JPW Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 ESPNThursday, January 6, 2005 Associated PressCINCINNATI -- Once again, one win short.For the 14th straight year, the Cincinnati Bengals failed to achieve a winning record. For the second consecutive year under coach Marvin Lewis, they came as close as possible without actually doing it.A second straight 8-8 record brought the franchise a little more respect and a different kind of frustration. The Bengals are trapped in transition: no longer losers, not quite winners."We have to find a way to get over the mediocrity," Lewis said. "We have grown out of the basement, but we have to find a way to push over the hump."During the latest just-short-of-winning season, they gave indications they're ready to make that final push.The Bengals are in better shape than at any time since 1990, the last time they had a winning record and made the playoffs. Lewis has given them stability and brought them up to par with the rest of the league. They're no longer drifting from losing season to losing season."I think we know our direction and what we're looking for and what we have here," Lewis said. "And that's the biggest thing."They're looking for that one more win. Next season, they just might get it.Lewis' first 8-8 finish sparked unrealistic optimism of an immediate turnaround. For a number of reasons, it didn't happen.Injuries forced the Bengals to play rookies on defense long before they were ready in 2004. Quarterback Carson Palmer went through the expected growing pains in his first season running the offense. And a tough schedule magnified every misstep.But by December, the Bengals had the look of a team on the rise. Palmer threw seven touchdown passes in two games before spraining his knee, and a rookie-heavy defense was holding its own.The offseason challenge is to keep the key components in place so they can pick up where they left off.Running back Rudi Johnson and receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh are unrestricted free agents coming off career years that had a lot to do with the upbeat finish. Johnson broke Corey Dillon's franchise rushing record with 1,454 yards, and Houshmandzadeh developed into the perfect complement to Chad Johnson.Those two had a lot to do with the Bengals averaging nearly 32 points in the last six games. The front office has to decide how much it's willing to spend to keep them."I think we have a chance to be one of the most explosive offenses and be the best offense in the league next year, depending on what happens," Palmer said. "Who knows? We can be with two key guys, or we can be without two key guys."Palmer is the key to the whole thing.The 2003 Heisman Trophy winner has finally put an end to the Bengals' indecision at the most important position. They'd opened eight consecutive seasons with a different quarterback, making year-to-year progress impossible.Palmer lived up to expectations. After looking like a rookie in the season's first half, he looked like a franchise quarterback the rest of the way, throwing for 2,897 yards and 18 touchdowns with 18 interceptions overall. A sprained knee kept him out of the last three games, two of which the Bengals won behind Jon Kitna.Finally, there's some continuity."The biggest question mark you always have is at quarterback, and I think that question's been answered twofold," Lewis said. "We're in pretty good shape with Carson and Jon."With rookies Madieu Williams, Keiwan Ratliff, Landon Johnson and Robert Geathers emerging on defense, the Bengals seem to be in pretty good shape in another area that's been a long-standing problem. The defensive line still needs help, but it's not nearly as forlorn as in the past.The players' mood also is upbeat. They got to play their first home Monday night game in 15 years, a treat for a team that had been banished from the NFL's big stage. They're hoping another 8-8 finish keeps them on the schedule."Hopefully the networks and the NFL will want to put us on national TV again," offensive tackle Willie Anderson said. "Last season we finished 8-8 and it kind of gave us respect around the league. Hopefully we can get another Monday night game and more prime time games."The schedule will be easier, the quarterback will be experienced, and the expectations will be much higher next season, which has one intriguing twist.The Bengals went from a 6-10 finish in 1980 to the Super Bowl in suburban Detroit the next season, losing to San Francisco. The Super Bowl next season goes back to Detroit.Will the Bengals go with it?"I hope you see the future," Lewis said, chuckling. "We're going to point toward Detroit. If we've got to drive, so be it."This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalboomer7 Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 great article. it's nice to see that kind of stuff on a website like ESPN where people that are both knowledgeable and not so knowledgeable can read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjakq27 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 I hope we are watching our Bengals a year from now. After watching the Rams-Seahawks and the Broncos today, there is no reason why this team can't make it next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 "Hopefully the networks and the NFL will want to put us on national TV again," offensive tackle Willie Anderson said. "Last season we finished 8-8 and it kind of gave us respect around the league. Hopefully we can get another Monday night game and more prime time games." The Bengals did far better than I had hoped the would on the Prime time games! Especially the MNF game with Denver! They will be rewarded for it. They BETTER be rewarded for it! :player: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Antonio Bengal Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 Speaking of which, when do ABC/ESPN announce the MNF schedule for the next season? I know it won't be before this season is done, but when do they typically announce it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 MNF and SNF schedules are annouced after the regular season schedules are released -- around the end of March to mid-April. PS, this is an AP report, not an ESPN piece -- therefore ESPN still hates Cincy football. It is nice to finally see stuff like that though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalboomer7 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 OOPs, I just seen the ESPN logo at the top Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkendall Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 OOPs, I just seen the ESPN logo at the top It just proves they won't cover us like other good teams until we're classified as a good team -- finishing in the post-season or better than 8-8 at least. It's playoffs or bust baby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bengalboomer7 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 No argument there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TubThumper Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 The 8-8 record kind of obscures what this team did. They won 8 games with rookies and improvised pieces all over the place because of all the injuries. This wasn't a team that consistently made the playoffs suffering those injuries. It was a team still trying to find itself suddenly faced with a mountain of adversity, and the team really never blinked (except for that damned Buffalo game). The 8-8 record included games in which the quarterback in his first starting season engineered several stunning come-backs for victories and several more that fell just short of victories. Guys designated to be this year's scrubs made significant contributions all year. This injury-stricken team trying to rise from the bottom really played like an injury-stricken contender. It's really hard to be better with the number of injuries and adjustments they had to make, even if you're dealing with guys that are a lot more familiar with what you're trying to do.So, this year's mediocrity marked a hell of an achievement. A lot of really good work can be done during the off-season and next year - REALLY good. I hope it happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalNation1281 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 What excites me the most is that we have so many matchups that would look good for a prime-time game. Bengals-Vikings, Bengals-Packers, Bengals-Steelers, Bengals-Colts, Bengals-Bills, Bengals-Chiefs...I could see any of these being seriously considered for a prime-time game.Shoot, we might be able to get two MNF games in 2005. If not, we have the definite possibility of two ESPN Sunday Night games.More Bengals on national TV=less time and money at the bar on Sundays.BN1281 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalszoneBilly Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 Bengals-Bills Oh joy. Not about the game, just the company it brings here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalNation1281 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 I know, a prime-time game with the Jills would bring an influx of drunken homers the likes of which the world has never seen. But when we beat them, it would be so sweet. :player: BN1281 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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