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The Silver Lining


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So far this off season has been a huge disappointment, starting with Pacman getting arrested the day after the last game to losing Whit and Zeitler in FA. The offensive line was already shaky and needed some additional talent to give guys like Bodine and Ogbuehi some competition, but after losing it's two best players from that unit it's in shambles.

The Bengals have not signed any outside FA's after the first 5 days of the new league year and look to be improving their team via the draft in which they have 11 picks. If I were to predict were this team would finish the 2017-18 season based on their current roster I would say at best 3rd place in the division again because they haven't done anything to improve but they have gotten significantly worse, specifically on the offensive line.

However, there is a silver lining to the dark cloud that will be the 2017-18 season and that is it will likely be Marvin Lewis's last season as the HC. When Marvin was hired in 2003 I was very excited and supportive of the decision, he was a defensive guru that coordinated one of the best defense in the history of the NFL. In 2005 he took the Bengals to the playoffs, something that hadn't been done over a decade and it seemed inevitable that he would be the man to break the playoff drought and maybe win a Super Bowl.

Unfortunately Marvin has yet to win a playoff game, despite 7 attempts and he is the proud owner of the worst playoff record of any HC in the history of the NFL. Marvin has lost his fire, sense of urgency, and should be replaced. He lets guys like Burfict and Pacman ruin the team's success and doesn't hold them accountable when make mistakes on and off the field. It has been reported the only reason he is still coaching is so his son, Marcus Lewis, can get some years on his resume and a foothold in the business. That is great for his son but sucks for the fans of the team and ultimately it's players because Marvin's not engaged enough to ensure this team has the success it deserves. 

My hope is after the season Marvin is replaced with a more dynamic personality that will hold guys accountable when they screw up and get rid of them when it becomes a pattern of behaviour. This team will be loaded with young talent and they will need a good coaching staff to get the most out of them, I'm not sure the current staff is up to the challenge. Someone like Josh McDaniels would be an ideal choice as he comes from a winning culture and has HC experience. 

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I was thinking the same thing. Any other team and he would have been replaced three times already. Way past that point, but if this is another painful season with no playoff win- that's the next best thing to happen.

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5 hours ago, WRAPradio said:

I thought the silver lining was going to be we finally get to see what all of the young guys have and that's kind of exciting.

That interferes with the accepted Bataan Death March mindset so many have. Don't get in the way.

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5 hours ago, WRAPradio said:

I thought the silver lining was going to be we finally get to see what all of the young guys have and that's kind of exciting.

For me it is just the realization that the talent laden team of 2013 a mixture of vetetans and youth accomplished nothing and that window is now shut.  That group of players should have played for an AFC Championship.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/2013_roster.htm

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The day Marvin leaves...will be a glorious day.  His time was up a long time ago.....

I was curious so I looked at his record against the division....

 

            W        L

Pitt        8         20

Balt       17       11

Cle        20       8

 

He has a .535 winning percentage in our division.  It could be always be worse...but then again, that is how I felt his career as a coach has been...just average, nothing great...nothing terrible.  Enough to keep the fans chasing that carrot from season to season, thinking this could be our year.

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6 hours ago, TheBeaverHunter said:

The day Marvin leaves...will be a glorious day.  His time was up a long time ago.....

I was curious so I looked at his record against the division....

 

            W        L

Pitt        8         20

Balt       17       11

Cle        20       8

 

He has a .535 winning percentage in our division.  It could be always be worse...but then again, that is how I felt his career as a coach has been...just average, nothing great...nothing terrible.  Enough to keep the fans chasing that carrot from season to season, thinking this could be our year.

 

We've pretty much owned the Ravens and the Browns, but the Stealers have owned us.  I know I'm in the minority, but I don't think Marvin is the problem.  Out of the 7 playoff games, the only one that was a meltdown, IMO, was the Chargers game and the Jets game.  We weren't going to beat the Stealers w/o Carson, we were a year early vs. Houston, We weren't beating Indy with Rex Burkhead as our #2 WR and while Pittsburgh was bad, we weren't expected to even be in that game w/o Andy.  These aren't excuses because we should have won the 2nd Stealers game with a backup QB and that Chargers game.  The fact that we've continually made the playoffs with as many injuries as we've suffered over the years to key players, is a testament to Marvin.  He may not be animated on the sidelines and his clock management and TO management sucks, but he's a well above average coach and has brought a change to this organization that many thought would never happen.  I'm not happy with where the team is, but you don't let go of Marvin unless there's a better coach that you can get.

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On 3/14/2017 at 3:11 PM, WRAPradio said:

 

We've pretty much owned the Ravens and the Browns, but the Stealers have owned us.  I know I'm in the minority, but I don't think Marvin is the problem.  Out of the 7 playoff games, the only one that was a meltdown, IMO, was the Chargers game and the Jets game.  We weren't going to beat the Stealers w/o Carson, we were a year early vs. Houston, We weren't beating Indy with Rex Burkhead as our #2 WR and while Pittsburgh was bad, we weren't expected to even be in that game w/o Andy.  These aren't excuses because we should have won the 2nd Stealers game with a backup QB and that Chargers game.  The fact that we've continually made the playoffs with as many injuries as we've suffered over the years to key players, is a testament to Marvin.  He may not be animated on the sidelines and his clock management and TO management sucks, but he's a well above average coach and has brought a change to this organization that many thought would never happen.  I'm not happy with where the team is, but you don't let go of Marvin unless there's a better coach that you can get.

I don't see how you can't call the 2015 playoff game anything other than a meltdown, it was the definition of a meltdown. Had the lead and the ball with less than 2 minutes to play and committed a turnover and 2 15 yard personal fouls in order to lose the game.

Also, this is nothing but a paragraph of excuses for an inept coach who owns the worse playoff record in the history of the NFL. Marvin is the only constant, but he's not the problem? HC's are supposed to know how to manage the clock and TO's during the games, the coordinators do everything else. He's not calling offensive or defensive plays, making sure the sub packages are right, coming up with half time adjustments, he just sits there and watches his team get screwed by refs with a blank look on his face while wasting precious time at the end of the half because he's too conservative to actually try and win a game. 

Marvin may have been a defensive genius when he arrived in 2003 but he has morphed into complacent HC with no sense of urgency that can't control is players when it matters the most. I'm sure we can find another HC to see if they can win a playoff game, it's not the hardest thing to do in the NFL. Since 2003 there have been plenty of coaches that have won a playoff game and been fired, it's ridiculous to think the Bengals can't find someone else for this job.  

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I don't see how you can't call the 2015 playoff game anything other than a meltdown, it was the definition of a meltdown. Had the lead and the ball with less than 2 minutes to play and committed a turnover and 2 15 yard personal fouls in order to lose the game.
Also, this is nothing but a paragraph of excuses for an inept coach who owns the worse playoff record in the history of the NFL. Marvin is the only constant, but he's not the problem? HC's are supposed to know how to manage the clock and TO's during the games, the coordinators do everything else. He's not calling offensive or defensive plays, making sure the sub packages are right, coming up with half time adjustments, he just sits there and watches his team get screwed by refs with a blank look on his face while wasting precious time at the end of the half because he's too conservative to actually try and win a game. 
Marvin may have been a defensive genius when he arrived in 2003 but he has morphed into complacent HC with no sense of urgency that can't control is players when it matters the most. I'm sure we can find another HC to see if they can win a playoff game, it's not the hardest thing to do in the NFL. Since 2003 there have been plenty of coaches that have won a playoff game and been fired, it's ridiculous to think the Bengals can't find someone else for this job.  


2015 was a meltdown, but honestly what could Marv have done differently in that moment?


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2 questions

 

1.  People still think those 2 personal fouls at the end of that 2015 playoff game handing Shitsburgh the win were legit? That game was a farce.

2.  How can you be disappointed by something you expect to happen?  You're not a very good pessimist.

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On 3/18/2017 at 1:55 PM, WRAPradio said:

 


2015 was a meltdown, but honestly what could Marv have done differently in that moment?


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Instructed Hill to hold on to the ball with both hands and go down on first contact. Warn his guys against doing anything stupid, he should know his guys. He could have confronted Porter when he walked across the field and confronted his players, thus leaving the very rational and calm Pacman Jones to deal with the situation the best way he knew how. 

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Instructed Hill to hold on to the ball with both hands and go down on first contact. Warn his guys against doing anything stupid, he should know his guys. He could have confronted Porter when he walked across the field and confronted his players, thus leaving the very rational and calm Pacman Jones to deal with the situation the best way he knew how. 


Are we assuming he and/or his position coach didn't? Even if he didn't, Hill is a professional, you can't blame that fumble on a coach.


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17 hours ago, T-Dub said:

2 questions

 

1.  People still think those 2 personal fouls at the end of that 2015 playoff game handing Shitsburgh the win were legit? That game was a farce.

2.  How can you be disappointed by something you expect to happen?  You're not a very good pessimist.

Having alleged PF #1 happen basically right in front of me, I will say forever that was the greatest flop since Larry Bird in his prime. And PF #2 was an NHL 2-minutes each for roughing, but Thug- Joey-I-am-assisting-my-injured-player did not receive his 2 minutes. 

But who are we to question the integrity of this sainted league? 

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18 hours ago, T-Dub said:

2 questions

 

1.  People still think those 2 personal fouls at the end of that 2015 playoff game handing Shitsburgh the win were legit? That game was a farce.

 

41 minutes ago, Le Tigre said:

Having alleged PF #1 happen basically right in front of me, I will say forever that was the greatest flop since Larry Bird in his prime. And PF #2 was an NHL 2-minutes each for roughing, but Thug- Joey-I-am-assisting-my-injured-player did not receive his 2 minutes. 

But who are we to question the integrity of this sainted league? 

The first one was the right call. He hit him in the head. Did Brown flop? Probably. But it was still a shot to the head of a receiver and those get called in the modern day NFL, especially when dude didn't even catch the ball.

The second PF was fucking bullshit and fuck Joey Porter.

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6 hours ago, omgdrdoom said:

 

The first one was the right call. He hit him in the head. Did Brown flop? Probably. But it was still a shot to the head of a receiver and those get called in the modern day NFL

 

Except for when they don't.   Besides which, Brown lowered his head.  Is Burfict expected to defy the laws of physics somehow?

ParchedBronzeAntipodesgreenparakeet.gif

 

Besides which, I thought it was obvious from the announcer's commentary before the game even started that they knew Burfict was under a microscope.  I still think Goodell had pinned a target on him.

And fuck yes it was a flop.  You don't throw your arms up like that if you're knocked out. They called a crossing route at the edge of FG range knowing there'd be contact and knowing he could flail and draw a flag. I blame the NFL's vague ruleset as much as Shitsburgh, who I suspect don't know how not to cheat at this point.

 

The 2nd foul was for dumbass Pacman making contact with a ref, but those same refs are the ones who let the game get out of hand in the first place.  Then we get those same refs next season against the same team in a game conveniently scheduled during Burfict's suspension?  Embarrassing. :ninja:

 

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21 hours ago, WRAPradio said:

 


Are we assuming he and/or his position coach didn't? Even if he didn't, Hill is a professional, you can't blame that fumble on a coach.


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I guess but hindsight is 20/20. You asked what he could have done differently and those are some things that popped into my head. 

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14 hours ago, T-Dub said:

 

Except for when they don't.   Besides which, Brown lowered his head.  Is Burfict expected to defy the laws of physics somehow?

ParchedBronzeAntipodesgreenparakeet.gif

 

Besides which, I thought it was obvious from the announcer's commentary before the game even started that they knew Burfict was under a microscope.  I still think Goodell had pinned a target on him.

And fuck yes it was a flop.  You don't throw your arms up like that if you're knocked out. They called a crossing route at the edge of FG range knowing there'd be contact and knowing he could flail and draw a flag. I blame the NFL's vague ruleset as much as Shitsburgh, who I suspect don't know how not to cheat at this point.

 

The 2nd foul was for dumbass Pacman making contact with a ref, but those same refs are the ones who let the game get out of hand in the first place.  Then we get those same refs next season against the same team in a game conveniently scheduled during Burfict's suspension?  Embarrassing. :ninja:

 

I do not disagree that the "shield" is tainted.

But here is my issue with that game.... Burfict talked the week before about him and Pacman both being "marked" players and IIRC Pacman mentioned it also.

They both knew they had targets on their back.  With the game on the line, a smart, disciplined player who knows he is being watched, unfairly or not, does not put himself in the position they did.  The ball was over Brown's head...he was on his way to the ground..Flop or not Burfict had no business coming in with his head down.  He gave the ref's the opportunity to call that foul.  He didn't have to do that.  Shit call or not it's on him.

It's no different than a basketball game.  Time is running out and you have a 1 point lead.  You play good defense but you do not body up or reach in to the player with the ball.  You do not put the game in the ref's hand.

Pacman's was the same way.  He was a marked man.  With the game on the line he walked into the scrum....he put himself in the position to have a foul called.  A disciplined player does not do that.

Right or wrong...deserved or not...Burfict and Jones gave the ref's the chance to influence the outcome of that game.  It was on them.

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15 hours ago, T-Dub said:

 

Except for when they don't.   Besides which, Brown lowered his head.  Is Burfict expected to defy the laws of physics somehow?

ParchedBronzeAntipodesgreenparakeet.gif

 

Besides which, I thought it was obvious from the announcer's commentary before the game even started that they knew Burfict was under a microscope.  I still think Goodell had pinned a target on him.

And fuck yes it was a flop.  You don't throw your arms up like that if you're knocked out. They called a crossing route at the edge of FG range knowing there'd be contact and knowing he could flail and draw a flag. I blame the NFL's vague ruleset as much as Shitsburgh, who I suspect don't know how not to cheat at this point.

 

The 2nd foul was for dumbass Pacman making contact with a ref, but those same refs are the ones who let the game get out of hand in the first place.  Then we get those same refs next season against the same team in a game conveniently scheduled during Burfict's suspension?  Embarrassing. :ninja:

 

It's a personal foul dude, plain and simple. I'm sure you'd be able to find me a blatant headshot at some point in the past few years that wasn't flagged, but that doesn't mean that an obvious PF shouldn't have been called, that would be illogical to suggest and I'd like to think we all understand that.

A hold is still a hold whether some other holds in other games get called or not, same thing here. Ball was overthrown, Burfict nailed him in the helmet, flag. Burfict defying the laws of physics has nothing to do with it, if you make contact with a defenseless receivers helmet, it's going to be a flag. This isn't very difficult lol

Whether we agree that this kind of hit should be a PF in the NFL is a different discussion. Whether we think the NFL has biases is a different discussion. This has nothing to do with either of those so please stop bringing that up as if it's what I'm arguing. If you watch that hit that you just showed me with any other teams involved, you'd be in 100% agreement that it's called as a PF in a modern day NFL game. You're letting your bias come in the way of being a rational person here.

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3 hours ago, westside bengal said:

I do not disagree that the "shield" is tainted.

But here is my issue with that game.... Burfict talked the week before about him and Pacman both being "marked" players and IIRC Pacman mentioned it also.

They both knew they had targets on their back.  With the game on the line, a smart, disciplined player who knows he is being watched, unfairly or not, does not put himself in the position they did.  The ball was over Brown's head...he was on his way to the ground..Flop or not Burfict had no business coming in with his head down.  He gave the ref's the opportunity to call that foul.  He didn't have to do that.  Shit call or not it's on him.

It's no different than a basketball game.  Time is running out and you have a 1 point lead.  You play good defense but you do not body up or reach in to the player with the ball.  You do not put the game in the ref's hand.

Pacman's was the same way.  He was a marked man.  With the game on the line he walked into the scrum....he put himself in the position to have a foul called.  A disciplined player does not do that.

Right or wrong...deserved or not...Burfict and Jones gave the ref's the chance to influence the outcome of that game.  It was on them.

It's called personal responsibility, something that seems to be in short supply in PBS these days.

No one is held accountable for their actions(Pacman), guys are given starting jobs even though they suck(Ogbuehi), and coaches who consistently underperform are very comfortable and ask for extensions so they don't feel any pressure(Marvin Lewis)...it's pathetic. 

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2 hours ago, omgdrdoom said:

It's a personal foul dude, plain and simple. I'm sure you'd be able to find me a blatant headshot at some point in the past few years that wasn't flagged, but that doesn't mean that an obvious PF shouldn't have been called, that would be illogical to suggest and I'd like to think we all understand that.

A hold is still a hold whether some other holds in other games get called or not, same thing here. Ball was overthrown, Burfict nailed him in the helmet, flag. Burfict defying the laws of physics has nothing to do with it, if you make contact with a defenseless receivers helmet, it's going to be a flag. This isn't very difficult lol

Whether we agree that this kind of hit should be a PF in the NFL is a different discussion. Whether we think the NFL has biases is a different discussion. This has nothing to do with either of those so please stop bringing that up as if it's what I'm arguing. If you watch that hit that you just showed me with any other teams involved, you'd be in 100% agreement that it's called as a PF in a modern day NFL game. You're letting your bias come in the way of being a rational person here.

The fact that both Pacman and Burfict violated the rules doesn't really matter to T-Dub, he believes that the Stealers wouldn't have been called for the same violations is the crux of the matter, which based on the past he is probably right. 

Unfortunately for Bengals fans, the Bengals don't get the star treatment like the other chosen franchises receive for many reasons. That should be known and factored into the equation every time they take the field against a #teamlikepatriots, Stealers, or cowboys..etc. It's the reality of the situation and if we know it then the coaches and players should definitely know it as well, to quote the great modern day poet Havock of Mobb Deep fame" That's how it is and how it is kinda fucked up."

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So some here think Antonio Brown flopped after the Burfict hit?  To believe this you also have to believe he faked a concussion which kept him out of the next playoff game with Denver. I think not.

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