Today's loss to the Texans was just heart breaking. The Bengals had a number of chances to ice this game, but could not put this game away. Funny, I had found myself thinking that no matter what this season has been a success. The team now has its’ Quarterback for the foreseeable future, the team has an exciting and dynamic weapon in AJ Greene. Gresham will continue grow into an all-world Tight End, and the defense should continue to improve. Still there were a number of lessons learned in today's loss that the Bengals need to take to heart.

First - The Offensive Line needs to be addressed in the draft next year, and in Free Agency. When Bobbie Williams hobbled off the field so did the Bengals' ground game. It was amazing how much the running game was reliant on William's being on the field. I think the Bengals should look to spend some money on the interior of the line. That right now is the weakest part of our offense.

Second -Gruden is not ready for a Head Coaching gig. He may get an offer this off-season, but if he does, it will be because of his name. I like Gruden and the things he has done with this team, but he has not yet come up with those signature plays that every team needs. That go-to play that a team uses when they need to make a first down. I am trying to figure out how the Bengals don't get the ball to Gresham more, and how come Hawkins does not have his number called more.

Third - A second wide receiver is desperately needed. I know we will be getting Shiply back next season, and I think that he will be a great fit for Dalton catching the quick hits and working the middle of the field, but the Bengals need a second outside receiver who can stretch the field. Simpson and Caldwell are just not the answer. I would not mind one or the other on the team next year, but not both. If I were the Bengals I would actually go after a Meachum out of New Orleans, and then take a mid round player.

Fourth - The Bengals still needs that impact defensive player. Don't get me wrong, I like a lot of the players we have, but this team does not have that player that other teams are worried about. Rey might still develop into that at his Middle Linebacker spot. Dunlap could be that at the Defensive End. However at this time the Bengals are without that player. Personally I would like to see the team draft CB Dre Kirkpatrick out of Alabama with the team's first pick and FS Robert Lester out of Alabama with the second. Our secondary needs an upgrade.

Fifth -Crocker should be let go at the end of the season. Similar to Dhani Jones, I have been a big fan of Crocker's over the years, but when the time comes it's best that the team move on and get an upgrade at the Safety position. To think the Bengals picked him off the street in mid-season a few years ago, he has definitely given the Bengals a great deal. I remember Crocker giving a Steeler a huge pop a few years ago, and I thought that I could see the defense begin to understand what it takes to be a top unit. Now however Crocker just is not good enough to be starting for a top defense, and so like with Dhani this year, the Bengals would do well to go in a new direction this off-season.

Well today's loss was heart breaking, and shows this team still has a lot to learn. I was really hoping the Bengals would shock everybody and go to the Playoffs this year, but as the injuries pile up, this team's play has declined. The Bengals are still a few pieces away from contending for the playoffs and then a Super Bowl.

This was a question I first pondered when the Bengals hired Jay Gruden as their offensive coordinator, and after 4 games I find myself still wondering, especially with what I saw at the end of the Bengals Bills game.  When Gruden came on and began talking about using a hybrid West Coast offense, I remember contemplating if Benson would be the best choice at running back.  I actually have liked Benson with the Bengals, but he's a power runner, with only so so hands. On the other hand over the last two years we have seen Leonard make great catch after great catch, and be able to churn out yards after the catch.  With both things in-mind I had to question, whether Leonard might not be a better option for this team going forward?

From what I have seen over the years, West Coast offenses work best with a running back that can catch the ball, and on our team the best receiver out of the back field is far and away Brian Leonard. Leonard has shown that he can run the ball, and who does'nt believe that he is the best reciever out of all our running backs.  I understand that Leonard will never be a threat to go the distance any time he touches the ball a la Chris Johnson, nor the power back that Adrian Peterson is, but is that what the Bengal's really need right now? 

Yes, yes, I know no one would turn down either of those players, but there just is not that many guys like that out there.  I think it would be better to have a guy that you can count on to get 4 yards when the team needs 3, who can be an outlet receiver when all else is covered, and can stay in and block when the team goes max protection.  And really how much would the team be losing giving Leonard carries over Benson?  Is Benson that much better runner than Leonard?  I think we can say that Leonard is that much better receiver.

When the San Francisco 49rs were riding the West Coast Offense to a dynasty they had a great receiving threat in
Roger Craig.  He was the ultimate in dual threat, and while I don't know Brian Leonard can ever be as good as
Craig, I do believe he is the most similar in playing style.  For those who might not remember, Craig was elected to the Pro Bowl at both fullback and halfback. We all know that Brian Leonard isn't going to win any foot races, but he has shown that he can make runs of 10-20 yards when he hits the hole.

In addition Benson just does not seem to be the right fit in this offense.  While he has had two 100 yard games, I have not thought he looked comfortable in this offense in any of the games.  Too often he seems tentative as he approaches the line, and he gets stuffed.  I really think this has been a big reason for the team having trouble with third downs.

What if instead of Benson, the Bengals started Brian Leonard, and kept Scott as the third down back?  This way Dalton would have another weapon to throw to, Gruden would be able to utilize the screen more, and the Bengals would have a more punishing runner.  In addition Scott would be able to get more touches because he would both beable to sub in for Leonard and get the bulk of third down plays.  I think this would help Scott better understand his role, and would definitly make him a change of pace backs.

The draft has come and gone.  Many Bengals fans are excited about the new direction the team is taking with Green and Dalton (Im one of them), and we all are praying that the contract situation gets resolved so that there can be a real off-season and more importantly a real 2011 season.

The lockout is bad for the NFL, but it is especially bad for our beloved Bengals.  There is too much up in the air, too much left unresolved, and no one knows when the lockout will be resolved, or how much time for the offseason there will be when it is resolved.

The biggest question for the Bengals remains what happens now with Carson Palmer?

For me, I'm torn.  Do the Bengals trade him if the offseason allows and get a pick or two in next season's draft?  There are a few teams that did not resolve their QB issues in the draft, Arizona, Seattle, Washington, and Miami all jump to the fore in this, and even a few teams that did draft a QB might still want a veteran who can step in and start right away, and help mentor the rookie, of these I could see Minnesota and San Francisco.

The trouble with this approach is, as mentioned above, we are not sure when the offseason will start (if it will start) and how much time there will be to make deals.  We can also wonder how much the Bengals will actually get.

The second choice is to let Palmer take a year sebatical, and try to trade him during next year's offseason. My question here is will the Bengals get anything for a QB that was out of Football for a year, and quit on his team? I know Palmer has little leverage other than to threaten retirement, but I don't think he will be able to just quit the Bengals without gaining the taint of being a quitter.

The third choice (and the one I actually hope for) is that Marvin Lewis and Jay Gruden can convince Palmer that he should relent and rejoin the Bengals for one last season, with the promise that Cincinnati will trade him at the end of next season if that is still his wish.  I do think that Carson could have a very good year in Cincinnati next year, without TO and Chad to be distraction, with a new offensive coordinator to help guide the team, with the addition of AJ Green, and with Gresham, Shipley, Simpson, Caldwell, Leonard, and Coffman. If Palmer has a solid or great year then he can decide, does he want to leave, or does he think he can finally be the leader of this team.  Either way he would help in the development of Dalton, and help the Bengals transition.

I know Carson wants out, and feels he can retire to get out, but does he want to play football again?  Does he want to be seen as a quitter?  Or does he want to be seen as a leader, a guy that hangs tough? Does he want to hurt or improve his reputation?

I hope he decides that missing a year and walking out on his team is not the way to go, and comes back for one last year and provides mentorship for Dalton.

This was not a very good year for Quarterback.  Everyone of the young men have major questions, and while a couple will be serviceable, I doubt there is a major star in the bunch.  Yet if the Bengals are to get a QB this year, they are going to have to trade up. There may actually be 5 or 6 quarterbacks taken in the first round this year, and so if the Bengals want Dalton they will have to make a move.

I am interested to see if they do.  I like Dalton, and was hoping either he or Ponder would be available in the second, but since there is little to no chance of that happening, I am wondering what would be a good price.  What is Dalton worth, and how far up do the Bengals have to go to get him.

We will see.

I'm not a big fan of letting coaches go.  I think one of the biggest mistakes teams make is to fire a coach too quickly.  I think there is a strong correlation between the Pittsburg Steelers having so much success over the years and the fact that they have stability at the coaching position.

However I believe the Bengals should let Marvin Lewis go now in the midst of this season.

I'm a huge fan of Marvin Lewis.  He did a lot for this team, and made being a Bengal fan easier these last 8 years.  I remember the joke that was the Bengals in the years leading up to his hiring.  The Bengals were a joke, with the worst culture imaginable.  I remember how in the 90’s it seemed that every year there were a series of insipid articles in the newspaper talking about all the things that players were doing to create a better atmosphere around the Bengals, only to see the team remain a bottom feeder during the following season.

I remember failure after failure in regards to coaches, draft picks, free agent acquisitions, and play on the field.  I remember it all too well, and so I appreciate all that Marvin Lewis did to change that.  He took a franchise that was the worst in the league and made them respectable.  He took a team that was consistently described as the worst in all of professional sports, and gave them pride. The Bengals were no longer a gimme victory for opposing teams.  They were a team that competed for the playoffs, and made people think that the Bengals could challenge for the top prize.  The Bengals actually made the play-offs twice, which when Lewis was hired seemed an impossibility.

However I now think Marvin is a victim of his own success.  By showing that this team could compete for a play-off spot every season, Marvin has built up expectations for this team among its fan base.  Even though there were way too many seasons during Marvin's tenure where the Bengals went 8-8 or 7-9, he did have the Bengals competing to get in the play-offs.  He built an expectation that the worst that any Bengal team should do is at least an   8-8 or 7-9 season.  Looking at the schedule this team had at the beginning of the season, a 9-7 record was entirely possible, but I expected wins, and even in the losses I expected close tough fights.  This we know did not happen.

Now after the second season of a complete collapse within a three year time span I no longer have patience, and I don’t believe much of Bengaldom has any either.  As much as I love what Marvin Lewis did for the Bengals it is time to go in a new direction.  While there are many things he has done well he has never been a really great game-time coach.  There are way too many mistakes near the end of the half or in the final minute's of games that prove costly or prevent victories.  There have been way too many points left on the field because the Bengals do not know how to properly manage the clock.  There have been replay challenges to plays that should never have been challenged, and way too many times a play that should have been challenged was allowed to stand.  The number of penalties that this team commits every season has to be laid at the feet of the coaches.  There is a lack of discipline too often exhibited by this team.

The play calling for the Bengals was never really great, but has become worse as other teams have figured it out. There is little creativity, does little to take into account a players strength, and way too often tries to make a player fit the scheme instead of a scheme that fits the players.  There also never seems to be any adjustment to counter the opposing team's.  The second half for the Bengals has become a joke.

So we are now on the downward side of another lost season, and wondering what this team should do to prepare for next season.  In 2008 there was some reason to hope at the end of that putrid season.  A number of the losses the Bengals suffered could be explained away to the loss of Carson Palmer, and the team still seemed competitive. Then as the season wore on the defense and running game were began to show promise.  Cedric Benson had literally come off the street to provide punch to an anemic offense, and Zimmer was shaping the defense into a team that could go toe-to-toe with the big boys of the division. All these things combined to give the Bengals hope that better times could be on the way.

A repeat this year is not in the offering, and even a three game winning streak at the end of this year would not offer much hope going into the next season.  Palmer is just not the QB that he was a few years ago. I don’t know why, but he seems to not be able to see the field very well, throwing into triple coverage, while missing open receivers.  Even if Zimmer can get the defense to play at a decent level for the remainder of this season, we have all seen that this is not a top five defense, and will not be until they can shore up the defensive line with a player that can put pressure on the opposing quarterback, and one who just dominates the inside of the line. And truth be told I fear any success for the Bengals now in these last few weeks.  Not because I don't want the Bengals to win, but because it might be taken as a sign that the team should not replace the worst offensive coordinator in the league.

Still the Bengals need to do some things now, with the thought of next season and beyond being in the consideration.  This is why I believe Marvin Lewis should be asked to step down.  I do not want to fire him, but there are things that need to be done now that I don’t believe a lame duck coach can do.

First I would like to see how Zimmer would handle the in-game responsibilities of a head coach.  As I stated, this was never Marvin’s strength; so let's see how Zimmer does calling a game for the remainder of the season.

Second this season is lost, let’s save the wear and tear on some players who will be needed next season and beyond.  Football players only have so many hits in them, and then the wear and tear gets to be too much.  Why keep pounding Benson (who is not having that great of a season) and instead let’s see what Bernard Scott can do with more touches, and offensive play calls that take into account his strengths instead of just plugging him into plays that were designed for Benson. 

Carson Palmer is just not that good this year, why not sit him because of some of the injuries he has and give some game time experience to his brother, or better yet Dan LeFevour?  Can our  team be that much worse with those players?  Let’s see what we have.

I want to see Chase Coffman, Chris Pressley, Anthony Collins, and Jerome Simpson on the field and see if any of these men have a future with the team.  We know that TO and Ocho are not the future of this team’s receiving corps, so let’s find out what we have.  While I was a big proponent of Quan Cosby, and wanted to see him succeed, he is really offering nothing to the Bengals this season, so let’s cut him and bring back Dezmon Briscoe off Tampa Bay’s development squad to see what he can do.

On defense, it is time to give the reins to Rey Maualuga, Keith Rivers, or Brandon Johnson.  Dhani  Jones was a great addition for this team, and he has been a model citizen, but his play on the field has been lacking.  He is not the future of this team’s defense, so let’s give responsibility to some of the younger players.  Let’s see more of Dan Skuta, Roddrick Muckleroy, and promote Vincent Rey to see what he can do.

Lets see more of Pat Sims, Geno Atkins, Michael Johnson, Geno Dunlap, and Clinton McDonald, so we can see what is our most pressing need on the defensive line. 

This team is no longer playing for 2010, we are instead playing for 2011 now.  Injuries have already started part of this process, so let’s just continue it in a more coordinated strategic way.

The Bengals need to let Marvin go, let Bratkowski go, elevate Mike Zimmer, and start to figure out what players they want to bring back for next season.

Of coarse Mike Brown would never do any of this.

Is it time to start considering next season (providing there is a next season)?

Yes the Bengal’s are not mathematically out of the race for the post season, but I feel confident that a poll of this site would find most agreeing that the 2010 season is over.  Well over at least in regards to the playoffs, so what should the Bengal’s do for the rest of the season?

I think it is time to think about the next season.  At some point in a season when the playoffs are no longer a viable option it’s time to look to determine what changes are needed for next year.  It is time to see how young players play in real games, and see what the team needs to address in the draft.  The Bengal’s have a number of players that need to be judged in games to determine can they play in this league. 

Dhani Jones has been a great player for the Bengal’s, but he is not the future of this team.  Despite leading the team in tackles, Jones has typified this year’s defense; he’s been a step slow and emotionally flat.  I hate doing it, but the Bengal’s have to slide either   Rey Maualuga or Keith Rivers to the middle and see who will be the defensive quarterback for this team in the years to come.  Rey Maualuga was a middle linebacker in college, but can he do it in the Pro's?  Can he take over calling the defense? If you do move Rey Maualuga over does Michael Johnson get the start? Is Michael Johnson ready to start? If Maualuga and Johnson are not the answer, is Keith Rivers the answer as the middle linebacker? He was not a middle linebacker in college, but could he do it in the Pro's?  If he moves over do the Bengal's start Brandon Johnson?  Brandon Johnson is the best cover linebacker the team has, and I think all denizens of Cincy Jungle will agree that our linebackers’ coverage has left a lot to be desired.

What about the Defensive line?  This has been just a complete mess this year.  The decline in our defense this year can be completely laid at the feet of the defensive lines inability to put any pressure on opposing quarterbacks.  I don't expect this to be fixed this year, I don't think inserting Carlos Dunlap or Michael Johnson into the starting line-up will suddenly inject a pass rush into this defense, but I do believe playing time can help them learn and improve for the next season.  Is there any reason to give Antwan Odom extended minutes when he returns? What about Robert Geathers? Would it not be better to give more time to our younger players and see what they can do? For that matter I would not mind bringing up Clinton McDonald and see if he can play. He hustles in the preseason; let's see if it can carryover into the regular season.

Our secondary?  Still the strength of this defense, and this team should bend over backwards to resign Johnathan Joseph, but as he is banged up along with Leon Hall, lets see more of what Morgan Trent and Brandon Ghee can do.  Let's see if Reggie Nelson can be a starter and if Rico Murray and Tom Nelson can be more than just roster filler and special teams.

Then there is the offense.  I know there are no quick fixes, but let's see what Anthony Collins can do, and if  a better line combination is Collins at tackle and Andrew Whitworth at guard.  I have really liked Bobbie Williams, but maybe it's time to see if Reggie Stephens can play guard. 

It has to be obvious that Jerome Simpson is never going to do anything, why not cut him and bring back Brisco from Tampa Bay, and see if he can be the second wide receiver of the future?  Do we really keep Foschi, or do we give Chase Coffman a chance?  Do we keep Cedric Peerman or do we get a true fullback and bring back Chris Pressley and see if this team can do better with a real fullback?  Or maybe we keep Peerman and let Reggie Kelly go.  I'm surprised to suggest it, because I had always considered Kelly the bedrock of this team, a blue collar player who does the little things that a team needs to win, but let's face it, Kelly is not the player he was, and is not in the future of this team.  Like Dahani Jones, I'm afraid Kelly can do little for us.

Now I know that most of the suggestions above will not be done, and most likely will not be contemplated, but that is where management will get it wrong. They will continue to insist that they are still competitive, and field a team that can't win.  They will not admit it but, this season is for all intents and purposes done.  There is no rebound with the teams we are fielding.  They do not have the heart or the ability to turn the season around.  Therefore this team should start playing their younger players, and start to evaluate the players of the future.

Has the Time Come to trade Carson Palmer?

I have been a huge fan of Carson Palmer, and really wanted to see him succeed here.  I really thought that this year we would see a return of the quarterback that lead the Bengal’s to a playoff at the end of 2005.  With better weapons to throw to and an offensive line with a year of playing together, I thought Carson would be the man to ensure this team would score more than 24 points a game.  If you coupled that with a defense that was expected to be in the top 10 again, one could reasonably assume that the Bengal’s would win more than they would lose.

This has not happened.  Carson has lost his accuracy. I was at the game this last Sunday, and I was amazed at how bad he is now at throwing on the move.  He also fails to see the field around him, thus he often misses players that are open or facing single coverage.  I do not lay this all at his feet, but lets face it, the Quarterback is the face of the team, and so he in the end is responsible.

I think Carson could still be a good quarterback (not a great quarterback), but not as a Bengal, so I put forth the question, should the Bengal’s trade Carson Palmer during the upcoming off-season?

I think there are four teams where the Bengal’s could have legitimate trade partners.

1)      Seattle – Carson’s former college coach Pete Carroll is now the head coach of the Seahawks.  The current QB, Matt Hasselbeck, is definitely on the downside of his career, and Carroll could believe that he is one solid quarterback away from competing in a really weak NFC West.  Carroll like all head coaches believes he can succeed where others have failed, and I could see him thinking he can reclaim Palmer’s career.

2)      San Francisco – Cincinnati is not the only disappointing team this year.  San Francisco is just as big a disappointment as the Bengal’s.  San Francisco is going to have a new coach next year, but they will need a new quarterback.  Alex Smith has proven that he is not a starting quarterback, and a new coaching staff could believe that their very talented team is a quarterback away from competing in a really weak NFC West. 

3)      Arizona – Yes, I do think the NFC West is the best option for trading Carson Palmer.  Arizona has no quarterback right now and yet they are still competitive a really weak NFC West (are we sensing a theme?).  Arizona could decide to roll the dice and see if they can capture lightning in the bottle twice and reclaim the career of an older quarterback who had once been great. 

4)      Minnesota – The Vikings think they are on the verge of a Super Bowl, this year’s record not withstanding, and they are not going to want to take a huge step back when Farve leaves this off-season.  The Vikings are going to want a quarterback who can throw to Rice, Moss, Shiancoe, and Harvin, and I don’t think the new coach (yes Childress will be gone after this season) will have any trust in Tavaris Jackson.

Now the question is can the Bengal’s get enough back to make this a worthwhile trade?  Also what do you think would be enough compensation for the Bengal’s to trade the man who has been the face of the organization for the last 8 seasons? And knowing how difficult it is to find a good quarterback is it worthwhile to take a chance?

The Bengal’s went years between Boomer Esiason and Carson Palmer, and had to endure the play of many mediocre quarterbacks with small blips of hope in men like Jeff Blake and Jon Kitna, so ending the Palmer era is no small thing. 

I think we can safely say that the Marvin Lewis era is coming to an end, and so maybe changing quarterback and head coach is too big a change, and there are some who will argue to give Carson a chance under a new head coach and (hopefully) a new offensive coordinator.  Do you agree with this strategy, or do you think it is time for a clean sweep?

I am really interested in what people think.

Personally I’m for trading Carson if you can get a high second round pick.  This team has a number of needs, and three picks in the first two rounds of the draft would be very helpful.  I don’t think Carson can get it done here anymore, and that he would do better with a different team too. I know this will be a big risk, but you have to take a chance to succeed in this league.  I think it is now obvious that the Rams and Lions have passed the Bengal’s by, and the Browns could.  I think it is therefore really important that we move in a new direction with the quarterback situation, and get something for Palmer while we still can.

What do people think?

To paraphrase an old political axiom, it’s the Offensive Line stupid.

This year there has been a lot of discussion on this blog and in the media as to why the Bengal’s offense was not showing up.  Even in two wins there was too much drek on the offensive side to feel truly happy with the W’s.  For most of the season the focus had been on Palmer, and we heard all the talking heads discuss how maybe he had lost it, how the balls he was throwing just did not have enough zip, that his decisions were off, and that we would never see a return to 2005.

I got really sick of this talk very fast because I could not believe how so many who are paid to watch and comment on the game seemed to be ignoring the elephant in the room.  Carson has not played great, but a big part of that is that the offensive line has regressed from last year. 

This year's offensive line is actually what I expected from them last year; a team that would struggle to open holes in the defense, and not be able to give Palmer time to settle in the pocket. 

There is a reason why the Bengal’s are having such a hard time in the red zone this season.  Plain and simple it is that they have no confidence that the line can create space for Benson when they get within 15 yards of the end zone. You can see this in the play calling the team does once they are in the redzone.  Even the one touchdown the team got in the endzone was not a run up the gut, we dare you to stop Cedric Benson type play. The Bengal's had no confidence that they could line up and run over the Browns.  And too be honest they were right, this line is not getting any punch, in fact the reality is they seem to be the ones getting punched in the gut.  I believe it is the same reason we rarely see the Bengal’s run on third down, despite having some very make-able third and two’s and three’s.

Part of the problem is that the Bengal’s fooled them selves at the end of last season.  There were a lot of indications that part of Carson Palmer’s issues was that he had no confidence with his line.  He had happy feet, he would rush passes, and his follow through was just bad.  The coaching staff when asked about this would point to the low number of sacks, but this was a poor statistic considering the amount of running the team did, and the number of passes that were basically thrown away. 

Last year this could be overlooked because Cedric Benson was able to run over a hundred yards in 6 games, and could be counted on for four yards an attempt in most games.  Now Benson is having trouble finding lanes with which to run and so he does not hit the line with any momentum and looks tentative behind the line.

I do think that the team expected Andre Smith to come in this year and be the player they thought they were drafting.  I also think that they thought that the return of Reggie Kelly would improve the line, which was not unreasonable.  This has not happened though.

I truly believe that the team needs to insert Smith and see what they have in him.  Who knows maybe they find out he can play, and more playing time motivates him to play even better.  It could happen.  Maybe he plays and they find out they have Bobbie William’s eventual replacement at guard and they need to draft another tackle next year.  That could also happen, it would not be the best but it would be better than the third option where we find that we wasted the number 6 overall pick in last year’s draft.

Whatever we learn, we already know that Roland has hit his ceiling.  I like Dennis Roland a lot. I think his is a great story and think he is a great back-up, and sometime tightend in jumbo packages. 

Similarly I believe Nate Livings has hit his ceiling at the guard spot.  He has been another good story of an undrafted player working hard and becoming a starter, but right now he is not getting any push up the middle and both he and Kyle Cook are struggling against the large bodies they are going up against.  The question I have for the Bengal’s coaches is a combination of Nate Livings at guard and Andrew Whitworth at tackle a better combination than Whitworth at guard and Anthony Collins at tackle? 

I have always thought that Andrew Whitworth was a really great guard for the Bengal’s, and that the team took a potential pro bowl guard and made him an average tackle.  I also remember that Anthony Collins played really well at left tackle for the Bengal’s two years ago.  Yes he struggled at right tackle last year, but then he was drafted as a left tackle.

Now of course I don’t think there is any chance that this coaching staff would ever make a whole scale change as to move Whitworth inside and promote Collins.  Lewis is to conservative to take such a chance.  At the same time Bratkowski is still trying to prove he really is an effective offensive coordinator. 

Trust me every year I pray that Bratkowski is let go, and every year the Bengal’s make some excuse to keep him; it is just so very depressing.  Imagine if Lewis had done the right thing at the end of last year, or the year before that, or the year before that?  How Bratkowski still has a job as offensive coordinator I will never understand.

Still he is still the offensive coordinator and Lewis for all that I love him is still not one too shake the boat up too much, so we are stuck with the line-up we have (save for any injuries which hopefully do not happen) though there is some speculation that Smith might get some more reps.  Thus we can hope that the Bengal’s offensive line can get it together.  Hopefully they improve their play because if they can I believe the Bengal’s will be able to get their offense going. 

If the Bengal’s can’t fix their line the team will continue to struggle to move the ball both on the ground and through the air and they will score very little; especially from inside the redzone.

I have always liked Carson Palmer, and still believe he could be a better-then-average quarterback in the NFL, but I do think he did not play a smart game yesterday against the Carolina Panthers.

For the next week all we will hear is that Carson Palmer is done, is not a franchise quarterback, and will not take the Bengals anywhere.  This will cause me to pul my hair out, but after this last performance I have to say Carson has put this upon himself.

I know I will be accused of being a Carson apologist but I think that he can still be a top QB in this league.  Maybe he will never be a Payton/Brady clone, but he can be a strong QB.  However there are a few things that I would like to see happen to help Carson.

1.       Go to more no-huddle offense.  I know this has been called for before, but I have a new reason for going to the no-huddle offense.  Carson always, Always goes up to the line and calls an audible based on what he sees from the defense.  He does this though after having been in the huddle, so sometimes he has too little time to make changes.  If Carson was to go no-huddle he could be at the line quickly, make his reviews and adjust without taking the full play clock.  In addition by going to the huddle he allows the defense to substitute fresh players and make changes to their schemes.  By going to a no-huddle the Bengals could force their opponents to keep the same players on the field, hopefully tiring them out.  Last, I do think some of the false starts and illegal motion penalties occur because the players get into position and then have to hold there while Carson makes changes.  Better to go up to the line quickly and then make quick adjustments.

2.       Utilize Brian Leonard and Cedric Benson in the same backfield.  Leonard and Benson are both better blockers than Gresham and Coats currently. They can provide both running and receiving threats out of the backfield.  Leonard should play more fullback, which would allow Bernard Scott more opportunity as the third down back.

3.       Deeper drops for Carson.  TO was wide open on the second interception of Carson Palmer. If Carson had been able to follow through on his pass TO catches the deep pass for an easy TD.  I watched highlights of Michael Vick’s performance yesterday, and I was amazed at how deep he was when he through a couple deep touchdowns.  I think it would help Palmer to have more room to throw his passes, and give him the space to follow through on his delivery.  To be honest I believe this is another reason for Leonard and Benson to be on the field together.  I trust Leonard and Benson to pick-up the outside rush so that Palmer can

4.       More plays for Shipley and Gresham, especially early in the game.  Chad and TO had double coverage for a good portion of the game against the Panthers, yet Carson kept trying to get them the ball.  Carson needs to hit the underneath stuff to Shipley and Gresham and make defenses pay, so that they are forced change coverage.  Then go up-top to our big name playmakers.

5.       Move Palmer occasionally.  Palmer is not a mobile quarterback, and will never be mistaken for one, but it would help him if occasionally he was moved out of the pocket so that he is not always in the same place.  Teams can aim for the same four yard circle behind the Bengal’s line and feel very confident they will hit Palmer.  Moving Palmer around if successful would at least make teams have to consider that Palmer would get outside the pocket.

Who knows if this will work, and others may have better suggestions, but I do think yesterday's performance shows the Bengal's offense does need to do something.  Hopefull we see improvement against the Browns

I am still in disbelief at the final score to the Patriots game.  To be honest I thought the score would be reversed.  Yes I figured that the Patriots with their style of offense would score points, but I thought that the Bengals D would have enough to slow them down, and not give up big plays.  I thought that the Bengals defense would shut down a non-existent Patriots running game making the Patriots a one dimensional offense.

What happened?

I thought the special teams for the Bengals would be the ones making plays, giving the Bengals the advantage in field position, and maybe breaking one for a score.

What happened?

I thought the Bengals Offensive line would at least be able to maul the undersized Patriots, giving Benson tough three to four yard gains early, that would later become seven to ten yard runs, and maybe even break one or two for twenty.  I really thought that Benson would gain a hundred yards.

What happened?

I was expecting two seasoned all-pro wide receivers to school two young cornerbacks enough that the Patriots would have to bring extra help which would in turn give Shipley and Graham nice seams to run underneath. 

What happened?

I think what happened is that the Bengals came into the game expecting all those things to happen, and when they were punched in the mouth by the Patriots it took them too long to recover.  I think the defensive line which was dinged up pretty good in the preseason was not ready, and Odom has not found that energy and power that he came out with in the 2009 season.  I think the Bengals will have to get Dunlap and Atkins more opportunities to get in the game.  And while Sims is not an All Pro, he is massive and really plugs up the middle of the Bengals line.

I think we are seeing the end of Dhani Jones as the starting middle linebacker for the Bengals.  I love Dhani, he is intelligent, fun, and has heart, but he could not cover a bed with a blanket today.  The Bengals will need to get the best players on the field and Michael Johnson needs to be out there more, both for his ability to presure the QB and his ability to get his hands up and knock passes away. 

I think the Bengals have to go with a hybrid of the 2005 and 2009 season. I don't think it works to go no-huddle all the time, but I do think it should be used more often, and earlier in the game as a change of pace.  The Bengals need to dictate what they are going to do to the defense, and exert some will.  Carson Palmer is a rythem quarterback, and is at his best when the ball is moving quickly.  Run a series of no huddle to get Carson, Ocho, and TO into the game, then come back with vintage 2009 of pounding Benson right, Benson left, and Benson up the middle.

Then change it up again.  I know this will take some creativity on Bob Bratowski's (sp?) part, but I think it will help Carson, the offense, and the Bengals in general.

There was some reasons for hope, and I do think that a punch in the gut can be a good thing to bring a team back down to earth.  If they don't get too low, and they take the right lessons from this game, they can come back next week and lay a whupping on the Ravens.  And if they can win three or four of their next five games, the stink of this outing will be less oderous.

The thing is the Bengals have to get the hard knocks attitude they had in 2009 back. 

It is time for football.  It is time to prove all the doubters wrong.  It is time to go to New England and prove the torch has been passed, and a new team is on the rise.  If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.  New England was to class act of the last decade, but its a new decade, and this will be one where the Bengals are considered the cream of the crop.

It is time for the BENGALS!  I came across this video over at the website WhoDeyFans which gives powerful visual to the hurt the Bengals are about to drop on this league. 

The creator of this video took some time and put some great scenes together, it will get you ready for the season ahead.
"Our Year"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hyQzjGr6Q0&feature=player_embedded

When it comes to the Bengals I know I've been sipping at the kool-aid, but I have to ask what exactly has Peter King been drinking?  Seriously, he has the Bengals one spot above Detroit at 23.  What ??? The division champs, who have not had a significant loss during the off-season, and can arguably claim to have upgraded a couple of positions, are suddenly not only not in the top ten, but are in the bottom third of the league.

I know a power ranking in May is ridiculous by definition, but how about a little love for the team.  He has the Bengals one spot below the Arizona Cardinals, who lost their team leaders on both the offensive side and defensive side of the ball.  He has them two below Jacksonville who are in complete disarray.  Three below the Washington Redskins who have no receivers, no running game, no offensive line, and are going to try to convert to a 3-4 defense.

I under stand that conventional wisdom is that the North division is the Ravens, but how do the Steelers rate as the second best team in the division.  Didn't the just lose one of their top receivers in Holmes? Isn't their main offensive weapon going to be on the side-lines for the first 6 weeks of the season?  Does anyone really believe he will be rust free for the first couple games back?

He has Denver at #18, a team now that will forever be known for the biggest single season collapse.  He has Carolina at #8. 

I'm sorry, that is just ridiculous.  How does this guy get paid to write about football?

I can't wait for the season to start so we can prove King wrong.

I have been a long time fan of the Bengals, my father introducing me to the team in '80.  As all of you know we Bengals fans have gone through some pretty lean years.  Yet this year it feels different, the Bengals are coming off of a division championship where they swept all division opponents.  Where they had a top tier defence, and one of the strongest running games in the league. 

Now of course we know that last season ended in dissappointment with a loss to the Jets, and the end of the season showed that there were a few areas where the team was still lacking.

As dissapointed as I was at the end of the season, I don't know if I have ever seen the Bengals be so active in the off-season, nor as organized. 

The Bengals were weak at receiver, they have now brought in Antonio Bryant, Matt Jones, Chris Davies, Jordan Shipley, and Dezmon Briscoe. Bryant may have been the best free agent receiver, and he should give the Bengals a tall, fast number 2 receiver.  Matt Jones comes cheap, is even taller, and faster.  Brisco gives the Bengals a potential Wes Welker type of receiver. The upgrade from last year is huge.

The 2009 season showed that the Bengals had a major hole at tightend, the Bengals addressed this with their first round pick, and they were able to get the best tightend in this year's draft class.  They then resigned class-act and on-field coach Reggie Kelly (one of my favorite Bengals over the last 8 years).  Kelly will serve as the on-field mentor for Gresham and Chase Coffman.

The Bengals had a weakness at Safety, the team went out and pick up Gibril Wilson, drafted Bhrandon Ghee, and picked up Jeromy Miles as a college free agent. At the same time the NFL has become a passing league, and the Bengals went out and grabbed a player who has all the talent in the world if he keeps his head on straight.

The Bengals needed more pass rush and they drafted Carlos Dunlap.

Now I know not all of their moves are going to work, and some are just about creating camp competition, but from my perspective I do not know if the Bengals have ever had a deeper team.

I think this has the potential to be the best off-season in Bengal's history. I am wondering what other people think?

Where do people rank this year's off-season?  I give it an A

What grade do you give it?

I have wanted to see Bob Bratowski let go for the past eight years. I knew when he had Jon Kitna throwing 3 yard passes on a third and five back in the day that he was just never going to be a good Offensive Coordinator.  2005 was a mirage where the immense talent of Carson Palmer and the receiving corps masked his many short-comings.  Thing is for some reason that I doubt I will ever understand he just never is going to be let go. 

We all know that Mike Brown is loathe to fire anybody, and he can be loyal to a fault, so we all know that Bob Bratowski will be back.  We know that last year Marvin asked Bob to overhaul the offense, and we can all agree that Bob did just that. So again Marvin is not going to toss Bob under the bus. 

No matter what the offense does, Bob is just never been fired, and this year looks to be more of the same.  Yet Marvin has to realize he needs a better game manager if he wants to take this team another step forward.

So since we are not going to be rid of Bratowski, I offer this compromise.  The Bengals organization should hire an additional offensive coach who would have play calling duties during the game.  Bob Bratowski just does not know how to call a game.  As was demonstrated to the Bengals this last Saturday, a really good Offensive Coordinator can execute a plan that puts his players in the best position to succeed while positioning the opponents to be in the wrong place at the right time.

Bob Bratowski just does not have that ability to really feel the flow of the game.  The Bengals really need someone who does.  Marvin needs to ask Bob to change the offense to better incorporate Carson's skills, writing up some new plansand those of the other offensive players. Then they should have someone other than Bob calling the offense.  Someone young and energetic, someone with fresh ideas, and the right temperment. Someone who fires up the players and knows how to game for the opponents team.

It is probably wishful thinking, but since we are stuck with Bratowski, I was thinking it would a good way to compromise.

I believe Carson Palmer's best days are in front of him. I think he has the tools and the drive to be the QB we all hope he can be.

Continue reading this post »

The day after the Bengals were knocked out of the play-offs, I came to my favorite blog to read what others are feeling. most of it is the same sentimates I have.  However I cannot agree with the fire Marvin Lewis comments, or even get rid of Carson chatter.  I have too many bad memories of the Shula, Coslet, LeBeau, era, and the never ending revolving door at the QB.

Those calling to get rid of Marvin and Carson need to take a deep breath.

This year proved that Marvin can put a really good team on the field. He coached the youngest team in football to 10 wins.  He took a QB who was again returning from major injury, a completely new offensive line, new wide receiver corps,  no real tight-ends, and coaxed 10 victories. 

This is also ignoring all of the off-field issues that hit this team.

Yes he did not get the play-off win we all were hoping for, but that will come. Of course there are a lot of things that need to be fixed for this to happen; we on this blog can name a couple 100. For example I do believe that a new Offensive Coordinator is desperately needed. I do believe a new Quarterback's coach is needed.  I have no problem drafting someone in a mid round who the team believes they can mold into a starting QB; Carson is in his 30's now and has been beat-up.

This team is still missing that total stud defensive player that others fear.  This team still needs a consistent pass rush. The list goes on, and hopefully they will get fixed, it will be an interesting off-season. We will watch and debate.

I will however remind people that this off-season will be one made more confusing by the negotiations over the CBA (and for those who thinks Mike Brown is an idiot - he was 100% right about the last CBA). Because of this the team may not be able to make all the moves we would want. 

Still I saw a lot of great moves last season that turned a 4-11-1 team into a play-off contender, and to be honest I don't believe those were flukes. I think this team is heading in the right directions.

Recently I started listening to the ESPN Football Weekly Podcast hosted Jeremy Green. A daily one hour podcast covering the entire NFL. It is a really good show, and one of their weekly bits is the Head & Shoulders Player of the Week, where three players/coaches/groups of players are nominated as the player of the week.

This week Bengals CBs Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall were nominated for their performance against Joe Flaco and the Baltimore Raven's receivers. Currently they are in second place with only 26% of the voting. I'm hoping Bengal's fans will go to the ESPN Football weekly podcast website http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/poll?event_id=4004 and vote for Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall, to help bring some love to the Bengals.

My father once apologized for making me a Bengals Fan. He said he felt bad for introducing me to the Bengals in the '80s when the Bengals were competetive, and there was real hope that the team would compete for it all. I told him not to worry. It's easy being a fan of a winner, the fun is sticking with a team through the tough times and see them reach the good times.

I was really beginning to believe we were heading into some good times. Maybe not Superbowl bound, but respectability with a 9-7 or 10-6 record, contending for a playoff spot.

Suddenly last night that hope was dashed. It's not that the team lost, but how they lost. Stupid mistakes and sloppy play, which completely shocked me. That team was not prepared to play.

Granted the first two preseason games were not pretty, and the offense had not scored, but there was reason to hope. Last night dashed that.

Why do these guys keep coughing up the ball? Are they not holding it properly. Are they not being coached properly? What is the problem?

Our offensive line looked horrible yesterday against a pedestrian defense. What happened? And why is the management trying to take on the entire NFL in their negotiations with Smith. The price tag is high this year, the teams around them created a higher than expected slot.. Too Bad, the Bengal's biggest weakness is the offensive line and they drafted one of the better offensive linemen, and now they are blowing it by not having him at camp. Some times you have to suck it up and pay the price to get a better product.

Having Palmer will make a difference, but only if he has time to throw the ball, which will then open the running game. It all hinges on the offensive line, and yesterday they looked uniformly bad.

I'm now afraid we are in for a long season again.

I have always hated that Cincinnati allowed others to set the market, usually waiting for the teams before and after their pick to set the parameters of their negotiations. It has always struck me as lazy, and has led to way to many holdouts by promising rookies.

This year this strategey has backfired and Cincinnati is going to have to pay more than they were expecting, but Seattle, New York, and Oakland have raised the cost of the sixth pick, and the team is going to have to concede to Andre Smith's agent and pay something in the range of 40 million over 5 years. Cincicinnati is not so deep that they can waste the talent of Smith.

Their strategy backfired, and they will have to pay. Maybe next year they won't waste time and wait for others to dictate terms to them.