8 Things the Bengals Should Consider - A Fan's Point of View

The Bengals have now let two, must win games, against teams with losing records slip through their fingers. After a heartbreaking loss at home to the 1-3 Miami Dolphins, the Bengals went to Cleveland to face the 0-5 Cleveland Browns for the second time this season. Both games, the Bengals came in with a winning record, 3-1 and 3-2 respectively. Both games, the Bengals threw away. The same issues that have plagued the team all season, keep popping up and are now the reason why they are losing games. To get back on the winning side of games, the team needs to address these issues going forward.

#1 The overall defense still needs to improve, but it is time to start calling players out. Rey Maualuga is playing like a zombie. His downward spiral seems to be numbing. He is playing with no purpose. Going forward, some other options need to be looked at for the MLB position. Even if Burfict or another option isn't up to full speed in the NFL, Maualuga will be forced to look at his play and understand that he needs to get better to get back on the field.

#2 Speaking of the overall defense; the Cincinnati backfield still needs to improve. This position has been bogged down with injuries to key players all season. The guys that are left, though, are fully capable and good players with a lot of upside. These guys need to get the job done. They are missing routes, getting beat by receivers, and not finishing tackles. They need to find away to deter the runners if the speed isn't there on defense and wrap up the receivers up to get them down.

#3 The running game, to simply put it, is awful. BenJarvus Green-Ellis will break a 6 yard run and then turn around and rush for no gain. He can't get off of the line and though he is falling forward (which I keep hearing every game that Dan Hoard praises him), he and the other backs are not aiding us enough on the ground. A successful team is one that can run the ball to switch up the offense and keep the other teams defense on the field, not allowing them to score. The Bengals cannot seem to do that and the score board shows it on Sunday.

#4 During Sunday's loss to the Browns, the Bengals were 5-14 on third down conversions. This is after coming into the game as the 31st ranked team in the NFL for third down conversions. In order to score, the team needs to move the ball down the field. In order to move the ball down the field, they need to find a way to convert on the third down. It may be conservative play calling or players getting too far behind getting to third down. The combination of these issues needs to be corrected. The coaching staff may have to get more creative and the players are going to need to push.

#5 Ball security has become a huge issue as of late. If you want to win, you must have the ball. Last week, in particular, Andy Dalton threw 3 interceptions and lost 1 fumble. He isn't the only one at fault. In previous games, BJGE, Green, and Binns have all been at fault too. This is the last issue a team needs and if they are re-building and Marvin and the coaching staff need to concentrate on this issue in practice this week.

#6 This team seems to have no spark. There is no fire in their eyes. You can tell a few of them want to win, but no one knows how to get there. The coaching staff just claps their hands on the side line, and lets out a "let's go" once in a while. This is unacceptable. If we want the players to get fired up, the coaches should be fired up. These guys are young and impressionable. If Marvin is telling them it is okay and not showing emotions, these guys think it is okay. The team needs someone to step up like Ray Lewis or Bill Cowher or even their own Tim Krumrie. They need someone to get in their faces and motivate them when the game is on the line.

#7 Maybe it is time to start sitting guys. From a viewers perspective, these guys seem to be just out there running around. Gresham is dropping 2-3 balls a game. Maybe it is time that he finds the bench and has to watch the rookie Orson Charles do his job. BenJarvus Green-Ellis is churning his legs no where. Cedric Peerman has been itching to get on the field, why not see what he can do in more plays. Armon Binns is having issues freeing himself from defenders. Marvin Jones has shown he is an explosive receiver from the line of scrimmage. It is almost the middle of the season, maybe it is time to get him more reps.

#8 I don't want to disrespect Marvin Lewis. I like him, I think he wants to win. He is a good schemer and brings a lot intellectual ability to the coaching staff. However, looking at the big picture, is he really what the team needs at head coach? No. He is 72-77 during his long tenure in Cincinnati and he is 0-3 in the playoffs. If this were any other team, he would already be gone. I understand Mike Brown doesn't want to relinquish control and Lewis is the perfect puppet, but Mike Brown is certainly not his father and does not know how to win. He needs someone to teach him that. A new coach that is in complete control of the team, perhaps. 

The fans are already starting to jump ship and the team is facing a matchup on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. If they can't turn it around before heading into their bye in week 8, the team will officially be in trouble to finish the season after all of football set the bar so high for this team. As Cincinnati knows, from very recent history, the fans will turn their backs on the team and they will be left on Sunday will a half full stadium on game day. Something needs to change. Will the talking heads in Bengals front office get it done?

Bengals or Bungles?

After a 3 game win streak, the Cincinnati Bengals finally fell on Sunday to a 1-3 Dolphins team at home in front of a sold out crowd. Something about this loss was more painful than other losses that we have seen over the past few years, though. Maybe it was the fact that Miami is led by a rookie head coach in Joe Philbin. Maybe it is because Miami is led by a rookie quarterback in Ryan Tannehill. Maybe it is was the fact thaat Kevin Coyle was on their side of the ball now and he knew the Bengals as well as anyone after spending so many years with the organization. Maybe it was even because Miami had a losing record. Maybe, it's possible it stung so bad, because it was a loss by only four points. Maybe it was as simple as, the Bengals played terrible, coached terrible, and the better team did not win.

Many fans are starting to put on the life vests now after a horrible showing by the team on Sunday. There is not one player on this team that is not to be blamed for this loss. The defense is still improving, but still missed key tackles and blocks. The secondary did not contain Hartline as well as they should have. He is Tannehill's only weapon and his name was still called all day. Even Nugent and the special teams players did not play at the top of the their game. Nugent missed a late field goal try and Huber, unsually known for his great ball placement while punting, shanked a punt and kicked a couple other balls too short. On offense, Dalton threw two interceptions, AJ fumbled and recovered twice (was only recorded in the log once, though), and guys missed routes or dropped critical passes. The running game was non-existent, albeit for a couple of big breaks to the outside by Scott before he left the field with a season ending ACL injury. The coaching was too conservative and Marvin Lewis dropped the ball on a horrible coaching call with 3:00 left in the 4th quarter. He called for a field goal on 4th and 5 on the Miami side of the field that would still keep the Bengals trailing Miami by 1 point even if it was made. Instead of going for the first down and taking a shot at the end zone for possible winning situation, the fans watched Nugent sail the kick wide right and the Bengals still trailed by 4. Even if he would have hit the field goal, Cincinnati would have still trailed. Marvin said he was just hoping the defense would get a stop and the offense would get the ball back to kick a field goal and win.

When I heard Lewis say that, I instantly thought of The Replacements movie. Gene Hackman was the coach of a replacement football team during a lockout and he says to his scab quarterback Keanu Reeves, "Winners always want the ball when the game is on the line." I guess that is true, unless you are Marvin Lewis. You want to kick it, hope it goes through the up rights, give it to the opposing team, hope they don't score, and hope your defense, which has been a sore point of the team all year, can get the ball back for you...all in the final three minutes of a football game. Maybe Marvin should take a second and review that film. Conservative doesn't pay in the NFL, unless you have a running game, a phenomenal defense, or are in the lead. None of which the Bengals possessed.

The good news is, the 3-2 Bengals are heading to Cleveland this week to face a 0-5 Browns team in the Dawg Pound. This should be a good match up and has every chance to be another win for Cincinnati. The defense will have to show up again, though, and contain Richardson on the ground. Last time these two teams faced each other in week 2, the rookie running back was able to break free from the Bengals and have a big game. The Bengals secondary is also going to have to step it up and finish tackles. Weeden has found his footing in the NFL and has been able to rack up passing yards when needed. The Browns record definitely doesn't show it, but if they aren't contained they can put up big numbers. This game will probably come down to what the Cincinnati defense can withstand.

Andy Dalton and the receivers should have no problem slicing and dicing their way through the Pound, as long as they are careful with their ball security and Andy is able to step up in the pocket. I look for BenJarvus Green-Ellis to share carries with Leonard and Peerman more this game. This should open up the run for the Bengals, which is something they desperately need to keep this team moving forward.


I know many people are worried about the direction of the Bengals since Sundays loss, but here are some encouraging notes: Cincinnati still has a winning record at 3-2. That is the same record as the Giants and Patriots who both saw Superbowl action last year and are always contenders for another. Dontay Moch is back from suspension and looks great since returning to the team 12 lbs heavier. He should be able to get some playing time on Sunday, which will be a huge help on defense. Kirkpatrick is still practicing and looks to return for the Denver game the week after the bye. This is all a step in the right direction for the Bengals and the team should be fine moving forward. Hopefully, Marvin will decide he wants the ball this week when the game is on the line.

Dalton and Green...A Match A Made In Heaven

The years of suffering may finally be over for Bengals fans. Last year we watched two rookies lead our team to the playoffs. Not only did they lead us to the playoffs, they broke the all-time NFL record for yards and receptions by a rookie quarterback/wide receiver tandem. They shocked and amazed us week after week. These two guys brought excitement back to the city and they gave the fans hope.

When A.J. Green and Andy Dalton came into last season, no one knew what to expect.  A.J. Green was the Bengals 4th pick in the first round of the 2011 draft out of Georgia. Sure he was great in college, but could that skill translate into the NFL? Andy Dalton was a 2nd round pick out of TCU. Bengal Nation was still holding on to the, "we are mad at Carson, but what will we do without him" notion. So when the Bengals drafted the quarterback in the 2nd round of the draft, the fans were all on the edge of their seats. No one really got a chance to see them in practice, due to the lockout, so there was a lot of unknown surrounding the new players and the team. Would Palmer come back? Would Mike Brown actually trade him? Can this Dalton kid handle the pressure?

Dalton and Green answered those questions as the season progressed. Dalton threw the football for 3,398 yards and 20 touchdowns with an 80.4 passing rating in his 2011 rookie season. He passed his way right into a Pro Bowl trip to Hawaii. This season, people worried he would go through a sophomore slump, killing the Bengals playoff chances. Instead, he is now at the top of the league and leading his team in high flying aerial attacks on offense week after week. Already in the first four games in his second NFL season, Andy Dalton has thrown for 1,111 yards and 8 touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 103.0. That rating, ranks him 5th overall for starting quarterbacks this season and places him ahead of Brady, Brees, and Rodgers, arguably, the best quarterbacks playing today.

Though Andy has been able to spread the ball around more this year with a lot of guys stepping up, Green is still at the top of the receivers. In his rookie season he racked up 1,057 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. That was enough to eclipse a 1981 franchise record set by Bengals phenom Cris Collinsworth for most receiving yards by a rookie. After a breakout rookie season, he was a hands down favorite for a trip the Pro Bowl where he was the first rookie wide receiver to go to Hawaii since Anquan Boldin did it in 2003. This season has been no different for Green. He has already racked up 428 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. He is ranked second in the league behind Miami's Brian Hartline, whom he can take first place from when the teams match up on Sunday. Green is already on pace to hit 1,712 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in his second season in the NFL. The league is taking notice of his play on the field this season too. His name is once again being spoken with the best, as Green has been honored with the AFC Offensive Player of the Month distinction for September. This is also another big feat for the team, as no Bengals player has won the award since Carson Palmer in 2005.

For the Bengals, being in the limelight for good news is something they don't have much experience in. However, with their 3-1 record, their spot at the top of the AFC North standings with Baltimore, and the explosive play of their best quarterback/wide receiver tandem, they better get to used to it. These two guys are proving they are here to stay and bring respect back to Cincinnati. Most of all though, they are making Bengal Nation believe again.