they used to be able to run the ball and now they can’t. Also makes you wonder about Marvin because running the ball was a major operative that Marvin set for this year. It’s really time for Marvin to go and it’s time for Mike Brown to retire.By bengalFanInPITT
November 18, 2008 12:18 AM | Link to this
Bengals are good at setting meaningless and somewhat embarassing records. Wait until Thursday night. Does anyone know what the record is for 3 and outs? I hope Kyle Larson is ready, he’ll be busy.By Tim
November 18, 2008 5:56 PM | Link to this
Nice picking, Chuck (Browns losing Monday). You must be an NFL expert. I expect your prediction for the Steelers game to be just as accurate.By joe
November 21, 2008 8:29 AM | Link to this
Ok…let’s see the Browns beat Buffalo and the Bengals lost by 17 (3 score margin) Better be careful Cincy may lose their website. You know you need 3 W’s (www) to have one. LOL