Assuming we make the playoffs how do we rank compared to past Playoff Bengals teams?

[Brandon00151]

In your opinion,how would the 2012 team rank against the 2011,2009,2005 playoff bound Bengals?

[Treee]

Chemistry and experience in the second year under what seems to be a bright mind, Jay Gruden.

Secondary Depth (Even though it doesn't seem like it)

Younger LB corps.

In all phases, this is the best we've been. Offensively, is, of course, 05.

[eoxyod]

Depends. Probably better than 11, equal to 09, worse than 05

Granted, it doesn't really matter

[Shady]

Not as good as '88. Yet. Maybe in 2 years.

[Utts]

Originally Posted by Shady

Not as good as '88. Yet. Maybe in 2 years.

I think they could be better than '88 next year thanks to the defense. Stay healthy and improve the running game ... that would be a recipe for kicking some serious tail.

[Bryan]

Did we lead the NFL in sacks in any of those years? Cause we do this year.(I had no idea until recently)
http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/te...nse/sort/sacks

[bengals85]

About the last 3 Bengal playoff teams seemed to start off hot at the beginning of the season. The Bengals then finished those seasons kinda limping into the playoffs. This team however seems to be peaking late. If this team makes the playoffs they could be dangerous moving forward.

[wolfkaosaun]

Better than 2011.

Better offense than 09, but they actually beat people in the division. So hard to say.

05 was better than this team. That team DEFINITELY could have made the Super Bowl. And we all know it.

This team has potential, however, lacks a #2 option like we did in 09. But we will see what happens.

Doesn't matter how they are on paper. Matters how they finish the season

[Au165]

I think we stack up better for the shear fact we have a player on the defense for once who can take over a game. I also think we stack up better because we are still trending upward where as the other teams seemed to be going backwards as the playoffs got closer. Assuming we make it we will be closing out positive.

[fredtoast]

The '05 team had a much better offense, but a much worse defense.

The '09 team had the best defense, but not a lot better. And the offense was not as good as this years.

This year we don't have the best defense or the best offense, but we are the most balanced.

And I'll take it one step farther and look to the future. This years team is younger, has more cap space that has to be used next year, and has an extra second round pick in the next draft.

[BengaliJack]

Lat year we were clueless, and we kind of stumbled into the playoffs.....This year, we started out great and lost our way, but it looks like we found it and are proving to be a very formidable team with a balance running and passing attack. Our offense and defense have stepped up big this year by finishing games, where normally we are losing the game by beating ourselves in the last 2 minutes. We beat the defending Super Bowl Champs, but we have yet to beat the Ravens and Steelers. We get them and I think WE are the ones to beat.

[redsrule2500]

Better than 2011, 2009.

Worse than 2005, by far.

[pdub2005]

Originally Posted by Brandon00151

In your opinion,how would the 2012 team rank against the 2011,2009,2005 playoff bound Bengals?

Lack of a legit WR2 without Sanu really concerns me, Jones and Hawkins MUST step up!

[fredtoast]

I think a lot of people here overrate the '05 team. That defense was bad. We didn't lose to the Steelers just because of the Palmer injury. Our defense let the Steelers score on five straight possessions. And earlier in the season the Steelers beat us by 14 on our home field.

We might have gotten lucky and won 4 straight shootouts, but in reality that was not a Super Bowl team.

[SunsetBengal]

Originally Posted by Shady

Not as good as '88. Yet. Maybe in 2 years.

With the way the OL is taking over games, maybe as soon as next season.

Originally Posted by Utts

I think they could be better than '88 next year thanks to the defense. Stay healthy and improve the running game ... that would be a recipe for kicking some serious tail.

Righ, they could be better than '88 next season. Provided the good veterans are re-signed. With the current roster at full strength (nobody out for injury), this team is fast approaching that "one player away" status that we all like to use when it comes time to measure the worth of signing an expensive FA.

[Brunz]

Better than all of them.

I don't see us losing another game. Not sure if we make it to the Super Bowl because Houston is ridiculous but I believe this is the best team all around. I can't remember a four game stretch when our defense played this good!

Think we break a lot of bad streaks this year.

Ps we are better than pit And Balt right now, with or without the injuries.

[Xs&Os]

I think that this is the most complete Team we have had since '88. Now the term "complete" is relative, and more importantly, does not mean more talented at every position.

As compared with '05, the current defense is better. The '05 defense was more opportunistic in getting turnovers, but was not as effective against the run, or applying pressure on the QB.
On offense, Carson was better then, than Dalton is, at this point. The O-line was a bit better overall, and the Y, Z receivers were better than the current ones, at this point. But the current X and TE are better than the '05 version. With BJGE runniing better as of late, the RB position is about neutral.

With that said, I think there are three complete Teams in AFC at this point (Texans, Ravens and Bengals.) And I would rank them in that order, in terms of talent. With four games left, 1 or 2 injuries can change that in a second.

[Interceptor]

If we win the Super Bowl, then this team would be better than all those teams.

[umkubas]

Your intial assumption, "Assuming we make the playoffs " is predicated by the fact the Cincinnati Bengals are one game behind the Indianapolis Colts for the first wild card, and tied in wins with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the second wild card but are behind in the first tie breaker (head to head).

This would be the main focus of the Cincinnati Bengals, winning against Dallas, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. I would offer the opinion that any losses in the above mentioned games would leave the Cincinnati Bengals out of any consideration for post season play. (I also mentioned that in my preseason prediction, I have the Cincinnati Bengals losing to Dallas, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Baltimore)

Since declaring my fandom for the Cincinnati Bengals (April 2003), the past playoff teams in this period (2005, 2009 and 2011) lost in the first round of the playoffs. So your comparison of ranking of the 2012 Cincinnati Bengals with the above "losers" would be just that, ranking the 2012 squad against "losers".

[M.W.]

Best since '05 and probably the best period by next season. This team is on an upward trend with the youth, cap room and the potential of another good draft.

[wcu]

I think this team is a more complete team than the recent playoff teams we've had. I felt like we were approaching a very dangerous level with the emergence of Sanu. Now I feel like we're a bit gimped like we were in '09 when we couldn't throw the ball when we had to. If we make it into the playoffs, and whoever we're playing can take Green away, we're screwed.

That being said, we're performing at least solidly in all phases of the game and that's what sets us apart from our previous playoff teams.

[HereThereMayBeTigers]

Originally Posted by fredtoast

I think a lot of people here overrate the '05 team. That defense was bad. We didn't lose to the Steelers just because of the Palmer injury. Our defense let the Steelers score on five straight possessions. And earlier ion the season the Steelers beat us by 14 on our home field.

We might have gotten lucky and won 4 straight shootouts, but in reality that was not a Super Bowl team.

I totally agree. For as much fun as they were to watch...for as many highlights they provided...they were far from being a dominant, well-rounded team. The teams we beat that year went a collective 58-86. Down the stretch, we lost to Buffalo who went 5-11.

The '09 team was not balanced enough--to win in the playoffs you need to be able to pass.

Last year's team just didn't have the experience. So if we make it this year, it will be the best of the 4.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by Treee

Chemistry and experience in the second year under what seems to be a bright mind, Jay Gruden.

Secondary Depth (Even though it doesn't seem like it)

Younger LB corps.

In all phases, this is the best we've been. Offensively, is, of course, 05.

If only we could have combined the offense of 05 and D of 09

This squad is better than the 11 squad and more complete than the 09 squad.


that 05 squad was kinda magical.

[pennsyltuckian]

I read the title and thought in terms of eras, not individual years. I'll answer first what I thought.

Better then the Carson era by far. Not yet as good as Anderson/Gregg era or Esiason/Wyche era. Since the Dalton era is a work in progress I expect them to surpass Anderson/Gregg and could even surpass Esiason/Wyche. Only reason I view Esiason/Wyche as better than Anderson/Gregg is a little more playoff success if I remember correct.

As to the years you asked about, better by far this year, possibly even if they don't make the playoffs. At least they aren't backing their way in by taking advantage of slumping years by Ravens and Steelers. (and yes I realize Steelers won it all in 2005 but they were slumping until the December win by the Bengals then took off and the Bengals backed their way in from that win)

I'm sick of one and dones.

[Sher Khan]

Originally Posted by Brandon00151

In your opinion,how would the 2012 team rank against the 2011,2009,2005 playoff bound Bengals?

No poll?