Ten reasons the Bengals are 1-8

[Ox]

Ten reasons the Bengals are 1-8

By Chick Ludwig

Staff Writer

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Chad's antics

Five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Johnson spent the offseason requesting, then demanding, a trade. It fell on deaf ears. The Bengals rejected the Redskins' offer of a first-round draft pick in 2008 and a conditional third-rounder in 2009 for Johnson.

Trade voided

The NFL voided the trade of Lions defensive tackle Shaun Rogers to Cincinnati on Feb. 29, and Rogers was shipped to Cleveland instead. The Bengals lost out on the impact player they needed in the middle of the defensive line.

Henry's return

The club re-signed Chris Henry to a two-year contract on Aug. 19. It sent a message to players that Bengals owner and president Mike Brown — not head coach Marvin Lewis — runs the team.

Broken nose

Quarterback Carson Palmer suffered a broken nose and cut lip on a sack by New Orleans free safety Kevin Kaesviharn in the preseason (Aug. 23). The photo of Palmer's bloody face mirrors the Bengals' season.

Name change

Chad Johnson's legal name change to Chad Ocho Cinco in Broward County, Fla., became public on Aug. 29. It served as another headache and distraction for Team Hollywood.

Injury bug

Sept. 1 — the Monday before the opener — marked the first time "The Big Three" of Palmer, Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh practiced together on the same field since December 2007. Johnson had an ankle scope prior to training camp and suffered a sprained shoulder in the preseason, while Houshmandzadeh battled a hamstring injury most of training camp.

Elbow greased

Palmer injured his right elbow on a first-quarter sack against the Giants at the Meadowlands on Sept. 21. He's played in only one game (at Dallas on Oct. 5) since then.

Fractured jaw

Rookie linebacker Keith Rivers, the club's first-round draft pick, suffered a broken jaw on a vicious block by Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward on Oct. 19. He's out for the season.

Aerial circus

The longest pass play to a Bengals wide receiver this season is 26 yards. No wonder the club ranks dead last in total offense at 238.2 yards a game.

Sack attack

The club has yielded 30 sacks, 13 more than all of 2007 when it set a club record for pass protection by giving up just 17 sacks.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/o...8spbenlist.html

[ArmyBengal]

Ten reasons the Bengals are 1-8

Chad's antics (NOTHING TO DO WITH WHY WE ARE CURRENTLY 1-8)

Trade voided (BROWNS GAVE UP BODDEN AND WE HAVE PAT SIMS DEVELOPING, I'LL TAKE THAT)

Henry's return (NOTHING TO DO WITH WHY WE ARE CURRENTLY 1-8)

Broken nose (O-LINE PLAY AND HIS ELBOW ?? YES... BROKEN NOSE ?? NOTHING TO DO WITH IT)

Name change (QUITE POSSIBLY THE DUMBEST F*CKING EXCUSE GIVEN IN SPORTS HISTORY)

Injury bug (I CAN UNDERSTAND CARSON, BUT TJ IS DOING WELL AND CHAD DOESN'T WEAR A HARNESS)

Elbow greased (FALLS UNDER INJURIES, NEXT......)

Fractured jaw (FALLS UNDER INJURIES, NEXT......)

Aerial circus (HELLO CHICK, CARSON HAS BEEN HURT, BUT FITZ IS MOBILE WHILE CARSON ISN'T. TRADE OFF...)

Sack attack (O-LINE HAS PLAYED POORLY, SO I GRANT THIS ONE...)

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/o...8spbenlist.html

I will start and finish with a simple ---- Chick is a f*cking retard !!!

[membengal]

In Chick's defense, you can't begin to overstate just how much Rogers has impacted the Browns D.

Oh, wait.

Browns are 3-6?

Let's scratch not having Rogers off the list as culprits for this horrible teams record.

[ArmyBengal]

You just begin to overstate how losing Bodden has hurt the Browns defense as their secondary has gotten burned over and over again !!!

With that thought in mind, I would say losing Bodden hurt more than Rogers has helped the Browns...

Either way, Chick is just stabbing in the dark.

[Kazkal]

Reason I feel we are 1-8 mainly is from our offensive line....How much worse our running game got which effected our passing game....

Things started going downhill when Braham got injured and we let steinbach walk.

PS,As someone who has always liked Rodgers.I really don't mind we didn't get him and like the look of what we have in Sims and what shirly could bring if he gets coached up.Because in the past we really haven't given hayes alot to work with and the project guys we let walk after a year or two...Shaun,moore & toe.

[BengalChamps]

I TOTALLY agreee with chick on the antics of chad. Very distracting and tells the team that he is more important than making the playoffs. Ditto on Cheech Henry. I would rank this one as the number one reason. Mikey boy DESTROYED the team with this "control freak" decision.

I would rather lose than watch Henry have success. Mikey...you continue to ruin this team. GO AWAY!

[BengalszoneBilly]

I TOTALLY agreee with chick on the antics of chad. Very distracting and tells the team that he is more important than making the playoffs. Ditto on Cheech Henry. I would rank this one as the number one reason. Mikey boy DESTROYED the team with this "control freak" decision.

I would rather lose than watch Henry have success. Mikey...you continue to ruin this team. GO AWAY!

I find the lack of a quality offensive line is far more distracting than a wide receiver legally changing his name. IMHO if the line was worth a s**t we wouldn't be 1-8, Carson wouldn't be injured, and the receiver previously known as Chad Johnson would have many more catches.

[ArmyBengal]

I TOTALLY agreee with chick on the antics of chad. Very distracting and tells the team that he is more important than making the playoffs. Ditto on Cheech Henry. I would rank this one as the number one reason. Mikey boy DESTROYED the team with this "control freak" decision.

I would rather lose than watch Henry have success. Mikey...you continue to ruin this team. GO AWAY!

I can't see what ONE player does during the OFFSEASON that would have significant impact on the ENTIRE TEAM once the season begins. If that is the case, this team has far greater problems than I would have EVER thought possible. As for the name change, I will still contend that it's not a "reason", it's an "excuse" and on top of that, one of the worst ones I've ever heard in the history of sports. A f*cking name change in responsible for a 1-8 record of a "professional" football team ?? Wake the f*ck up people !!!

Yeah, MB didn't help with his controlling, but I can't say any more than that...

[kingwilly]

Chad's antics

Five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Johnson spent the offseason requesting, then demanding, a trade. It fell on deaf ears. The Bengals rejected the Redskins' offer of a first-round draft pick in 2008 and a conditional third-rounder in 2009 for Johnson.

Massive distraction. Once decied that Mr. CJ weas not going anywhere, SoP sent a message that NFL owners would not be held hostage by agents/athletes.

Henry's return

The club re-signed Chris Henry to a two-year contract on Aug. 19. It sent a message to players that Bengals owner and president Mike Brown — not head coach Marvin Lewis — runs the team.

Massive problem. Coach who openly disagrees with owner is never a good item. Lewis has no "control" and is a fixture at his job.

Broken nose

Quarterback Carson Palmer suffered a broken nose and cut lip on a sack by New Orleans free safety Kevin Kaesviharn in the preseason (Aug. 23). The photo of Palmer's bloody face mirrors the Bengals' season.

Symptomatic of the line. More a reflection of the disarray within the "house": SoP>Lewis>Coaches>Players

Injury bug

Sept. 1 — the Monday before the opener — marked the first time "The Big Three" of Palmer, Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh practiced together on the same field since December 2007. Johnson had an ankle scope prior to training camp and suffered a sprained shoulder in the preseason, while Houshmandzadeh battled a hamstring injury most of training camp.

Another symptom of the "house": Players who call the shots. Palmer has the "team" mindset, TJ has the work ethic, and CJ has the natural talent.

Elbow greased

Palmer injured his right elbow on a first-quarter sack against the Giants at the Meadowlands on Sept. 21. He's played in only one game (at Dallas on Oct. 5) since then.

More line problems shining through.

Fractured jaw

Rookie linebacker Keith Rivers, the club's first-round draft pick, suffered a broken jaw on a vicious block by Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward on Oct. 19. He's out for the season.

Non-factor. Rivers is a very nice player but this has not had the impact/ The team beat JaX without Rivers.

Aerial circus

The longest pass play to a Bengals wide receiver this season is 26 yards. No wonder the club ranks dead last in total offense at 238.2 yards a game.

Line problems clearly the problem.

Sack attack

The club has yielded 30 sacks, 13 more than all of 2007 when it set a club record for pass protection by giving up just 17 sacks.

...see above. IT'S THE LINE, STUPID!

IT'S THE LINE, STUPID!

IT'S THE LINE, STUPID!

IT'S THE LINE, STUPID!

Bringing back Henry was SoP's way to say "this is my team". Cutting key veterans was ML's way to send a message in response to the Henry.

All the other drama flows from these two actions.

[Kazkal]

Even when line gave up 17 sacks still seemed like trash

[HairOnFire]

Let's start by stating the obvious, Chick is a moron, and move quickly to the equally predictable but slightly less obvious....the idea that Chick will attempt to pad the list until is meets some vague "Top Ten" standard.

So what's left?

1 - Chad's antics/Chad's name change - Same player...same problem. History teaches us blatant douchebaggery is ignored only at great personal risk. Furthermore, the idea that the Bengals season was doomed long before the season began isn't new, and has been discussed at some length by ex-players like Collinsworth, Esiason, etc. Simply put, the public face of this franchise continues to be an increasingly unfunny joke. Or if you prefer, a total loser.

2 - Trade voided - Three points. First, the trade was voided through no fault of the Bengals. Second, their fallback plan(s) eventually settled on Pat Sims, a player with a very bright future. But third, yes. Rogers has been everything the Browns, and the Bengals, were hoping to get. In fact, the trade almost certainly would have meant far more to the Bengals than it did for the Browns soley due to matters related to team image. In short, losing Rogers became just one more thing at a time and place when the Bengals couldn't afford one more thing, no matter how slight.

3 - Henry's return - Mike Brown's decision to bring back Chris Henry effectively removed Marvin Lewis's coaching legs just below the knees. Worse, it was almost certainly a "pure panic" move made in reaction to Chad's multi-month meltdown. Or if you prefer, it was salt for my already wounded fandom.

4 - Broken nose/Elbow greased/Fractured jaw/Injury bug - This that and the other thing are actually just one thing, and that's still true even if you want to point out how long the injury list actually was. So let's all take a moment and note how this team once again didnt catch a break on the injury front, and then quickly move on to the related point that someone is sure to mention. That being, so what? Who cares if the impact was tremendous? The only thing that matters now is how tired we all are of weighing the impact of injuries each and every year. This team needs new ideas, new excuses, or at the very least a new way to fail.

5 - Aerial circus/Sack attack - Again, the failures may be many but it's a mistake to look at them individually. Rather, the passing game, like so many other units on this team, simply weren't ready to play when the season began and the failure was complete and across the board.

So there you go. Five for fighting, not ten.

[Spor_tees]

What truly amazes me is that we as fans can come up with a laundry list of reasons the Bengals are playing so poorly, yet if you look at the last undefeated team in the NFL what do you see? Do you see a team full of superstars? Do you see a team that stretches the field with the vertical passing game? Do you see a franchise quarterback leading the team? Well, it's no to all of the above. The Titans have two things going for them, an awesome defensive line consisting of Haynesworth, Vanden Bosch, Ford, and Kearse, and an offensive line that is anchored by an awesome veteran center with a mean streak in Mawae. Because the defensive line is so good, they are able to warrant double teams that keep blockers from getting to the second level, which in turn makes the average linebackers look better. The defensive front 4 are also able to get pressure on the quarterback without blitzing which helps in pass defense. On the offensive side of the ball, even though the Titans have a rookie runningback, the offensive line is able to make him look more like a veteran, and because they can communicate well enough to pick up blitzes on third down, it allows Johnson to stay in the game and become a pass catcher out of the backfield.

The biggest thing the Titans have going for them though isn't even on the field. They have a competent GM and a great head coach in Fisher. The Titans do things right, and have more winning seasons than losing ones. It almost makes you want to be a fan of them. I know I will be rooting for them to go undefeated unlike last year where I hoped the Pats would lose each week.

[HairOnFire]

The biggest thing the Titans have going for them though isn't even on the field. They have a competent GM and a great head coach in Fisher.

I'm reminded of past conversations on this very board that attempted to compare Marvin Lewis's record of underachieving with those of Jeff Fisher. The consensus opinion, which I didn't agree with, was both head coaches had somehow topped out and were incapable of producing little more than an endless series of 8-8 seasons. When I attempted to counter by pointing out how well Fisher was doing under the circumstances...suggesting many of the same circumstances were faced by Lewis....I quickly found myself wading through countless yammerings about Fisher being a loser who was quickly being exposed in the same fashion as Lewis.

Sorry, I'm not really going anywhere with this. Just noting how quickly things can change elsewhere.

[derekshank]

The biggest thing the Titans have going for them though isn't even on the field. They have a competent GM and a great head coach in Fisher.

I'm reminded of past conversations on this very board that attempted to compare Marvin Lewis's record of underachieving with those of Jeff Fisher. The consensus opinion, which I didn't agree with, was both head coaches had somehow topped out and were incapable of producing little more than an endless series of 8-8 seasons. When I attempted to counter by pointing out how well Fisher was doing under the circumstances...suggesting many of the same circumstances were faced by Lewis....I quickly found myself wading through countless yammerings about Fisher being a loser who was quickly being exposed in the same fashion as Lewis.

Sorry, I'm not really going anywhere with this. Just noting how quickly things can change elsewhere.

C'mon Hair... Go somewhere with this. Go out on a limb. Say they shouldn't fire Marvin.

I mean... you would be wrong, but I agree with you on the fundamentals. Marvin isn't the problem. And if he is 'a' problem (as in, one of the many), it's not his fault. It's only because Mike Brown castrated his authority.

Fans are fickle. Your Fisher example is perfect. I also remember how Steelers fans wanted Cowher more than just fired. They wanted him hanged... but he came through with his Championship, and they instantly love him again.

The fans that are throwing Marvin under the bus are the same fans that said "In Marvin We Trust" just two years ago. And I disagree with the idea that changing out head coaches every 4-5 years ever works. The franchises that find consistent success are the teams that don't fire coaches on the whims of the fans. But, we have an owner that has potentially ruined Marvin's chances for success in Cincinnati.

So despite my general feelings to the contrary, and my belief that Marvin is not to blame - because of the situation that Mike Brown has created, I feel compelled to join in with those who desire to see Marvin fired. But this goes two ways. I think Marvin can and will find success elsewhere, and to keep him in Cincinnati is cruel and unusual.

[HairOnFire]

C'mon Hair... Go somewhere with this. Go out on a limb. Say they shouldn't fire Marvin.

I mean... you would be wrong, but I agree with you on the fundamentals. Marvin isn't the problem.

Actually, that's pretty darn close to the things I've already said in other posts. That the biggest question facing the Bengals isn't how much blame Marvin deserves, but rather......does Marvin retain enough juice to turn this thing around AGAIN. And quite frankly, that's where I now wonder aloud if Marvin shouldn't be fired now regardless. But more on that in a minute.

It's only because Mike Brown castrated his authority.

No, I'd say it's more than that. Maybe a lot more than that. But in the end the erosion of authority does begin to look like a fatal flaw. And just to be clear, it goes far deeper than Chad or Henry. Because who amongst us hasn't imagined Mike Brown burning the night oil, concluding just as the season was about to begin that there was no real difference between a seven or four win team. And then acting accordingly.

Fans are fickle. Your Fisher example is perfect. I also remember how Steelers fans wanted Cowher more than just fired. They wanted him hanged... but he came through with his Championship, and they instantly love him again.

In the grand scheme of things I don't think we fans count for very much. The much bigger question remains how much respect Marvin continues to have behind closed doors, both upstairs and down. Will this team continue to play as if his job was on the line OR was the Jag game a fluke?

The fans that are throwing Marvin under the bus are the same fans that said "In Marvin We Trust" just two years ago. And I disagree with the idea that changing out head coaches every 4-5 years ever works. The franchises that find consistent success are the teams that don't fire coaches on the whims of the fans. But, we have an owner that has potentially ruined Marvin's chances for success in Cincinnati.

Yup. I agree with it all...including the last line. (POTENTIALLY)

So despite my general feelings to the contrary, and my belief that Marvin is not to blame - because of the situation that Mike Brown has created, I feel compelled to join in with those who desire to see Marvin fired.

And that's where we differ. Because I'm content to let the rest of the season play out however it might and only when it's over attempt to answer the questions we've just discussed. Questions about how hard the team played, how well they played, and for whom they played. Questions about how much juice Lewis retains going forward.

[HairOnFire]

So here's the thing.

[HairOnFire]

The message board was acting screwball....

[HairOnFire]

....not letting me post. So I kept....

[HairOnFire]

.....hitting the button. And then I gave up.

[HairOnFire]

....and then when I check back I find the same post appears five or six times.

So, yeah.

[HoosierCat]

C'mon Hair... Go somewhere with this. Go out on a limb. Say they shouldn't fire Marvin.

I mean... you would be wrong, but I agree with you on the fundamentals. Marvin isn't the problem.

Actually, that's pretty darn close to the things I've already said in other posts.

Yup, and that's why I keep doing things like checking the color of the sky, the consistency of water (still wet) and whether it still hurts if I slam my head in a door a la Kill Bill, because a world in which you ding Mike Brown for anything is definitely not the world I knew.

[Spor_tees]

The biggest thing the Titans have going for them though isn't even on the field. They have a competent GM and a great head coach in Fisher.

I'm reminded of past conversations on this very board that attempted to compare Marvin Lewis's record of underachieving with those of Jeff Fisher. The consensus opinion, which I didn't agree with, was both head coaches had somehow topped out and were incapable of producing little more than an endless series of 8-8 seasons. When I attempted to counter by pointing out how well Fisher was doing under the circumstances...suggesting many of the same circumstances were faced by Lewis....I quickly found myself wading through countless yammerings about Fisher being a loser who was quickly being exposed in the same fashion as Lewis.

Sorry, I'm not really going anywhere with this. Just noting how quickly things can change elsewhere.

I also remember those post about Fisher before, and I was the one that brought him up and how much Fisher was far and above a better coach than Lewis. People didn't agree with me then...and they probably still won't now...but one coach is undefeated with a bunch of no-names...and the other has only one victory this year with a team of primadonnas.

[derekshank]

The biggest thing the Titans have going for them though isn't even on the field. They have a competent GM and a great head coach in Fisher.

I'm reminded of past conversations on this very board that attempted to compare Marvin Lewis's record of underachieving with those of Jeff Fisher. The consensus opinion, which I didn't agree with, was both head coaches had somehow topped out and were incapable of producing little more than an endless series of 8-8 seasons. When I attempted to counter by pointing out how well Fisher was doing under the circumstances...suggesting many of the same circumstances were faced by Lewis....I quickly found myself wading through countless yammerings about Fisher being a loser who was quickly being exposed in the same fashion as Lewis.

Sorry, I'm not really going anywhere with this. Just noting how quickly things can change elsewhere.

I also remember those post about Fisher before, and I was the one that brought him up and how much Fisher was far and above a better coach than Lewis. People didn't agree with me then...and they probably still won't now...but one coach is undefeated with a bunch of no-names...and the other has only one victory this year with a team of primadonnas.

I think Fisher is one of the best coaches in the NFL... but let's not act like Lewis has more talent. With the exception of WR (and QB when healthy) and maybe Leon Hall, the Bengals don't have a player that would start for the Titans.

[Kazkal]

So despite my general feelings to the contrary, and my belief that Marvin is not to blame - because of the situation that Mike Brown has created, I feel compelled to join in with those who desire to see Marvin fired. But this goes two ways. I think Marvin can and will find success elsewhere, and to keep him in Cincinnati is cruel and unusual.

-Agreed

but one coach is undefeated with a bunch of no-names

Orly? For one No-Name doesn't = no talent it just a combo of underrated or unknown

Most other teams fans have never heard of Andrew Whitworth until of his fight with John Henderson even though he was considered 2nd best Olinemen drafted that year...Does that mean he has no talent because people who aren't Bengal fans never heard of him?

[Spor_tees]

So despite my general feelings to the contrary, and my belief that Marvin is not to blame - because of the situation that Mike Brown has created, I feel compelled to join in with those who desire to see Marvin fired. But this goes two ways. I think Marvin can and will find success elsewhere, and to keep him in Cincinnati is cruel and unusual.

-Agreed

but one coach is undefeated with a bunch of no-names

Orly? For one No-Name doesn't = no talent it just a combo of underrated or unknown

Most other teams fans have never heard of Andrew Whitworth until of his fight with John Henderson even though he was considered 2nd best Olinemen drafted that year...Does that mean he has no talent because people who aren't Bengal fans never heard of him?

Can you really say that before the season started, if someone told you that Vince Young would have a mental melt down and would not be the starter for Tennessee, that they would be undefeated or anywhere close to that?

Quick, name the leading receiver for the Titans...it's their tight end Bo Scaife. What?!? The leading receiver is the tight end? He leads the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Ok now name one DB for the Titans...give up yet? They have a collection of second teir free agents in Chris Hope and Nick Harper, a cast off draft pick bust in Michael Griffin, and probably their best guy in a small school player in Cortland Finnegan. Even in the LB corps I doubt you would be able to name any other player other than Keith Bullocks.

Like I said in another post, other than the D-line and Mawae at center, this team is overachieving this year in a big way. The reason they are overachieving is because they have a good coach...bottom line.