Jake Browning once again shocked the football world over the weekend by putting up another impressive performance in a 34-14 blowout against a solid Colts team. I have to admit that I didn’t trust that he would have us in a position to still be in the hunt, but I was completely wrong. He is poised in the pocket and has shown over the last two weeks that he has the ability to manage the offense in big games. At 7-6 though, it is going to take more than just two stellar performances to get this team into the playoffs.
What Does Cincinnati Need To Do To Make the Playoffs?
· Cincinnati has games remaining against the Vikings, Steelers, Chiefs, and Browns. All four of these teams are 7-6 or 8-5 and are striving to make a playoff run as well. I believe that Cincinnati will need to win 3 of the last 4 if they are wanting to participate in postseason football.
· Chase Brown needs to be utilized just as much as he has been used over the last two weeks. On Sunday, he took a screen to the house and reached 22.05 miles per hour, which is the second fastest speed recorded in the NFL this season. Taking some of the load off Joe Mixon has benefited this offense greatly.
· Cincinnati has to remain healthy. Being down to a second string quarterback means that all of our offensive weapons need to remain healthy. Having Higgins back on the field over the last couple weeks has greatly improved this offense.
· Trey Hendrickson has to continue to be dominant on the field. With 2 sacks over the weekend, he increased his total on the year to 13.5 (Tied for 3rd in the league). He is the one guy on the line that you can trust pressuring the quarterback on each and every snap.
· Cincinnati could use some help down the stretch from others schedules. At 7-6, the Steelers, Colts, Texans, Broncos, Bengals, and Bills are all tied and fighting for their lives to get a playoff spot.
Matt’s Take – betJACK Prediction
I’m buying into Cincinnati making the playoffs with Jake Browning leading this team. I think Cincinnati will beat the Vikings, Steelers, and Chiefs (You read that correctly), while falling short against a Browns team that we have trouble with every year. I expect Pittsburgh to fall apart over the last four games, as their offense just isn’t enough to take this team into playoffs.
The Cincinnati Reds Have a Good Problem
Who would have thought that Cincinnati fans would be arguing over having too many good players in Mid-December, 2 seasons after losing 100 games? This team is no longer in the rebuilding stage and the front office seems to believe that now is the chance for Cincinnati to become an actual contender. For the last two years, Cincinnati has mentioned their philosophy of drafting middle infielders, as they are the most athletic player typically on the field. This
season, I hope to see Cincinnati stick to their plans and see some of these young guys take turns in the outfield to keep their bat in the lineup.
Lineup Madness?
With the addition of Jeimer Candelario, Cincinnati has crowded their roster even more. I like the addition of Jeimer, but this move has to show that Cincinnati is looking to move a few of their young stars for a top of the line pitcher before the year starts. Until a trade happens though, let’s take a look at some possible lineups:
Vs. Right Handed Pitchers
C: Stephenson
1B: Candelario
2B: McLain
SS: De La Cruz
3B: Marte
LF: Steer
CF: Friedl
RF: Benson
DH: Encarnacion-Strand
Bench: India, Maile, Fraley
Vs. Left Handed Pitchers
C: Stephenson
1B: Encarnacion-Strand
2B: McLain
SS: De La Cruz
3B: Marte
LF: Steer
CF: Friedl
RF: India (He will have to learn some OF)
DH: Candelario
Bench: Maile, Benson, Fraley
