01-10-2016, 11:14 AM
Last night was a hard fought game where hopefully a still young group of core players learned a bitter, tough lesson.
The Bengals fought TOO HARD in some instances and, when it mattered most, just did not have the maturity to reign themselves in. Sometimes people have to fall down far to find the ultimate strength to climb to their highest potential. I hope that with this young core group of guys that that is the case.
Some silver linings....
- Adam Jones will be gone after this season, probably getting a lot of money somewhere. Unfortunate from a talent stand point, but perhaps addition by subtraction when it comes to being a pro. He is a great talent on the field and his passion is outstanding but the no filter, raw attitude, and some of the things that make him great can clearly be a detriment. IF he keeps his cool and doesn't shove Porter perhaps there is a foul called on Porter and it offsets Burfict's.
- Nelson was a great player. But, honestly, he will be very expensive and the D played just as well with Williams and Smith in so that puts aside my fears in that area.
- Dalton took huge steps forward this season. There will be plenty of years with a solid QB left.
- Burfict has recovered really well from his injury. He is an amazing player and made a Ray Lewis type of impact, which is what the Bengals need. Ray Lewis also cost the Ravens a game against the Bengals with a questionable hit on Chad years ago. It happens. It's football. Burfict made the play that SHOULD have put that game away. Frankly, I also am fine with the Bengals D head hunting after the Gio hit. It just should have been done well before when it actually mattered.
- The players WANT to be in Cincinnati. That is a good thing. The Bengals will play again next season. They will be just as good or better, which is pretty damn good. This is still a young team just coming into their own and, frankly, this was not the best team ever to lose in the first round nor was this some insane upset. The Steelers have already learned how to win games like this... the Bengals are still in the process.
The stuff about cut this guy or that guy or fire this coach or that coach isn't really on my plate as a fan. Marvin Lewis is what he is at this point. He has been a coach for a long time and a head coach for long enough. He is good, but not good enough and has been handed everything someone good enough would need to be GREAT. In any other job in the business world of America, he is fired years ago.
Onward into 2016 I go. I, for one, and 100% still as much of a Bengals fan today as I was when I started following football over 25 years ago and hold no animosity towards any player or coach. Effort was given, plays were made. It's just a bummer.
The Bengals fought TOO HARD in some instances and, when it mattered most, just did not have the maturity to reign themselves in. Sometimes people have to fall down far to find the ultimate strength to climb to their highest potential. I hope that with this young core group of guys that that is the case.
Some silver linings....
- Adam Jones will be gone after this season, probably getting a lot of money somewhere. Unfortunate from a talent stand point, but perhaps addition by subtraction when it comes to being a pro. He is a great talent on the field and his passion is outstanding but the no filter, raw attitude, and some of the things that make him great can clearly be a detriment. IF he keeps his cool and doesn't shove Porter perhaps there is a foul called on Porter and it offsets Burfict's.
- Nelson was a great player. But, honestly, he will be very expensive and the D played just as well with Williams and Smith in so that puts aside my fears in that area.
- Dalton took huge steps forward this season. There will be plenty of years with a solid QB left.
- Burfict has recovered really well from his injury. He is an amazing player and made a Ray Lewis type of impact, which is what the Bengals need. Ray Lewis also cost the Ravens a game against the Bengals with a questionable hit on Chad years ago. It happens. It's football. Burfict made the play that SHOULD have put that game away. Frankly, I also am fine with the Bengals D head hunting after the Gio hit. It just should have been done well before when it actually mattered.
- The players WANT to be in Cincinnati. That is a good thing. The Bengals will play again next season. They will be just as good or better, which is pretty damn good. This is still a young team just coming into their own and, frankly, this was not the best team ever to lose in the first round nor was this some insane upset. The Steelers have already learned how to win games like this... the Bengals are still in the process.
The stuff about cut this guy or that guy or fire this coach or that coach isn't really on my plate as a fan. Marvin Lewis is what he is at this point. He has been a coach for a long time and a head coach for long enough. He is good, but not good enough and has been handed everything someone good enough would need to be GREAT. In any other job in the business world of America, he is fired years ago.
Onward into 2016 I go. I, for one, and 100% still as much of a Bengals fan today as I was when I started following football over 25 years ago and hold no animosity towards any player or coach. Effort was given, plays were made. It's just a bummer.
