WhoDeyRevolution

Maualuga Signing Will Define Lewis's Reboot Tenure

The Enquirer's Joe Reedy has called this new Bengals era the 'reboot'...a period starting after that awkwardly painful press conference in January 2011 annoucning Marvin Lewis and Mike Brown coming to an agreement on a new contract.  Ever since then - it's been the understanding that Marvin has had more control  and influence on team decisions (Chad traded, Carson eventually traded, etc).

I believe that Marvin Lewis is staking his 'reboot' reputation on the re-signing of Ray Maualuga to a 2-year deal for $6.5 million (as of this post I have not seen the guaranteed money numbers).  

The Bengals might have even been negoiating with themselves...since seemingly no other team really was interested.  Maualuga left Arizona with no deal - and never visited the Giants or Ravens. 

I do realize that Marvin Lewis and Mike Zimmer have forgotten more about NFL defense than any knowledge I could amass in my lifetime...but I don't think it's a stretch to say that Maualuga has not been an impact player at the middle linebacker position.  He hasn't even been very good.

While Marvin possibliy was spinning his comment of "we think things are good they way they are" when asked if Maualuga was moving to the SAM linebacker spot...he and Zimmer certainly has a lot tied to this deal.  They both have publicly praised Maualuga and said (essentially) that fans/media have overreacted to his supposedly mediocre play.  If Maualuga flops in 2013 - this would definitely bring both of their assessment abilities into question.

It's possible there wasn't a better alternative out there and this is a stop-gap until a 2013 draftee can take his place.  Lewis and Zimmer see Maualuga practicing everyday, they seem him in film sessions, and they see him in the weight room.  Maybe they truly believe the light has come on in what will be his 5th NFL season. 

But the Ravens have lost players after a Super Bowl win, the Steelers are still in Salary Cap Hell...and the Browns are forever the Browns.  The AFC North is there for the taking.  The time to attack is now...not two years from now.

Marvin and Maualuga are now linked by this deal.  We will know very soon if it was the right decision.

Bengals Salary Cap Room - Clip and Save

I'm sure many have seen this report from the Enquirer's Joe Reedy - but the breakdown of the Bengals roster and cap space is truly fantastic.

This summary also provides the actual cap room (around $13 million) after factoring in the draft, carryover to negoitate with AJ Green, Geno Atkins and Andy Dalton next year,etc.  I'm not sure Andy Dalton is the long-term answer at Quarterback...and I define that by success in the post-season...but I understand the logic behind the money carryover.

Here are the important figures:

Doc Nails It

NFL free agency is in full force - and the Enquirer's Paul Daugherty had a sobering take on the Bengals activity (or lack thereof) so far.

 

The Broncos signed Wes Welker. The 49ers traded for A. Boldin, The Men are OK w/M. Sanu. This is the difference between teams that go for it, and teams that talk about it.

Maybe M. Sanu is the next J. Rice. Maybe not. Welker and Boldin are known commodities. You can say the Stillers and Ravens have taken major hits in the last week; you’re right. They have playoff wins. They have Bowl rings. They have GMs. Their GMs are very smart. They get some rope. To the Bengals credit, it used to be that solid FAs didnt want to come here. Now, Detroit signs R. Bush.

It’s as if the Bengals have a restrictor plate on their ambitions. That is very frustrating.

 

He's 100% right.  Don't get me wrong - I am all about building through the draft and not throwing silly Monopoly money at overvalued players during free agency.  However, when players like Welker are out there...the fact they aren't even considering Cincinnati speaks volumes.

After Manny Lawson and Pat Sims signed with other teams - Marvin Lewis mentioned that the team has a plan, and certainly those players were not involved with those plans.   

My argument is the same - and it's echoed here by Doc.  The Steelers certainly don't go crazy during free agency and just lost (arguably) their #1 deep threat in Mike Wallace.  The Ravens might only have 7 players a side to start the 2013 season.  But the Steelers have 6 Super Bowls, and the Ravens have two and are defending champs. 

Whatever the Bengals plan is - it's not something that has delivered playoff success.  That covers the lost decade of the 90's, through the Carson Palmer era, and so far not in the Dalton Gang era. 

A General Manager provides a consistent, steady hand and establishes a singular philosophy.  That philosophy can survive coaching changes, players coming and going, etc.  Imagine if Gruden or Zimmer (or both) would have left for head coaching opportunities. The entire foundation that has been built over the last 2+ years would have been blown up.  With no General Manager or overarching philosophy in place, this is the risk you run every single season.

The Bengals will likely be very quiet in free agency - setting up a very critical draft in April to find some major impact players (remember, not all rookies are like AJ Green).  There were very few impact players that showed up in Houston back in January.

Good luck to Director of Player Personell Duke Tobin and his three full-time scouts.

Bears, Flowers and Dogs

Well at least the Bengals scouting staff is getting creative. 

Check out this quote from an interview with Oklahoma OL Lane Johnson (via Deadspin):

On a strange meeting he had with the Bengals:
"One thing caught me off guard. I was meeting with Cincinnati, and I went in there and they told me to remember five things. They just listed five things like a bear, a flower, a tree, a man and like a dog. And they told me to remember those terms, at the end of the meeting to see if I could remember them. And from that point on, they listed numbers. They said, like, 9167, and then told me to repeat them in reverse order. So that was probably the weirdest meeting I've ever been a part of."

NFL teams have long been known for crazy and downright bizarre questions during player interviews - so as long as it doesn't mean the Bengals draft Manti Te'o in the first round...we are good with it.

Another Opportunity Squandered By the Bengals Front Office

Earlier this week, the Bengals organization sent out a letter to season ticket holders that included their invoices for the 2013 season. 

WDR obtained the letter from a season ticket holder, and (once again), there is no mention that this organization's goal is to bring a Super Bowl trophy to Cincinnati.  Jeff Berding, Director of Sales and Public Affairs, offers fans the following when talking about the 2012 playoffs and plans for next season:

 

"We were pleased to have made our third postseason trip in four years; however, we wanted to go even further in the playoffs."

 

And later in the letter...

 

"The team won seven of its final eight regular season games, and I hope you would agree that the football foundation is strong and the future looks bright...The 2012 season was exciting but 2013 promises to be even greater."

 

Can you imagine this letter coming from a team like the Steelers, Patriots or Packers?

There is also vague reference to offering 'enhanced benefits to season ticket holders', however nothing stated in writing.  Interesting that the Reds are able to provide up-front (and in great detail) what season ticket holder benefits will be for the upcoming season...and the Bengals cannot.

Some might say WDR is unfairly harsh to every move that the Bengals make.  I would argue that the Bengals have entirely earned how they are treated in this space, by the local media, and around the country. 

The facts are the facts.  Zero playoff wins since January 1991, zero Super Bowl Championships, and absolutely no front office roadmap for the future. 

Anyone that watched the NFL playoffs can plainly see that the Bengals are still LIGHTYEARS away from competing for a Super Bowl title.  Without a general manager and legitimate scouting department, the Bengals will continue to be watching the playoffs after Wild Card Weekend.

We refuse to be pleased with these results.

Annual Playoff Q&A with 'TexansChick' Steph Stradley of Houston Chronicle

In what is apparently becoming an annual tradition, we've done another playoff preview Q&A with the incomparable Steph Stradley of the Houston Chronicle blog TexansChick.  You can find the link here, and a little taste below:

Without question, the Bengals are stronger on the defensive side of the ball. That will probably remain the case as long as DC Mike Zimmer, for reasons unclear to me, continues to not get head coaching offers from the rest of the NFL.

In particular, the Bengals are strong on the defensive line. That is something I have never been able to say as a fan until these last few years. And I have never been able to say that because Geno Atkins did not play on the Bengals. But he does now. And it is glorious.

Go read the whole thing.  

Also, for an incredibly in depth diagnosis of the current state of the Texans, definitely read Steph's piece "My Unified Theory of the 2012 Texans and the Meaning of Life".  You get sophisticated footbaw analysis AND the meaning of life in one post!  Why are you not reading that right now?!

Last, as I haven't posted in some time, I'll throw out a few thoughts on the 2012 Bengals season.

In our season preview for KSK we said there were actually reasons for hope, and for the most part that ended up being correct.  I think there's a ceiling to that hope come the playoffs, but hey, anything can happen I suppose.  If we're talking hope, then looking to the two Giants Superbowl runs is the likely model where a nasty defensive line led the way.  That model also supposes Andy Dalton has Eli Manning upside.  I'll just leave that thought there.

More importantly, as the unofficial watchdog of the Bengals franchise, WDR is pleased to see the team be able to finally sustain success for more than one year.  It's an open question if that sustained success is 1) a function of the recent marginal but significant organizational changes within the Bengals that has led to a better a process, or 2) if the process is still broken and we have just mostly lucked into a nice stretch that is unsustainable.  Likely, it's a little of both and the organization is slowly repairing what was a broken process under Mike Brown for 20 years.

At any rate, our hats are off to the Bengals in 2012.  They resurrected a faltering season and are playing defense at a level I have never seen a Bengals team play in my lifetime.  I only hope the franchise continues their modernization and builds off the foundation they have laid the past few years.  Only time will tell.

A Return To Houston

Finally (and mercifully), after 3 decades, the Bengals have qualified the playoffs in consecutive seasons.  It's really an incredible stat, but only after you consider the Bengals haven't won a playoff game since the 1990 season.  

This past Sunday could not have been any more fortuitous for the Bengals.  A Chuck Pagano-inspired Colts team knocked off the staggering Houston Texans...which fueled the Pats and Broncos to body slam their inferior opponents with first-round byes on the line.  The best possible matchup fell right into the Bengals lap, and they head back to Houston...same day, same time...for a shot at redemption.

Paul Daugherty had it right in his December 31st column, this franchise MUST win a playoff game to be considered legit.  A loss would put the Bengals right back where they started in January 2012.

The Steelers game on December 23rd was truly a defining moment for Marvin Lewis and his Carson-less/Chad-less band of 53.  It wasn't just another game - it encaputlated everything that Lewis wanted to stand for after his staredown with Mike Brown two years ago. 

It's the reason Lewis tried the ridiculous 56-yard field goal at Heinz Field (no wonder Bane wanted to blow up the turf).  He knew how badly this franchise, this city (and Lewis himself) needed this game.  To banish the Steelers to the off-season while securing a playoff berth.  Even more than that - he learned after NOT kicking a long field goal in much more favorable conditions in Denver last season..he wasn't exactly giving his team a vote of confidence. 

Much like Roy McAvoy in Tin Cup - Lewis just went for it.  While it might not have been the most savvy football decision - it was more about what that decision represented.  He believed in this team - these were truly his guys - and he knew that EVERYONE associated with the Bengals (himself included) needed this game.  It's hard to keep a young team unified in one direction if you beat up on the Raiders and Chiefs...yet always fall short in the big games. 

Now we take it up a notch in this Saturday's playoff game against Houston.  It's all about second chances.  Chris Crocker can catch that interception this time (the difference between a 17-17 game and a 24-10 lead for Houston), Andy Dalton can make up for three interceptions, and Marvin Lewis can finally deliver a playoff win in his fourth attempt.  The Texans are a mess, falling all the way to a 3-seed when the top spot in the AFC was a near certainty three weeks ago. 

Too much happens year to year in the NFL to take anything for granted.  Based on the way this organizaiton continues to be run, who knows when the Bengals will have this opportunity again.  It's time for this franchise to demand a winner in January.  Failure isn't an option.

Jimmy Johnson Explains Why The Bengals Are Forever The Bengals

While commenting on the struggles of the Cowboys - Jimmy Johnson explained to the world why the Bengals will never win a Super Bowl and find consistent, sustained success under Mike Brown's reign.

On the Dan Patrick Show - Johnson disagreed that Jerry Jones was calling the shots during their back-to-back Super Bowl run in the mid-90's. 

 

From PFT...

As for the current Cowboys, Johnson sees problems with the way Jones has structured the team. Johnson said that in the NFL, everyone — players, coaches, general managers, everyone — is motivated by the fear of losing their jobs. But when Jones has hired himself as general manager, there’s no fear of losing his job — and also no fear of any of Jones’s family members or other personal favorites losing their jobs.

Jimmy Johnson then went on to crystallize why the Bengals are never quite good enough:

“Really, the No. 1 motivator is fear, you know, fear of maybe letting down your teammates, of being chastised or maybe losing your job. Where’s the fear in Dallas? There’s no fear in Dallas. It’s a country club where everybody’s buddies,” Johnson said.

Johnson is 100% right.  In any other city in America, Marvin Lewis is on the hot seat after four straight losses, with three of the losses coming to team's with winning records.  And he CERTAINLY does not get a 10-year opportunity to win his first playoff game.   

In a league that has so much parity...you need coaches, players, and front office staff that are all working that extra hour or two and focus on the ultimate goal - ALL THE TIME.  It's that little bit more, driven by fear of letting your teammates and your organization down, that separates teams like the Bengals from teams like the Steelers.

At least the city of Cincinnati is spared seeing another loss this weekend to the Giants.

Doc Checks In With Former Bengals, Now Steelers Fan

Great stuff this AM from Paul Daugherty, who checks in with 30-year old Brett Kostoff, the former Bengals fan who should his NFL allegiance on eBay.

Especially after last Sunday night's national TV debacle - Kostoff is more convinced than ever that he made the right choice. 

You can argue whether a true fan would actually sell his or her loyalty to the highest bidder...but what you can't argue with is how pathetic it is that a franchise is so completely inept that it forces it's fans to take these kind of actions.

When Will Enough Be Enough?

30 years?  40 years?  50 years?  100 years?

When will the consistent and mind-numbing losing be enough for a change?  How big of a sample size do you need before realizing that the current way of running an NFL team just doesn't produce results.  How long does this miserable display have to continue before an actual front office structure is put in place with a general manager, respectable scouting department, and smart football people making football decisions. 

Sunday night's hollowing 24-17 loss to the Steelers was just another example in a long line of defeats to the big boys in the AFC North.  Despite all of the Steelers injuries and issues on the road this season - if you thought the Bengals were actually winning this game - you are a moron.  We have just seen the movie script too many times. An outmatched Jay Gruden combined with a shocking lack of discipline on defense allowed a 21-3 run by Pittsburgh, on the road.

Halfway decent teams don't lose games when they are up 14-3 at home on Sunday night. Period.

After a 3-1 start, the Bengals are now 3-4 going into a stretch with two more home games against Peyton Manning (noodle arm or not he's going to obillerate our secondary) and Eli Manning (Victor Cruz might rack up 300 yards receiving).  So now you are staring down the barrel of 3-6 before a 'breather' of sorts against KC and Oakland before a downright brutal December schedule.

The Bengals will finish 6-10 or 7-9, because that's just what they do, but it will still go down as one of the most disappointing seasons in team history. 

Worst of all - a completely robotic Marvin Lewis has lost all will to live - which was clearly evident following yesterday's post-game press conference.  In previous years, I'd argue he would just quit.  Now?  I think he understands there is nowhere else for him to go.  He knows he won't get fired - not with two more years on his contract.  He'll coach the remainder of his contract, collect millions, and then move on to the next opportunity.

Is he a good coach?  Hell if I know.  Bill Belichick, Bill Parcells or Vince Lombardi himself wouldn't have succeeded here under this ownership.  If he gets another opportunity somewhere, it will be fascinating to see the results. 

The culture inside PBS is beyond bad, it's a toxic waste dump.  Absolutely nothing will turn this team around until the front office changes - and night's like last night drive that point home with a sledgehammer.

When the topic arises, Marvin preaches all the time that no one in the building wants to win more than Mike Brown. Based on the results since January 1991, what a horrifying prospect.