Why the Bengals will make the Playoffs next year

[Ox]

Why the Bengals will make the Playoffs next year

Ok, I will explain myself to all the people that are messaging me on Twitter about my high hopes for the Bengals next year. I have been on radio a few times in the last few weeks and each time I'm asked about the Bengals, I say that I think the team will be good. Here's why I think that.....

1. Improved chemistry- I really think that this Bengals team is the most together team in the Marvin Lewis era. There are a few reasons that I say that, but the main reason is that majority of this team had to endure a terrible season together. It was very humbling to go 0-8 and not be relevant in the football world, other than for people to speculate if you were going to lose all 16 games. And to lose many players to injuries and go 4-3-1 in the second half of the season, I think young and old players matured and came together. This will help players going into next season.

2. Youth Movement- This is a big off season for a number of players on the Bengals roster, mainly the young guys. Andre Caldwell, Pat Sims, Anthony Collins, and Kieth Rivers all have to improve on what they did their rookie season. They all got playing time and played significant roles in 2008. Guys like Jerome Simpson and Jason Shirley are major talents but they have to put the time in to get better. At the midpoint of last season, Jerome put it all together and dominated during practices. Then he messed his foot up and wasn't the same the rest of the way. Jason has to move faster. He is big and strong, but that won't help him unless he improves his tempo in practice. He is the most physically gifted lineman on the team. But the coaches won't play him until they can trust him.

3. Change- Marvin is vowing to change things on offense. Just like he did on defense last year, coach is going to put same emphasis on the other side of the ball. And not changing the coaching staff will allow things to change smoothly because coaches and players will all be speaking the same language.

4. Weaker AFC North? - Steelers won the Super Bowl in 2005 and followed it up by going 8-8 in 2006. Will they go 8-8 in 2009? Who knows. Teams usually aren't the same after they win a ring, and in their case, their second ring. The Ravens lost Rex Ryan. All of their LB's are free agents. Is Big Willie coming back for another season? And the Browns are fighting just like the Bengals to rebound.

5. Cap space- I don't know how much cap space the Bengals have, but they could add talent in free agency if they can land the players.

6. 6th pick- The Bengals will get a top player in each round. They have excellent flexibility to move back or forward in any round based on this slot. They can get a starter in Round one and then use their second pick and others to go back into the 1st round if there is someone that is still on the board that they like.

7- Injured players returning- The Bengals have a slew of players coming off the injury list and they all will have something to prove.

Carson Palmer- Getting back to his Pro Bowl form and silencing critics who are now choosing Big Ben over him

Andrew Whitworth- Missed half the season with a high ankle sprain. Becoming vocal leader on offense

Ben Utecht- Said himself that he was a bust last year. I think he just had the injury bug and put too much pressure to live up to his new contract. Next year will be better for him. He is a good player and wants to be better.

Robert Geathers- Was playing real good ball before he got hurt. Best combo player(run, pass) on defense.

Antwan Odom- Hurt first day of training camp and never really recovered. Missed a month in the summer after hurting his foot, and missed four games after midseason. Wants to live up to big contract he signed last off season.

Frostee Rucker- Contract year

Jonathan Joeseph- Hurt his foot again and Leon Hall took over as the teams best DB. Should be a good competition.

http://bengalscentral.typepad.com/my_weblo...-year.html#more

[Scottishbengal]

Yada Yada Yada - heard it all before. Another mediocre season looms unless we land a proven head coach IMO

[ArmyBengal]

Guys like Jerome Simpson and Jason Shirley are major talents but they have to put the time in to get better.

I honestly believe those were Marvin's EXACT words in explaining why Simpson wasn't on the field all season. It wasn't until the end of the season where you heard much about his foot or whatever. We were discussing this in another thread and when I saw that, it triggered what I was referring to but couldn't quite remember.

Jason Shirley is the most physically gifted lineman ON THE TEAM ?? Quite the claim...

[derekshank]

Jason Shirley is the most physically gifted lineman ON THE TEAM ?? Quite the claim...

Yeah, but it's probably true. Just like Stacy Andrews was the most physically gifted O-lineman on the team, and Ahmad Brooks was the most physically gifted LB on the team a couple years ago. Being just physically gifted doesn't mean much anymore.

[ArmyBengal]

I meant more from a standpoint that you have others like Whitworth and such that are pretty big guys, so I'm saying for someone like Shirley who hasn't really gotten much in, it's quite the claim...

[Bearcat1975]

1.It was very humbling to not be relevant in the football world...

Really? Humbling? Par for the course, sure. Perennially sickening, sure. But humbling?

Number 3 had to be the funniest though:

3. Change- Marvin is vowing to change things on offense. Just like he did on defense last year, coach is going to put same emphasis on the other side of the ball. And not changing the coaching staff will allow things to change smoothly because coaches and players will all be speaking the same language.

That is as good of a spin as you'll see from any politician. Sort of a "we will change by not changing anything" line of thinking. Very Bengalesque, actually now that I think about it. No wonder JT has been here so long. Dude is a natural.

Number 5 is kind of puzzling though:

5. Cap space- I don't know how much cap space the Bengals have, but they could add talent in free agency if they can land the players.

This sounds like a 1st year Bengals fan to me. JT has been with team long enough that if he isn't being sarcastic here, then it is a blatant blind faith propaganda piece plain and simple.

All in all, I like JT's enthusiasm. Its just a shame he probably wasn't paid for his plug. Oh who am I kidding. This is Mike Brown. Of course he wasn't paid for it. Its probably in his contract as an incentive.

[gregstephens]

Why the Bengals will make the Playoffs next year

Ok, I will explain myself to all the people that are messaging me on Twitter about my high hopes for the Bengals next year. I have been on radio a few times in the last few weeks and each time I'm asked about the Bengals, I say that I think the team will be good. Here's why I think that.....

1. Improved chemistry- I really think that this Bengals team is the most together team in the Marvin Lewis era. There are a few reasons that I say that, but the main reason is that majority of this team had to endure a terrible season together. It was very humbling to go 0-8 and not be relevant in the football world, other than for people to speculate if you were going to lose all 16 games. And to lose many players to injuries and go 4-3-1 in the second half of the season, I think young and old players matured and came together. This will help players going into next season.

2. Youth Movement- This is a big off season for a number of players on the Bengals roster, mainly the young guys. Andre Caldwell, Pat Sims, Anthony Collins, and Kieth Rivers all have to improve on what they did their rookie season. They all got playing time and played significant roles in 2008. Guys like Jerome Simpson and Jason Shirley are major talents but they have to put the time in to get better. At the midpoint of last season, Jerome put it all together and dominated during practices. Then he messed his foot up and wasn't the same the rest of the way. Jason has to move faster. He is big and strong, but that won't help him unless he improves his tempo in practice. He is the most physically gifted lineman on the team. But the coaches won't play him until they can trust him.

3. Change- Marvin is vowing to change things on offense. Just like he did on defense last year, coach is going to put same emphasis on the other side of the ball. And not changing the coaching staff will allow things to change smoothly because coaches and players will all be speaking the same language.

4. Weaker AFC North? - Steelers won the Super Bowl in 2005 and followed it up by going 8-8 in 2006. Will they go 8-8 in 2009? Who knows. Teams usually aren't the same after they win a ring, and in their case, their second ring. The Ravens lost Rex Ryan. All of their LB's are free agents. Is Big Willie coming back for another season? And the Browns are fighting just like the Bengals to rebound.

5. Cap space- I don't know how much cap space the Bengals have, but they could add talent in free agency if they can land the players.

6. 6th pick- The Bengals will get a top player in each round. They have excellent flexibility to move back or forward in any round based on this slot. They can get a starter in Round one and then use their second pick and others to go back into the 1st round if there is someone that is still on the board that they like.

7- Injured players returning- The Bengals have a slew of players coming off the injury list and they all will have something to prove.

Carson Palmer- Getting back to his Pro Bowl form and silencing critics who are now choosing Big Ben over him

Andrew Whitworth- Missed half the season with a high ankle sprain. Becoming vocal leader on offense

Ben Utecht- Said himself that he was a bust last year. I think he just had the injury bug and put too much pressure to live up to his new contract. Next year will be better for him. He is a good player and wants to be better.

Robert Geathers- Was playing real good ball before he got hurt. Best combo player(run, pass) on defense.

Antwan Odom- Hurt first day of training camp and never really recovered. Missed a month in the summer after hurting his foot, and missed four games after midseason. Wants to live up to big contract he signed last off season.

Frostee Rucker- Contract year

Jonathan Joeseph- Hurt his foot again and Leon Hall took over as the teams best DB. Should be a good competition.

http://bengalscentral.typepad.com/my_weblo...-year.html#more

BWAAAA-HAAAAAA-HAAAAAAA

Eh, that's all I got, but man I laughed so hard I cried.

[ArmyBengal]

Funny how next to Rucker he simply said, "contract year". That kind of sh*t really pisses me off. It's like God forbid we actually expect someone to play and give an effort PRIOR to a new contract being a consideration, but when it is time to get paid it's a big, "Look what I can do" type of issue.

I really hope to see something from Rucker this year, but that whole contract year sh*t irritates me to no end.

It goes to the past couple of years thinking this team has just gone through the motions and hasn't given a rats ass about anything when they hit the field...

[Wraith]

Ok start the derision.

I buy Thornton's points. Look does anyone think that we will have the same number of injuries this year as in the last two? We had the same medical staff when we went to the playoffs and had a VERY injury free year. Injuries are mostly bad luck.

With a healthy Palmer is our offense as bad as last year? Not a chance, Palmer is still a top five QB in this league and enables us to stretch the defense in a way that only a few teams can. I believe they will resign Benson to an incentive laden one year contract and I believe that they will sign either Andrews or Houshmandzadeh (hopefully Housh because he deserves a big fat payday).

As far as the defense...they finished this season 12th in the NFL in points allowed while dealing with an offensive unit that had the most 3 and outs in the league. Most of the players are young guys coming into their own and if they pick Maualuga at #6 they will have potential all-stars at DT (Peko and Sims), OLB (Rivers), ILB (Maualuga), S (Ndukwe), and CB (Hall and Joseph) which is pretty damn good, and all of those guys are just coming into their own.

They finished the year going 4-3-1 while defeating the Redskins, the Chiefs, the Browns, and Jaguars and tieing the Eagles who went on to play for the NFC championship. They could have easily mailed it in the last half of the season, chalked up the season to injuries and booked holiday reservations but instead they came out and played well (particularly the defense).

Most importantly they will have a significantly easier schedule this year. We replace the Colts, Texans, Titans, and Jaguars with the Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, and Broncos in the AFC and the Eagles, Cowboys, Giants, and Redskins with the Bears, Vikings, Packers, and Lions.

Am I predicting a Bengals playoff run, no, but I don't think the idea is ridiculous either. I still have faith in Marvin Lewis, and still think he is the best Head Coach we have had here since Wyche.

[ArmyBengal]

Ok start the derision.

I buy Thornton's points. Look does anyone think that we will have the same number of injuries this year as in the last two? We had the same medical staff when we went to the playoffs and had a VERY injury free year. Injuries are mostly bad luck.

With a healthy Palmer is our offense as bad as last year? Not a chance, Palmer is still a top five QB in this league and enables us to stretch the defense in a way that only a few teams can. I believe they will resign Benson to an incentive laden one year contract and I believe that they will sign either Andrews or Houshmandzadeh (hopefully Housh because he deserves a big fat payday).

As far as the defense...they finished this season 12th in the NFL in points allowed while dealing with an offensive unit that had the most 3 and outs in the league. Most of the players are young guys coming into their own and if they pick Maualuga at #6 they will have potential all-stars at DT (Peko and Sims), OLB (Rivers), ILB (Maualuga), S (Ndukwe), and CB (Hall and Joseph) which is pretty damn good, and all of those guys are just coming into their own.

They finished the year going 4-3-1 while defeating the Redskins, the Chiefs, the Browns, and Jaguars and tieing the Eagles who went on to play for the NFC championship. They could have easily mailed it in the last half of the season, chalked up the season to injuries and booked holiday reservations but instead they came out and played well (particularly the defense).

Most importantly they will have a significantly easier schedule this year. We replace the Colts, Texans, Titans, and Jaguars with the Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, and Broncos in the AFC and the Eagles, Cowboys, Giants, and Redskins with the Bears, Vikings, Packers, and Lions.

Am I predicting a Bengals playoff run, no, but I don't think the idea is ridiculous either. I still have faith in Marvin Lewis, and still think he is the best Head Coach we have had here since Wyche.

Injuries are part bad luck I agree, but it's getting to a point where when you have more starters on the IR than any other team for consecutive seasons, something needs to be looked at.

Palmer didn't do anything in his first 4 games, so I think it has less to do with him and more to do with a horrible offensive line that is going to be younger and less experienced next year, so there's more concern on that front in my opinion.

I'm not saying it's what you are getting at, but I hate when people say, we almost beat the Steelers, so we could have won the Super Bowl this year. It doesn't always add up and the Eagles game could have just been an overlook on their part thinking they didn't need to prepare the same and had a letdown. It happens, but it doesn't make us a better team.

It's been a long time since I could say I liked our defense, but I do and agree that they will be better next year regardless of who we get in the draft. I think Zimmer will see to that.

I also think it's to early to say our schedule it going to be far easier or not because we have no idea how free agency or the draft is going to shake out for the teams we are going to face next season. Miami turned it around quick and Arizona had everything line up for them as well. You just never know and the strength of schedule is only based upon the end of season record, nothing more, so it could be more accurate.

I don't think the possibility of a playoff run is "ridiculous", but I really don't see it either. Agree with being ok with Marvin and we will see how it all shakes out...

[Wraith]

Game #1. Played in a Hurricane (Hanna) in Baltimore, on a field with very little traction, against the 2nd best defense in the NFL

Game #2. Played in a Hurricane (Ike) with winds gusting up to 80 mph, against the 3rd best defense in the NFL

Game #3. Injured in the 2nd Quarter played well enough to almost win on the road against the 5th best defense in the NFL

Game #4. Did not Play

Game #5. Came back vs. Dallas injury severely hampered his ability to throw deep still almost engineered an upset. Against the 8th best defense in the NFL

In his 4 games played he was injured in two and in all played against a top 8 defense. In Baltimore sustained winds were over 30 MPH in Cincy against Tennessee sustained winds were over 50 MPH. Only game the Bengals did not have a chance to win was Tennessee and that game it was impossible to throw the ball more than 5 yards at a time a situation which strongly benefited the Titans.

[ArmyBengal]

Game #1. Played in a Hurricane (Hanna) in Baltimore, on a field with very little traction, against the 2nd best defense in the NFL

Game #2. Played in a Hurricane (Ike) with winds gusting up to 80 mph, against the 3rd best defense in the NFL

Game #3. Injured in the 2nd Quarter played well enough to almost win on the road against the 5th best defense in the NFL

Game #4. Did not Play

Game #5. Came back vs. Dallas injury severely hampered his ability to throw deep still almost engineered an upset. Against the 8th best defense in the NFL

In his 4 games played he was injured in two and in all played against a top 8 defense. In Baltimore sustained winds were over 30 MPH in Cincy against Tennessee sustained winds were over 50 MPH. Only game the Bengals did not have a chance to win was Tennessee and that game it was impossible to throw the ball more than 5 yards at a time a situation which strongly benefited the Titans.

And in those same games the weather was horrible he was up against a QB in his 40's and a rookie who had the same conditions to deal with. Weather is nothing but an excuse for an NFL team. Rise up, overcome, and win the game instead of making excuses when you lose. His games being hurt, I'll give you...

[HairOnFire]

Let's see if the team chemistry has really improved....because I usually find myself pointing at the players themselves when discusssing why things went wrong.

[TJJackson]

The overall point was lost of me, but I did find hs comments about Jerome Simpson's progress at mid season interesting, to say the least.

Gives me new hope for the lad in 2009

[JoePong]

His name is ThorNton for gawd's sake! He's been here for so freakin' long and morons are STILL misspelling his name the same way...

[HairOnFire]

Joe Wrong?

[Bearcat1975]

I just saw he is an UFA. Now it all makes sense. Is JT washed up? Sure. But JT has been here long enough to know that if you sing the company praises, then Mike Brown will take care of you, regardless of on-field performance.

I look for the Bengals to offer JT a 2 year deal, business as usual.

[Wraith]

Bah! If your team is built around a deep passing attack and you are going up against a strong front seven which is likely to shut down your weaker passing game and the team you are facing is a stronger running team than passing team then weather is a HUGELY important component. Yes the other teams had to deal with it to but since it didn't impact their strength and negated our strength the impact is loopsided. The Tennessee and Baltimore games would have been much different if they had been played in a dome, for heaven's sake, that Tennessee game teams combined for 262 yards passing and ALL of the Tennessee completed passes were underneath or screen routes except on e in the second quarter and both Palmer's INTs were deep routes where the wind changed the direction of the ball.

[sparky151]

Bah! If your team is built around a deep passing attack and you are going up against a strong front seven which is likely to shut down your weaker passing game and the team you are facing is a stronger running team than passing team then weather is a HUGELY important component. Yes the other teams had to deal with it to but since it didn't impact their strength and negated our strength the impact is loopsided. The Tennessee and Baltimore games would have been much different if they had been played in a dome, for heaven's sake, that Tennessee game teams combined for 262 yards passing and ALL of the Tennessee completed passes were underneath or screen routes except on e in the second quarter and both Palmer's INTs were deep routes where the wind changed the direction of the ball.

So our team is hopeless in games played outside? Weather affects both teams and good teams don't let it stop them. If our team can't win under conditions that it's reasonably possible to predict, then that's bad planning by the front office and coaches. We didn't play any games in heavy rain this year but if it rains next season during a game, will you be saying we couldn't throw the slippery ball and that stopped us?

[BengalPimp]

Why the Bengals will make the playoffs next year.............

Reason #1 Because Bengalpimp says so.

Reason #2 See reason #1.

[BengalPimp]

Joe Wrong?

BeerPong?

[COB]

I like Thornton's points. I also like his optimism. That's what they need in a player. Not Chad running around like he did last year, telling everyone the sky is falling.

Thornton at the right price is good for this team. He can be defensive line depth, and can play defensive end if we need it. And most importantly he brings a maturity and leadership that we really need.

[ArmyBengal]

Bah! If your team is built around a deep passing attack and you are going up against a strong front seven which is likely to shut down your weaker passing game and the team you are facing is a stronger running team than passing team then weather is a HUGELY important component. Yes the other teams had to deal with it to but since it didn't impact their strength and negated our strength the impact is loopsided. The Tennessee and Baltimore games would have been much different if they had been played in a dome, for heaven's sake, that Tennessee game teams combined for 262 yards passing and ALL of the Tennessee completed passes were underneath or screen routes except on e in the second quarter and both Palmer's INTs were deep routes where the wind changed the direction of the ball.

And maybe if Mike Brown threatens to move the team, he can convince the county and taxpayers to dome in the stadium. he can make the claim that our team is unable to win outdoors and if we REALLY want to field a competitive team, we ALWAYS need to play indoors. Yeah, that's it, that's how we can make it to the Super Bowl. Well, let's hope the Super Bowl will be played in a dome that year or we're screwed.

Excuses...

[HAPPYJAQ]

Jerome Simpson dominated, huh? Very interesting indeed.

I have to say that I like the makeup of the team more than any Bengals team I can remember. Most guys on the team seem to be hungry and ready to prove themselves. As a Bengals fan, you have to love guys like Nduke, Crocker, Hall, Rivers, Brandon Johnson, Sims, Peko, Hebert, David Jones, Benson, Whitworth, Bobbie Williams, Caldwell and Collins. Although none are "superstars", we haven't had intense players like this since the SB days, IMO, and most of those guys are under 26 years old. I think they are good building blocks for the future.

We have a proven leader in Carson, an emerging defense (best in years by all accounts) and some good young players. Let's close the chapter on Chad and T.J., as were not able to win with them at their best, and see what the kids like Jerome and company can do.

[ArmyBengal]

Jerome Simpson dominated, huh? Very interesting indeed.

Yeah, in PRACTICE... All I can say is, I hope it translates to the field this coming season and everyone is on his jock about how they KNEW he was going to be great. Yeah, that would be nice to see...