Marvin feeling heat from media

[ShulaSteakhouse]

From Yahoo, Biggest Losers of Week 2:

Biggest losers: Marv Lewis – do you realize the Browns just scored again? How is it that the likes of Anderson, Joe Jurevicius and Braylon Edwards can shred your defense after the Browns essentially were no-shows a week earlier against the Pittsburgh Steelers? I guess this is just another reminder that schemes are great, but a coach still needs players … especially if they're named Ray Lewis, Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa.

Lance McAlister's blog stats of the day: Only 1 other team in the league has given up more 30 point + games than the Bengals in the last 67 games - pathetic!!!

My stat of the day: Defensive Guru?

The Bengals have played 67 games in the Marvin Lewis era....they have allowed more than 30 points in 16 of 67 games (24%) and are 3-13:

51 Cleveland (L), 49 SD (L), 48 Cleveland (W), 45 Indy (L), 38 New England (L), 38 SF (W), 37 Buffalo (L), 37 KC (L), 35 New England (L), 34 Indy (L), 34 Cleveland (L), 31 Pittsburgh (L), 31 Pittsburgh (W), 31 Baltimore (L), 31 Jets (L), 31 Baltimore (L)

For perspective:

Games allowing more than 30 points over last 67 games:

AFC North/Random teams

Texans 18 (Only one I have found so far with more than Bengals)

Bengals 16

Browns 15

Steelers 9

Ravens 6

*In the 67 games, prior to Marvin (Coslet/LeBeau), the Bengals allowed more than 30 points in 17 of 67 games.

*In the 67 games prior to that (Shula/Coslet), the Bengals allowed more than 30 points in 15 of 67 games.

Dow fires on Marvin's postgame comments

Dustin Dow, Enquirer

Remember last week when Marvin Lewis and Carson Palmer couldn't say enough about how great the Bengals defense was and how they credited the defense for winning the game.

From Lance McAlister:

Funny how a loss turns folks tight-lipped, especially Lewis, who flat-out refused to talk about why the Bengals defense was so bad today.

"I'm not going to try to explain it," Lewis said afterward. "That's our business."

OK. Fine. Whatever. So apparently it's everybody's business when things go well. But when they don't, it's only the Bengals' private business. The only problem with that is that we all saw what happened. We all saw the nonexistent pass rush. We all saw Leon Hall's inexperience. We all saw Jamal Lewis run through holes as wide as I-71.

We have a Hot Seat sighting

CNNSI

7. Marvin Lewis, Bengals -- Everyone expects a lot from this team because it has so much talent at the skill positions. That's not really fair to Lewis, because Chad Johnson and Co. can't fill big holes on defense. Cincy's D looked better than it was in Week 1 against the offensively inept Ravens. Having seen them a couple times in the preseason, I think Sunday's 51-45 loss to the Browns is more indicative of this team's future.

Clark Judge, CBS Sports

Goat of the Week

The entire Cincinnati defense. For a multitude of sins. For allowing the moribund Browns 51 points. For allowing 41 points and 365 total yards in the first 39 minutes. For not touching Lewis on a 66-yard touchdown run. For making Anderson look better than Kenny Anderson. Just a ridiculous performance by a unit that will doom this playoff contender to also-random.

e. Really dumb play by Chad Johnson at the end of the first half in Cleveland. Browns up 27-21, 11 seconds left, Johnson catches a deep out from Carson Palmer with no timeouts left and, instead of ducking out of bounds, he lunges forward, stays inbounds and prevents the Bengals from getting off another play. Got to have a sense of where you are, and what the clock says, Chad.

Peter King, CNNSI

Game ball: We're citing Browns first-year offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, who, under incredible duress and nearly impossible circumstances, somehow put together a game plan that smoked the Bengals' defense.

Len Pasquarelli, ESPN

Desperate men do desperate things, and, in last Monday's game against the Baltimore Ravens it looked like Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan was a guy coaching under pressure. The Bengals rarely blitz as much as they did against the Ravens and quarterback Steve McNair, but Bresnahan might have to do some things differently this season to be around for the 2008 season. Of course, the meltdown the Bengals' defense suffered on Sunday at the Cleveland Browns won't help his cause.

Len Pasquarelli, ESPN

[HairOnFire]

I hate to feed Shuls's negativity, but he's right about Marvin becoming the target of increasing media criticism. In fact, I doubt he'll find anything more point blank than the following.

"Marvin Lewis has been exposed as a fraud." --- Skip Bayless, ESPN's First Take

[HoosierCat]

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your view of Marvin, there's only one person Lewis needs fear getting any heat from -- and we all know how much that person listens to the media.

Barring an '02-caliber disaster, which I don't see happening, Mike Brown isn't going to sack Marvin.

I do think that unless there's some dramatic improvement in the D (fat chance IMHO) Bresh is gone after the season.

[AMC]

I hate to feed Shuls's negativity, but he's right about Marvin becoming the target of increasing media criticism. In fact, I doubt he'll find anything more point blank than the following.

"Marvin Lewis has been exposed as a fraud." --- Skip Bayless, ESPN's First Take

Ouch....

Somebody needs to light a fire....Wait, I've been saying that for how long??????????

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

I hate to feed Shuls's negativity, but he's right about Marvin becoming the target of increasing media criticism. In fact, I doubt he'll find anything more point blank than the following.

"Marvin Lewis has been exposed as a fraud." --- Skip Bayless, ESPN's First Take

Damn. You hate to pile on, but I've been wondering for some time if he wasn't just in the right place at the right time with the BAL D in 2000. With those guys, even a prevent defense would work fine.

To give him credit though, he did bring a sense of professionalism to this team that was missing for a long time. Players seem to respond to him. So I think he'd be fine as a head coach, as long as he could just....find...a...decent....DC!

[Ickey44]

For some reason he refuses to get more involved in one aspect of the team than the rest. But if the offense doesn't need his help, then why not spend the majority of his time with the defense and find out exactly why Chuck isn't getting his job done? I don't understand his reasons in that regard. It's working fine for Dungy....

[BengalszoneBilly]

For some reason he refuses to get more involved in one aspect of the team than the rest. But if the offense doesn't need his help, then why not spend the majority of his time with the defense and find out exactly why Chuck isn't getting his job done? I don't understand his reasons in that regard. It's working fine for Dungy....

Notice how no "I'm still okay with Chuck and Marvin" posters bothered to comment in here?

[BengalszoneBilly]

To give him credit though, he did bring a sense of professionalism to this team that was missing for a long time.

In light of all the Bengals off the field problems, I can't even give him that. Yes he did bring us out of the darkness of the '90's, but after all the high draft picks this organization received from that, how hard was it really? Marvin is in a critical year in his tenure as Cincinnati's head coach. I recommend he does something about these problems and FAST!

[Dawg BpG]

Firing coaches never helps depleted talent....trust me...

[BengalszoneBilly]

Firing coaches never helps depleted talent....trust me...

Dude, the talent is there. Too many high draft picks to argue otherwise. The problem is how that said talent is utilized. If you swapped out the Bengals coaching staff with the Patriots right now, I would bet my last dollar each teams fortunes would follow accordingly!

[Stripes]

Notice how no "I'm still okay with Chuck and Marvin" posters bothered to comment in here?

What's there to say?

Of course the media is going to criticise the Bengals players/coaches/front office after a game like that. Just the same, if the Bengals defense plays well against Seattle next week they'll all be praising Marvin/Chuck for whatever their whims decide.

I don't give a damn what the media has to say.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Notice how no "I'm still okay with Chuck and Marvin" posters bothered to comment in here?

What's there to say?

Of course the media is going to criticise the Bengals players/coaches/front office after a game like that. Just the same, if the Bengals defense plays well against Seattle next week they'll all be praising Marvin/Chuck for whatever their whims decide.

I don't give a damn what the media has to say.

Usually I don't, but they, along with a large percentage of Bengal fans, (myself included) have a lot to say on this matter at the moment. This cannot be allowed to linger. Outcry is extermely appropriate right now IMHO.

[Dawg BpG]

Firing coaches never helps depleted talent....trust me...

Dude, the talent is there. Too many high draft picks to argue otherwise. The problem is how that said talent is utilized. If you swapped out the Bengals coaching staff with the Patriots right now, I would bet my last dollar each teams fortunes would follow accordingly!

Take off you Orange and black goggles friend.

The only players that are recognizable on your defense is Justin Smith and the ROOKIE CB, and the second year cornerback. Sans those players you have no one over the third round starting on your

D.

There is no denying losing Pollack and Odel hurts.

No sir, the talent is not there.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Firing coaches never helps depleted talent....trust me...

Dude, the talent is there. Too many high draft picks to argue otherwise. The problem is how that said talent is utilized. If you swapped out the Bengals coaching staff with the Patriots right now, I would bet my last dollar each teams fortunes would follow accordingly!

Take off you Orange and black goggles friend.

The only players that are recognizable on your defense is Justin Smith and the ROOKIE CB, and the second year cornerback.

There is no denying losing Pollack and Odel hurts.

No sir, the talent is not there.

Your opinion. Take that and a nickle, and you still can't buy a cup of coffee.

[Dawg BpG]

That's fine if you don't want to talk football, but your wrong.

[BengalszoneBilly]

That's fine if you don't want to talk football, but your wrong.

I talked football, but obviously you didn't comprehend. There are many talented draft picks, seasoned veterans, and even a Super Bowl MVP on the defense. Your point was?

[Stripes]

That's fine if you don't want to talk football, but your wrong.

While I don't think the defense is loaded with talent by any means, I'm curious what you think of Madieu Williams, Robert Geathers, and Deltha O'Neal?

[Spor_tees]

This is starting to get into the "I told you so" territory. Marvin was in Baltimore and had a great GM in Ozzie Newsome giving him great players for his defense, then in Cincy he gets all these high draft picks and a team of "underachievers" to coach. Unfortunately, in Cincy as opposed to Baltimore, Lewis hasn't been able to get this bunch to do more than become mediocre. One winning season since Marvin has been here really isn't enough when you have a Pro-bowl RB, WR, RT, Pro-Bowl alternate LT, and an all world QB. Take Tony Dungy in contrast to Marvin. Dungy's worst season in Indy is 10-6, and has won a Super Bowl. Both coaches came into similar positions yet Dungy has excelled, where Marvin has not been able to get over the hump. These are all things I have been saying about Marvin for over a year now.

[Stripes]

Dungy had MUCH more talent already in place for him when he went to Indy than Marvin did in 2003. C'mon now. The Colts were coming off of a disappointing 6-10 2001 season (hence the coaching change) after having records of 10-6 and 13-3.

The two seasons prior to Marvin's takeover? 6-10 and 2-14 (not to mention ten other seasons of similar crap).

The two situations are completely incomparable.

[HoTbOy]

I was thinking the same thing about MLewis being at the right place at the right time with Baltimore...How can you coach a team to the SB with the lowest point total in history for a season, and in just 2 games this year that point total is almost reached,Even the Raiders D was pretty good without Chuck last year so is it really the coaches or players... I would like to think that MLewis is not a fraud but 4 years at the helm of your own team and the D sucks, while Baltimore is still a top 5 D every year...I for 1 think that it is good that he gets the heat that he is getting, If a player was not performing on the field the media would roast him so why not coaches...

[Dawg BpG]

That's fine if you don't want to talk football, but your wrong.

While I don't think the defense is loaded with talent by any means, I'm curious what you think of Madieu Williams, Robert Geathers, and Deltha O'Neal?

Sorry TBD, I fell asleep...

Madieu Williams is a good enough athlete, but I lump him in the Brodney Pool range. Good athelete but he is consistently out of position, and takes bad angles. He is good enough against the run, but he gets caught looking into the backfield too often.

Robert Geathers is what he is a 4th round pick. He doesn't excel in stopping the run and he doesn't excel in the pass rush, where he is probably better. He will probably always be known best for ending Trent Greens career. LOL

Deltha O'neal never really performed to his high draft status. He is fooled easily and does not have the elite speed to make up the ground. I always found him to be a catalyst or a cancer on defense. He can play great some games, and then get burned all day long other days. The only thing I can think of is the guy is a head case, I can't think of a reason why he shouldn't be an elite talent. He has however lost a step and is getting old.

[The Brew Man]

I think the Bengal D has "some" talent, but not enough to be considered a top 10 D by any stretch in any league. That said, Marvin really seems to have pissed off the press.

I compiled some of it here

http://cincinnatibengals.contentquake.com/...ers-press-fans/

Also, does anyone else get reminded of Dr. Hibbert from The Simpsons at every Lewis press conference?>

He always seems to be laughing when nothing is funny....

[WhoDey93285]

That's fine if you don't want to talk football, but your wrong.

While I don't think the defense is loaded with talent by any means, I'm curious what you think of Madieu Williams, Robert Geathers, and Deltha O'Neal?

Sorry TBD, I fell asleep...

Madieu Williams is a good enough athlete, but I lump him in the Brodney Pool range. Good athelete but he is consistently out of position, and takes bad angles. He is good enough against the run, but he gets caught looking into the backfield too often.

Robert Geathers is what he is a 4th round pick. He doesn't excel in stopping the run and he doesn't excel in the pass rush, where he is probably better. He will probably always be known best for ending Trent Greens career. LOL

Deltha O'neal never really performed to his high draft status. He is fooled easily and does not have the elite speed to make up the ground. I always found him to be a catalyst or a cancer on defense. He can play great some games, and then get burned all day long other days. The only thing I can think of is the guy is a head case, I can't think of a reason why he shouldn't be an elite talent. He has however lost a step and is getting old.

You are completely wrong about Robert Geathers, in my opinion. The guy had 10.5 sacks last year. So to say he doesn't excel in pass rush is absurd if you've ever watched the guy play. When he came into the league, he was just a situational pass rusher because he was terrible against the run, but he has vastly improved against the run to the point where I'd even call him 'good' at it. He is an exceptional speed pass rusher and is good against the run.

As for our defense, I think we have enough talent there, but our ineptitude at linebacker is killing us. Our secondary have talent: Deltha, Madieu, Leon Hall, Dexter Jackson, Jonathon Joseph. The talent is there. The expierience may not be there in some aspects but the talent is definately there.

Our D-Line and Linebackers is where we are struggling. Ahmad Brooks is a beast. Landon Johnson is a good outside linebacker. But after that you've got, who? Caleb Miller. And when Johnson or Brooks get hurt, you've got Caleb Miller playing MLB. That disasterous. I drool at the mouth thinking of a linebacking corps of Pollack/Brooks/Thurman.

And on the D-Line, all we've really got in Geathers. Justin Smith has his good games, and the guy plays his heart out, but he just isn't that good.

[SkinneymulleT]

Sorry TBD, I fell asleep...

Madieu Williams is a good enough athlete, but I lump him in the Brodney Pool range. Good athelete but he is consistently out of position, and takes bad angles. He is good enough against the run, but he gets caught looking into the backfield too often.

Robert Geathers is what he is a 4th round pick. He doesn't excel in stopping the run and he doesn't excel in the pass rush, where he is probably better. He will probably always be known best for ending Trent Greens career. LOL

Deltha O'neal never really performed to his high draft status. He is fooled easily and does not have the elite speed to make up the ground. I always found him to be a catalyst or a cancer on defense. He can play great some games, and then get burned all day long other days. The only thing I can think of is the guy is a head case, I can't think of a reason why he shouldn't be an elite talent. He has however lost a step and is getting old.

I guess 10+ sacks in a year and you dont excell at pass rush? In 3 of his seasons in the league, deltha had 5+ ints and a 9 & 10 int season? How many other cb can make that claim? His only problem is his attitude. He has better physical qualities then 90% of the cornerbacks in the league. His speed is 1st class, and has scored 6 td's as a returner. He had 2 bad years. Without them he would be considered an elite cb. Do some research before you make stupid statements.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Do some research before you make stupid statements.

Like that's going to happen. We're talking about a Browns fan here for crissakes!