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Could a win spark a playoff run? Only three 0-3 teams have made the playoffs since 1990.
COMMENT: Do you think its possible that the Bengals could still make the playoffs?
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Cincinnati Bengals placed the New York Giants in their rearview mirror on Monday, Sept. 22, and began focusing on the warning sign that now confronts them.
It reads, "Danger Ahead," and that means the Cleveland Browns are coming to town, armed with the same miserable record as the Bengals.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, since the NFL adopted its current playoff format in 1990, only three of 90 teams that started a season 0-3 have gone on to qualify for the postseason — the 1992 San Diego Chargers, the 1995 Detroit Lions and the 1998 Buffalo Bills.
Sunday's survivor has an outside shot to become playoff qualifier No. 4 to stumble out of the starting gate winless in three games and possibly get its season turned around.
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis hasn't hunkered down to study the Browns on film just yet.
"But I know it's the big game," he said. "It's a divisional and rival game for us. Our fans will be here and be loud. We need to have a better output than the Tennessee game — from us playing and everybody in the stands.
"It should be a hard day and a loud day for the Cleveland Browns to try to communicate, just like we've had on the road. I think that's the key. It's the 'Battle of Ohio,' the southern version, this week."
A year ago in a Week 2 shootout in Cleveland — Browns 51, Bengals 45 — quarterbacks Carson Palmer (6) of the Bengals and Derek Anderson (5) of the Browns combined for 11 touchdown passes in a game that featured 1,085 yards of total offense.
It's doubtful those fireworks will be repeated, considering both QBs have thrown more interceptions than TDs — Anderson has two TDs and five INTs; Palmer one TD and three INTs.
The Bengals rank 29th in scoring (13.3 points per game) and 30th in offense (238.7 yards a game), but those numbers are still better than the Browns, who rank 32nd and dead last in both categories (8.7 points and 194.0 yards).
The winners will get a boost of confidence. The losers will continue digging their graves.
"Confidence comes from doing things right," Lewis said. "If you don't do things the right way, you're going to crash and burn."
Battle of Ohio
Who: Browns (0-3) at Bengals (0-3)
When: 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28
TV: CBS (WHIO Ch. 7)
Radio: WTUE-FM (104.7), WONE-AM (980)
Comments
By bigrob
September 25, 2008 10:22 PM | Link to this
you gotta be joking, right?………what playoffs are you talking about?……arena league?….i seriously doubt it………..
By VietVet
September 24, 2008 7:04 AM | Link to this
Neither the Bengals nor the Browns have a snowballs chance of making the playoffs. You could combine the best players from each team and they wouldn’t make the playoffs. Both are cheesy little short of talent, short of coaching, short of ownership type franchises. Browns were great in the 50’s/60’s. Bengals never have been great over any measureable time frame. Poor question for a blog. Both bottom tier teams.
By John
September 24, 2008 2:54 AM | Link to this
Has Mike Brown ever stated or recently stated HIS desire for the Bengals to make the playoffs? or Superbowl? It seems His desire is to make us think the Bengals can reach the playoffs, and therefore fill the stadium seats eight times each year.
This would be is HIS sucessful team goal.
By painfultruth
September 23, 2008 10:52 PM | Link to this
The Bungles couldn’t “spark” gasoline ablaze with a blowtorch. They are just as good as the Reds!
By scott
September 23, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this
AGAINST THE GIANTS. PALMER HAS NEVER LOOKED BETTER ALL HIS PASSES WERE ON, NOW IF WE CAN GET RECEIVERS TO CATCH THE BALL….WE COULD WIN EVERY GAME HERE ON OUT, AT LEAST IN OUR DIVISION….BROWNS ARE STRUGGLING, STEELERS ARE NOW STRUGGLING, RAVENS DONT HAVE THE OFFENSE TO BEAT US WITH OUR OFFENSE IN STRIDE…..ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE….
By Genius Boy
September 23, 2008 8:35 PM | Link to this
Hey, Phil Man. I’m gunna drive me up to Ohio to git me some petrol (that’d be petroleum fer you Ohioans) fer my pick-up truck. Then I’m gunna haul my Southern butt out of there as fast as I can & try not to look in my rear view mirror!! Whatdya think, is that a smart thing to do? On the way back down to GA I’m gunna stop in Caroliner and watch a REAL Football game….The Falcons vs Panthers!!….AND TRY TO FORGET WHERE I JUST CAME FROM!!!!
By jimbo
September 23, 2008 7:57 PM | Link to this
LOL, What a stupid question. Are you sure Chick didn’t tell you to ask this just to mess with us. lol lol lol hahahahahahaha.
By Antwan Odom in your face
September 23, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this
we lost you after you said “i am a browns fan”
By Randy
September 23, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this
I am a Browns fan and I am thinking this one may end in a tie. The only thing I am hoping is that it is Groundhog Day from the first meeting last year. A new QB stepping in for the Browns after an embarrassing loss in the division and lighting up the O. Honest question: How was the crowd for the Titans game? I went to the Bengals/Saints preseason game and it got pretty ruthless in the stands by halftime. Are the Bengals faithful still showing up in mass or are they getting rid of their tix?
By Buddha
September 23, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this
Channeling Jim Mora… (here we go) Playoffs?!?!?! Playoffs?!?!?! I’ll be surprised if they win a game!
The Bengals can’t make toast.
By Phil Man
September 23, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this
Dumbass Boy,
We’re glad you’re not here too. Have fun finding gas redneck.
By Genius Boy
September 23, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this
This msg is a continuation of the one preceding it! Be careful Ga. is overcrowded with you “smart” Ohioans who decided to get the heck out of that horrible place!
Ok, back to football. You would think one of these teams has to win, but I say not….the final score will be Bengals 3…Cleveland 3!! A winner coming out of this game….Come on!
No really, the Bengals will crush the Brownies easily!
By Genius Boy
September 23, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
Ok all you Ohioans. Darn am I glad I’m not an Ohioan….not because of the “horrid” Pro football teams, but because of the state in general….what a dreadful place!!! Cold & ugly. Sorry for the poke, but I could not envision being unlucky enough to live there. Ok, so you ask “Where am I from”? Well, it to is a place with a dreadful Pro football team, but who cares about that. It is Atlanta, GA. By the way, the Falcons are 2-1. Ok, I’m ready for all the redneck jokes….but be careful….
By dave
September 23, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
Great work Chuck! You ask the dumbest questions and keep a job doing it! Ask coach Mora that question. Playoffs!?
By CJL
September 23, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this
I think Marvin ought to worry about his play calling along with Brown’s strategy for this Sundays game and not so much as the fans in the stands. The BENGAL’S fans will be there. Just like last Sundays game trying to establish the run in overtime instead of going to the air attack that almost won the game. BELIEVE IN NOW, Marvin!
By Yippee
September 23, 2008 12:49 PM | Link to this
To quote Owen Wilson’s Roy O’Bannon from Shanghai Knights: “What in our history together makes you think I’m capable of something like that?” What in the Bengals history makes you think it’s even remotely possible the Bengals could overcome an 0-3 start and make the playoffs??? The D-Line and Linebackers are bad, the O-Line is okay but they let their best RB go to Detroit. Simply put, 5-11, maybe…
By DBR
September 23, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this
Oh come on you Ohioans. At least you can remember when both of your NFL teams were half decent (granted for the Browns you need to have a longer memory).
Here in Michigan we have the Lions. Somebody told me once they were good back in the 50’s. I guess I’ll have to take their word on it.
By Matt
September 23, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this
Bengals 31, Browns 17
By kb
September 23, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this
Do you think its possible that the Bengals could still make the playoffs?
Sure, miracles happen every day… :)
By Antwan Odom in your face
September 23, 2008 11:37 AM | Link to this
Browns to the super bowl????? this isn’t summer smack talk anymore, you guys suck just as bad as we do…face it, Derek Anderson was a fluke, as he proved in the ProBowl that shouldn’t have been invited to, Jamal Lewis’s second wind had died down to a light breeze, and your defense has barely improved….The greatest thing is, you still have 4 more prime time games to embarrass yourselves….Mistake on the Lake…..doo doo brown stains to the Super Bowl, that made my day.
By CFNeumann
September 23, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this
This one has me perplexed on our football pool. How do I put down both teams as losing? LOL
By Chad
September 23, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this
nice comment somethingbetter you must be an idiot if you think they have a shot at winning the superbowl, or even making the playoffs
By BrownsClown
September 23, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this
Wait just wait, the Browns will beat the Bungals and go on to win the Super Bowl.
By Mikeh
September 23, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this
A better question might be, “is it possible they can put together another team effort like last week’s?” Which team shows up on Sundays? The false starting, no-confidence, blew-another-assignment, let’s establish the run so we can have 3rd and 8 group? Or the high energy, urgent-to-win-every-play team we saw Sunday? They’re supposed to have talent but until they show some consistent team effort, we’ll never know how good it is. Baby steps with this defense and O-line…and hope Carson survives
By William
September 23, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this
Kinda hard to make the playoffs with a 4-12 record, dontcha think?
By somethingbetter
September 23, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this
definitely make the play-offs. and I have them winning the super bowl too.
By mytmike
September 23, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this
duh
By Phil Man
September 23, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this
No