Besides receivers?
Even at QB is questionable. Palmer is proven while Flacco is still not. But as of this week, I don't think Palmer has performed noticeably better than Joey.
Try to ignore it if Michael Oher plays well.
But back to the point, how exactly will the Bengals win this game? What has to happen? And I'm not talking some Jake Delhomme-like meltdown from Flacco that hands us the game. I'm saying, if Baltimore plays a decent game how do we win?
The Bengals winning at Baltimore by hanging 24 points in the 4th quarter on Ed Reed & Co in 2004 remains the most impressive thing I have ever seen a Bengals team do in my lifetime. I think we need something like that to happen.
Open thread below. Discuss.
We win it in the 4th quarter silly, have you not been watching the last few weeks?
Posted by: Rk | October 09, 2009 at 12:38 PM
I don't know about you guys but I think the D is going to blow up the spot on Sunday....playing all out for Zimmer this week...yesterday I would not have said this...obviously...but I really think they are going to take it to an entirely new level for this reason....and I would like to also like to say that my prayers go out to Mike Zimmer and his entire family !!
Posted by: Delta5243 | October 09, 2009 at 12:42 PM
The Bengals can definitely win - everything needs to work. A big play or two on defense. And the offense needs to play.
Sad about Mrs. Zimmer. I feel bad for his family.
I wonder if Marvin is going to call the plays?
Posted by: Rich | October 09, 2009 at 12:54 PM
I really hope the Bengals manage to put together a whole game of yardage production. It seems like the only time we can put something together is when we have to. Sloppy special teams mistakes cannot happen in this game if we are going to have any chance. Consistency trough the air is also a must.
Our D needs to keep producing like they have and the offense needs more consistency. We get these things and we have a nice chance.
Posted by: Alex | October 09, 2009 at 12:59 PM
The Zim situation will have an effect on the field. It will either be confusion and lethargy, or it will be fire, intensity, and execution. Zim deserves the latter, and I hope his boys can give it to him.
Posted by: Mockenrue | October 09, 2009 at 01:01 PM
Agreed. The Bengal defense blows up for Coach Zimmer and rattles Flacco into making a mess of the game.
The Bengals offense does the same it has all year, receivers run around wide open, and we pound the ball right and middle.
Bob still cant see past page 3 of his playbook.
Run right, run middle, flea flicker, punt.
The plays that work (run left, throw, throw, throw, miss FG, botch XP, reserved for 4th qtr)
Bengals 21-17
Posted by: Jim Silveira | October 09, 2009 at 01:03 PM
Let's be honest - although the Bengals are 3-1, they have not 'won' a game yet this season. They are 3-1 because their opponents have 'lost.' This week the Bengals will be exposed by the Ravens as a team whose record is better than the team really is.
Posted by: Robo | October 09, 2009 at 01:38 PM
'Quotes' make baseless blanket opinion statements more believeable. Kudos Robo.
Posted by: Nate | October 09, 2009 at 01:55 PM
Bengals will win by thinking pass first. If the nutcase offensive coordinator can get it through his thick skull, he will see that Baltimore gives up tons of passing yards. Throw the deep ball for goodness sake. Bengals traditionally play well in this stadium and I don't think the Balt D intimidates them at all.
Baltimore beat Kansas City and Cleveland, then beat San Diego in a game San Diego would won if they had an actual runningback in the red zone. Then lost to New England. I honestly don't see all the love the national media is giving them.
I disagree that the Bengals haven't "won" a game yet this year. While each team they have played had tons of opportunities to win the game and blew them, the Bengals did what it takes at the end of the game to win the game.
Posted by: rymo | October 09, 2009 at 01:55 PM
Cheerleaders? Ben-gals = yummy!
Posted by: JoseOle | October 09, 2009 at 02:47 PM
Robo's a turd, he/she writes like the douchbag steeler and raven posters on DDN and Cincy Enq.
If we are to win this game, four things must occur:
1. Offense must execute playcalls
2. Offensive Coordinator must be less predictable with the play calls
3. Defense must disrupt passing game
4. Brad St. Louis must be a different player than he has ben this year
Posted by: CurseofBoJackson | October 09, 2009 at 03:19 PM
They need to hit on ALL cylinders to pull this one off. The D stays solid and the offense does what it's capable of I think we can run away with it.
We need to win the field position battle by converting a few 1st downs and let our pro bowl punter flip the field. In a tight game a good punter can make all the difference in the world. We win the field position and the rest will fall into place. Turnovers would devastate us. Put our D in a position to do their job.
I doubt coach Zimmer reads any of this but my prayers are with him and his family. I'm sorry for his loss.
Posted by: Funk | October 09, 2009 at 03:27 PM
Bengals go anemic (once again) they lose 17-7 -- a boring game all the way around.
Posted by: WCH | October 09, 2009 at 04:04 PM
WCH once again??? Palmer is 6-2 against the ravens. Yes they beat a depleated bengals last year but really is that fair it is like sayin you wooped up on a teem in week 4 of the pre season.
Posted by: Rk | October 09, 2009 at 04:26 PM
All Palmer being 6-2 against the Ravens does is tell me that the Ravens are due for a win.
That being said, the offense needs to find a rhythm, not turn the ball over, and stop making gay ass penalties. They do that we win. They don't, we lose.
Posted by: counting_saturn | October 09, 2009 at 04:45 PM
Palmer's actually 6-3 vs the Ravens, if we're going to go there. But these past records are meaningless. What matters is these two teams and how they're playing now, and how they're built from top to bottom. The Ravens are the better-run franchise, and so have an edge on the Bengals there. I don't necessarily want to say they have more talented players, but I do think they have better schemes and execution.
I fully expect the Ravens to win this game, as I stated earlier in the week. However, that does not preclude me from wanting to see the Bengals surprise me and prove me wrong.
Posted by: Mockenrue | October 09, 2009 at 05:20 PM
The recipe for success in this game is the same as the victory against Pittsburgh. The only differences are that the Offense needs to play MUCH better and Rivers and Maualuga need to each have a big play in order for this game to go our way. I hate to use the circumstances about Mrs. Zimmer's death this way, but the players should use that situation and play their arses off for their respected coach. Having Tank Johnson and Roy Williams back this week will provide a lift to the Run Defense which was porous last week in Cleveland. It's a bit surprising and scary at how low our pass defense is ranked this year. If the Bengals win, the score is 24-20. If the Ravens win, the score will be 27-17.
Posted by: TheCarlPickensClause | October 09, 2009 at 06:27 PM
The defense hasn't been a a problem this year, it's been the offense going three and out for a quarter or two. THAT's the problem. Our D has kept us in these games. I'm not worried about that. I'm concerned about our offense not being able to pull off any big plays that put us in scoring position. Our rushing game is shot. And the passing game is mediocre at best. If this team is going to continue winning, the O needs to figure it out, not the D.
I would love to see an upset tomorrow. But the past performance dictates that's very unlikely to happen. I see the Ravens taking this game by 13.
Posted by: ky_bengal | October 10, 2009 at 09:24 AM