| 13 August 2011
Hey, at least the Cincinnati Bengals got blown out by one of the NFL’s juggernauts in the 2011 preseason opener.
Oh, it was the Detroit Lions, who have jostled for position with the Bengals and Cleveland Browns for the proverbial “worst franchise in the NFL” award over the last two decades? Never mind.
It’s only the preseason, but the Bengals 34-3 thumping at the hands of the Lions at Ford Field Friday night was embarrassing and likely a sign of things to come for Cincinnati in the 2011 season. Let's take a closer look:
* As usual, head coach Marvin Lewis failed to have his team prepared. Yes, the Bengals were dealing with more injuries than the Lions (18 Bengal players were held out; only eight Detroit players didn’t suit up) but that’s still no excuse to get completely manhandled by a team like the Lions. Yes, they have some nice young talent on their team, but the Lions aren’t going to the playoffs this year. So, the Bengals didn’t just get dominated, they got slaughtered by a mediocre squad at best. Lewis continues to prove he's one of the worst coaches in the NFL. If they ranked all the head coaches, he might finish 32nd.
* Also per usual, the Bengals were destroyed on special teams. It’s like they’re trying to keep alive the “Al Roberts” tradition under Darrin Simmons, who continues to have a job as special teams coach despite the Bengals being horrible in nearly all aspects of special teams most seasons.
* I love what I see out of rookie wide receiver A.J. Green. Not only is he a deep threat, not only is he a guy that can go up and snatch the ball away from defensive backs thanks to his 6-foot-4 frame, but he’s also a fluid athlete that will get yards after catch. The problem is that he’ll be catching passes from a fellow rookie, so the days of Green putting up big stats are probably at least a year or two away. But man does he look good.
* I’m trying not to be too down on quarterback Andy Dalton, but the second-round draft pick couldn’t have looked much worse for his first professional appearance. He did settle down a bit and looked crisp on a couple crossing routes, but there are going to be serious growing pains for this guy. No question he’s going to make a good long-term backup for Andrew Luck though. I’m kidding. But not really though.
* I thought Ced Benson looked really good. When he just busts it up the field and runs hard, he's impressive. If he can do that this season -- like he did two years ago -- and the Bengals really commit to the run (which one would think they'll have to), Benson will have a big year.
* I love second-year defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who was a fourth-round draft pick by the Bengals. It’s rare to see a DT that pressures the quarterback as well as Atkins. He’s extremely quick at 6-foot-1, 300 pounds (had added 10 pounds since his rookie season). I hope second-year DE Carlos Dunlap will be on the field next week (he missed the Lions game with a minor injury) because I think he’s going to be the team’s defensive MVP this season.
* I like the move of Rey Maualuga to the middle and it was long overdue. He’s going to be an upgrade over Dhani “I’m The Self-Proclaimed Seventh-Best Linebacker In The NFL Right Now … But No One Wants To Sign Me” Jones. That said, Maualuga needs to do a better job of recognizing plays and getting off blocks earlier. There is no question Maualuga “leaves a mark” every time he makes a tackle, but he needs to make more stops near the line of scrimmage if the Bengals are going to be a quality defense this season. The defense will need to be the strength of the team considering the youth on offense this season.
* The Bengals won’t play again until Sunday, Aug. 21 when they travel to face the New York Jets. It’s scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The Bengals final two preseason tilts will be at home – against the Carolina Panthers (hey, they might actually win that one) and Indianapolis Colts.
Then the real games begin on Sept. 11 when the Bengals travel to face their in-state rival, the Cleveland Browns. The Browns aren’t going to be good this season either, but they might be a step ahead of the Bengals at this point. Either way, that should be a pretty close game in the opener and if the Bengals can steal a win, maybe they might surprise some people this season.
And by “surprise some people” I mean finish 6-10 and not 3-13. Thanks for another quality offseason Mike Brown! Have fun pocketing that money that would have been owed to Carson Palmer. The Bengals will be so far under the salary cap this season that it won’t even be funny. It will be so unfunny you would think you were at a Dane Cook concert.
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