It's been a while since I've actually really paid attention to the Bengals for an entire season. About 3 or 4 years. The reason for this of course is because of my disdain for Marvin Lewis as the head coach of the Bengals. I've been critical of Lewis since the Cedric Benson days and have wanted him out even before Carson Palmer left. I mean I dislike the guy so much as a coach that when I heard that the Bengals had lost 20-0 to the Ravens I actually laughed. Usually I would be mad because I love the Bengals, but I wasn't mad. I thought it was hilarious because somehow people expected different from a coach that can't win a playoff game to save his life. All I can say is I'm glad this is Marvin's last year (hopefully).

My question to all of you is what is it about Marvin Lewis's head coaching career with the Bengals that still haunts you to this day? I can still remember what game it was that made me not want to watch the Bengals anymore. It was when they lost to the San Diego Chargers in the 2014 wild card playoff game. That was the game where I said I was done with really believing in this team until Marvin Lewis is gone. Since then I have rarely paid any attention to them.

But the Chargers playoff loss isn't the one that haunts me the most. It was when the Bengals lost 31-10 in 2012 against the Houston Texans when they were starting T.J, Yates, who was their rookie back up quarterback after Matt Schaub got injured. I honestly thought for sure we had our first playoff win coming for sure.... and then we just completely laid an egg. I was baffled. There are other instances like the Jeremy Hill playoff fumble heard around the world that haunt me, but for some reason that Texans game just still gets under my skin whenever I think about it.

.....the day Son of Paul took over.....and the Christmas Eve Massacre.....oh, wait.


Gotta be the extension after 2010 for me.

(09-12-2017, 11:23 AM)Wyche Wrote: .....the day Son of Paul took over.....and the Christmas Eve Massacre.....oh, wait.


Gotta be the extension after 2010 for me.

Same.

Specifically, the press conference after Marvin was inked to a new deal in January, 2011.

At the time, Marvin had a 60-67-1 record in 8 seasons. In the previous 4 seasons before getting the new deal, he was just 25-38. And of course, his starting QB was threatening to retire rather than play another game for the Bengals.

The negotiations between Mike and Marvin had not exactly gone smoothly. In fact, Marvin walked away from the table and seemed to be done at one point. It took Katie getting more involved, a few concessions from Mike and a heart-to-heart call from Sam Wyche to finally get a deal done. It wasn't Marvin's losing record, or any on-field failures, that had hung up the deal...it was about the amount of control each man wanted. Both 'settled' to get it the new deal finished.

The press conference that followed the most awkward, uncomfortable and depressing 'signing announcement' presser that I've ever witnessed. Neither Mike or Marvin seemed like they wanted to be there, and definitely not sitting next to each other. To me, it was an owner giving up a little more control than he was comfortable with, and a HC not getting the amount of control he felt he needed. Yet, they begrudgingly agreed to a new deal.

Some will argue that re-signing Lewis was a good thing because of the regular season success that followed (2011-2015). I would argue that the deal, an each extension since, has simply rewarded the failures of not only Lewis, but the entire organization. 

That press conference was indicative of the mindset of this franchise...which is settling for mediocrity.

Marvin's biggest thing is his inability to win big games. The playoff and primetime games speak for themselves. I was always supportive that we hired Marvin in the first place, but a 'haunt' might be that we didn't hire Tom Coughlin from the beginning. Ironic in that he is who Mike wanted, so it is said.

Playoff game against Pittsburgh.. I literally was celebrating a LONG LONG awaited playoff Win.. Then the Hill fumble

Keep shoveling, giggle giggle

The present haunts me. Marvin still being here haunts me. Carson against the Steelers and Kimo. Odell Thurman. Chris Henry. What could've been great. Letting Zimmer who is clearly the better coach walk away instead of giving Marvin the axe and making Zim HC. Or even Hue Jackson. I have a list. This franchise haunts me, but I can't get enough lol.

(09-12-2017, 12:11 PM)bengals73 Wrote: Playoff game against Pittsburgh.. I literally was celebrating a LONG LONG awaited playoff Win.. Then the Hill fumble

You too huh?  I was up in the mancave, in front of the TV, literally counting the seconds to finally cheer on a playoff win.....only to wind up in the back yard screaming "NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

My neighbor texted me "I feel and hear your pain....literally." 

Being at PBS for the Steeler's playoff game, jumping up and down, hugging strangers, screaming the 26 year curse is over after the AJ touchdown.

Vonteze running out the tunnel like that game was over......... which I thought was funny as hell.

Then Nuclear meltdown.

The Bengals window closed that day, and the rebuild should have started.

Marvin should have been fired after that game.

(09-12-2017, 12:57 PM)Wyche Wrote: You too huh?  I was up in the mancave, in front of the TV, literally counting the seconds to finally cheer on a playoff win.....only to wind up in the back yard screaming "NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

My neighbor texted me "I feel and hear your pain....literally." 

Remember that scene in Animal House, where Bluto downs the entire fifth of Jack?  That was sorta me when the Bengals blew the playoff game vs. Pittsburgh.

(09-12-2017, 01:05 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Remember that scene in Animal House, where Bluto downs the entire fifth of Jack?  That was sorta me when the Bengals blew the playoff game vs. Pittsburgh.

LOL....I had a few beers in me during the game.....several more after, but not in a good way.

The playoff meltdown against the Steelers was really bad. I live about an hour from Pittsburgh and have to listen to everyone twice as much when they beat the Bengals.

(09-12-2017, 11:23 AM)Wyche Wrote: .....the day Son of Paul took over.....and the Christmas Eve Massacre.....oh, wait.


Gotta be the extension after 2010 for me.

Yeah with the franchise it's not hiring a GM in the 90's and doing things like the rest of the NFL as far as scouting departments and organizational structure.

The Bengals basically say 'We're so smart that we don't need more scouts like the most of the NFL does.'

The meltdown against Pittsburgh. Not sure how anything can top that. It's the quintessential Bengals 'seize defeat from the jaws of victory' moment. Nothing tops it, not even SB XXIII. Completely self-inflicted implosion.

Chris Perry over Steven Jackson at the time bothered me.

The treatment of Pickens and Dillon.

I could go on and on.

(09-12-2017, 01:05 PM)bambino5130 Wrote: Being at PBS for the Steeler's playoff game, jumping up and down, hugging strangers, screaming the 26 year curse is over after the AJ touchdown.

Vonteze running out the tunnel like that game was over......... which I thought was funny as hell.

Then Nuclear meltdown.

The Bengals window closed that day, and the rebuild should have started.

Marvin should have been fired after that game.

Yet Marvin and the 3 players directly involved in that meltdown are still on the team. whodey?

p.s. I realize that may trigger Hill's 6 fans out there, Burfict's fans, and Pacmans peeps. Hmmph oh well.

(09-12-2017, 01:19 PM)Ravage Wrote: The meltdown against Pittsburgh. Not sure how anything can top that. It's the quintessential Bengals 'seize defeat from the jaws of victory' moment. Nothing tops it, not even SB XXIII. Completely self-inflicted implosion.

Its a tie between that Pitt meltdown and Carson's knee getting sniped by Pitt as well.

The XXIII loss was the high water mark of the Bengals franchise, period. So I cant fault anyone that has that as their worst memory, as they were only 36 seconds or so away from victory.

That's a tough choice if that tells you anything.

1. The Chargers WC loss. 8-0 at home and you lost in pathetic fashion to the team you'd just beaten on the road. Marvin fans tend to put this one 100% on Dalton, and sure...he turned it over 3 times. But what happened to our top 4 defense that day? Gave up 27 points? No turnovers? No sacks? 200 rushing yards? 118 passer rating to Rivers?

2. The Burfict Steelers WC loss. What a meltdown at the end. Marvin lost them. There's no denying this.

3. All of 2010. 10 straight losses and the man gets a new contract. That press conference is something I'll never forget as a fan.

4. All of 2008. People let this slide because Palmer got hurt. Well Palmer went 0-4. The line was in shambles (sound familiar?). Ryan Fitzpatrick had his worst year as a starter for us. Why was he so much better elsewhere?

5. This isn't a game, but just something I've noticed. In the playoffs, it doesn't matter who we play. 3rd string scrubs burn us. Mark Sanchez and TJ Yates turned in great starts. Boom Herron (who was on our practice squad once and was out of the league at 27) totaled 141 yards and 2 TDs! The Steelers were down LeVeon Bell and 2nd stringer DeAngelo Williams. No problem. Some guys named Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman rolled off 183 yards!

Some guy named Cedrick Wilson burned us for 104 yards and a score in Steelers 1.0.
Dunstin Keller went for 99 yards and a score on only 3 catches in the Jets game.
Owen Daniels burns us for 91 yards on 9 catches.
A 3 headed monster of Matthews, Woodhead and ancient Ronnie Brown rolls up 218 yards of offense.

Meanwhile, outside of a heroic effort by Benson in the 2009 game, our stars have mostly been held in check. Benson was awful in the first Texans game. Chad was invisible (6 catches, 87 yards on 12 targets in 2 games). Has AJ Green ever had a big game? Gio? What about the line? Have they ever steamrolled the opponent?

I could go on, but I'll just stop. I'm pissing myself off.

How bad the coaching staff became after Wyche left.

Since Marv, we have had good players but they were not being utilized or trained properly. And the post-season game planning was craptastic at best.

Gratz to us - the only team that didn't score shit in the first week.

Sigh. All of the above... and... more recently, the promotions of Guenther and Zampese... who are both arguably decent coaches. But knowing that we are stuck with Marvin until he chooses to leave or (possibly) after a disastrous season, I was invigorated by the hiring of outside folks as coordinators... Gruden, Zimmer, Jackson (I know, not outside but I was still excited to see what he could do). The internal promotions of pretty bland personalities. Clap, clap, Let's go.