No Playoffs for the Bengals in 2011
Are you ready for some football?
Cincinnati fans, are you ready for another season of Bengals football?
Chances are answers to both questions are drastically different and for good reasons.
This off-season, with the lockout and everything, has been anything but pretty for Cincinnati. The Bengals were named by ESPN The Magazine as the No. 122 best professional sports franchises in North America out of 122 franchises. The Wall Street Journal named the Bengals lease with Cincinnati, the worst stadium deal ever for taxpayers. With the continuing poor press, not to mention Cedric Benson and Adam "Pacman" Jones arrests, 2011 does not look real promising for the Cincinnati Bengals. Yet again, when does it?
Recently, The Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy asked fans to come with 122 ways to improve the Bengals, which were very good and creative for fans who have suffered watching the Bengals play football under the Mike Brown regime. If fans could come up with 122 reasons to improve the Bengals, 122 reasons for why they will not make the playoffs in 2011 should be a piece of cake, right?
So, why won't fans be seeing the Bengals in the playoffs in 2011? Here's a few reasons:
1. Not resigning Johnathan Joseph. Leon Hall and Jonathon Joseph were, if not the best, one of the top five cornerback duos in the league. So why not resign him? The Bengals had chances to sign him before the lockout, but didn't and had plenty of money under the cap to sign Joseph after the lockout. Joseph was never offered a fair deal, typical Mike Brown, and now he is in Houston.
The Bengals signed former 49ers CB Nate Clements to compete with Adam Jones, Morgan Trent and Brandon Ghee for Joseph's spot, but those are big shoes to fill. With Jones' legal troubles, who knows if he will even be out there when the season starts. Trent and Ghee don't have much experience and Clements is a solid player, but he's not as talented as Joseph. The cornerback position was the best position group on the team and the best part of an improving defense under defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Now with Joseph gone, that's no longer the case and it's a damn shame.
2. The Lockout. The NFL lockout could not have come at a worse time for the Bengals. With a rookie offensive coordinator, Jay Gruden, implementing a new system and not being able to talk to his players or rookie quarterback for that matter, really puts the Bengals behind the eight ball. It's hard enough learning an offensive playbook, the size of a dictionary, in a normal NFL off-season, but learning it in less than two months before the first game is almost impossible.
3. The Quarterback Situation. With Carson Palmer saying that he has played his last game in a Bengals uniform, the Bengals drafted QB Andy Dalton out of TCU in April's draft. Dalton was a fine college player and can become a solid NFL quarterback under the right system and with the right coaching. However, with him being a rookie, not being able to talk to Jay Gruden, not getting in the reps in minicamp and off-season workouts, it's not going to be easy taking that first snap under center September 11th in Cleveland. With no veteran quarterback, like a Carson or Jon Kitna to mentor him, Dalton is going to have his hands full. The Bengals did sign Bruce Gradkowski, who has been giving Dalton advice so far in training camp, but he's no more than a backup and doesn't have the experience Carson or Kitna have. Imagine being an NFL rookie and not only being expected to come in and start right away, but be the starting quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals. Good luck with that Andy.
4. Saying Adios to Ochocinco. It's no secret that Ochocinco is no longer the player that he once was. His production has been down the past few seasons and with him not getting along with Marvin Lewis, it was time to cut ties with Chad. It was a good move by the Bengals to trade Chad to New England, but by losing Ochocinco the Bengals also lose the only thing that made them interesting.
During Chad's tenure he made his presence felt on and off the field. Ochocinco leaves as the Bengals all-time leader in catches, receiving yards, touchdowns, league fines, second(s) riding a bull, tweets, and appearances on reality television. Expect for playoff appearances in 2005 and 2009, the Bengals were terrible, but somehow Ochocinco made them interesting the entire time he was here. From the checklist in his locker of corners who were to cover him, sending Pepto-Bismol to the Browns before a game, becoming Batman and Robin with T.O., asking the NFL not to fine him again, he was fined $10,000 anyway, and all his other unique and creative touchdown celebrations, Ochocinco has a one of a kind personality.
With all the bad press the Bengals received during Ochocinco's time in Cincinnati, and some of it was Ochocinco related, but overall Chad helped shed a positive light on the team, which is no easy task. Ochocinco started to drive fans crazy with his trade demands and endless reality television shows, but even though it was hard to tell, I think he always wanted what was best for the team, especially the fans. He made fans enjoy Bengals football for a change and the Bengals were no longer the laughing stock of the NFL, for a while anyway.
Once the season starts, whether they say it or not, fans will miss Chad Ochocinco. It's going to be strange not seeing him in a Bengals uniform this season and I'm sure going to miss #85.
5. Mike Brown is still the Owner. Want to know why the Bengals are No. 122 on the best professional sports franchises list, just look at the man at the top, Mike Brown. From not trading Carson Palmer, his awkward press conferences, a 115-206-1 record as owner, to the Bengals sending out a statement to season ticket holders saying that the lockout was over...when it wasn't. How does an NFL owner, who is participating in negotiations, not know when the lockout is over? "C'mon Man."
The Bengals have been dreadful, terrible, appalling, bad, awful, and so much more under Mike Brown that fans have to wonder if the Cincinnati Bengals will ever be good again. Fans won't be planning a Super Bowl parade anytime soon and until Mike Brown is no longer running the Cincinnati Bengals, fans will see very few changes on and off the field.
With those five reasons, along with many others to numerous to mention, one would almost guarantee the Bengals chances of making the playoffs are very slim. How slim are they you ask? Well, Las Vegas odds makers recently released Super Bowl odds for the upcoming season and the Cincinnati Bengals are at the bottom of the list once again, with 100-1 odds. Not surprising at all, in fact it's almost to be expected when it comes to the Bengals, isn't it?
So, Cincinnati fans, set your expectations for the 2011 season at an all-time low and you can bet on yet another disappointing and uninspiring season of Bengals football.
Are you ready for some football? Yeah...just not Bengals football.
A full NFL preview and full Bengals preview for 2011 still to come.
Cincinnati fans, are you ready for another season of Bengals football?
Chances are answers to both questions are drastically different and for good reasons.
This off-season, with the lockout and everything, has been anything but pretty for Cincinnati. The Bengals were named by ESPN The Magazine as the No. 122 best professional sports franchises in North America out of 122 franchises. The Wall Street Journal named the Bengals lease with Cincinnati, the worst stadium deal ever for taxpayers. With the continuing poor press, not to mention Cedric Benson and Adam "Pacman" Jones arrests, 2011 does not look real promising for the Cincinnati Bengals. Yet again, when does it?
Recently, The Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy asked fans to come with 122 ways to improve the Bengals, which were very good and creative for fans who have suffered watching the Bengals play football under the Mike Brown regime. If fans could come up with 122 reasons to improve the Bengals, 122 reasons for why they will not make the playoffs in 2011 should be a piece of cake, right?
So, why won't fans be seeing the Bengals in the playoffs in 2011? Here's a few reasons:
1. Not resigning Johnathan Joseph. Leon Hall and Jonathon Joseph were, if not the best, one of the top five cornerback duos in the league. So why not resign him? The Bengals had chances to sign him before the lockout, but didn't and had plenty of money under the cap to sign Joseph after the lockout. Joseph was never offered a fair deal, typical Mike Brown, and now he is in Houston.
The Bengals signed former 49ers CB Nate Clements to compete with Adam Jones, Morgan Trent and Brandon Ghee for Joseph's spot, but those are big shoes to fill. With Jones' legal troubles, who knows if he will even be out there when the season starts. Trent and Ghee don't have much experience and Clements is a solid player, but he's not as talented as Joseph. The cornerback position was the best position group on the team and the best part of an improving defense under defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Now with Joseph gone, that's no longer the case and it's a damn shame.
2. The Lockout. The NFL lockout could not have come at a worse time for the Bengals. With a rookie offensive coordinator, Jay Gruden, implementing a new system and not being able to talk to his players or rookie quarterback for that matter, really puts the Bengals behind the eight ball. It's hard enough learning an offensive playbook, the size of a dictionary, in a normal NFL off-season, but learning it in less than two months before the first game is almost impossible.
 |
| Rookie Andy Dalton may be the Bengals starting QB when the season starts September 11th. (Frank Victores/US Presswire) |
4. Saying Adios to Ochocinco. It's no secret that Ochocinco is no longer the player that he once was. His production has been down the past few seasons and with him not getting along with Marvin Lewis, it was time to cut ties with Chad. It was a good move by the Bengals to trade Chad to New England, but by losing Ochocinco the Bengals also lose the only thing that made them interesting.
 |
| The Bengals were a lot more interesting with Chad Ochocinco on the team. (AP Photo/David Kohl) |
Once the season starts, whether they say it or not, fans will miss Chad Ochocinco. It's going to be strange not seeing him in a Bengals uniform this season and I'm sure going to miss #85.
5. Mike Brown is still the Owner. Want to know why the Bengals are No. 122 on the best professional sports franchises list, just look at the man at the top, Mike Brown. From not trading Carson Palmer, his awkward press conferences, a 115-206-1 record as owner, to the Bengals sending out a statement to season ticket holders saying that the lockout was over...when it wasn't. How does an NFL owner, who is participating in negotiations, not know when the lockout is over? "C'mon Man."
The Bengals have been dreadful, terrible, appalling, bad, awful, and so much more under Mike Brown that fans have to wonder if the Cincinnati Bengals will ever be good again. Fans won't be planning a Super Bowl parade anytime soon and until Mike Brown is no longer running the Cincinnati Bengals, fans will see very few changes on and off the field.
With those five reasons, along with many others to numerous to mention, one would almost guarantee the Bengals chances of making the playoffs are very slim. How slim are they you ask? Well, Las Vegas odds makers recently released Super Bowl odds for the upcoming season and the Cincinnati Bengals are at the bottom of the list once again, with 100-1 odds. Not surprising at all, in fact it's almost to be expected when it comes to the Bengals, isn't it?
So, Cincinnati fans, set your expectations for the 2011 season at an all-time low and you can bet on yet another disappointing and uninspiring season of Bengals football.
Are you ready for some football? Yeah...just not Bengals football.
A full NFL preview and full Bengals preview for 2011 still to come.
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