11-21-2017, 05:56 PM
(11-21-2017, 04:57 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: To Marvin's credit, he has proven that a coach can come in here and win. Making the playoffs 5 years isn't an easy thing to do, especially when Mike is the owner and GM, so he deserves serious kudos for that. So yeah, it can be done.
However, when it comes to truly competing with the big boys, there are 3 reasons - in my opinion - why the best Marvin led teams have been good, but not 'good enough'...
1) Mike's refusal to roll in potential impact players once in awhile in free agency. The Bengals approach has been to focus on bargain bin to mid-tier guys. That's sometimes turned out good, but not 'good enough'.
2) Marvin himself. While he did a tremendous job of turning the franchise around and building some talented rosters, he just hasn't shown himself to be a big game coach (Steelers, prime time, playoffs, second halves, etc). Even at his best, he's been good, but not 'good enough'.
3) Players. Time and time again, when the lights are brightest and expectations are highest, those talented rosters - including the stars - have disappeared, made huge mistakes or simply played poorly. Again, the better players / rosters have been good, but not 'good enough'.
It's a culmination of an owner who doesn't display the desire to do whatever it takes to win, a head coach who has obvious limitations as to how far he can take a team, and rosters that have not lived up to the hype when given the chance on the biggest stages.
Two of these 3 things can potentially be changed / improved. The other, not so much.
Yes. 100% agree. Had we signed that 1 or 2 impact free agents it might have put us over the top.
When DeCastro signs for $10 million a year and we offer Zeitler $5.5 million a year...that has to impact a locker room. When Whitworth leaves it's demoralizing too.
