New Bengal Way

[jjakq27]

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...SPT02/503220405

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

New 'Bengal way' emerging

Credit goes to Lewis for club's image upgrade, improvement

Analysis by Mark Curnutte

Enquirer staff writer

Bengals president Mike Brown and coach Marvin Lewis are intent on building a Super Bowl contender. Both say they understand how important stability is to an organization.

Don't evaluate the Bengals' free-agency effort by quantity.

Look at the quality of the players they've retained, primarily tailback Rudi Johnson and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

And look at the deeper meaning in what Johnson and Houshmandzadeh said during negotiations and even after they re-signed: They wanted to stay in Cincinnati.

Used to be, not too long ago, that the only way the Bengals could keep good players was to force them to stay. That method bred hostility: See Pickens, Carl; Dillon, Corey.

In his Tuesday mailbag, which will be posted online today at SI.com, Peter King - who once covered the Bengals for the Enquirer - makes note of the change in Bengals management since the arrival of coach Marvin Lewis.

"Marvin Lewis has gotten the players (and their agents) to believe they can win. For a long time in Cincinnati, that hadn't happened," King writes. "When I heard Rudi Johnson said a couple of months ago that he wouldn't play for the franchise number ($6.3 million), I thought, 'Here we go again.' I figured this would be another good player who got ticked off and talked his way out of town.

"But Johnson didn't. He signed a good deal for himself and the team, and deals like that have been more common now that Lewis has taken over football operations."

In Johnson, Houshmandzadeh, wide receiver Chad Johnson and quarterback Carson Palmer, the Bengals have their offensive skill players all under contract through 2008.

The club has retained the services of talented players who will only get more productive in the next few seasons, as opposed to tearing down and rebuilding.

The core players responsible for three consecutive games of 450 yards of total offense in 2004, a franchise first, are all back.

Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski is coming back for a fifth season, and Lewis made sure to bring back his whole staff - minus the change at defensive coordinator, where an experienced Chuck Bresnahan takes over for Leslie Frazier, who was not offered a new contract.

The big question remains the defense, especially against the run.

Don't overlook the two defensive players who have signed on, as well.

Defensive tackle Bryan Robinson, while not an A-list free agent, should help a porous run defense. And strong safety Anthony Mitchell, who agreed to come back under a one-year contract Monday, could challenge for the starting role opened by the termination of Rogers Beckett's contract two weeks ago.

The secondary is the best it has been in a decade, and the two drafts under Lewis - especially 2004 - yielded defensive playmakers in defensive backs Madieu Williams and Keiwan Ratliff, linebacker Landon Johnson and pass-rush end Robert Geathers.

With the offense in place, the time is now to add more playmakers to the defense, whether it be a tackle, a rush end or another swift linebacker in the mode of Landon Johnson. The Bengals still have seven picks, one in each round. They were not awarded any compensatory draft picks Monday by the NFL.

The Bengals now have a plan. There is consistency and logic to their drafting and free-agent signings. There is no more over-paying for over-the-hill players (Vaughn Booker comes to mind) and unfulfilled potential (Tom Barndt).

Lewis' results bear witness to the change. He is 16-16 in his first two seasons. In the previous 32 games, the franchise had an 8-24 record.

And give Bengals president Mike Brown some credit, too. For the second consecutive offseason, he has extended Lewis' contract - keeping a top, young coach in Cincinnati.

"Mike Brown and I both have expectations, and they're as high as they can get," Lewis said. "We want to be Super Bowl champions, and I think it's important that the organization knows how much stability means to it."

A new "Bengal way" is emerging. It's not one based on a stubborn adherence of how pro football was run in the 1950s. It's 21st century with the CEO model in Lewis as the head coach and de facto general manager.

Fans have many reasons to look forward excitedly to the tentative opening of training camp July 29. That seemingly endless 14-year streak without a playoff berth could come to an end in 2005.

BENGALS SCHEDULE

Important offseason dates ahead:

April 4: Start of Bengals offseason strength and conditioning program, Paul Brown Stadium.

April 15: Deadline for signing of offer sheets by restricted free agents.

April 23-24: NFL draft, New York.

April 30-May 1: Bengals rookie minicamp, Paul Brown Stadium.

June 17-19: Mandatory minicamp, Paul Brown Stadium.

July 29: Tentative opening of training camp, Georgetown (Ky.) College.

2005 projected lineup

Here's a look at the Bengals' projected starting lineup for 2005, including the duration for which each player is under contract with the team:

Player Position Under contract through

Chad Johnson WR 2009

Levi Jones LT 2006 (option year)

Eric Steinbach LG 2006

Rich Braham C unsigned

Bobbie Williams RG 2006

Willie Anderson RT 2006

Reggie Kelly TE 2006

T.J. Houshmandzadeh WR 2008

Carson Palmer QB 2009

Rudi Johnson RB 2009

Jeremi Johnson FB 2005

Duane Clemons LDE 2006

John Thornton LDT 2008

Bryan Robinson RDT 2007

Justin Smith RDE 2006

Kevin Hardy SLB 2006

Nate Webster MLB 2008

Brian Simmons WLB 2008

Deltha O'Neal LCB 2008

Tory James RCB 2006

Kim Herring SS 2008

Madieu Williams FS 2007

Shayne Graham K 2008

Kyle Larson P 2005

[BengalByTheBay]

Lewis' results bear witness to the change. He is 16-16 in his first two seasons. In the previous 32 games, the franchise had an 8-24 record.

I never get tired of being reminded of this stat.

[jjakq27]

Lewis' results bear witness to the change. He is 16-16 in his first two seasons. In the previous 32 games, the franchise had an 8-24 record.

I never get tired of being reminded of this stat.

Me neither. I think I remember hearing that the team won a total of 16 games in the previous 4 seasons before ML. Ouch...

[BengalszoneBilly]

Analysis by Mark Curnutte

Enquirer staff writer

Bengals president Mike Brown and coach Marvin Lewis are intent on building a Super Bowl contender.

Well no s**t Mark. Would you care to point out a head coach and/or GM (besides anyone in Cleveland! ) working in the NFL that isn't focused on that goal!?! This guy has a death grip on the obvious!

[TJJackson]

Of course, I have doubts about the "Mike Brown" part of his statement.

The less he is involved with this team, the more I like it.

[Scottishbengal]

There are a lot of contracts from that projected starters list which end in 2006, could be a pivitol year.

[Kirkendall]

This is the type of news I'm talking about! Very positive, very encouraging. A complete change from only 3 years ago when each piece was about how much our team sucked and how important it was to make Corey happy...

Now it's about the team, that's whats got me fired up! HUU-HAA, let's go!

[not-another]

July 29: Tentative opening of training camp, Georgetown (Ky.) College.

The next best thing to opening kick off. Meeting the players

[Bobcat Bengal]

July 29: Tentative opening of training camp, Georgetown (Ky.) College.

The next best thing to opening kick off. Meeting the players

Someone's googly eyed for Caleb already.....

[turbowagon]

It seems like there is a nice little window of opportunity here over the next two years. Unfortunately the rest of the AFC is really good as well over the same period. Playoffs this year. Good chance to go deep next year if the team can develop the d a little more. I'm pretty confident that the o, though already very good will raise it's game even more.

[HoTbOy]

With the New Bengal Way, i see that we are getting a whole lot more TV exposure...I was watching NFL total access last night and who was on there but Marvin himself along with Crennel from the Brownies...They love Chad on the show..We will know we have made it to the big time when we get a top tier FA..I also believe that Mike Brown has finally opened his eyes and realize that this is not the 70's or 80's anymore...I live in NY and can't wait to purchase tickets to the games...I am very glad about the New Bengal way, I am excited about football once again...

[jbengals1]

I live in NY and can't wait to purchase tickets to the games...I am very glad about the New Bengal way, I am excited about football once again...

its abought time i found another bengal fan that lives in NY

[joseph]

Let's not kid ourselves here. This is the same old franchise, same ol' Mikey Brown. The only difference here is that Marvin has been able to do the seemingly impossible and made everyone a believer in him. He has somehow gotten everyone in the orginization from Mikey and company, to the players, the ushers, all the way down to the fans to buy into his idea's. If Marvin was to leave though, this Bengals orginization would be back in the same place it was in the 90's in a heartbeat. This orginization, by far, has the least knowledgable people in all of pro-football running the front office, and definately needs a coach like Marvin to show the Brown family how to run an professional orginization. I suppose Mikey is at least wise enough to finally realize he doesn't know how to build a winning orginization.

[Benzoo]

Let's not kid ourselves here. This is the same old franchise, same ol' Mikey Brown. The only difference here is that Marvin has been able to do the seemingly impossible and made everyone a believer in him. He has somehow gotten everyone in the orginization from Mikey and company, to the players, the ushers, all the way down to the fans to buy into his idea's. If Marvin was to leave though, this Bengals orginization would be back in the same place it was in the 90's in a heartbeat. This orginization, by far, has the least knowledgable people in all of pro-football running the front office, and definately needs a coach like Marvin to show the Brown family how to run an professional orginization. I suppose Mikey is at least wise enough to finally realize he doesn't know how to build a winning orginization.

Can I ask who hired Marvin Lewis?

[HoosierCat]

The only difference here is that Marvin has been able to do the seemingly impossible and made everyone a believer in him.

And why is that? Because Marvin has some sort of magical hypnotic super-powers? No, because, as BengalByTheBay and jjakq noted earlier, his Bengals have been winning many more games. And in the end that is the only difference that matters.

As for the football knowledge resident in the Bengals' understaffed front office...well, they've certainly had their share of flops, from Klingler to Ki-Jana to Akili. But if you're going to blame them for those, you have to give them credit for guys like Big Willie, Rudi Johnson, Chad Johnson, Brian Simmons, etc.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Let's not kid ourselves here. This is the same old franchise, same ol' Mikey Brown.

Sorry Joe, but our opinions are going to differ here, which is fine. A couple years ago I would have definitely agreed, but something more than Marvin Lewis's hiring has taken place in the front office.

Wheather it was pressure as rumored from the leagues "heavies" on Mike Brown to quit being the GM, and start putting a competitive product on the field, or his daughter Katie or others talked him into these changes, but I for one was STUNNED when I heard he hired Marvin Lewis and gave him full (and yes it appears to be just that!) control over team matters! And to a coach with zero previous head coaching experience at this level!

We may never know exactly what it was, but I sincerely doubt that even if (**God Forbid!!**) Marvin Lewis does leave Cincinnati someday, Mike Brown would relapse to his old practices. I'm not saying Mike Brown will be the perfect owner from this point forward!! Whaddaya think I am!?! Crazy!?!

I am saying he'll never be that Mike Brown of old, and wearing the owner/GM titles simultaneously. I think he see's the teams improvement this "era of cooperation" has brought him in just two short seasons. He's happy and making money, the fans are "happier," and when the Bengals go to the playoffs in '05, joy shall reign, and even Mike Brown will be "feeling the love!"

[TippCityRick]

A friend of mine who happens to know Mike well said that the 2-14 season completely did him in. He knew that major changes had to occur, so he swollowed his pride and decided to hire the best possible coach available. I don't know which game, but there was a late season game where the Bengals got absolutely drubbed at home and Mike (from what I've heard) broke down in his game suite.

It was the defining moment of a horrible season. Remember, many people were touting us as a playoff team that year. It's the main reason you see football people s l o w l y coming on board this year cuz they don't want to get burned again.

As far as I can figure it was the best thing that could have happened to this franchise. I don't think we'll be going back again. (All praise to the football gods who planted the idea in the heads of the prognostigators who said we'd be good in 2002 )