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Vontaze Burfict’s Fine Money Could Buy You Many Things

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Vontaze Burfict likes to play football. A lot. Vontaze Burfict seems to get fined. A lot.

His latest run-in, 2 separate hits in the last Pittsburgh Steelers game, cost him $112,000. Considering the opponent, it was almost worth it.

His career list of offenses, which reads like that list from season 2 of The Simpsons where Marge was documenting the ways Itchy and Scratchy were slaughtering each other, includes unsportsmanlike penalties, late hits, spearing, stepping on LeGarrette Blount, and the incident that makes us hope Ryan Taylor was wearing his jock.

Burfict’s total fines since 2013 clocks in at $415,637.

So, if you’ve ever wondered how much you could buy with the total of VB’s bad-boy money, the answer is … a lot.

What You Could Buy With Vontaze Burfict’s Fine Money

For 415,000 smackers, you could afford:

  • All cost-of-living expenses for 9 out-of-state students to attend Arizona State University (Burfict’s alma mater) for a year. Plus some beer money. But you didn’t hear us say that.
  • Burfict’s rookie salary as an undrafted free agent in 2012 ($390,000).
  • This beautiful 3BR, 4BA house on Berwyn Place in Cincinnati, with enough left over for home furnishings.
  • 415 Bengal kittens. Think $1000 for one of those critters is expensive? Mike Tyson spent about $4000 per month to care for his three white Bengal tigers back in the day.
  • 24,755 copies of The Simpsons (season 2) on DVD.

And FYI, these numbers don’t reflect the $4+ million in forfeited pay that Burfict has been docked because of his suspensions. Don’t get us started.

Bengals Week 7 Preview – Cincinnati vs Kansas City

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Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)

What a tough lose. The Bengals hung with the Steelers all day despite playing very bad at times. They were able to march down the field and score with ease just before halftime, then went on to get only 4 total yards on offense in the third quarter. I still think the Bengals were the better team, and if you put any other logo on the Steelers helmets the Bengals win. But the Bengals just can not beat Pittsburgh. It was crushing to see Brown score with just seconds left, but the fact that it came down to the last play was encouraging that the Bengals hung in and fought down to the wire.

This week we get to sit all day Sunday in anticipation of a prime time game with a red hot Chiefs offense. The Chiefs defense shouldn’t provide much of an obstacle for the Bengals offense. The game will be decided by how much the Bengals can slow down the Chiefs offense. The key will be to keep the Kansas City offense off of the field, which is why I think Joe Mixon will have a big day grinding out the clock. And the more we keep our defense off the field against Patrick Mahomes, the better!

Matchups to watch for…

William Jackson III vs. Tyreek Hill – Earlier this week when asked about Tyreek Hill’s speed, William Jackson replied “I can fly too”. Every Bengals fan watching this game will hope the same thing. Tyreek Hill has made defenses look silly this year with his speed. On the bright side for Bengals fans, William Jackson allowed zero receptions on two targets last week against Pittsburgh. It’s encouraging that teams are afraid to throw his way, and when they do it doesnt end well. Let’s hope this trend continues when William Jackson is lined up on Tyreek.

The Bengals Defensive Line vs. The Chiefs Offensive Line – It is not secret that this “elite” defensive line we saw during the preseason is under performing. One of the reasons we came up short against the Steelers is because Ben Roethlisberger had all day to throw. The Bengals line must play better to take pressure off the secondary and linebackers, especially with how bad our linebacker play has been. This may be a tough task as the Chiefs have allowed just six sacks this year, the least amount by any team in the NFL so far.

Bengals Linebackers vs. Travis Kelce – I mentioned before that the Bengals have one of the worst linebacking corps in the league. Well it is a good thing they don’t have to matchup against one of the best tight ends in the league this year…. Oh wait. The Bengals have been very bad against the tight end position this year and Travis Kelce is arguably the best tight end in the game right now. In almost every team the Bengals have faced this year we have seen the opposing teams tight ends have big games. If the Bengals can not figure out a way to slow down Kelce, fans could be in for a long day on defense.

My Prediction: The Chiefs are a very good football team, which is why they are 5-1. Every year Andy Reid’s offenses start red hot and crash back down to earth when teams start scheming with more knowledge on how to stop them. As a Bengals fan, I am really hoping that starts this weekend. However, I am not betting on that. I still think the Bengals are a very good team, but after a tough loss to Pittsburgh, multiple injuries, in primetime I just can’t. I think the Bengals will make it interesting but not have what it takes to slow down Patrick Mahomes.

My Prediction: Bengals 24 Chiefs 31

My Bengals Predictions on the year: 3-3

Be sure to follow me on twitter @Pierson242FF, and be sure to tweet me with any Bengals related questions or comments!

Game: Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)

Date/Time: October 21, 2018 at 8:20 p.m. EST

Location: Arrowhead Stadium

Uniforms: White Jersey with White Pants

Last Matchup: 10/04/15 – Bengals 36 Chiefs 21

Odds: Bengals, +6

Bengals Week 6 Preview – Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

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Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-1)

Its Pittsburgh week, the Bengals survived the trap game and the weekend we wait for twice a year is now upon us. In last Sunday’s game against the Dolphins we saw the Bengals offense struggle for the first time this year. On the flip side we saw the defense step up and win us the game, coming away with two defensive scores and three takeaways. While there is much to improve on with special teams, the Bengals defense was dominate. They held the Dolphins offense to just 10 points. It was a very promising showing heading into this week.

This week will be my first time not attending a home game for the Bengals this year (I was also at Indianapolis which is basically a home game). I debated long and hard about it and decided to save some money and stay home and watch. The Steelers games can get rough with the opposing fans. It seemed like it would be more comfortable to watch in the safety of my own home.

Matchups to watch for…

William Jackson III vs. Antonio Brown – Last year Jackson was able to shut Brown down, dominating him through two games. This year Jackson has taken a small step back in terms of how “shutdown” he has been. However, last week both Jackson and Dre Kirkpatrick did not allow the Dolphins to complete anything down field. The Bengals corners may have found their groove at the perfect time. William Jackson will once again look to shut down Brown and frustrate this offense.

The Bengals Defensive Line vs. Big Ben – Earlier in the week, Carlos Dunlap was on record calling Big Ben a “300 pound quarterback”. Ben was also in the news this week talking about how dirty this matchup can be. It will be very interesting to see how the Bengals defensive line handles taking down a big quarterback like Ben with the new NFL rules. Ben is very good at avoiding sacks, and the new rules may make this ever harder to do.

Vontaze Burfict vs. JuJu Smith-Schuster – I am sure I do not need to remind anyone why this is a matchup to watch. JuJu laid a hit on Burfict last year that ended his season. It will be very interesting to see what happens when these two meet on the field and what it sparks between teammates on the field as well. This matchup and how both players handle it, could affect the outcome of this game.

My Prediction: All games are must wins, but this one is particularly important. The Bengals will have a tough time winning the North if they cannot beat Pittsburgh at least once. They will be at home with the crowd behind them, making this the easier of the two Steelers games. The Steelers have been full of drama this year off the field while the Bengals have kept quiet and gone to work. I think this is a different Bengals team than in years passed. I believe they have the talent and mindset to go into this game and play smart and escape with a win. My prediction is a late field goal by Bullock to put the Bengals up for the win.

My Prediction: Bengals 27 Steelers 24

My Bengals Predictions on the year: 3-2

Be sure to follow me on twitter @Pierson242FF, and be sure to tweet at me with any Bengals related questions or comments!

Game: Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-1)

Date/Time: October 14, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. EST

Location: Paul Brown Stadium

Uniforms: Black Jersey with Black Pants

Last Matchup: 12/04/17 – Bengals 20 Steelers 23

Odds: Bengals, -2

5 Infamous Moments from the Cincinnati Bengals/PS Rivalry

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OK, Cincinnati Bengals fans – the week is here.

The Metal People are coming to town. Even better, they’ve looked as soft as melting gold so far this year. Those from the “pit” are ripe for the picking.

Notice how we haven’t named them yet? That’s because, with some teams, you just dislike them so much that you want to say their name less than Voldemort. And there’s a reason for that hatred. In fact, there are several.

Cincinnati and the pit town have had more than their fair share of run-ins over the last few years. That has mushroomed into a pretty fierce rivalry – one that would give Da Bears!-Packers historic rivalry a run for its money.

Here are five moments/games that have really brought this thing to a head. And made us want to rip someone’s head off.

5 Big Moments in the Cincinnati Bengals Rivalry with “Them”

5. Time to Shine
Some might say this was more shallow than an episode of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but it was still fun. Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh had a great game in a 38-31 victory at Heinz field in 2005. To top it off, he used a Terrible Towel to shine his cleats in the tunnel. We can think of only one better use for the Terrible Towel. Hint: It wouldn’t be the shoes that you wipe …

4. Refereegate
The sting of this one is still fresh. It’s December 2017 and the Cincinnati Bengals are still hoping for a playoff bid. But the black and gold team stopped them cold, with some help from the black-and-white striped team. The Bengals were flagged 13 times for 173 yards (a team record). Many of those were the result of poor officiating. The worst was a BS holding call against Giovani Bernard in the second half that wiped out an Andy Dalton touchdown pass. It was such a phantom call that you half-expected to see an opera along with it. The TD – and the momentum – was officially lost. Along with a 17-point lead, the game, and the postseason.

3. Taking a Knee
The first playoff meeting between the two teams was in 2005. The stakes were high, the tension higher. Said tension reached a fever pitch when Bengals’ QB Carson Palmer was drilled on the second offensive play (in what many people thought was a late, dirty hit) and left the game with a knee injury. Cincy still managed to take a 17-7 lead, but the bottom fell out after that. The Other Team scored 24 straight and won 31-17, paving their way to a Super Bowl title.

2. You’re Late … Again and Again and Again. If you thought one late hit was a doozie, how about a second half full of them? That’s what we witnessed in the 2015 Wild Card Playoff game. Things seemed reasonably calm in the first half. Then the rain started falling … and the bodies. Assistant coach Mike Munchak pulled Reggie Nelson’s hair. Giovani Bernard was on the receiving end of a Ryan Shazier helmet-to-helmet tackle. Vontaze Burfict and Pacman Jones donated 30 yards in penalties to the Make-a-Field-Goal foundation. Even Ben Roth ….Roethles …. Roethlis … Big Ben was pelted with garbage as he was carted off the field after being sacked by Burfict. Where were the WWE superstars to make it a complete circus?

1. You Want Somma This? Well sorry, it’s ours! The 2009 Iron Workers football team allllmost qualified for the playoffs at 9-7. How sweet was it then, that two of those losses were to the eventual AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals? Because, ya know, without those two losses, Pitt would have made the postseason. Claiming a playoff spot with one hand and shoving your heated rival away from it with the other hand? Ummmm, yes please!

Bengals Week 5 Preview – Miami at Cincinnati

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Miami Dolphins (3-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-1)

What a game, what a game it was. The Bengals managed to leave Atlanta with a win last week bringing them to 3-1 on the season. 3-1 sounds even better when you take into account that three of those games were on the road, no Vontaze Burfict in any of them, and no Joe Mixon or Billy Price in two of them. The Bengals did something Bengals fans don’t often see and that is a come from behind win on the road. Down late in the game Andy Dalton led the Bengals down the field to score with seconds remaining. It was a Bengals team that finished strong and did not falter like we have often seen them do. It looked like a different Bengals team we are not used to seeing.

For anyone that reads this weekly you will know I had a wedding to attend last weekend and was worried about making it home in time to watch the game. Fear no more, I managed to pull in the drive at one o’clock and watched the whole game. Enough with week 4, lets move on. I’m going to be honest, Sunday feels like a trap game. I have heard several others mention this as well, fresh off of a big win, with Pittsburgh next week, it feels like a trap game. I’m hoping the Bengals have not already looked past a sneaky good Miami team that sits at 3-1.

Matchups to watch for…

A.J. Green vs. Xavien Howard – Last time Green played the Dolphins he picked them apart to the tune of 10 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown. An absolutely dominate performance, most of it coming against then rookie Xavien Howard. Howard was “mossed” in this game by Green and looked silly. That was two years ago, now Howard is playing like a top corner in the league, in fact he shut down Amari Cooper just weeks ago. Howard is a good corner, I think he causes some fits early on but I think Green gets going in the second half of the game. I also predict Green to score his 6th touchdown on the year this week.

Vontaze vs. The New NFL Rules – The much anticipated return of one of the most controversial players in the league. You either love him or hate him. Despite his famous hit in the playoffs, I love Tez. I think he is exactly what our defense has been missing on third downs. With Tez back, I think he helps our defense get more third down stops and get the defense off the field. That is of course if he stays on the field. Tez is no stranger to suspensions, and with new rules in place it could be hard for a targeted Tez to stay on the field. Burfict will have to play smart to avoid letting his teammates down with another suspension.

Bengals Pass Rush vs. An Underrated Dolphins Line – The Dolphins passing weapons are not to be taken lightly. They have some talent at the receiver position that could test our secondary. This is why the Bengals must put pressure on Tannehill and not give him time to find the open guy down the field. After a huge preseason this defensive line has been quieter than expected. Geno and Dunlap are still their usual selves but guys like Carl Lawson, Andrew Billings, and Jordan Willis have not made the impact we might have thought they would. This is the week they need to bring it and show how dominate they can be on the line.

My Prediction: I was wrong last week, despite thinking the Bengals would win, since I figured they would split the Atlanta and Carolina game, I picked them to lose. I did not give them the benefit of the doubt and trust this new confidence they have. I am also not doubting them this week, I think Marvin Lewis will have them ready and not let them fall victim to a trap game. The Bengals are very talented and playing good football. While it looks like John Ross and Gio Bernard may miss this game, we will see Joe Mixon and Vontaze Burfict back. Arguably the most passionate players on each side of the ball should be the spark the Bengals need to keep rolling this week at home.

My Prediction: Bengals 34 Dolphins 23

My Bengals Predictions on the year: 2-2

Be sure to follow me on twitter @Pierson242FF, and be sure to tweet me if you are at the game as I will be in attendance on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.

Game: Miami Dolphins (3-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-1)

Date/Time: October 7, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. EST

Location: Paul Brown Stadium

Uniforms: Orange Jersey with White Pants

Last Matchup: 9/29/16 – Bengals 22, Dolphins 7

Odds: Bengals, -5.5