06-30-2021, 09:48 AM
(06-30-2021, 09:38 AM)PDub80 Wrote: I understand we all have different levels of patience or different ways we view things. I can only speak for myself when I say that I cannot logically connect dots between coaches hired 25+ and 18 years ago and the circumstances around their failures to Taylor's trajectory (or lack thereof). Just because Dave Shula sucked and was a horrific coach from the jump doesn't mean that Zac Taylor's struggles are the same or that he deserves a shorter leash. At least, not to me he doesn't.
BTW, I was done with Marvin after the 2007 season after watching him struggle to get better or progress with a team who was in their absolute prime. Marvin Lewis had peaked by the end of 2007 and we saw his issues with mental preparedness and fortitude by then (proceedural problems and dead ball penalties). Letting a dumpy Browns team compete with them, collapses late in the season when the games mattered to make the playoffs, massive in-game leads vanished, repeatedly having the same issues on the field (missed/poor tackling was an issue for many seasons), etc etc. These issues plagued Marvin throughout his tenure in Cincinnati over the next 10+ years. I have no problem calling a spade a spade. I just don't think Zac Taylor's been given the proper amount of time to grow into the position - which we all should have known was going to take time.
As far as Lou is concerned, I'm not sold nor soured on him. I think the Bengals roster was old and virtually horrible when Taylor and his staff took over. The window had been slammed shut on those guys. Marvin fired his DC and took over on D himself... and STILL had catastrophic results. Embarrassingly so. And you want to get on Lou's back? With THOSE players? Anyone thinking a coach was coming into Cincinnati and turning water into wine year 1 was delusional. And in year 2.... with COVID and no offseason? Again, what's a reasonable expectation there?
I am not trying to paint a rosy, perfect picture of the Bengals coaching staff. I definitely think Taylor's staff has massive room to improve. I am, however, trying to paint a reasonable one by asking the question: Is Taylor and this staff CAPABLE of improving and do the players want to play for him? I answer those two questions with a YES. I was as or more impressed with Zac Taylor's coaching stretch leading up to Burrow's injury than I was by anything Marvin Lewis did. No question Taylor has potential to grow.
As far as 2021 is concerned...
They have remade the roster to their liking. They DO need a few pieces to develop (which is their job to do), but there's enough of what these coaches have asked for on the roster for them to be successful NOW. So, to me, THIS year it's reasonable to ask for 8 wins as a minimum (the players are still quite young). It's reasonable THIS year to expect them to win close games. It's reasonable THIS year to expect road wins.... especially with the easier parts of their schedule being on the road.
I was fine burning 2 seasons while the roster was remade and Taylor got his feet wet. I expected it. But if they can't swim THIS season and start to sink again... that should be the end of it. I would be really interested in seeing what Darrin Simmons can do as a head coach. I think he deserves it on multiple levels if Taylor cannot get this right.
PDub, very respectable response. I appreciate it.
The only place I'd disagree with you is on Marvin Lewis. I'm not a fan of Marvin and it was definitely time for him to go.
However, this organization wouldn't be at this stage of a modern day NFL front office if Marvin hadn't been hired and retained. I do think after the devastating playoff loss in 2015 that should've been his last season.
Marvin brought in a lot of ideas and ways of doing business in the NFL in the 2000's. Mike Brown and his family still ran the family business like it' was 1970/80's.
If not for Marvin, I truly think the lost decade might have slid onto the lost 2 decades in Cincinnati because Marvin was the closest thing to a competent coach this organization has hired since Sam Wyche/Forrest Greg days.
I still think they took a step back and hired an incompetent coach. He'll get this year to figure it out. I'm sure he can feel his ass on fire but he seems like a cocky f*** so maybe he likes his ass on fire. However, there's nothing Lombardi said in his article that isn't fact.
