If you look at our upcoming schedule it’s pretty tough.

Teams like the Steelers and Browns currently have a cakewalk schedule.

They can’t afford many more losses with the bengals current form.

If we can win the next 3, put ourselves at 9-2. It would also mean the bengals at best are 6-4 at that point and the browns 6-4 (given they’re playing the cardinals next).

If we lose either or both of those divisional games we put the browns/bengals at 7-3 and we would be at 8-3 or 7-4 or even 6-5

Add in the fact that we are playing teams such as the Jaguars, 49ers and Steelers again down the stretch - we absolutely can’t afford to lose against shitty teams. Given that you can pencil in an L for the Steelers game.