Problems/Marvin Do Your Job

[Bobcat Bengal]

Could this be a coaching problem? I think Brat sucks aZZ and Bres has not been given a chance but is this a ML thing???

just thinking out loud.

No.

This is a sky-is-falling-our-season-is-doomed-panic-button-pressing-thing.

[Bobcat Bengal]

I don't care if it's preseason or not, or who is at fault, but this has been one of the sloppiest, ugliest, most embarrassing preseasons I have EVER seen out of a Bengals' team, and that's saying something.

I WILL agree with you on this.

[Stripes]

The starting defense hasn't been all that bad, except against Philly, so Bresnahan is doing fine.  Bratkowski is a bad offensive coordinator, pure and simple.  He is the primary problem with the offense.  Marvin is not to blame for anything.

Excuse me, but when you're in charge, (i.e. Head Coach) blame is your middle name. That's the way it is in the rest of the world. Pro football is no different.

OK, I see your point, Marvin will get the blame as the head coach, I just don't think it is deserved.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Could this be a coaching problem? I think Brat sucks aZZ and Bres has not been given a chance but is this a ML thing???

just thinking out loud.

No.

This is a sky-is-falling-our-season-is-doomed-panic-button-pressing-thing.

And I will agree with you on this.

Willie, Madeiu and Reggie Kelly were all missing, and have been all preseason.

They continue to not say anything about Warrick or try to get him involved.

Many of the errors seem to be mental and correctable and out of character (CJ & TJ dropping passes, Andrews being replaced with his 4 penalties soon, etc..,).

Whatever defensive game plan was on last night, regardless of how bland, was terrible early on. Oh well, Herring can't cover TO, not a suprise, not many can one-on-one.

I don't think it's a talent issue though, every team has holes and injuries.

The Eagles won by 10, wipe out those penalties by Andrews, take back 2-3 big drops, and you've got another game.

I hope they get that crap out of them now because if they make the same individual mistakes in the regular season they will be humiliated, obviously. Waiting until the last 10 games to get-going is not going to work again.

[Stripes]

Waiting until the last 10 games to get-going is not going to work again.

Never has worked, at least not for us.

[InsultComicDog]

I might go so far as to say that getting one's butt whooped in a preseason game is a good thing.

[Bobcat Bengal]

Waiting until the last 10 games to get-going is not going to work again.

Never has worked, at least not for us.

Tell that to Carolina.

[DontTakeAkili]

The last time I was this embarrassed by the Bengals was the home opened against San Diego a few years agao. I am all for staying the course (after suffering through the 1990s, why not?), but I would feel much better if someone inside Bengals camp did hit the panic button. Maybe it would wake the team up a little bit.

I have watched the Iggles debacle twice now, and the expression I keep seeing from Marvin is

1. take off hat

2. shake head in frustrated manner

3. Speak angerly for three seconds

4. replace hat

Maybe it wouldn't help, but I would sure LOVE to see Marvin get in someone's face and shower them with spit and expletives, Bill Cower style. Will it help? I have no idea. Will it hurt? How the hell could it? 27-3 at halftime!

Maybe challenge a guy's manhood. Threaten his playing time. Insult his mother. Just get pissed! Stomp. Scream. Act like a five year old. If we can't get a Ray Lewis type to fire up the team, maybe a coach can do it.

We start games flat, we start seasons flat. We even started the practice I drove two hours to watch flat. Dropped balls, poor coverage, penalties. Emotion isn't a bad thing! It's time to wake up.

[Stripes]

I might go so far as to say that getting one's butt whooped in a preseason game is a good thing.

To some extent, I agree. It will motivate the players and coaching staff to work hard in practice to get all the problems sorted out. It'll show them they can't get us our playoff berth without playing mistake free football.

[walshfan]

Maybe the Bengals drafted Pollack to be the catalyst in getting this team fired up..He's too inexperienced right now to take charge but it's not far off... I see this kid as the x-factor.. he'll provid the spark they need....

[BlackJesus]

Lets see..... take a team that was terrible for 13 years .... and then

- Go 2 years without a losing season

- Change the team culture by desinging new Unis, putting in field turf, redoing the weight room, hiring dieticians, instilling discipline and attracting free agents to a once Siberia

- Trade your all time leading rusher and then break his rushing record with the backup

- Take a 2nd year QB and already have him firing on all cylinders by his 10th game in the entire NFL

- Hold a roster together and get the most potent offense in the NFL all signed through 2009

- Make a stadium that once was empty all sellouts and bring National TV to Cincy along with the roar of a once proud jungle

- Convince a stubborn owner who has had the same staff forever to let you clean house, bring in all your own people, and cut 90 % of the roster you were given and actually get better

- Build a team with 5 or 6 players that are pro bowl bound all under 26 years old and have them all signed long term

- continually get 1st round gems in the 2nd , 3rd and later rounds

- Work the draft board like a f**king Genius

- Handle a list of team injuries and a rookie QB and still finish with the same record as the year before with a veteran QB who had the year of his life.

- By the 3rd year have a once laughingstock legitimatley thinking deep into the playoffs !!!

[BlackJesus]

PS

these games don't count

the Patriots last year lost all of them and lost by 30 to us....

they mean nothing

[Stripes]

- Trade your all time leading rusher and then break his rushing record with the backup

Awesome. Good stuff as always BJ.

[jbx182]

uh, hello people! do you think a defense starting 2 rookies and 2 second year players is good enough for a serious playoff run yet?!? give marvin his chance! it's really only "his" guys second year! the first year was just patchwork, he needs another draft! relax!

[BengalsFanForever]

One thing I have noticed, coaching-wise, in the postgame coverage today, is that I'm not sure that the team and its head coach are on the same page.

Marvin Lewis is, quite obviously, p*ssed.

The players, however, are all in "don't worry, be happy" mode. Lots of yap yap yap about how it's just preseason, it'll all get fixed, we just need (another) week, etc.

Marvin's response has been to directly attack this attitude with lines about how it's time to quit talking and start playing. But the very fact he has to address it is, to me, extremely troubling. We've seen Bengal teams lose faith in and start ignoring their head coach before. I don't think it's anywhere near that Shula/Coslet level yet...but there is clearly a separation between the coach and the team as to the urgency of the situation.

And frankly, I agree with Marvin.

I couldn't have said it better my self, JC. Hopefully, Coach Lewis will change their attitudes this week, so they will have a good game against Indy and get a rhythm going to carry over to Week 1 in Cleveland.

I don't understand all the Coach Lewis bashing all of the sudden. He has done SO much for our Bengals since he came here. When was the last time we could turn on a national sports show or open a national publication and see positive things said about the Bengals? Can't remember, can you? The problems we have seen this pre-season will be corrected. I have no doubt about it. And once again, we will be on the road to Detroit.

[BengalsFanForever]

Thats not the way I see it! This is all Marvin! He wanted a fast start and cut practise and time and now they are behind! Pure and simple1 Good bye playoffs!

Sure they left Georgetown a week early; however, if you listen to the players, coaches, and even some reporters, they have practiced just as hard if not harder at PBS. Quality of practice, not location, is going to make our team better.

[BengalsFanForever]

I live outside of Chicago, so I am just now getting a chance to watch the game from Friday night. Before the game started, the Eagles' play-by-play said he asked the Bengals' coaches what they thought the Eagles' first play from scrimmage would be. He said that they all said they expected a long pass to T.O.. So on the Eagles' first play, the Bengals go Cover 2 Deep and T.O. burns them down the sideline. My question is this: If they all expected a long pass to T.O., then why did they have a Cover 2 on that first play? Why not put 3 deep or at least double coverage on T.O.? I know they try to disguise their coverage, but Herring started up beside the linebackers. There was no way he could get into coverage in time, as we all saw.