People aren’t born optimistic or pessimistic — the way we view the world is shaped by what we’ve lived through. Sure, some people might just wake up on the wrong side of the bed for no reason, but for most of us, what we expect to happen is based on what’s already happened.
So if you’re an optimist, you probably felt completely different from the way a pessimist felt after the Cincinnati Bengals lost their fourth straight game on Sunday in Green Bay.
A pessimist saw the loss and only the loss: “The Bengals are 2-4, Joe Burrow is hurt and possibly out for the season, and the team has an 8% chance to make the playoffs.” Every part of that sentence is factual—and it’s hard not to be a pessimist when you’re a Bengals fan, especially if you’ve been around for a while.
An optimist, though, might counter: “Yes, they lost—but with Joe Flacco under center, the offense scored 18 second-half points, which is miles better than what we saw from a Jake Browning-led unit (outside of garbage time against the Lions). And hey, 8% is better than 0%.”
So… how do you feel?
If you’re predicting the future based on the past, you probably aren’t thrilled about what your crystal ball shows. Really, the only other way to look forward (while remaining sane) is through hope—hope that what we saw from Flacco and the offense in the second half of the Packers game is something they can sustain. If you’re willing to think that way, Thursday Night Football against the 4-1 Steelers doesn’t have to feel like a death sentence.
Can you still think that way about Zac Taylor’s Bengals? Do you have any hope left?
I think I’m somewhere in the middle. I understand the odds are grim, and I know Burrow can’t just walk from the rehab field to the game field without skipping a beat…
But.
Burrow is one of the league’s premier passers, surrounded by some of the best weapons money can buy. Flacco isn’t Burrow, but what we saw from him was far better than anything we’ve seen from Browning. With Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins healthy, there’s at least a glimmer of hope. If Flacco can keep the Bengals hovering around .500 until Burrow’s ready, and if luck finally decides to visit Cincinnati, things could get interesting.
Then again, “luck” and “Cincinnati” don’t exactly belong in the same sentence.
Even if the Bengals do somehow sneak into the playoffs, the roster probably isn’t good enough to make a real run. They’d likely get bounced early and end up with another mid-20s draft pick—too good to rebuild, too bad to contend.
But still…
How do you feel after that loss? Hopeful? Or just numb?
Random Thoughts from Week 6
- After watching the offense move under Flacco, it’s pretty clear Browning was a major part of the problem.
- The Bengals got something going in the second half. If they can stack two halves like that, they can beat most teams left on their schedule. Still, this offense won’t truly function until Burrow’s back—or Zac Taylor gives up play-calling.
- The defense played well enough to give fans some optimism. DJ Turner looked fantastic; if he keeps playing like that, he’ll emerge as the Bengals’ No. 1 corner.
- Geno Stone was everywhere—he intercepted a deflected pass, notched a sack, and generally looked like a guy starting to find his rhythm under Al Golden.
- Thanks to a chicken-sh*t timeout, Evan McPherson didn’t get the chance to set a new NFL record with a 67-yard field goal. I get the logic—they were only up 10-0—but come on. Let him try it.
- If Trey Hendrickson (back injury) and Shemar Stewart can’t go Thursday, the Bengals will need Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy to have career nights.
- The tackling issues persist. Fans blamed Lou Anarumo for it last year, hoping Golden would fix it—but it’s still a problem.
- Logan Wilson was seemingly benched for rookie Barrett Carter. The Bengals opened in a 4-3, so Wilson started, but he only played 12 snaps total. In nickel (which they ran most of the game), it was Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. on the field. Carter logged 61 snaps to Wilson’s 12.
- Ja’Marr Chase is the best wide receiver in the NFL. There’s no conversation to be had about it. Justin Jefferson is great—but Chase is better.
- Andrei Iosivas dropped three passes Sunday.
- The run game remains poor. Flacco needs more help than Chase Brown running into a pile for one yard on first down. A credible ground attack would be the 40-year-old quarterback’s best friend.
So tell me who I see
When I look in your eyes
Is that you, baby
Or just a brilliant disguise?
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