If your still around at this point, call yourself a fan. The air has been sucked out of Cincinnati, and the Bengals are only playing for next year. That’s tough to swallow, but it’s the nature of the game. Marvin Lewis kept the Bengals on the cusp (or better) of the playoffs for four straight years, so this year really feels like a letdown.
The NFL is a funny thing, and as long as your not the Colts or the Patriots, you’re not going to be a playoff team year after year. In the end, you’re looking for long term success. This is where the Bengals fans diverge.
Many expected the Bengals to be in the Super Bowl hunt during Marvin’s fifth year. And why not? Marvin turned the Bengals from a 2-14 team to an 8-8 team in his first year. By his third year, the Bengals looked like one of the best.
Now we’re here, and everyone’s searching for answers. Going into this, I thought I’d try to figure out some answers to those questions. Maybe it was Braham’s knowledge of defenses that made the Bengals so good in the past. Maybe the arrests made us so bad. Or maybe it was the injuries.
They’re all possibilities, but I’m done looking into the past. I’m done being mad for a low blow on Carson Palmer’s knee. I’m done being mad at Odell Thurman and Roger Goodell. I’m done being mad at Bresnahan. Its time to move on and think about the future, instead of thinking about what if.
What happened to, “In Marvin we trust”? I haven’t lost it. Believe it or not, we’re on the right track. Whether that means other coaching changes or not, I’m still on the bandwagon, and here’s why:
The defense will be good. The Bengals are on the verge of having two shut down corners, not to mention the talent at the safety position. The Bengals are going to need a Justin Smith and a John Thornton replacement, but beyond that, the only holes in the defense are at linebacker. That’s going to take some work, but I’m sure Marvin’s got the answers.
The offense will be great. The offensive line has played great this year, despite being very young. Carson has his weapons to throw to, and the only real question for the future is who lines up at running back? The great thing with that issue is that the Bengals have a lot of options there.
Mike Brown will stick with Marvin Lewis, and I’m glad because we’ve got a guy always thinking about the future. The Bengals will be fine, and though that doesn’t get the Bengals into the playoffs, it does make this year a little bit easier to deal with.
That’s all I’ve got for now. WHO DEY!
