[Bengal Cat]

I dont mean to bring more misery, but I saw the Chiefs game as a must win game for the Bengals. No the season isnt over, but they still have several very tough games remaining on the schedule. Before the season, I think I picked Cincy 11-5 or 10-6, but the Browns game and the Chiefs game were two I didnt think they would lose..and they have a lot of room to make up in the AFC North, because my Pittsburgh boys have a death grip on first, then you got Baltimore who's always tough, and Cleveland, who IMO is the most surprising team in all of football, and could very well be second in that division by the time the year is over..Cincy is still a team that concerns me though, just because they are so explosive. The offense didnt do much yesterday, but any given game they can put up 40 points, and usually they play the division teams very well..I do see them, at this point, a very scary spoiler team. Im not seeing the playoffs this year, although the season is only a third of the way through, its looking bleak for the Bengals..

I'm a diehard fan and won't give up. A true fan never gives up. But the thing that was obvious from the start of training camp was that this team would go as far as the offense could take it. Almost nothing was done to upgrade the defense in the offseason. When other teams look at their schedule and see the Bengals, the thing that concerns them is the offense. This offense is explosive when it has all its parts. They are missing Chris Perry, Chris Henry, Kenny Irons a healthy Rudi Johnson, Willie Anderson and throw in the fact they let Eric Steinbach go so they could pay Levi Jones (who couldn't block me right now). I'm sorry but thats a whole lot of missing parts. It's not an excuse....it's a fact. Carson Palmer is just as good as he was the last 2 seasons in which he was selected to the pro bowl. Only difference is he doesn't have the supprting cast he did then and it all starts up front.

The Bengals have 11 games left. I think they have to go 9-2 or no worse than 8-3 to have a shot at the playoffs. A tall order indeed.