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Bengals Start The Season 2-3: A Look Back At Disappointment, Impatience and Mediocrity
Cincinnati's 2-3 start to the season can't be filtered from the frustrating moments that transmutates into complete anger, impatience and suggestions that the team should completely rebuild from scratch.
When frustration started mounting with people calling to have Marvin Lewis fired at times in 2007, I asked if we really want Mike Brown to be the one rebuilding this team? I know, it's not a good reason for inaction, but it's also the absolute reality. Sure, hire a general manager. That would be great. But you do realize whom you're asking that of, don't you? Fantasy is always fun to play, but only if reality doesn't inject it's vulgar reminders that your suggestions are totally meaningful.
If Mike Brown is tasked with finding a new head coach, his track record is far more terrifying than having Lewis around for another five years. Complacency? Perhaps. Before Marvin Lewis, it was David Shula, Bruce Coslet and Dick LeBeau. As Bengals head coaches, they combined to win 52 of 174 games, translating into a .299 winning percentage. More terrifyingly put, that's 35 games below .500. Marvin Lewis, on the other hand, is right at .500, going 58-58-1. That's not to say that Lewis is the answer to win Cincinnati a championship and by no means, is fear a reason to hire a new head coach. But really, giving Brown the option to find a new head coach is scary business.
I know, bringing up things in history seems pointless. But how can you blindly disregard history? How can you sit there and and actually think that your thought process is anything near what the franchise thinks. Your suggestions might be better, but playing armchair quarterback is about as useful as people that moan about elected officials, but refuse to vote because it's raining outside.
That being said, the season thus far is a severe disappointment. It's not disappointing that we're 2-3, as weird as that sounds. Many teams expected to do well are struggling. Alright, 2-3 is disappointing, but it's the teams we've lost to that brings about the most painful realization that Cincinnati is basically an average team. But how did we get to that point?
New England 38, Cincinnati 24. Bengals open the season in New England, kicking off a schedule many defined as being one of the toughest in the league. Many didn't expect the Bengals to pull away with a victory, but the concept of an upset wasn't entirely unthinkable. In fact, we had every confidence, mostly a result of the homerism remaining in our gut that ignited when the regular season kicking off, that the game would be decided late.
Yea, we were kind of disappointed on that.
Carson Palmer was sacked on the team's opening possession and New England ran a five-play 72-yard drive that ended with a nine-yard touchdown to Wes Welker. Bengals punt on the ensuing possession and fumble on the possession after that. Through the first 24 minutes of the game, New England built a 17-0 lead and the route was officially on.
New England would go onto to build a 24-3 lead at half time when New England's Brandon Tate returns the second half opening kickoff 97 yards to give New England a 31-3 lead with 29:48 godforsaken minutes left in the game.
Thankfully the Patriots would go into a prevent-mode defense, allowing the Bengals to make the score appear respectable to anyone that didn't actually watch the game. Cincinnati's first three possessions would end with touchdowns; all three drives went at least 12 plays and at least 73 yards. Cincinnati would pull with 14 points by the end of the third quarter, actually giving the Bengals a fool's hope that they could make an epic second half comeback.
New England promptly took a 14-play drive for 81 yards for a touchdown, giving New England a three touchdown lead and eventually the win.
Cincinnati 15, Baltimore 10. Cincinnati got back to basics against the Ravens, using a formula they used last year to sweep the 2008 AFC runner-ups. Cincinnati picked up 253 yards of total offense, with the defense holding Baltimore to 259 yards and a 26% conversion rate on third downs. Cincinnati's defense played exceptionally, forcing four Joe Flacco interceptions, limiting Ray Rice to under 100 yards rushing and preventing former Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh Jersey from even recording a reception.
In fact, if you combined Baltimore's big three receivers, Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason and T.J. Houshmandzadeh Jersey, they recorded six receptions for 67 yards receiving and a touchdown.
Cincinnati would eventually hold onto the football for over 34 minutes, winning the game on five Mike Nugent field goal conversions, giving Cincinnati, by far, their biggest win of the season.