07-15-2017, 10:06 AM
Like many sports publications, I downgrade the Bengals going into 2017 due to their huge question marks on Offensive Line. The Bengals Ownership is hoping that letting Whitworth and Zeitler go in free agency saves money and they can still win. I agree with most NFL preseason predictions that say if the Bengals huge gamble at offensive line doesn't work, it is 3rd or last place in AFC North for Bengals. All the finesse players Bengals drafted won't help Bengals one bit if no blocking. Bengals didn't address O Line in free agency much and really didn't address it in 2017 Draft.
I always down grade Bengals on MIKE BROWN....Since Paul Brown died, not one play-off win.....The Mike Brown Era : Before Marvin Lewis, no play-offs and often worst team in NFL if not worst team in all sports. ...After Marvin Lewis, In play-offs 7 out of 15 seasons. So at least Marvin Lewis has had the team more competitive than Sam Wyche, Dave Shula, Bruce Coslett or Dick LeBeau under Mike Brown. Lewis has only had a couple 4 win seasons in the huge rebuilding of the worst team in sports, where as all Wyche, Shula, Coslett and Lebeau had was 4 win seasons under Mike Brown. ....So there are Two Eras in Bengals History much like history BC and AD....PB and MB....PB who won National Championship at Ohio State and Built and won National Championships with Cleveland Browns also built Cincinnati Bengals and as owner lived to see his Bengals in 2 Super Bowls......MB took the Super 1980's right into the worst team in sports 1990's and early 2000's. At least he did something right hiring Marvin Lewis who began to rebuild the worst team in any sport and has had them in play-offs 7 out of 15 years and around .500 in most of the non play-off years with only a 2 or 3 bad years. The Bengals at least being in the play-offs 6 out of the last 8 seasons is a miracle no other coach came close to under Mike Brown.
So the no play-off wins falls on Mike Brown since coaches have came and gone, but Mike Brown has been the owner and GM over all that time since. .....and going into 2017 the down grade is the offensive line, which again is Mike Brown. He didn't feel Max Montoya was worth paying. He didn't feel Zeitler was worth paying. Nothing has changed. If this team can not block in 2017, Blame Mike Brown for going cheap on Zeitler and Whitworth.
That said, I'm sure Coach Lewis and staff will be trying to coach up the all new Offensive Line. It won't be easy to get them ready in August for September with player union cut backs in practice time. If Coach Lewis and staff gets blocking and a .500 or better season out of this bunch, it will be a Great Coaching effort. I'm hoping Coach Lewis and staff can coach them up in August and during season, and make it 7 play-offs in last 9 years, which considering Mike Brown is just Great Coaching.
Now I have been a Bengal Fan since 1968. My Dad was the one on the Bengals Bus first due to Paul Brown and a Pro AFL Team in Cincinnati as we lived in Reds Country, so my dad was a fan before their first game. I became a fan more than my brother. He still watched Browns on Sunday on TV in basement not as good as new color one upstairs . I admit, the NFL Browns had a good team in 68 and 69. In 1970 both teams were in the NFL and same AFC Central. I rooted for Reds, Bengals as did my dad. I think my brother was still a Browns Fan at heart. My Brother was Vietnam draft age and joined the Air Force on his own so at least he had a choice. My dad moved to St Pete Florida in 1974. My Dad became a Tampa Bay Bucs and a Tampa Bay Bandit in the USFL Fan. My brother rooted for Browns, then Bucs and then when Joe Montana joined the Chefs claimed he was a life long Chiefs Fan. Neither of them followed the Bengals under Mike Brown. They both laughed at me still a Bengals Fan as the team stunk under Mike Brown. I am the only one in The Family that followed The Bengals from 1968 to now. I can say there were 2 era's. Paul Brown Alive of 60's, 70's and 80's up to 1990 Play-Off win season...and Paul Brown Dead and Mike Brown from 1991 to Now.....I am glad Coach Lewis came along, because in 2002 I had reached the point I could no longer watch Mike Browns sorry, lousy, awful team, but Coach Lewis did an amazing rebuilding job in spite of Mike Brown as a cheap, cheap owner of no scouts and no GM. I really liked when Ocho lousy attitude and Carson wanting traded were replaced by Green and Dalton. I got behind that 2011 team even it it took years to win. I love how these guys went to 5 straight play-offs. I know some of you don't, but I could care less about what some of you think...5 straight play-offs for this Cincinnati franchise is just amazing. I would love to see the team bounce back in 2017. I've been around long enough to know how bad our offensive line is going into this season, again, Thanks to Mike Brown....If the new line can come together and BLOCK....That is the question. That is THE KEY. ..If they can, the sky is the limit. If they can't, blame Mike Brown, not Coach Lewis. Mikey Boy is the one who never ever believes in paying Offensive Lineman, hence Max Montoya and others. Paul Brown had a great O Line in 1970's and 1980's...Mike Brown has never understood the need for the O Line as Paul Brown did.
Right now the Bengals are looking at a 4 win season with this Offensive Line thanks to Mike Brown Strikes Again....but I'm hoping Coach Lewis works some more miracles with this Mike Brown franchise and gets some blocking out of these guys. Only Blocking will improve our chances of winning, nothing else.
I always down grade Bengals on MIKE BROWN....Since Paul Brown died, not one play-off win.....The Mike Brown Era : Before Marvin Lewis, no play-offs and often worst team in NFL if not worst team in all sports. ...After Marvin Lewis, In play-offs 7 out of 15 seasons. So at least Marvin Lewis has had the team more competitive than Sam Wyche, Dave Shula, Bruce Coslett or Dick LeBeau under Mike Brown. Lewis has only had a couple 4 win seasons in the huge rebuilding of the worst team in sports, where as all Wyche, Shula, Coslett and Lebeau had was 4 win seasons under Mike Brown. ....So there are Two Eras in Bengals History much like history BC and AD....PB and MB....PB who won National Championship at Ohio State and Built and won National Championships with Cleveland Browns also built Cincinnati Bengals and as owner lived to see his Bengals in 2 Super Bowls......MB took the Super 1980's right into the worst team in sports 1990's and early 2000's. At least he did something right hiring Marvin Lewis who began to rebuild the worst team in any sport and has had them in play-offs 7 out of 15 years and around .500 in most of the non play-off years with only a 2 or 3 bad years. The Bengals at least being in the play-offs 6 out of the last 8 seasons is a miracle no other coach came close to under Mike Brown.
So the no play-off wins falls on Mike Brown since coaches have came and gone, but Mike Brown has been the owner and GM over all that time since. .....and going into 2017 the down grade is the offensive line, which again is Mike Brown. He didn't feel Max Montoya was worth paying. He didn't feel Zeitler was worth paying. Nothing has changed. If this team can not block in 2017, Blame Mike Brown for going cheap on Zeitler and Whitworth.
That said, I'm sure Coach Lewis and staff will be trying to coach up the all new Offensive Line. It won't be easy to get them ready in August for September with player union cut backs in practice time. If Coach Lewis and staff gets blocking and a .500 or better season out of this bunch, it will be a Great Coaching effort. I'm hoping Coach Lewis and staff can coach them up in August and during season, and make it 7 play-offs in last 9 years, which considering Mike Brown is just Great Coaching.
Now I have been a Bengal Fan since 1968. My Dad was the one on the Bengals Bus first due to Paul Brown and a Pro AFL Team in Cincinnati as we lived in Reds Country, so my dad was a fan before their first game. I became a fan more than my brother. He still watched Browns on Sunday on TV in basement not as good as new color one upstairs . I admit, the NFL Browns had a good team in 68 and 69. In 1970 both teams were in the NFL and same AFC Central. I rooted for Reds, Bengals as did my dad. I think my brother was still a Browns Fan at heart. My Brother was Vietnam draft age and joined the Air Force on his own so at least he had a choice. My dad moved to St Pete Florida in 1974. My Dad became a Tampa Bay Bucs and a Tampa Bay Bandit in the USFL Fan. My brother rooted for Browns, then Bucs and then when Joe Montana joined the Chefs claimed he was a life long Chiefs Fan. Neither of them followed the Bengals under Mike Brown. They both laughed at me still a Bengals Fan as the team stunk under Mike Brown. I am the only one in The Family that followed The Bengals from 1968 to now. I can say there were 2 era's. Paul Brown Alive of 60's, 70's and 80's up to 1990 Play-Off win season...and Paul Brown Dead and Mike Brown from 1991 to Now.....I am glad Coach Lewis came along, because in 2002 I had reached the point I could no longer watch Mike Browns sorry, lousy, awful team, but Coach Lewis did an amazing rebuilding job in spite of Mike Brown as a cheap, cheap owner of no scouts and no GM. I really liked when Ocho lousy attitude and Carson wanting traded were replaced by Green and Dalton. I got behind that 2011 team even it it took years to win. I love how these guys went to 5 straight play-offs. I know some of you don't, but I could care less about what some of you think...5 straight play-offs for this Cincinnati franchise is just amazing. I would love to see the team bounce back in 2017. I've been around long enough to know how bad our offensive line is going into this season, again, Thanks to Mike Brown....If the new line can come together and BLOCK....That is the question. That is THE KEY. ..If they can, the sky is the limit. If they can't, blame Mike Brown, not Coach Lewis. Mikey Boy is the one who never ever believes in paying Offensive Lineman, hence Max Montoya and others. Paul Brown had a great O Line in 1970's and 1980's...Mike Brown has never understood the need for the O Line as Paul Brown did.
Right now the Bengals are looking at a 4 win season with this Offensive Line thanks to Mike Brown Strikes Again....but I'm hoping Coach Lewis works some more miracles with this Mike Brown franchise and gets some blocking out of these guys. Only Blocking will improve our chances of winning, nothing else.
1968 Bengal Fan
