Steelers at Bengals - Wild Card Game

Pro Sports 370 replies 7,987 views
Azubuike24's avatar
Azubuike24
Posts: 15,933
Jan 4, 2016 5:23pm
All of the narratives on this one will be re-hashed in the next 5 days.

Steelers open as a 1.5 point favorite.
Azubuike24's avatar
Azubuike24
Posts: 15,933
Jan 4, 2016 5:25pm
Interesting narrative. 10 years ago, the Steelers came into Cincinnati as a 6-seed and beat the 3rd seeded Bengals (without their starting QB, sans 2 plays in the game).
Ironman92's avatar
Ironman92
Posts: 49,363
Jan 4, 2016 5:46pm
I think both teams got a good draw for a postseason run.

I think Cincy needs to get out early and I think Steelers need to stay within 1 of turnover differential.

I believe Pittsburgh is more confident about this game.

I believe this is the needed stepping stone for the Bengals. If they want respect in the playoffs then beat their nemesis.

Not on here at all but if the Steelers win I'm going to layout a bunch of pricks who make my timeline and Twitter feed miserable.

I don't know how much I'll be able to watch of this game.

Gun to my head:

Steelers 27
Bengals 23
Commander of Awesome's avatar
Commander of Awesome
Posts: 23,151
Jan 4, 2016 6:06pm
Who is playing QB for Bengals?
Ironman92's avatar
Ironman92
Posts: 49,363
Jan 4, 2016 6:12pm
Commander of Awesome;1773200 wrote:Who is playing QB for Bengals?
Bottom line says Bengals preparing for McCarron.. I honestly don't know which I'd prefer as a fan of the opponent. Dalton more brash with more top prove. McCarron way less pressure.

A good topic would be WTF do the Bengals do if McCarron plays very well in prime time in the playoffs vs the Steelers and then Dalton comes back in the divisional round and sucks.
Commander of Awesome's avatar
Commander of Awesome
Posts: 23,151
Jan 4, 2016 6:15pm
Ironman92;1773204 wrote:Bottom line says Bengals preparing for McCarron.. I honestly don't know which I'd prefer as a fan of the opponent. Dalton more brash with more top prove. McCarron way less pressure.

A good topic would be WTF do the Bengals do if McCarron plays very well in prime time in the playoffs vs the Steelers and then Dalton comes back in the divisional round and sucks.
Actually now that you say it, more important is will eifert play? I think Bengals win either way, Steelers would have lost to the browns had McCown or JFF played. They're not good.
Azubuike24's avatar
Azubuike24
Posts: 15,933
Jan 4, 2016 6:18pm
Eifert played and caught a TD on Sunday. He's fine. The Bengals said Dalton was unlikely to play until week 19 at the earliest. Marvin Lewis' comments today when asked about Dalton indicated the same.

My biggest concern is...the Steelers offense was red hot. They have played 2 bad games in a row.
Ironman92's avatar
Ironman92
Posts: 49,363
Jan 4, 2016 6:18pm
Eifort I thought they said could play the last two weeks if they were playoffs games (but don't quote me on that)
Commander of Awesome's avatar
Commander of Awesome
Posts: 23,151
Jan 4, 2016 6:19pm
Azubuike24;1773206 wrote:Eifert played and caught a TD on Sunday. He's fine. The Bengals said Dalton was unlikely to play until week 19 at the earliest. Marvin Lewis' comments today when asked about Dalton indicated the same.

My biggest concern is...the Steelers offense was red hot. They have played 2 bad games in a row.
Ahh didn't know that. Steelers def is baaaaddddd. Like real bad. I hope bengals shove down their cheating, raping fat faces.
Ironman92's avatar
Ironman92
Posts: 49,363
Jan 4, 2016 6:19pm
Azubuike24;1773206 wrote:Eifert played and caught a TD on Sunday. He's fine. The Bengals said Dalton was unlikely to play until week 19 at the earliest. Marvin Lewis' comments today when asked about Dalton indicated the same.

My biggest concern is...the Steelers offense was red hot. They have played 2 bad games in a row.
It's been Ben on the road throwing interceptions...he has to clean those up and I'm not real sure they aren't in his head a bit...he's had some really really bad ones.
Azubuike24's avatar
Azubuike24
Posts: 15,933
Jan 4, 2016 6:22pm
I'll say this. I don't see either of these teams dominating the other.

The last game had an unpredictable twist with Dalton being hurt, caused the score to get a bit out of hand.

It's going to be an absolute battle on Saturday. These teams definitely hate each other as much as you can hate other players/teams in sports right now.

Hopefully nobody on Cincinnati provides any bulletin board material. Thus far, only the Steelers have been talking (and they have more of a right to talk about playoff outcomes).
Azubuike24's avatar
Azubuike24
Posts: 15,933
Jan 4, 2016 6:23pm
According to Andy Dalton himself, he's confident he will be the starter on Saturday night.
Ironman92's avatar
Ironman92
Posts: 49,363
Jan 4, 2016 6:38pm
Azubuike24;1773212 wrote:According to Andy Dalton himself, he's confident he will be the starter on Saturday night.
Not many would doubt his competitiveness....he needs to demand on starting and leave decision up to Lewis
like_that's avatar
like_that
Posts: 26,625
Jan 4, 2016 6:53pm
If Williams doesn't play, I see this being a very low scoring game.
F
friendfromlowry
Posts: 6,239
Jan 4, 2016 7:45pm
Who's Pittsburgh's RB if Williams can't go?
Automatik's avatar
Automatik
Posts: 14,632
Jan 4, 2016 8:07pm
I'm guessing Fitzgerald Toussaint.

Two weeks ago, I wanted this matchup bad, but that Baltimore loss left a bad taste in my mouth.
M
mhs95_06
Posts: 8,167
Jan 4, 2016 10:29pm
When Dalton is healthy he makes way more bad throws than McCarron does. Now Dalton has a bad thumb so the proportion of bad throws will multiply.
Ironman92's avatar
Ironman92
Posts: 49,363
Jan 4, 2016 10:40pm
mhs95_06;1773304 wrote:When Dalton is healthy he makes way more bad throws than McCarron does. Now Dalton has a bad thumb so the proportion of bad throws will multiply.
I haven't seen as much as Bengals fans but McCarron has made some really good throws and not hung his receivers out to dry as much. Dalton has the experience but not sure if that matters or not
SportsAndLady's avatar
SportsAndLady
Posts: 35,632
Jan 4, 2016 10:44pm
Rooting for the bengals. Fuck the steelers and their douchy yinzer fans.
Automatik's avatar
Automatik
Posts: 14,632
Jan 4, 2016 10:46pm
It's become an annual thing.
SportsAndLady's avatar
SportsAndLady
Posts: 35,632
Jan 4, 2016 10:50pm
Automatik;1773312 wrote:It's become an annual thing.
??
Azubuike24's avatar
Azubuike24
Posts: 15,933
Jan 5, 2016 7:54am
We still haven't quite yet see McCarron have full command. I'm sure the coaching staff has done what they can to prevent his situations where mistakes could happen. As long as they understand that it's one and done now, and losing because of an ultra conservative game plan sucks, I'm fine with McCarron as the QB.
B
BR1986FB
Posts: 24,104
Jan 5, 2016 8:26am
Commander of Awesome;1773205 wrote:Steelers would have lost to the browns had McCown or JFF played. They're not good.
I agree with the first part and was thinking that after the game. Another starting QB and the Browns probably win that game.

As far as your second comment, I agree that Pittsburgh's defense is BAD but if their offense gets on track, they are the most explosive in the league. If their defense weren't so bad, I could see them riding their offense to the Super Bowl. Of course, I'm hoping that doesn't happen.
T
Tiernan
Posts: 13,021
Jan 5, 2016 9:04am
The NFL season kinda ends for me when I don't have Clowns fans to kick in the balls daily but as a casual observer who knows more about football than most slackards on here I've seen some good things in McCarron and believe this team wants to advance and knows he needs their concentrated effort to help him do so. As far as the whole thing goes I see an AZ vs Den Super Bowl.
S
superman
Posts: 3,582
Jan 5, 2016 2:30pm
This game for me comes down to the Bengals offensive line. If they can establish the run and give McCarron time to throw, the Bengals win. McCarron eats up man coverage but struggles reading a zone. If the Steelers have to blitz to bring pressure, that helps the Bengals.