What's wrong with the Bengals?

[Filmstudy]

They played fairly similar games the first 2 weeks and lost by roughly the same formula:
1. Get behind
2. Allow the other team to grind you down with their running game

I don't have the participation by play for week 2 against the Titans, but in week 1, they asked their 2 defensive tackles to shoulder an astounding burden. Specifically, Domata Peko played 90% of the snaps and John Thornton 87%.

By comparison, last season, Haloti Ngata turned in an iron man season with 75% of snaps for the Ravens (Gregg was 2nd at 67%). Gregg led the '06 Ravens defense at 61%. In 2000 Adams played 63.5% of the snaps and Siragusa 52% (so it's not like Marvin Lewis is not familiar with rotating linemen).

I don't honestly think it matters how bad their backups are, the Bengals will continue to get run over until they rotate more on the defensive line.

[PD101]

What's wrong with the Bengals?
They suck

[darb72]

That whole franchise is steeped in losing. Until Brown dies or gives up control to a real football person they're going to continue to suck.

[Bez513]

I don't know but Carson Palmer is killing my fantasy team! Marvin will get fired for sure.

[festivus]

I don't know but Carson Palmer is killing my fantasy team!

:) Not the first time today I heard that. That's why I don't play fantasy football. You end up with freaking BENGALS on your team. :grbac:

[Ravenatic20]

Marvin will get fired for sure.
For the Bengals it's playoffs or bust. Marvin Lewis needs a 10 win season to secure his job and right now that's not going to happen unless something big changes.

[highwater]

I'm genuinely surprised at how poorly the Bengals have played, especially at their home opener. I thought they'd bounce back in the second game, but evidently they are worse than I thought. I'm not surprised that their defense is bad, because it has been for years, but they've been pitiful on offense, and I sure didn't expect that.

[sailorsam]

what we see on the field is a fraction of what goes on with a team. ever see those coaches running around screaming and giving orders? wow, look at that guy coaching! they usually lose. remember Bud Grant and Tom Landry standing there half-bored? they did their coaching on tuesday/wednesday. looks to me like the Bengals aren't losing on Sunday, they're losing before the game even starts. I've watched both games and as soon as they get a bad break they start looking around--'now what?'.
I despise Jimmy 'Little Weasel' Irsay, but I give him credit for giving up on running his team, and turning it over to real football people (Jim Mora, Bill Polian). Brown needs to do the same.

[obannon35]

I honestly think one of this team's biggest problems is they have no leadership. From the HC on down, there is nobody there that seems to step up when the chips are down. Everytime I see this team all I see is infighting. Things go bad Ocho Poopo is crying about not getting the ball, Whoseyatowelhead is upset because somebody is holding him, and Palmer no matter how bad he gets embarrassed is telling reporters that even though they lost they really are the better team. Which is why I tell everyone the O's really were the best team of the last decade, we just caught some bad breaks.:D The bottom line is they are a team full of whiners and excuse makers, and until they bring in some stand up leadership it's not gonna change.

[Ravenswarrior19]

Who are the Bengals backups??

We have benefitted for years with having solid rotational DLinemen to take the load off the starters. Maake Kemoeatu, Lionel Dalton, Aubrayo Franklin, Keith Washington. Most of these guys went on to be starters on other teams, but we had them coming off the bench. Justin Bannan (and even Dwan Edwards) would be a starter on most teams --- huge unsung hero's for us.

[psuasskicker]

So many people say they're surprised at what's going on with the Bengals. I'm not surprised at all.

First off, what exactly has changed on the defense in the last couple years? They occasionally draft a first rounder for the D, and they occasionally get a good one when they do (Joseph comes to mind), but a lot of them they wind up losing to injury or thuggary. Their D has sucked for years, they were 24th in pts allowed and 27th in yards allowed last year and there was nothing done in the off-season to make me think it would get any better.

On offense, look at Carson Palmer's last few years:
http://www.nfl.com/players/carsonpalmer/profile?id=PAL249055
His TD:INT ratio has declined each year since the '05 season. He's become less efficient, throwing more passes. This coincides with two things...
1) His ACL tear - Done in the '05 Pittsburgh loss. He hasn't been the same since.
2) His OL getting worse - They've lost a lot of talent on that OL the last couple years, and it's had an impact on him.

I don't expect him to continue having the year he's having right now. The Ravens and Titans are two excellent defensive teams, and they're off to a slow start. But I also don't expect he'll be better this year than he was last.

- C -

[Jeremiah W]

1. Mike Brown
2. No scouts
3. uniforms look like prison team colors


The Bungles are who we thought they were, this time we did not let them off the hook. We crowned thier ass.

The thing with the Bungles is the defense was terrible last year and they let the best 3 players leave via free agency. Deltha O'Neal really could have helped them, so could Willy Anderson and Rudi Johnson. Perry can not block, Andrews is not a good RT and the center is terrible. They tried to make a TE a FB and they can not run, pass block or play defense. Other than that they are a freak show circus off the feild with the FBi and sherrif department staking out the player parking lot.

[RAVENOUS52]

Dude, they are the BENGALS...

The franchise whose fans actually WOULDN'T mind if the team left Cincinnati for good!

At least then the unrelenting pain and suffering would stop... :grbac:

[PARavensJeff]

If the Ravens D plays up to their level, it's probably a foregone conclusion Rex will finally get that HC job (Rex, just don't go to Oakland for your sake & tell your brother to run too!!) & Marvin will be done in Cincy, is it worth it for Harbs to think about him as his DC for 09, of course only if Rex becomes a HC?

[Jeremiah W]

If the Ravens D plays up to their level, it's probably a foregone conclusion Rex will finally get that HC job (Rex, just don't go to Oakland for your sake & tell your brother to run too!!) & Marvin will be done in Cincy, is it worth it for Harbs to think about him as his DC for 09, of course only if Rex becomes a HC?

Nooooooooooooooooo. Mike Brown loves Marv. let them keep him.

Rex can go the NFC and we can rescue his brother from Oaktown.

[obannon35]

Nooooooooooooooooo. Mike Brown loves Marv. let them keep him.

Rex can go the NFC and we can rescue his brother from Oaktown.

His brother is a terrible DC, no thank you, Oakland can keep him....

[HoustonRaven]

Rex can go the NFC and we can rescue his brother from Oaktown.

Huh?

As Oakland's DC he has languished as a mediocre DC, with flashes of hope. I'd much prefer Rex over his brother and the stats bare that out.

[Jeremiah W]

Rob ryan had the 3rd ranked defense on a 1-15 team where the offense just was terrible. The guy can coach, but on D even more than offense you need the players because you can not dictate the matchups. if one of your corners can not cover or one of your linemen can not play, that is where the OC will attack. The Ravens defense will make any good DC look great because when healthy, there is no really weak link to attack.

[UKRavenStockers]

Rob Ryan isn't leaving Oakland and is Al Davis' yes man. Al Davis says he doesn't want a defence that blitzes, so Rob Ryan doesn't blitz. He's a puppet and it's becoming blatantly apparent that Lane Kiffin is getting pretty bloody sick of it, he has no control over the defence and Al is pulling in the reigns all over. I'd not be surprised if Kiffin quit before Al fired him. The Raiders won't be a success again until Al Davis dies, sells the team or let's football guys do their job and not try to run the team from his office and his shellsuit.

[deuce]

Rob Ryan isn't leaving Oakland and is Al Davis' yes man. Al Davis says he doesn't want a defence that blitzes, so Rob Ryan doesn't blitz. He's a puppet and it's becoming blatantly apparent that Lane Kiffin is getting pretty bloody sick of it, he has no control over the defence and Al is pulling in the reigns all over. I'd not be surprised if Kiffin quit before Al fired him. The Raiders won't be a success again until Al Davis dies, sells the team or let's football guys do their job and not try to run the team from his office and his shellsuit.

This past off season Rob Ryan was doing everything he could to get out of Oakland. He wanted to be DC for the Jets w/ Mangini and Al Davis refused to let him go anywhere for any reason. I wouldnt exactly call him a "yes man" or a "puppet" for Al Davis. He is an employee under contract.

[mjones73]

Kiffin won't quit, he voids his contract and money owed to him if he resigns vs being fired.

[psuasskicker]

Kiffin won't quit, he voids his contract and money owed to him if he resigns vs being fired.

Yeah, plus the fact that no one will consider it a black mark against him if Davis fires him, but if he quits there are a lot of people that see that as backing down from a challenge.

0% chance he quits, barring another offer in hand, which won't happen during the season.

- C -

[sailorsam]

Rob Ryan isn't leaving Oakland and is Al Davis' yes man. Al Davis says he doesn't want a defence that blitzes, so Rob Ryan doesn't blitz. He's a puppet and it's becoming blatantly apparent that Lane Kiffin is getting pretty bloody sick of it, he has no control over the defence and Al is pulling in the reigns all over. I'd not be surprised if Kiffin quit before Al fired him. The Raiders won't be a success again until Al Davis dies, sells the team or let's football guys do their job and not try to run the team from his office and his shellsuit.

Al Davis used to be a Genius. He's lost it, and folks like Kiffin and RobR that work for him are dead ending. He needs to sell out before he embarasses himself (which he's doing now).
any chance we can get Al Davis and Mike Brown to pool their $ and buy the Steelers???