SI Article: Lewis felling the pressure to win it all

[Trademark]

“The only thing I’m trying to do is win the championship. That’s it. That’s what this is about. I’ve been there twice. I’ve been there on both ends of it. In Pittsburgh [as the linebackers coach for Super Bowl XXX] after the game, we lost, and at our party was Kool and the Gang. O.K.?

Great read

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/08/16/marvin-lewis-cincinnati-bengals-aj-green-andy-dalton?utm_campaign=mmqb&utm_source=si.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=2018081707AM&eminfo=%257b%2522EMAIL%2522%253a%2522nyDUDiKq2fmaDLqfYKncWQ2P7iiL2b3e%2522%252c%2522BRAND%2522%253a%2522SI%2522%252c%2522CONTENT%2522%253a%2522Newsletter%2522%252c%2522UID%2522%253a%2522SI_MMQ_FFF5E36F-1968-4EDE-B48E-129FA9507117%2522%252c%2522SUBID%2522%253a%252298689701%2522%252c%2522JOBID%2522%253a%2522854916%2522%252c%2522NEWSLETTER%2522%253a%2522MMQB%2522%252c%2522ZIP%2522%253a%2522%2522%252c%2522COUNTRY%2522%253a%2522CAN%2522%257d

[CJD]

Was there a time during his tenure when he was not trying too win it all?

[Nicomo Cosca]

(08-18-2018, 10:34 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Was there a time during his tenure when he was not trying too win it all?

It certainly looked that way at times!

[Sweetness]

(08-18-2018, 10:34 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Was there a time during his tenure when he was not trying too win it all?

Have you not been watching for the past 16 years?

[Beaker]

He's just now feeling the pressure to win it all? That could explain a lot of things.

[HarleyDog]

Meh.. Just a fluff article. 16yrs of talk. Time to put up or shut up and move on.

[Millhouse]

:giggle:

[grampahol]

I'm pretty sure he's always wanted to win it all, but anyone with slightly more than a wiff of air between their ears knows that there have been a few seasons when the best this team could hope for was to break even. When a team just doesn't have the right players to win all the hoping in the world is just hoping. I think he's smart enough to know that, but he's got a pretty good roster full of talent now and now a coaching staff he's never really had before.. 

[Whodey614]

This season, to me, is the "Has Mike Brown been holding Marvin Lewis back this whole time?" season. Obviously, Marvin's coaching leaves a lot to be desired for in big games but looking at the way the organization has operated in the past, even in 2005, 2013 and 2015 where they had enough talent to contend for the super bowl, some things were bound to come back to bite them. Letting good coaches leave and moving up mediocre assistants, not utilizing FA to fill/upgrade holes, striking out in a few drafts, etc. It's a reason why the organization has been doing things differently this offseason. They traded for a LT, were more active in FA, invested a high pick on a CENTER and they are aware that their core isn't getting younger and they are taking advantage of that. Even last year when they drafted Lawson and Willis instead of drafting Michael Johnson and Margus Hunt clones. Should they have done that years ago? Most would say yes but if it took Marvin almost leaving for things to change slightly, then I don't mind giving him another chance. Any new coach they hired would've not been able to bring in Teryl Austin and Frank Pollack.

Marvin basically has his own guys on the coaching staff for the first time in his career with the exception of an outsider here and there. No Paul Alexander here to blame for the running game disappearing late in the season. This is the most talent the defense has had at all levels in quite some time, the offense has talent everywhere and the o-line is getting better. You have a new defensive coordinator that wants to force a turnover every play and an offensive line coach that demands aggression and killer instinct. Even if Lazor is decent at best, he's bringing in a whole new system for the first time in nearly a decade that will make Dalton significantly better than he was the past 2 seasons. If Dalton has confidence then the weapons will be used to their full potential. Let's see if these factors are the difference maker for this season.

[CJD]

One of the most telling quotes:

Quote:Lewis says he doesn’t pay attention to what’s going on outside the building. After the Bengals knocked the Ravens out of the postseason in the final game of the 2017 season, Lewis shook hands with the Baltimore coaches, wishing them luck in the playoffs without realizing the impact his team’s victory had.

It's clear that he doesn't have an attention to detail necessary to win a Super Bowl.

[Beaker]

(08-18-2018, 01:21 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: One of the most telling quotes:

It's clear that he doesn't have an attention to detail necessary to win a Super Bowl.

ML is the kind of guy you would love to have in your fantasy league. he would draft a guy who tore his ACL in preseason because he never paid attention.

[jorev5]

I really dislike how conservative Marvin Lewis is. Especially right before the half. With 40 to 80 seconds to go, and with an AJ Green, get some 1st Downs and kick a field goal. Successful teams do this all the time.

[lone bengal]

Ugh I want to bash my head threw a wall reading this article. How many excuses can we make for this loser ? Figured 16 years of excuses would be enough. I think the changes we made to the coaching staff are somewhat overhyped and that the former assistant coaches are being used as scapegoats when Marvin has really been the issue. We made all these positional coaching changes but didn’t change the most important and impactful one the head coach who controls the whole team. We’ve had major overall to our staff before , we lost Gruden and Zimmer both in one offseason. I’m not saying some changes didnt need to be made , but we’re acting like everything will be different because the other coaches were holding us back and not Marvin.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-18-2018, 01:17 PM)Whodey614 Wrote: This season, to me, is the "Has Mike Brown been holding Marvin Lewis back this whole time?" season. Obviously, Marvin's coaching leaves a lot to be desired for in big games but looking at the way the organization has operated in the past, even in 2005, 2013 and 2015 where they had enough talent to contend for the super bowl, some things were bound to come back to bite them. Letting good coaches leave and moving up mediocre assistants, not utilizing FA to fill/upgrade holes, striking out in a few drafts, etc. It's a reason why the organization has been doing things differently this offseason. They traded for a LT, were more active in FA, invested a high pick on a CENTER and they are aware that their core isn't getting younger and they are taking advantage of that. Even last year when they drafted Lawson and Willis instead of drafting Michael Johnson and Margus Hunt clones.  Should they have done that years ago? Most would say yes but if it took Marvin almost leaving for things to change slightly, then I don't mind giving him another chance. Any new coach they hired would've not been able to bring in Teryl Austin and Frank Pollack.

Marvin basically has his own guys on the coaching staff for the first time in his career with the exception of an outsider here and there. No Paul Alexander here to blame for the running game disappearing late in the season. This is the most talent the defense has had at all levels in quite some time, the offense has talent everywhere and the o-line is getting better. You have a new defensive coordinator that wants to force a turnover every play and an offensive line coach that demands aggression and killer instinct. Even if Lazor is decent at best, he's bringing in a whole new system for the first time in nearly a decade that will make Dalton significantly better than he was the past 2 seasons. If Dalton has confidence then the weapons will be used to their full potential. Let's see if these factors are the difference maker for this season.

Nice post and i hope you are correct. Marv holds us back in his own right but he was evidenlty getting sabotaged
to boot by MB and PA. We will see but i am leaning your way here now. This has been a different Offseason in my
mind.

(08-18-2018, 01:21 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: One of the most telling quotes:

It's clear that he doesn't have an attention to detail necessary to win a Super Bowl.

Yeah, that is a head scratcher. Guy needs to pay a lot more attention than that, that is for damn sure.

[Pat5775]

(08-18-2018, 01:17 PM)Whodey614 Wrote: This season, to me, is the "Has Mike Brown been holding Marvin Lewis back this whole time?" season. Obviously, Marvin's coaching leaves a lot to be desired for in big games but looking at the way the organization has operated in the past, even in 2005, 2013 and 2015 where they had enough talent to contend for the super bowl, some things were bound to come back to bite them. Letting good coaches leave and moving up mediocre assistants, not utilizing FA to fill/upgrade holes, striking out in a few drafts, etc. It's a reason why the organization has been doing things differently this offseason. They traded for a LT, were more active in FA, invested a high pick on a CENTER and they are aware that their core isn't getting younger and they are taking advantage of that. Even last year when they drafted Lawson and Willis instead of drafting Michael Johnson and Margus Hunt clones.  Should they have done that years ago? Most would say yes but if it took Marvin almost leaving for things to change slightly, then I don't mind giving him another chance. Any new coach they hired would've not been able to bring in Teryl Austin and Frank Pollack.

Marvin basically has his own guys on the coaching staff for the first time in his career with the exception of an outsider here and there. No Paul Alexander here to blame for the running game disappearing late in the season. This is the most talent the defense has had at all levels in quite some time, the offense has talent everywhere and the o-line is getting better. You have a new defensive coordinator that wants to force a turnover every play and an offensive line coach that demands aggression and killer instinct. Even if Lazor is decent at best, he's bringing in a whole new system for the first time in nearly a decade that will make Dalton significantly better than he was the past 2 seasons. If Dalton has confidence then the weapons will be used to their full potential. Let's see if these factors are the difference maker for this season.

That is an excellent way of putting it. 

For the first time in over 25 years, this team does not have an "assistant head coach". I'm talking, of course, about Paul Alexander. While Marvin has some obvious, frustrating flaws of his own... There's no doubt in my mind Mike and Paul had some sort of control during Marv's tenure. And now I'm letting myself believe that Mike has finally given the keys to Marvin and Marvin alone.

Will this make any real difference? I doubt it. I think Marvins flaws are what's truly been holding this team back. But I would love to be proven wrong. 

[Pat5775]

(08-18-2018, 01:21 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: One of the most telling quotes:

It's clear that he doesn't have an attention to detail necessary to win a Super Bowl.

So what? Playoffs are more journalist jargon than anything.

[Circleville Guy]

Didn’t Marvin sign a 2 year deal? That means he probably feels the pressure to win at least 4 games. If he wins 4 games, Mike won’t eat the last year. If he wins 2 games, I’d guess that Mike might think of moving Marvin to another position for that one year and promote from within.

[*Awful Llama*]

(08-18-2018, 11:03 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: Meh.. Just a fluff article. 16yrs of talk. Time to put up or shut up and move on.

I passed that point with him on January 9, 2016.  He should have quietly cleaned out his office after that game and let the organization move on from him.  

[HarleyDog]

(08-18-2018, 06:45 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: I passed that point with him on January 9, 2016.  He should have quietly cleaned out his office after that game and let the organization move on from him.  

TBH, even if he won the Super Bowl? I would have a tiny grudge. But then, there's the part of me that say's he finally stood up to Mike Brown finally and said, "Hey, your killing this team!" So I want to give him a pass. If he wins 2 SB's? All is forgiven.

[masonbengals fan]

Should have been fired after last year.

BUT, nothing I'd like better than to see them win it all.