So far this year we have compared the Bengals against most of the other weak franchises -- the Browns, Raiders, Panthers, Jaguars, Rams, and Lions. This week we get to round out the rogues gallery by taking on the Cardinals. The 90's are particularly interesting. See below.


Bengals and Cardinals Stats






Quick Points

- The Cardinals were really lousy from 1991-2000. A grand total of one winning season which was also their only year of being "in the hunt" more than half the time. Even if you subtract that year, the Cardinals were still in the hunt twice as often (on average) as the Bengals, 24% v. 12%. If you retain that one good year (1998) in the calculation, the Cardinals were at 31% for the decade. (All percentages are adjusted.)

- For the most recent decade, 2001-2010, the Bengals managed to be slightly better, 48% v. 42%.

- For all twenty years, the Cardinals were better, 36% v. 30%.

- For the complete time period, the Cardinals only had two goose eggs (for never being in the hunt during the season). The Bengals, as we've pointed out in earlier posts, had seven. On the other hand the Cardinals only had two 100% years, just like the Bengals.


Overview of "In the Hunt" Futility Stats

- Each week we parallel the regular season and compare the Bengals one-on-one to the current 2011 opponent. The exceptions are the bye week and the rematch weeks against divisional foes when we pick other teams to benchmark.

- Weeks "in the hunt for a winning season" serves as a rough proxy for playoff contention. And thus for fans' hopes and happiness. We ultimately want a championship, right?

- To be in the hunt, a team can be no more than one game below .500 with no more than seven losses.

- During the season, a team can fall out of the hunt and then climb back in.

- An example running won-loss record for five weeks: 1-0, 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-3. This team was in the hunt after Weeks 1, 2, 3, and 5 (total = 4).

- Bye weeks are counted like any other week in the season. For example, the Bungs get a freebie if a bye comes while they're still in it. Why? This is all about the fans' experience. (By the way, there were two byes in '93.)

- Adjusted "percent weeks in the hunt" throws out the first week, as all teams get an automatic freebie.

- The time period covers Mike Brown's ownership on the Cincinnati Bengals franchise, counting only complete seasons (1991-2000).

- Tables compiled from data on pro-football-reference.com.


Previous posts

Week 1 Browns -- Week 2 Broncos -- Week 3 49ers -- Week 4 Bills

Week 5 Jaguars -- Week 6 Colts -- Week 7 (Bye) Raiders -- Week 8 Seahawks

Week 9 Titans -- Week 10 Steelers -- Week 11 Ravens -- Week 12 Lions (Browns Rematch Week)

Week 13 Panthers (Steelers Rematch Week) -- Week 14 Texans -- Week 15 Rams

Ha! Even the Cardinals and Lions are better historically than the Bungles. Psycho has proved this whole entire season. Good f*cking lord. Who woulda thought?!?!?!???!?!!?!??!?!?

Jesus. Can it get any worse?

I will have to say YEAH. If it weren't for the Green Machine this year on offense, then it would have equalled the "pathetic-ness".

BTW--I gave you the "5", Psych. You deserve it. Nice job, dude. All year long? You're the GD man!!!!!



"So he got fired? Big deal. It's happened to the best of us. So he got kicked out of his house by his 400 lb'ed wife?!?!? That's probably better for him anyways."-OldSchooler on ChrisMBHater's absence

This is pretty much in agreement with ESPN's assessment of the Bengals being the worst sports franchise last year. It also happenned about 5 years ago so that's twice in the last 10 years. Nice job MB.

Nice.

Remembering how bad the Cards were in the 1990s I honestly felt that the Bungs would take this one based on being better overall in the 2000s and more 7-9 types of seasons in the late 1990s. Thanks Psycho for reassuring all of us (other than Murf) just how bad the Mike Brown era really has been!

We lose.

We win after avoiding an epic meltdown. (The score was 23-0 with about 11:20 to go.)

So the Bungles have cliched their third 100% year in 21 years. No wonder the game wasn't sold out. The national media needs to get a grip on that.