9-3, two games up on the Steelers with four to go

[Mackcat]

Well I know they are young and still have trouble stopping the run, but facts are facts, the Bengals are most likely going to win the North, and right now are tied with the Broncos to get a bye. I feal that this team is still a year or two away from maybe knocking the door down, but I am gonna enjoy the present.

[hoosierhateruklover]

If only Indy were outta the way this team would have a shot at it all!

[beeballerbluegrchs]

True, I don't think any team has the power to knock off the Colts. This seems to be Peyton's year, but I hope that the Bengals go far in the playoffs and can build off of this season to get even better!

[UK 4 Life]

The Bengals remind me alot of the Colts. Cincy has a great QB in Palmer and a very good receving corps and you have to respect the run with Rudi. Both defenses are solid (except when they play each other..lol). I agree my Colts are clearly the team to beat but give Cincy another injury free season and they'll challange Indy next year depending on wether Edge is still wearing the Shoe.

[BigBlue75]

Dallas has always been my number one favorite, but I've been following the Bengals since the days of Greg Cook at quarterback and Bob Tumpe at tight end. I'm glad to see them finally back in the thick of things. I agree that the Colts are the team to beat and if Jacksonville or San Diego don't beat them, I don't see any other team doing it. Several sportscasters have put forth the comment that the Bengals today look like the Colts of two years ago..almost there, but not quite. I can go along with that.

I'm just glad the Cincinnati management got a reality check and brought in a coach who could turn things around..and that they were smart enough (finally) to stay out of his way and let him do it.

[Old Blue]

Totally agree with that point. The Bengals are the Colts of a year or two ago. They have all the tools on offense, and their defense, while very opportunistic, still can't stop a good running team or shut anybody down. They'll give anybody a run for their money in the playoffs just because Palmer and Co. are so good, but I'm not sure they could beat San Diego or Denver, and I doubt they could beat Indy under any circumstances this year although they could give them a pretty good scare. Even so, they've had a heck of a year. A very entertaining team to watch.

[TRexSmarts]

I have to disagree with you all on the Bengals being like the Colts of two or three years ago. If you compare the three players from each team, you notice that Johnson is no Harrison. Palmer is no Peyton, and Rudi Johnson is no Edge. Over the years, there have been a lot of "BIG 3" in NFL. The Bengal's Big 3 is no where near Colt's Big 3.

One of these days or seasons, Johnson is going to have the same thing happen to him that happen to TO. Harrison has a quiet demeanor about himself when he plays. He just goes out and plays the game. Johnson doesn't do that because of his ego. If Coach Lewis nows that if he doesn't pay particular attention that is needed to each of the two receivers (Chad and TJ), then they get restless.

The other difference is that Peyton has been doing all this studying and watching film for years. He probably started back in high school. I do know he did this during his time at UT. Palmer is just now learning to do this. I don't think Palmer can be able to do what Peyton does and make the right calls from the line of scrimmage.

About the only similarity is with the RB. They both are making a name for themeselves. But they aren't the same still.

Each BIG 3 has different personality that they take on that works well together as a team and all three are consider leaders. If I have to rate the Bengal's Big 3, then I would have to rate them down at the bottom of the list.

Think of some of the great Big 3 over the years of the NFL. Here is just some that I can think of off the top of my head. In no particular order:

1) Joe Montana - Jerry Rice - Roger Craig

2) Peyton Manning - Marvin Harrison - Edgerin James

3) Troy Aikman - Michael Irvin - Emmitt Smith

4) Carson Palmer - Chad Johnson - Rudi Johnson

5) Terry Bradshaw - Lynn Swan - Franco Harris

6) Joe Theismann - Art Monk - John Riggins

As you can tell from this list, I would think Bengal's Big 3 would be at the bottom of the list. Can anybody else think of great "Big 3" combos?

TRexSmarts

[Old Blue]

But isn't that the thing? Except for #s 2 and 4 on your Big Three list, they've all won Super Bowls. Aren't you kind of undercutting your own argument here? I'm not sure any of us are saying that Palmer-Johnson-Housmansaddeh-Johnson are on the Colts level right now. They clearly aren't, but then, I'm not sure anyone is ever going to be on Manning's level anyway when it is all said and done. I've been watching Peyton since he was UT, and he just keeps getting better. And he was pretty darn good in orange, by the way. Manning may end up being mentioned in the same sort of hushed and sacred tones as Unitas, Montana and Elway when it's all said and done. He looks to be amoung the creme de la creme. He's one of the most talented and brilliant quarterbacks I've ever seen. But that's no knock on Palmer. Palmer is a great young QB. Okay, he's the greatest young QB, in my opinion. What's that mean? Well, it means he's not as good as Manning right now, and he'll probably never be as good as Manning, because in all likelihood, nobody else ever will be either. But does that mean he can't be as good as, oh, let's say Marino, Steve Young, Farve, Aikman, Bradshaw, Staubach, Boomer Starr or Brady? I think he will be, and by the way, all of those guys got to the Super Bowl and all but two of them won it. The other thing you have to figure into the equation is that the Bengals are a very young team, with very young, but very good talent on offense. The Colts have been around for awhile now. Marvin is closer to the setting sun of his career than the rising. Peyton is in the middle of his prime. And Edge is sort of like Marvin. Rudi, Chad and Housh and really just kids still. And then you've got Perry and Henry who are even less than kids. This is a very young team. I don't know how the ages of the offensive lines stack up between the two, but I would guess that we would find the same situation, i.e., youth versus experience. The way it shakes out to me is simply this, great teams eventually get older. Happened to the Steelers in the late '70s. Happened to the 'Niners in the late '80s. Looks like it's happening to the Patriots now. It's going to happen to the Colts in a couple of years, and the most likely candidate to assume the mantle at that point seems to me to be the Bengals. Also, I don't think Chad Johnson is another TO. He's certainly a flake, but he's not poison like TO has always been. He's just a talented goof ball.

[Mackcat]

Man every thread becomes about the Colts. The Bengals lost to them by 8 huge points. I have a fealing that the Indy express might take a hit this weekend. Say a loss there and another to say a Seattle, or a San Diego and then maybe the greatest team ever wont creep into every thread.
Moving on, well the clowns come to Cincy this Sunday. Im seeing 10-3. Not as much hype around here though since all the Tim Couch Browns fans have kind of vanished. Probably wearing Bengals stuff now. Oh well, what can you do?
Who Dey!

[MurphyLee]

TRexSmarts wrote: I have to disagree with you all on the Bengals being like the Colts of two or three years ago. If you compare the three players from each team, you notice that Johnson is no Harrison. Palmer is no Peyton, and Rudi Johnson is no Edge. Over the years, there have been a lot of "BIG 3" in NFL. The Bengal's Big 3 is no where near Colt's Big 3.

One of these days or seasons, Johnson is going to have the same thing happen to him that happen to TO. Harrison has a quiet demeanor about himself when he plays. He just goes out and plays the game. Johnson doesn't do that because of his ego. If Coach Lewis nows that if he doesn't pay particular attention that is needed to each of the two receivers (Chad and TJ), then they get restless.

The other difference is that Peyton has been doing all this studying and watching film for years. He probably started back in high school. I do know he did this during his time at UT. Palmer is just now learning to do this. I don't think Palmer can be able to do what Peyton does and make the right calls from the line of scrimmage.

About the only similarity is with the RB. They both are making a name for themeselves. But they aren't the same still.

Each BIG 3 has different personality that they take on that works well together as a team and all three are consider leaders. If I have to rate the Bengal's Big 3, then I would have to rate them down at the bottom of the list.

Think of some of the great Big 3 over the years of the NFL. Here is just some that I can think of off the top of my head. In no particular order:

1) Joe Montana - Jerry Rice - Roger Craig

2) Peyton Manning - Marvin Harrison - Edgerin James

3) Troy Aikman - Michael Irvin - Emmitt Smith

4) Carson Palmer - Chad Johnson - Rudi Johnson

5) Terry Bradshaw - Lynn Swan - Franco Harris

6) Joe Theismann - Art Monk - John Riggins

As you can tell from this list, I would think Bengal's Big 3 would be at the bottom of the list. Can anybody else think of great "Big 3" combos?

TRexSmarts

If you just mean over one season and not long term how about
Kurt Warner-Isaac Bruce/or Tory Holt- Marshall Faulk.
or
Jim Kelly-Andre Reed-Thurman Thomas.By the way this one was sorta long term and not one season.

[TRexSmarts]

I kind of mean over long term. Yes, Bills trio should be on the list as well.

TRexSmarts