Bengals and The AFC North

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(07-15-2021, 12:31 PM)kevin Wrote: Well known weakness. Do Bengals have best Offensive Line in AFC North ?  That is a NO

A considered strength.  Do Bengals have best Running Back or Running Backs in AFC North ? Good chance, NO

Do Bengals have best Quarterback in AFC North ?  At this point, NO.

Do Bengals have best Defense in AFC North ?  That is a huge NO

Do Bengals have best TE and WR's in AFC North ?  Yes, they could have, but they have to prove it on the field.

Do Bengals have best Coaches in AFC North ?  So far, that is a NO

Do Bengals have best Front Office Ownership in AFC North ?  No play-off wins since Paul Brown died screams NO

So where are the Bengals in AFC North ?  In the early stages of a Complete Rebuild of NEW DEY

A complete rebuild of last years of Marvin Lewis and Semi-GM Tobin who also shares the blame

Last Place Bengals have not been competitive since 2015.

Now how do I rate the Fans. Pretty good considering the 30 year no play-off wins, the awful 1990's into early 2000's. and the awful last 5 or 6 seasons. Ownership is Lucky they still have Fans.  So I rate The Fans still here as pretty darn good.

Now, Can This Team Get Better ?    In the end it depends on how much Ownership cares.  If Ownership doesn't care, if they are content to make money off a last place team, then NO.  However, if that is their real attitude, they should remove their Father and Grandfathers name from the Stadium.  The name Paul Brown should not be connected to Losing or Content With Losing.  The fact that Paul Brown Stadium has NEVER had a team win a play-off game is an insult to the name Paul Brown.  If his children and grandchildren don't see how much this is an insult to the legacy of Paul Brown, then they are hopeless.  If they are going to call it Paul Brown Stadium, after the best coach in Ohio football history, then either focus on winning, or take his name off the stadium. Paul Brown should not be a name used by a team that doesn't care about winning.

To Bengals Ownership, I say get with it or sell the team.  The NFL is set up for parity. That you have gone 30 years with no play-off wins and also in that time led the NFL in 3 or 4 win only seasons is an insult to Paul Brown who you inherited the team from. The Fans deserve better.  Ownership, get with it or sell the team, Enough is Enough.  One real test is if you do not resign Bates this summer. If you can't resign one of the best young Defensive players in the NFL, then you don't intend to keep good draft picks or rebuild this team into a winner, and so just sell the team to someone who DOES want to WIN.

One thing I will say in relation to all your NO answers:  That is based almost entirely on last season.  Guess what?  The Browns don't get to start the season ahead of anyone.  Their RBs, and well-respected offensive line (and coaches) don't get to start the season with a four game lead.  Sure, they put it together and had a heck of a run last year.  They also were largely very healthy and they won a total of three games (four if you count the postseason, but remember, Ryan Finley beat that team) against teams that were above .500 (Indy, Tennessee, and pitt) and every single one of those wins were at home.  

Statistically, they had a dominant rushing attack.  That helped Mayfield tremendously with play-action and a ton of bootlegs, waggles, etc.  I think teams will catch on and set up to stuff their rushing attack and force Mayfield to try and beat them from the pocket.  Not saying he can't do that, but I can see him struggling this season.  I just hope they beat pitt twice.  

As far as Bengals ownership goes, that is a tired and old way of thinking.   Yes, Mike Brown is notoriously frugal.  The lack of big towels for the players in the locker room was insulting.  So much so that Esiason bought towels for the team himself.  But that was (over) 20 years ago.  Mike Brown has handed the reigns over to Troy, Katie, and Duke.  Say what you will about some of their recent drafts, but if you go back and look at the reviews on most of the players and "maneuvers" they made (swapping picks and a player trade for Cordy Glenn, for example) we were all behind them at that time, but they didn't pan out.  Some was likely coaching, some was culture, etc.  

Look at what they are doing now with Elizabeth Blackburn.  She is KILLING the social media side of things and has quite a following.  She took a flat, uninteresting unit and gave it life.  I believe she was also one of the forces behind the upcoming Ring of Honor.  

The Bengals also did what we all asked:  Move on from Marv and get a younger, more innovative coach.  It sure hasn't started well, but look at the moves they have done in free agency and the draft to help him build his team.  No, they have not been successful, but I don't see an organization that doesn't care and doesn't want to win.  I see an organization that was really close with Dalton for five years, but now has Burrow and a young talented squad being built around him.  

I get your displeasure, but I choose to see what they are now and not what they were 20 years ago.  This season could go a long way to bringing them some love again.