BYE WEEK RECAP
Well, the Patriots just came to town and showed the Bengals how to be a professional football team, and not just a bunch of pro athletes playing football. The Bengals had their chances as there were fourteen 3rd or 4th and short opportunities for both teams throughout the night. Those are the plays that decide a game, and of those 14 plays, the Patriots won 12 of them including a stop by the Bengals which was negated by a 12 men on the field penalty. Also, the Patriots scored two of their TDs on 3rd down and one on 4th down when the Bengals could have limited points. The Bengals were beaten when they needed a big stop or big conversion, and the Patriots showed how an elite team dominates a lesser opponent on the plays that matter. The Bengals LB situation went from weak to abysmal as Lemar Marshall and Landon Johnson had to leave the game putting Anthony Schlegel and Dhani Jones as the only Bengals LBs. Rookie safety Chinedum Ndukwe was pressed into emergency LB service and actually was not the worst LB on the field. In ranking the LBs the Bengals have played, or expected to have, I see the list going as follows:

Thurman
Johnson
Pollack
Jeanty
Brooks
Marshall
Jones
Miller
Frazier
Ndukwe
Schlegel (Playing hurt)
As you can see, the Bengals were playing with their 7th, 10th and 11th LBs on the field most of Monday night. But the LB core was not the most appalling part of the Bengals performance as they could be expected to underperform with Schlegel (Hurt toe), Jones (10 day Bengal) and Ndukwe playing. The defensive line was dominated by the Patriots. The Patriots usually run a lot of shifting runs with pulling linemen to use speed and confusion on the defense. As the game went on, the Patriots started running straight ahead at the Bengals as the Patriots line controlled the line of scrimmage. How is Ndukwe supposed to play LB at 215 pounds with his own linemen being driven back into him? If the Bengals Dline cannot hold their ground, it would not matter if you had Ray Lewis, Hannibal Lector and a Bulldozer playing LB, they could not make plays with fat losers in their way.

The offense continues to play musical chairs with the line and to look for a third option. The offense did not play too bad, but they got off to a slow start which always hurts. Even so, they had a perfect chance right before the half to change the game. Then the much documented miscommunication between Carson and Chad derailed their chances. This has been going on for years, but since it was Monday night and Carson and Chad argued on tv, this is the first time it’s a story. Once the Bengals get in striking range, Chad incessantly mis-runs routes trying to stretch his way into the endzone. It does not always result in an interception, but can be seen in Palmer misfires. Chad will see the endzone, and instead of cutting in front of the defender at the 10 or 5 yard line, will run deep. Carson will throw to the opening in the defense which usually has a safety waiting for a potential INT. Football at every level wants receivers to cut in front of the defender to create a target for the QB. In cutting behind the defender, the receiver is taking himself out of the play and eliminating any opening for the QB. Chad sees endzone, tries to get behind the defense, and this is an example of the selfishness that hurt the Bengals on Monday night. Once the Patriots built on their lead, the Bengals offense had to become one dimensional and play right into the Patriots hands.

Now for the good news and season outlook
The Bengals are not in terrible shape if the team does not implode from this embarrassing loss. Most people’s minds are clouded by the loss to the Browns. Imagine the Bengals showed up for the Browns like they should have. The Bengals would be sitting at 2-2 having lost to the best team in the AFC and the 2nd best team in the NFC. Not a bad place to be after the most difficult part of the schedule. However, being inconsistent and unprofessional has put the Bengals in a position where they must win and get back to .500. The good news is the Bengals have the bye week to hopefully get healthy, and then face @KC, Jets, Steelers, and @BUF. The Bengals should be able to go 3-1 in those games and be 4-4 when Chris Henry returns.
As for the playoff picture, the Bengals are fine. They still have a shot at the division, and the wild card is wide open. The north division will come down to the Bengals and Steelers. The Ravens 2nd half schedule is murder as they face @PIT, CIN, CLE, @SD, NE, IND, @MIA, @SEA, PIT. Three straight division games followed by the three AFC division winners in 2006, followed by the 2 longest road trips they make, and topped with the Steelers. Currently at 2-2 and 0-2 in the division, the Ravens will not survive to the end of the year. The Browns just do not count, and if the Bengals are battling the Browns for a playoff spot, the Bengals do not deserve to go to the playoffs. The Steelers, on the other hand, are in the driver’s seat. However, the Steelers lost to the Cardinals last Sunday in a game they should have won. So the Bengals and Steelers both have given one game away, too bad the Bengal’s was a division loss. The Bengals and Steelers have pretty much the same schedule for the rest of the season. All the Bengals have to do is match the Steelers, and beat the Steelers head to head, and the North Division comes back to Cincinnati.
The wild card is wide open. As it is right now, the AFC East stinks like New Jersey, so no wild card worries there. The AFC West is a crapshoot with an emphasis on the crap. San Diego would appear to be the only team with the talent to win 10 games, but they are currently 1-3 and sitting behind the Oakland Raiders. The division leader in the West, the Broncos, are 2-2 and have been outscored by their opponents 95-72. The Raiders are one strategic timeout from leading the division. So the wild card competition looks to be coming from the AFC South with the Titans at 2-1, the Jags at 2-1 and the Texans at 2-2. All three teams are playing well, but none of them strike fear into the NFL. Also, each of these teams has 2 games with the Colts, and then 2 games with each other, and then they play the AFC West. That is a much tougher road than the Bengals who get the Jets, Bills, and Dolphins of the AFC East. The Bengals are still in good shape for the playoffs as long as they can shake off the early season problems, get healthy, and not unravel with infighting. Now is the time where we will see if Marvin is truly a good coach or not. The team has faced a lot of adversity, but the schedule is set with win-able games for the Bengals to get right back on track. If Marvin can keep the team focused, the season can be saved. If not, the writing is on the wall for what kind of a coach Marvin Lewis will be for the Bengals. He has pulled the franchise out of the cellar, but the transition period is over and this is now his team. All responsibility will fall on his shoulders if he can create a winning team, or merely an average team. He is not in danger of being fired because the team is selling tickets and Mike Brown needs to lose money or have 4 or 5 losing seasons before he will make a change.

Evaluation Time

Most consistent performer: Jeff Rowe

Jeff Rowe has dominated all contenders like the ’27 Yankees. His only setback was to the always professional Patriots who had an absolute mutant on their coaching staff.

Most inconsistent performer: Robert Geathers

Geathers put together one of the best defensive performances in recent memory for the Bengals against the Ravens. However, since that game he has been non-existent. In fairness to him, he has been asked to play LB and perform many other tasks to help out the sagging defense. Still, his disappearing act is startling. He is young and has room to improve unlike many other underperforming veterans on the Bengals defense.

Biggest positive surprise: Chinedum Ndukwe

Marvin White was drafted to provide safety help while Ndukwe was drafted in the 7th round merely as a special teams performer. In a positive surprise, Ndukwe has played very well with the first team defense and even played LB in a pinch on Monday. He is displaying the type of versatility that Madieu Williams showed his rookie year as a 2nd round pick.

Biggest negative surprise: Special Teams

The Bengals special teams have been an afterthought the past few years as they were consistently above average. No one really paid attention to them other than hoping to find an upgrade at punt returner. With injuries and the roster constantly changing, the Bengals special teams have fallen to the bottom of the league. Now everyone holds their breath every time the Bengals special teams take the field.
Honorable Mention: More star wars gear. I saw 2 storm troopers and a darth vader on Monday night, who are these people?


Biggest story to follow: I would say the Chad/Carson story because the media may not let that one go. However, Chad going for the endzone and not breaking off routes has been going on for years, and after the bye I think things will go back to business as usual. It is not something that happens every week, and if Chad and Carson have success against the Chiefs, it will never be heard again. So the big story has to be the Dline and the health of the LBs. If Jeanty, Brooks, Johnson, Miller, and Jones are healthy after the bye, that is a capable group of LBs. The emphasis then shifts to the Dline to uphold their responsibility of not being dominated at the line of scrimmage.

In the past 10 years, the Bengals have drafted a total of 3 defensive linemen on the first day of the draft, Reinard Wilson, Justin Smith, and Frostee Rucker. Wilson was an obvious bust, Smith has been average, and nobody even knows what Rucker’s jersey number is because he has not been on the field. It’s pretty clear why the defense has been an issue for the last 5 years. Under Marvin, the Bengals have drafted 5 LBs and 4 DBs on the first day of the draft, but only 3 of the 9 were on the field Monday night due to injuries, suspensions, and talent. Those three were Madieu Williams, Jonathan Joseph, and Leon Hall. The missing LBs: Johnson, Miller, Pollack, Thurman, and Brooks. The missing DB: Ratliff. With no Dline talent drafted, followed by zero first day drafted LBs playing, it does not matter who is in the secondary. The Bengals defense needs serious help, and the biggest issues are up front.

Biggest non-story: Marvin and the media.

The media tried to make a story about Marvin being condescending to them following the Browns loss when he said it’s not worth explaining the mistakes to the media because they would not understand. It’s true, most of the media are idiots and it is a waste of time for Marvin to get detailed. Most media think they are much more important than they are, and create stories over nothing because they feel slighted. Marvin is not talking to the media because they are important, he is required to do press conferences by the NFL, and the best coaches reveal nothing in these press conferences. Belichick, Billick, Parcells, Cowher, Reid, and all of the successful coaches in recent memory have terrible relationships with reporters and say nothing substantial in interviews. Why? Because it does not benefit them to talk to the media, but they are required to do so by the NFL. Anyone who expects a detailed commentary on a game from an NFL head coach is a moron. End of non-story.

Proof that no position with the Bengals is safe: The Ben-gals have posted new photo albums on their website. Tiffany who had a strong showing in the early season is now being replaced in her position as trashiest cheerbabe. Rhonee is showing post season effort in week 4 as she showed up to a grade school for community service.

I can just picture the conversation leading up to Rhonee’s visit:

Ben-gals Director: I need someone to go to a Kindergarten for a community service visit. Is anyone available?
Rhonee: I’m available, what is it?
Ben-gals Director: Just spend the day speaking with 5 year olds in their classroom.
Rhonee: Great, I’m in. Hmmmm, a class room full of 5 year olds, do you think hot pants and cropped and tied jersey would be appropriate?
Ben-gals Director: Gee I don’t know, do you have a top that is see through?
Rhonee: Oh no, my see through top is at the laundry, I wore it last week for the special olympics.
Ben-gals Director: If you have to wear a tied crop top, then you’ll just have to do it. I just hope the kids aren’t disappointed.


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