Week 17 - Jan 1 @ Cleveland

[Robotman]

Woof.

[msdmnr2002]

Well, we got two of the four things we needed for a bye and a home game.  Steelers win+Houston loss.

Now we need two more - Steelers win and Balty loss.  Good news is Bengals with something to play for.  Bad news is it's Bengals, who have done little against quality opponents - best win for them is Tennessee, and they are 0-6 against the teams on their schedule that have 10+ wins.

OUr best chance to steal #1 seed may have gone by wayside when Dolphins gave up 17 point halftime lead; maybe Buffalo pulls of a huge upset, but not getting greedy.

Most likely scenario we are at Denver or Oakland round 1, then have to come back east for NE.  We can win both if healthy.

[aj_law]

Please Mike, go with Batch/Dixon.  Sit Ben.

[scballersc]

Well, we got two of the four things we needed for a bye and a home game.  Steelers win+Houston loss.

Now we need two more - Steelers win and Balty loss.  Good news is Bengals with something to play for.  Bad news is it's Bengals, who have done little against quality opponents - best win for them is Tennessee, and they are 0-6 against the teams on their schedule that have 10+ wins.

OUr best chance to steal #1 seed may have gone by wayside when Dolphins gave up 17 point halftime lead; maybe Buffalo pulls of a huge upset, but not getting greedy.

Most likely scenario we are at Denver or Oakland round 1, then have to come back east for NE.  We can win both if healthy.

Cinci gave the Ravens a game in Baltimore, so you cannot write 'em off in that one.  The worst part about a matchup with the Broncos, in Denver, is the fact that we will be without Ryan Clark, ya know, so he doesn't die or what not.  Got to imagine that he would be pretty effective against the option too.

[aj_law]

Please tell me it's a ruse.

[msdmnr2002]

Has to be a smokescreen.  Considering a loss is meaningless relative to our current position, and a win has maybe a 25% chance of helping, you have to rest your players.  That week off is worth more than risking further injury in the hopes of maybe getting a bye. with help.

ANd it's not like we lit them up last time WITH Ben - at home. 

I'd do just what we did last week.  Take care of the ball, put 17-20 points on the board, let the D close it out.

The worst part about a matchup with the Broncos, in Denver, is the fact that we will be without Ryan Clark, ya know, so he doesn't die or what not.  Got to imagine that he would be pretty effective against the option too.

Totally forgot about that issue.  But hey, how many internal organs do you really need?  We're talking playoffs after all.

J/K, would not expect him to go.  Maybe it will be Carson Palmer 2.0 and the Raiders and it's a nonissue.

[msdmnr2002]

Bad news is it's Bengals, who have done little against quality opponents - best win for them is Tennessee, and they are 0-6 against the teams on their schedule that have 10+ wins.

Correction.  0-5 against 10+ win teams.  0-6 vs. teams currently leading or tied for lead in division (Denver).  And that loss was pre-Tebow.

But, Ravens are 3-4 on the road, so it's possible.

[Big Virgil]

I just noticed, while watching the poor excuse for a fb game between Air Force and Toledo, that the Steeler game is 4:00p.m. The Raven/Bengal game is at 4:00 also.  When I first saw the 4:00 Steeler game I thought they would know the likely outcome of Ravens before taking the field.  So much for that.  They were both scheduled for 1:00 originally.

I was going to watch the Steeler game live, and pause the Ravens game and catch up during the commercials (have one game on each tuner and pause each game to flip back and forth watching one pretty much real time and catching the other one up during commercials). Then watch Timmy Tebow at 4:00.   Hmmmmmmm?!?!

[aj_law]

Then watch Timmy Tebow at 4:00.   Hmmmmmmm?!?!

79%.

[Finnegans Wake]

Bad news is it's Bengals, who have done little against quality opponents - best win for them is Tennessee, and they are 0-6 against the teams on their schedule that have 10+ wins.

Correction.  0-5 against 10+ win teams.  0-6 vs. teams currently leading or tied for lead in division (Denver).  And that loss was pre-Tebow.

But, Ravens are 3-4 on the road, so it's possible.

From what I saw, the Bengals weren't getting blown out except @Pitt.  They're playing decent ball, but just seem to have a hard time getting over the hump.  MOV for opponents in those 6 losses:  @Den +2, @SF +5, Pitt +7, @Balt +7, @Pitt +28, Hou +1.  Four of six on the road.  Balty sans Boldin.  I'd give the Bungles OK odds.