The Bengals are keeping hope alive. But there is nothing crueler in life than false hope. And with three games to go in this season, that's about all the Bengals have.
Do the math. The Bengals are two-and-a-half back of the Steelers right now (they could be two-and-a-half back of the Ravens, if Baltimore beats New England tonight). Three games remain. The only way the Bengals win the division is for Pittsburgh to drop their final three and for the Bengals to win their final three. That would leave the Steelers at 8-8 and the Bengals 8-7-1. If that happens, they're in.
That ain't happenin'.
The Steelers finish at Cincinnati and then home against the Ravens and Browns. The Steelers are a tough out, anywhere, for the Bengals. And Pittsburgh isn't losing at home to the Browns in the season finale.
Even if the Bengals beat the Steelers next Sunday and even if the Ravens lose at New England, if the Ravens beat Eagles next weekend in Baltimore (and the Eagles stink, 1-6-on-the-road-this-season stink), that would leave both Pittsburgh and Baltimore at 8-6. They play each other on Christmas Day. Somebody will win that game. And whichever team does, will then have nine wins, a mark the Bengals mathematically cannot reach.
Barring a miracle, like a Lazarus back-from-the-dead miracle, the playoffs are unreachable for the Bengals.
But they can still beat the Steelers...
Random thoughts from the latest round of action from the National Football League....
Le'veon Bell looked like he could've carried the ball 50 times Sunday. He stopped at 38 and 236 yards. The thing that makes Bell so difficult to tackle is his patience behind his line and the "slide step" he takes before bursting through a spot that invariably opens...
Jeff Fisher got a version of the "home game" today. Here's something that can win a bar bet for you. The Falcons scored six touchdowns on the Rams Sunday. The Rams have scored a grand total of five touchdowns in Los Angeles since they relocated there...
The Titans beat Denver Sunday and are now tied with Houston for the AFC South lead. Houston hung on to beat the Colts. Both are 7-6 and heading for a New Year's Day showdown in Texas for the division title...
One more loss for the Cowboys and Jerry Jones declares Tony Romo the starter,right?...
The Browns are horrid. They willingly let good players leave in this past off season and passed on drafting a franchise quarterback, Carson Wentz, all in the name of rebuilding. Hue Jackson is operating with a five-year contract. But the team is 0-13 and many Browns fans watchedSunday's game against the Bengals cleverly designed as empty seats. The Browns ownership, past and present, hasn't shown a lot of patience with failed regimes. Jackson needs to win at least five next season to get to year three. JMHO...
But if they're going to win any game this season, it'll be against the Chargers in two weeks....
Many surprises in the NFL this season but the biggest may be the play of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now 8-5, the Bucs are tied for the lead in the NFC South.
He would've been 101 years old today. My guess is, Old Blue Eyes would still be able to belt out a tune if he was still around.
This is a classic from the old Dean Martin TV show. Frank's gone, Dean's gone, Bing's gone. Who's doing good Christmas music anymore?
