2011 NFL Preview: Cincinnati Bengals
Will the Cincinnati Bengals be the worst team in the NFL this season? Bengals fans hope not, but if they are, no fans in the NFL are more use to losing than the fans in the Queen City. I don't think the Bengals will awful, they will be bad don't get me wrong, but not as bad as people may think and here's why.
Head coach Marvin Lewis has said that he thinks the 2011 version of the Bengals will be better than the 2010 version and why not. A lot of things have changed in Cincinnati.
QB Carson Palmer remains retired, or whatever you want to call it, and some people are even speculating a return from Carson during the season. I doubt it, but wouldn't that be awkward.
Batman and Robin, aka Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, are also gone. Flamboyant wide receiver Chad Ochocinco is still wearing #85, just in a New England Patriots uniform this season. Terrell Owens tore his ACL in the off-season and remains a free agent, but the T.O. Show is still airing on VH1.
The Bengals three biggest stars may be gone, but it's for the best, as Cincinnati look to rebuild, yet again. No more reality shows, no more players tweeting about their frustrations, no more predictable play calling from offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski and no more players refusing to play for the worst owner in the NFL, Mike Brown.
Out with the old, in with the new in Cincinnati, and the Bengals will be relying on two rookies this season, to return them to relevancy in the NFL.
Offense
Cincinnati's new version of Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco are in the form of rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and rookie wide receiver A.J. Green.
Andy Dalton was taken in the second round out of TCU where he won 42 games in four seasons. The Bengals won 52 games in the 1990s in case your wondering. Andy Dalton was a very good college quarterback and I think he is the right man for the job in Cincinnati. He made great strides as the preseason went on and it looks like he already has good chemistry with the Bengals wide receivers, including fellow rookie A.J. Green.
Green was the fourth overall pick in April's draft and he has the best skills of any receiver on the Bengals roster. His hands, speed, size, and athleticism are all scintillating and although he is only a rookie, Green could lead the Bengals in every receiving statistic. Dalton and Green both have a lot of promise, but they are both rookies on a bad team, so don't expect them to be next Joe Montana and Jerry Rice right from the start. It will take some time for them to adjust to life in the NFL, but I see both of them being stars on the Bengals for years to come.
Also, new to the Bengals offense is offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, as Bob Bratkowski was finally let go after way to many seasons as Cincinnati's signal caller. Bratkowski had such a predictable offense that fans sitting on their couch knew when he was going to run the ball. Gruden will be implementing a west coast style of offense, so look for Bengals to get the ball out of Dalton's hands fast and expect to see a lot of Cedric Benson in the running game.
I know that things look bleak for the Bengals in 2011, but believe it or not, there is talent on this team and it starts with the offense. Besides Dalton and Green, TE Jermaine Gresham, WR Jordan Shipley and WR Jerome Simpson are all good young players. The Bengals are stacked with young talent at the skills positions and along with RB Cedric Benson and tackle Andrew Whitworth anchoring the offensive line, the offense could do alright.
The biggest thing for Bengals fans to keep an eye on this season is the offensive line. Whitworth and center Kyle Cook are solid players, but that's it. Guard Nate Livings hasn't been as good as expected, neither has former first round pick Andre Smith, who has barely played because of injury and being overweight.
The Bengals most experienced lineman, guard Bobbie Williams, will miss the first four games for violating the league's performance enhancing policy. So, rookie Clint Boling will start next to Cook and Smith at guard for the Bengals. The line is the only thing that stands between Dalton and the emergency room, so much of the season will be dictated by the play of the hog mollies up front.
Cincinnati Bengals projected offensive starters:
QB: Andy Dalton
RB: Cedric Benson
FB: Chris Pressley
WR: A.J. Green, Jerome Simpson
TE: Jermaine Gresham
T: Andrew Whitworh, Andre Smith
G: Nate Livings, Clint Boling
C: Kyle Cook
WR Jordan Shipley, WR Andre Caldwell and RB Bernard Scott are young, talented playmakers coming off the bench that will see a lot of snaps as well this season.
Defense/Special Teams
One of the biggest keys to the Bengals having any success this season will be play of the defense. With a young offense lead by a rookie quarterback, the defense is going to have to make some plays. When the Bengals went to the playoffs in 2005, their defense was one of the league leaders in forcing turnovers. The offense was very good in '05, but one of the main reasons the Bengals went 11-5 and won the division was because of the play of the defense.
Mike Zimmer is one of the better defensive coordinators in the NFL and he has talented players on the defensive side of the ball too (see starters below) and it starts with the defensive line. In my opinion, the defensive line is one of the best position groups on the team, with Domata Peko, Geno Atkins, Pat Sims, Robert Geathers, Michael Johnson and Carlos Dunlap. Both Johnson and Dunlap are big, fast and athletic pass rushers and both can get to the quarterback, something the Bengals have struggled with for years.
Rey Maualuga moves to middle linebacker, the same position he played at USC, and I expect him to have his best season as a pro. LB Dhani Jones is gone and LB Keith Rivers is on the physically unable to perform list for the first eight games of the season due to injury. So, Thomas Howard (Raiders) and Manny Lawson (San Francisco) will join Maualuga in the starting lineup and both should upgrade the linebacker position.
The biggest challenge Mike Zimmer faces this season is trying to make up for the lost of CB Jonathan Joseph. The Bengals lost Joseph to Houston in free agency, so Nate Clements, another player brought over from San Francisco, will start opposite Leon Hall in the secondary. Hall and Joseph were one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL and why Mike Brown didn't resign him, is not surprising, it is very disappointing.
The Bengals defense has the talent to be good this season, but they could be on the field a lot with the young offense.
Cincinnati Bengals projected defensive starters:
DE: Michael Johnson, Robert Geathers
DT: Domata Peko, Geno Atkins
LB: Rey Maualuga, Manny Lawson, Thomas Howard
CB: Leon Hall, Nate Clements
S: Chris Crocker, Reggie Nelson
I don't understand why Robert Geathers is starting over Carlos Dunlap, probably money related seeing how Geathers makes millions more, but Dunlap could play his way into the starting lineup.
Other guys who will see a lot of playing time are DT Pat Sims and CB Kelly Jennings (trade with Seattle). CB Adam "Pacman" Jones is still recovering from neck surgery, so he won't play the first eight games. LB Brandon Johnson, CB Morgan Trent, CB Rico Murray (Moeller) and S Taylor Mays (trade with San Francisco) could also see time on defense and will be key players on special teams.
Speaking of special teams, Mike Nugent returns as the Bengals kicker after tearing his ACL cut his season short in 2010. University of Cincinnati grad, punter Kevin Huber returns as well, and he will be on the field a lot I imagine. One of the biggest acquistions though has to be WR Brandon Tate. Tate was cut by the New England Patriots after the final preseason game and the Bengals were able to pick him up off waivers.
Tate is a great return man, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns last season, including a 97-yard return against the Bengals. He will be a great addition to the return game along with Bernard Scott and Jordan Shipley. Special teams plays a big role on every team, but it plays an even bigger role on a younger team trying to rebuild.
Record in 2011
Earlier this off-season the Bengals were named the 122nd best professional sports franchises in North America, out of 122 franchises by ESPN The Magazine. Another great honor bestowed upon this great franchise and after being ranked the worst professional franchise in sports, one would assume the Bengals would not make the playoffs this season.
I wrote earlier in another post on my blog, that there would be no playoffs for the Bengals in 2011 for several reasons and I still believe the Bengals will have another losing season.
Cincinnati has talent, no question there, but the fact of the matter is, they are starting a rookie quarterback and replacing a guy like Carson Palmer, will not be easy.
As guard Bobbie Williams said of Andy Dalton, "God help the young man."
They are in the same division with Pittsburgh and Baltimore, who both are far superior teams, and Cleveland continues to get better.
Maybe the Bengals get lucky and win 6 or 7 games, but very unlikely. I see the Bengals winning a maximum of 5 games, but a 3 or 4 win season is probably most likely. The Bengals will be fortunate to sellout two or three homes games, and no sellout equals local blackout. So, try and enjoy Bengals games this season while you can, because fans will probably only get to see 10 of them on television.
A lot of things could happen, maybe Mike Brown retires or sells the team, Marvin Lewis could quit and a great coach like Jon Gruden comes and takes over the team. Maybe Andy Dalton and A.J. Green both have Pro Bowl seasons and the Bengals are able to split games with Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
Yet again, pig don't fly and hell hasn't frozen over. It will be another rough season of football for the Cincinnati Bengals, but the future does look bright. How far into the future do fans have to wait to see a winning Bengals team again though is the real question.
I predict the Bengals to finish just like they did last season, 4-12, but more wins or even less, is a distinct possibility.
So, set your expectations at an all-time low Bengals fans and get ready for another losing season of Cincinnati Bengals football. The Bengals will be good again, just not in 2011 and I just hope I'm alive to see that when it happens.
No matter what the Bengals do, life is good, because football is back. Who-Dey.
Head coach Marvin Lewis has said that he thinks the 2011 version of the Bengals will be better than the 2010 version and why not. A lot of things have changed in Cincinnati.
QB Carson Palmer remains retired, or whatever you want to call it, and some people are even speculating a return from Carson during the season. I doubt it, but wouldn't that be awkward.
Batman and Robin, aka Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, are also gone. Flamboyant wide receiver Chad Ochocinco is still wearing #85, just in a New England Patriots uniform this season. Terrell Owens tore his ACL in the off-season and remains a free agent, but the T.O. Show is still airing on VH1.
The Bengals three biggest stars may be gone, but it's for the best, as Cincinnati look to rebuild, yet again. No more reality shows, no more players tweeting about their frustrations, no more predictable play calling from offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski and no more players refusing to play for the worst owner in the NFL, Mike Brown.
Out with the old, in with the new in Cincinnati, and the Bengals will be relying on two rookies this season, to return them to relevancy in the NFL.
Offense
Cincinnati's new version of Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco are in the form of rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and rookie wide receiver A.J. Green.
 |
| Andy Dalton and new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden have to find a way to turn things around in Cincinnati. (AP Photo) |
Green was the fourth overall pick in April's draft and he has the best skills of any receiver on the Bengals roster. His hands, speed, size, and athleticism are all scintillating and although he is only a rookie, Green could lead the Bengals in every receiving statistic. Dalton and Green both have a lot of promise, but they are both rookies on a bad team, so don't expect them to be next Joe Montana and Jerry Rice right from the start. It will take some time for them to adjust to life in the NFL, but I see both of them being stars on the Bengals for years to come.
Also, new to the Bengals offense is offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, as Bob Bratkowski was finally let go after way to many seasons as Cincinnati's signal caller. Bratkowski had such a predictable offense that fans sitting on their couch knew when he was going to run the ball. Gruden will be implementing a west coast style of offense, so look for Bengals to get the ball out of Dalton's hands fast and expect to see a lot of Cedric Benson in the running game.
I know that things look bleak for the Bengals in 2011, but believe it or not, there is talent on this team and it starts with the offense. Besides Dalton and Green, TE Jermaine Gresham, WR Jordan Shipley and WR Jerome Simpson are all good young players. The Bengals are stacked with young talent at the skills positions and along with RB Cedric Benson and tackle Andrew Whitworth anchoring the offensive line, the offense could do alright.
The biggest thing for Bengals fans to keep an eye on this season is the offensive line. Whitworth and center Kyle Cook are solid players, but that's it. Guard Nate Livings hasn't been as good as expected, neither has former first round pick Andre Smith, who has barely played because of injury and being overweight.
The Bengals most experienced lineman, guard Bobbie Williams, will miss the first four games for violating the league's performance enhancing policy. So, rookie Clint Boling will start next to Cook and Smith at guard for the Bengals. The line is the only thing that stands between Dalton and the emergency room, so much of the season will be dictated by the play of the hog mollies up front.
Cincinnati Bengals projected offensive starters:
QB: Andy Dalton
RB: Cedric Benson
FB: Chris Pressley
WR: A.J. Green, Jerome Simpson
TE: Jermaine Gresham
T: Andrew Whitworh, Andre Smith
G: Nate Livings, Clint Boling
C: Kyle Cook
WR Jordan Shipley, WR Andre Caldwell and RB Bernard Scott are young, talented playmakers coming off the bench that will see a lot of snaps as well this season.
Defense/Special Teams
One of the biggest keys to the Bengals having any success this season will be play of the defense. With a young offense lead by a rookie quarterback, the defense is going to have to make some plays. When the Bengals went to the playoffs in 2005, their defense was one of the league leaders in forcing turnovers. The offense was very good in '05, but one of the main reasons the Bengals went 11-5 and won the division was because of the play of the defense.
Mike Zimmer is one of the better defensive coordinators in the NFL and he has talented players on the defensive side of the ball too (see starters below) and it starts with the defensive line. In my opinion, the defensive line is one of the best position groups on the team, with Domata Peko, Geno Atkins, Pat Sims, Robert Geathers, Michael Johnson and Carlos Dunlap. Both Johnson and Dunlap are big, fast and athletic pass rushers and both can get to the quarterback, something the Bengals have struggled with for years.
 |
| Rey Maualuga returns to a familiar position this season as the Bengals middle linebacker in the heart of the defense. (Photo Courtesy Bengals.com) |
The biggest challenge Mike Zimmer faces this season is trying to make up for the lost of CB Jonathan Joseph. The Bengals lost Joseph to Houston in free agency, so Nate Clements, another player brought over from San Francisco, will start opposite Leon Hall in the secondary. Hall and Joseph were one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL and why Mike Brown didn't resign him, is not surprising, it is very disappointing.
The Bengals defense has the talent to be good this season, but they could be on the field a lot with the young offense.
Cincinnati Bengals projected defensive starters:
DE: Michael Johnson, Robert Geathers
DT: Domata Peko, Geno Atkins
LB: Rey Maualuga, Manny Lawson, Thomas Howard
CB: Leon Hall, Nate Clements
S: Chris Crocker, Reggie Nelson
I don't understand why Robert Geathers is starting over Carlos Dunlap, probably money related seeing how Geathers makes millions more, but Dunlap could play his way into the starting lineup.
Other guys who will see a lot of playing time are DT Pat Sims and CB Kelly Jennings (trade with Seattle). CB Adam "Pacman" Jones is still recovering from neck surgery, so he won't play the first eight games. LB Brandon Johnson, CB Morgan Trent, CB Rico Murray (Moeller) and S Taylor Mays (trade with San Francisco) could also see time on defense and will be key players on special teams.
Speaking of special teams, Mike Nugent returns as the Bengals kicker after tearing his ACL cut his season short in 2010. University of Cincinnati grad, punter Kevin Huber returns as well, and he will be on the field a lot I imagine. One of the biggest acquistions though has to be WR Brandon Tate. Tate was cut by the New England Patriots after the final preseason game and the Bengals were able to pick him up off waivers.
Tate is a great return man, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns last season, including a 97-yard return against the Bengals. He will be a great addition to the return game along with Bernard Scott and Jordan Shipley. Special teams plays a big role on every team, but it plays an even bigger role on a younger team trying to rebuild.
Record in 2011
Earlier this off-season the Bengals were named the 122nd best professional sports franchises in North America, out of 122 franchises by ESPN The Magazine. Another great honor bestowed upon this great franchise and after being ranked the worst professional franchise in sports, one would assume the Bengals would not make the playoffs this season.
I wrote earlier in another post on my blog, that there would be no playoffs for the Bengals in 2011 for several reasons and I still believe the Bengals will have another losing season.
Cincinnati has talent, no question there, but the fact of the matter is, they are starting a rookie quarterback and replacing a guy like Carson Palmer, will not be easy.
As guard Bobbie Williams said of Andy Dalton, "God help the young man."
They are in the same division with Pittsburgh and Baltimore, who both are far superior teams, and Cleveland continues to get better.
Maybe the Bengals get lucky and win 6 or 7 games, but very unlikely. I see the Bengals winning a maximum of 5 games, but a 3 or 4 win season is probably most likely. The Bengals will be fortunate to sellout two or three homes games, and no sellout equals local blackout. So, try and enjoy Bengals games this season while you can, because fans will probably only get to see 10 of them on television.
A lot of things could happen, maybe Mike Brown retires or sells the team, Marvin Lewis could quit and a great coach like Jon Gruden comes and takes over the team. Maybe Andy Dalton and A.J. Green both have Pro Bowl seasons and the Bengals are able to split games with Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
Yet again, pig don't fly and hell hasn't frozen over. It will be another rough season of football for the Cincinnati Bengals, but the future does look bright. How far into the future do fans have to wait to see a winning Bengals team again though is the real question.
I predict the Bengals to finish just like they did last season, 4-12, but more wins or even less, is a distinct possibility.
So, set your expectations at an all-time low Bengals fans and get ready for another losing season of Cincinnati Bengals football. The Bengals will be good again, just not in 2011 and I just hope I'm alive to see that when it happens.
No matter what the Bengals do, life is good, because football is back. Who-Dey.
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