Marvin says coaching staff is intact

[cincyhokie]

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Lewis-Coaching-staff-close-to-intact/20e066d8-72bf-4a4b-8429-3675f7af0be2

Lewis: Coaching staff close to intact

GEOFF HOBSON

Posted 21 minutes ago

MOBILE, Ala. _ The Bengals are still searching for an assistant offensive line coach to replace new Princeton coach Bob Surace, but head coach Marvin Lewis said Monday at the Senior Bowl he anticipates little staff disruption in wake of the news that quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese is returning for another year.

Zampese, who interviewed for the Bears offensive coordinator job, is the only quarterbacks coach Lewis has had in his eight seasons in Cincinnati. Former Bengals receivers coach and current Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson is interviewing for the Bears job, according to reports.

Well, if the rumors are true that Brat has one more year on his deal...at least he'll be coaching for a contract next year.

[Kazkal]

Ya in which Mike Brown will extend him for his great services.

[skyline]

I know a lot of people here want Brat gone, but he's really not the main source of our problems. He's predictable at times, but not incompetent. He's shown the ability to construct a good offense given the right tools to work with. Now, let's hope they use this offseason to make that happen.

[cincyhokie]

I know a lot of people here want Brat gone, but he's really not the main source of our problems. He's predictable at times, but not incompetent. He's shown the ability to construct a good offense given the right tools to work with. Now, let's hope they use this offseason to make that happen.

I agree, I think Bratkowski has proven all of that during his 10 years here. The real question is that is he still a fit here? Do you trust him going up against the better DC's in the league come playoff time. Can he help take the team to the next level and remain consistent? I don't think so.

Offense ranked 32nd in 2008 and ranked 24th overall in 2009. He may not be the main source of the problems but keeping him here is not helping.

[gregstephens]

And I respectfully disagree with Sky. When you go back to this team since 2006, we have had a bevy of extremely talented players on the offense. Palmer, Fredo, Douche. A relatively decent line in 2006, not the worst in 2007. Benson the past two years. This offense, even in 2009 with a young and oftentimes struggling oline and a thin receiver corps, should have done better than they did this season, both statistically and in term of points and overall consistency.

Brat has been overly predictable since the 2005 season. His offense works best when they go no-huddle or hurry-up, and they don't do that. So, I'll continue to bang my head into the wall until the fifth grader with the Etch-a-Sketch, Sarah Palin, or Conan O'Brien replaces Brat.

[skyline]

And I respectfully disagree with Sky. When you go back to this team since 2006, we have had a bevy of extremely talented players on the offense. Palmer, Fredo, Douche. A relatively decent line in 2006, not the worst in 2007. Benson the past two years. This offense, even in 2009 with a young and oftentimes struggling oline and a thin receiver corps, should have done better than they did this season, both statistically and in term of points and overall consistency.

Brat has been overly predictable since the 2005 season. His offense works best when they go no-huddle or hurry-up, and they don't do that. So, I'll continue to bang my head into the wall until the fifth grader with the Etch-a-Sketch, Sarah Palin, or Conan O'Brien replaces Brat.

Would you blame of the offense or defense for our early exit from the playoffs? Just curious.

I would have liked our passing game to be better, and I'm hopeful that it will improve next season with the addition of a speed receiver and more time for Palmer to work with Coles, Caldwell, and hopefully a healthy TE. Time will tell.

I'm not in love with Brat, but I think my REAL point is that if you're going to list the factors necessary to success next season, I don't think replacing Brat cracks the top 5. I would tweak the offense and keep stacking the defense, which is the real thing to carry this team far into the playoffs.

[Ickey44]

I'm not in love with Brat, but I think my REAL point is that if you're going to list the factors necessary to success next season, I don't think replacing Brat cracks the top 5. I would tweak the offense and keep stacking the defense, which is the real thing to carry this team far into the playoffs.

I think replacing Brat should be the first thing to do. Brat cost us a lot last season not only with his predictable play calling, but by not doing anything to address the pre-snap penalty epidemic, and also by continuously getting the plays called late, resulting in multiple delay of game penalties.

Not only is better play-calling needed on offense, but better coaching as well. There is too much talent on offense for it to underachieve like it did.

[skyline]

I'm not in love with Brat, but I think my REAL point is that if you're going to list the factors necessary to success next season, I don't think replacing Brat cracks the top 5. I would tweak the offense and keep stacking the defense, which is the real thing to carry this team far into the playoffs.

I think replacing Brat should be the first thing to do. Brat cost us a lot last season not only with his predictable play calling, but by not doing anything to address the pre-snap penalty epidemic, and also by continuously getting the plays called late, resulting in multiple delay of game penalties.

Not only is better play-calling needed on offense, but better coaching as well. There is too much talent on offense for it to underachieve like it did.

Considering what nearly everyone around here considered the state of our offensive line to be before the season began, I think the running game was a minor miracle. Not to mention our TE woes, the loss of TJ, etc.

So, instead of working on those things that were lacking (the passing game), you want to completely overhaul the offensive scheme with someone new?

If Baltimore won the Super Bowl with the offense they had several season ago, we can do it too. If Pittsburgh can win the Super Bowl while Big Ben had one of the worst passer ratings of all time, we can do it too.

Like I said, if your goal is to win NOW, then keep stacking your strength (defense), and do whatever you can to improve your weaknesses. Throwing the entire offense in the trash and starting over on that side of the ball seems counterproductive at the moment.

[gregstephens]

And I respectfully disagree with Sky. When you go back to this team since 2006, we have had a bevy of extremely talented players on the offense. Palmer, Fredo, Douche. A relatively decent line in 2006, not the worst in 2007. Benson the past two years. This offense, even in 2009 with a young and oftentimes struggling oline and a thin receiver corps, should have done better than they did this season, both statistically and in term of points and overall consistency.

Brat has been overly predictable since the 2005 season. His offense works best when they go no-huddle or hurry-up, and they don't do that. So, I'll continue to bang my head into the wall until the fifth grader with the Etch-a-Sketch, Sarah Palin, or Conan O'Brien replaces Brat.

Would you blame of the offense or defense for our early exit from the playoffs? Just curious.

Yes. And you forgot special teams. In fact, I blame the entire team for the early exit except for Cedric Benson.

I blame Graham for turning into shank-o-potamus on six potential points.

I blame Palmer for release issues that were causing his throws to sail high.

I blame the offense as a whole for not giving us a seven-spot on at least one of the missed field goal tries.

I blame the pass defense for allowing Sanchez to look like a limited edition Peyton Manning on too many big plays.

But getting back to the topic of the conversation, I blame BRATKOWSKI for having a running back that puts up 169 yards on the top ranked rush defense in the NFL and still not being able to exploit that to open up the passing game and put up more than 14 points.

Hence why I still vote kid with the Etch-a-Sketch. I feel we having nothing to lose and everything to gain by adding Brat to the 'available to interview' pile.

[bwillycuse]

I'm not in love with Brat, but I think my REAL point is that if you're going to list the factors necessary to success next season, I don't think replacing Brat cracks the top 5. I would tweak the offense and keep stacking the defense, which is the real thing to carry this team far into the playoffs.

I think replacing Brat should be the first thing to do. Brat cost us a lot last season not only with his predictable play calling, but by not doing anything to address the pre-snap penalty epidemic, and also by continuously getting the plays called late, resulting in multiple delay of game penalties.

Not only is better play-calling needed on offense, but better coaching as well. There is too much talent on offense for it to underachieve like it did.

Considering what nearly everyone around here considered the state of our offensive line to be before the season began, I think the running game was a minor miracle. Not to mention our TE woes, the loss of TJ, etc.

So, instead of working on those things that were lacking (the passing game), you want to completely overhaul the offensive scheme with someone new?

If Baltimore won the Super Bowl with the offense they had several season ago, we can do it too. If Pittsburgh can win the Super Bowl while Big Ben had one of the worst passer ratings of all time, we can do it too.

Like I said, if your goal is to win NOW, then keep stacking your strength (defense), and do whatever you can to improve your weaknesses. Throwing the entire offense in the trash and starting over on that side of the ball seems counterproductive at the moment.

I want Brat gone. If you blame it on the players then how does Indy get Garcon and Collie open? Ive seen enpough of Brat and would like to see a new OC come in.

The Jets have a new system I would guess. New Coach, new team, new OC yet they were able to make our defense look bad. They had receivers wide open all over the place wit a rookie WR. But when we cant get open its the players not the scheme.

He has had 10 years and you can make excuses every year why he didnt succeed. Anyone can do that. But why the penalties? Why the late play calls? Why a screen pass to Leonard on 3rd and 18 that results in a fumble then a fg with seconds remaining on the clock.

For a 10 year OC vet he really does make a lot of rookie mistakes. But maybe it just takes him longer to learn.

I just see other teams look like a better coached offensive team.

Brat isnt being courted for a HC job by anyone. No one wants him. Why is that? 10 Years. Thank God he is on the Bengals because most other teams wouldnt accept the 32 ranked offense last year and the 24th ranked offense this year. Oh and he has Carson Palmer.

Carson Palmer who is regarded as a very good QB lead the 8th worst offense in the NFL.

I expect more of the same next year and will be surprised if it changes. Pleasantly but surprised nonetheless.

[HairOnFire]

.....in wake of the news that quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese is returning for another year.

(((shrug)))

[Ickey44]

Like I said, if your goal is to win NOW, then keep stacking your strength (defense), and do whatever you can to improve your weaknesses. Throwing the entire offense in the trash and starting over on that side of the ball seems counterproductive at the moment.

You're assuming that by bringing in a new OC that the offense would get worse. I, on the other hand, don't see how it could get much worse.

[HR24]

I, like others, blame Brat for predictable personnel packages and playcalling based on down and distance. As far as Palmer goes, he is a rythym passer coming off of a season where he only had 4 total games of action and he was working with a fairly new group of receivers. The running game and over-commitment to it in the second half of the season really hampered him IMO.

When people bitch about his high throws, I ask-At what depth were the routes run, was the route ran properly, or was the route too shallow and the route rounded off? Just b/c he was high on throws doesn't mean it was just Palmer. Take that into consideration along with the NUMEROUS drops, and you can see that Palmer played better than you think. Was he great this year? No. But he played pretty well in a lot of games where his receivers started to step up.

[gregstephens]

I, like others, blame Brat for predictable personnel packages and playcalling based on down and distance. As far as Palmer goes, he is a rythym passer coming off of a season where he only had 4 total games of action and he was working with a fairly new group of receivers. The running game and over-commitment to it in the second half of the season really hampered him IMO.

When people bitch about his high throws, I ask-At what depth were the routes run, was the route ran properly, or was the route too shallow and the route rounded off? Just b/c he was high on throws doesn't mean it was just Palmer. Take that into consideration along with the NUMEROUS drops, and you can see that Palmer played better than you think. Was he great this year? No. But he played pretty well in a lot of games where his receivers started to step up.

I don't discount your point on the high throws. However, when it is multiple high throws on many consecutive pass plays, I gotta believe it isn't just blowing routes, although with Fredo's past history, I can certainly see the point of at least asking it. But I defer to the playoff game where Theisman, whom I loathe, but still acknowledge he knows more than me by virtue of having been an NFL QB, was the one that pointed out Palmer's release point.

[HAPPYJAQ]

I would've like to see the WRs coach go, as I believe he's done the worst job in developing the draft picks we've dedicated to the position. Otherwise, I'm OK with keeping the staff intact. I'm surprised that none of our key defensive assistants were at least considered for a promotion with another team, especially Coyle and FitzGerald.

I maintain faith that Brat will dedicate the offseason to fixing the passing game, similar to what happened this past offseason with the running game.

[Ickey44]

I maintain faith that Brat will dedicate the offseason to fixing the passing game, similar to what happened this past offseason with the running game.

Considering that the passing game has sucked for pretty much the last three years, I don't share your optimism. Since it's apparent that he's not going anywhere though, I hope you're right.