One thing that has plagued The Cincinnati Bengals franchise in their
45-year history has been the team’s inability to be a consistent winner.
The Bengals have not had consecutive winning seasons since 1981-1982.
After a 3-1 start to this season, things turned bad as The Bengals lost
four games in a row. However on November 11, things got turned around in
Cincy. The Bengals welcomed the defending Super Bowl Champion New York
Giants to town and after three hours of football Cincinnati looked like a
completely different team from the squad that had lost four straight
games. The Bengals defeated The Giants 31-13 and in the process they
forced four turnovers.
Since then The Bengals have defeated three AFC West opponents in The
Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, and San Diego Chargers by a
combined score of 82-29. The three teams have combined to only win nine
games this season, but The Bengals are doing what good teams are
expected to do which is beating the also-rans.
Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, and San Diego Chargers by a
combined score of 82-29. The three teams have combined to only win nine
games this season, but The Bengals are doing what good teams are
expected to do which is beating the also-rans.
Now as the calender has turned to December, The
Bengals are tied with their AFC North Division rival The Pittsburgh
Steelers for the last playoff spot in the conference. The Steelers
defeated The Bengals 24-17 in Week 7 thus earning the tie-breaker, but
these two longtime foes will meet in Week 16 in Pittsburgh which could
determine both teams playoff fate.
Bengals are tied with their AFC North Division rival The Pittsburgh
Steelers for the last playoff spot in the conference. The Steelers
defeated The Bengals 24-17 in Week 7 thus earning the tie-breaker, but
these two longtime foes will meet in Week 16 in Pittsburgh which could
determine both teams playoff fate.
In the next two weeks The Bengals will face The
Dallas Cowboys and The Philadelphia Eagles, but it will come down to the
final two games for Cincy as they will face The Steelers and The
Baltimore Ravens. In the past two seasons The Bengals are 17-5 against
every opponent with the exception of The Steelers and Ravens who they
are 0-6 against. For Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis and his crew to
take the next step they must find a way to defeat these two teams.
Dallas Cowboys and The Philadelphia Eagles, but it will come down to the
final two games for Cincy as they will face The Steelers and The
Baltimore Ravens. In the past two seasons The Bengals are 17-5 against
every opponent with the exception of The Steelers and Ravens who they
are 0-6 against. For Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis and his crew to
take the next step they must find a way to defeat these two teams.
Lewis and Bengals president Mike Brown have
attempted to change the culture in Cincinnati. Last season The Bengals
said farewell to quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Chad
Johnson. The duo helped to put The Bengals back on the football map with
two AFC North Division Titles during the 2000’s, but they were never
able to end Cincy’s playoff victory drought which dates back to 1990.
Last year The Bengals started over by drafting University of Georgia
wide receiver A.J. Green in the first round and Texas Christian
University quarterback Andy Dalton in the second round. Both players
made The Pro Bowl in their rookie campaigns as they helped The Bengals
to earn a Wild Card berth. With 76 receptions through 12 games this
season, Green is on pace to become the first Bengals wide receiver since
T.J. Houshmanzadeh in 2007 to record 100 receptions in a season.
attempted to change the culture in Cincinnati. Last season The Bengals
said farewell to quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Chad
Johnson. The duo helped to put The Bengals back on the football map with
two AFC North Division Titles during the 2000’s, but they were never
able to end Cincy’s playoff victory drought which dates back to 1990.
Last year The Bengals started over by drafting University of Georgiawide receiver A.J. Green in the first round and Texas Christian
University quarterback Andy Dalton in the second round. Both players
made The Pro Bowl in their rookie campaigns as they helped The Bengals
to earn a Wild Card berth. With 76 receptions through 12 games this
season, Green is on pace to become the first Bengals wide receiver since
T.J. Houshmanzadeh in 2007 to record 100 receptions in a season.
Lewis made a name for himself in The National
Football League as a defensive coordinator with The Baltimore Ravens
from 1996-2001. In 2000, The Ravens won The Super Bowl with a defense
that set an NFL record by only allowing 165 points for a 16-game regular
season. Now Lewis’ Bengals defense which is led by defensive
coordinator Mike Zimmer is currently ranked eighth in The NFL. The
Bengals are playing team ball as they have not allowed an opponent to
score over 13 points during this current four-game winning streak with a
workman like approach. After being called out by Lewis earlier in the
season, middle linebacker Rey Maualuga is tied for 15th in The NFL in
tackles with 96. The Bengals who have a reputation on taking chances
took another risk by bringing in linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Entering
last April’s NFL Draft, Burfict was expected to be a first-rounder, but
his stock dropped for a variety of reasons including a positive test for
marijuana. Burfict went undrafted and Cincy took a chance on him. So
far Burfict is rewarding Lewis and Brown as he is second on the team
with 85 tackles.
Football League as a defensive coordinator with The Baltimore Ravens
from 1996-2001. In 2000, The Ravens won The Super Bowl with a defense
that set an NFL record by only allowing 165 points for a 16-game regular
season. Now Lewis’ Bengals defense which is led by defensive
coordinator Mike Zimmer is currently ranked eighth in The NFL. The
Bengals are playing team ball as they have not allowed an opponent to
score over 13 points during this current four-game winning streak with a
workman like approach. After being called out by Lewis earlier in the
season, middle linebacker Rey Maualuga is tied for 15th in The NFL in
tackles with 96. The Bengals who have a reputation on taking chances
took another risk by bringing in linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Entering
last April’s NFL Draft, Burfict was expected to be a first-rounder, but
his stock dropped for a variety of reasons including a positive test for
marijuana. Burfict went undrafted and Cincy took a chance on him. So
far Burfict is rewarding Lewis and Brown as he is second on the team
with 85 tackles.
Over the last four games The Bengals have been
playing as a cohesive unit, but in order for this team to take the next
step it will be pinned on the shoulders of Dalton. In six combined
starts against The Ravens and Steelers, Dalton has never had a
completion percentage higher than 59.5 while he has registered five
touchdowns to seven interceptions. The Bengals running attack hasn’t
been present in those games either as Cincinnati has not had a running
back record 100 yards rushing in a game against The Ravens or Steelers
since Week 9 of the 2009 season. Last season The Bengals played with
‘house money” as they turned a 4-12 record in 2010 to 10-6 in 2011. The
teams that are consistently successful in The NFL find a way to make the
playoffs when they are expected to. The chips are on the table for
The Bengals and it is time for Dalton and crew to show their hand as
they must find a way to defeat The Steelers and The Ravens.
playing as a cohesive unit, but in order for this team to take the next
step it will be pinned on the shoulders of Dalton. In six combined
starts against The Ravens and Steelers, Dalton has never had a
completion percentage higher than 59.5 while he has registered five
touchdowns to seven interceptions. The Bengals running attack hasn’t
been present in those games either as Cincinnati has not had a running
back record 100 yards rushing in a game against The Ravens or Steelers
since Week 9 of the 2009 season. Last season The Bengals played with
‘house money” as they turned a 4-12 record in 2010 to 10-6 in 2011. The
teams that are consistently successful in The NFL find a way to make the
playoffs when they are expected to. The chips are on the table for
The Bengals and it is time for Dalton and crew to show their hand as
they must find a way to defeat The Steelers and The Ravens.
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