Frustration Mounts As Bengals Lose Another Primetime Game
By Emile Pierce
Once again the Bengals fumbled another chance to shine under the bright lights. Losing to the Giants exposed more defensive and offensive weaknesses.
It all started so perfectly but ended with the same results. Needing to start the second half of the season with a win, the Cincinnati Bengals managed to blow it again. Eli Manning and the New York Giants cruised past the Bengals 21-20, under the bright lights of Monday Night Football.
As a homer and longtime Bengals backer (doesn’t that come to 41 years of my life?), there are no words that can accurately describe what was seen on MNF. Sure, there are a few choice expletives that could be interjected for dramatic purposes. But, the bottom line is still the same.
The Bengals lost another big game. Nothing new.
That’s not supposed to happen. Being a dedicated writer, you’re supposed to be objective and take everything into consideration before going ham (that’s the young uns word for crazy). But, how long can the mediocrity of the Bengals be tolerated before something happens?
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The Stripes had one job. All they had to do was come out of the Bye Week prepared for the Giants. Within that framework, all they needed to do was play with passion and realize the playoffs were at stake. Instead, there was the same indecisive, mistake-filled product that has become consistent with Bengals football. When does it end? There has to be a turning point soon. It looks like the Oakland Raiders will be in the Super Bowl before Bengals brass has a clue.
Yes, It Still Hurts
Being a Bengals fan never gets any easier. Why? Getting a decent grade of football, after years of complacency, can make mediocrity acceptable. But, that doesn’t mean it has to be endearing. Watching them melt in primetime takes a certain kind of moxie. They look like they’re going to take things to the next level and then it all comes crashing down. It’s sorta like that rollercoaster ride after eating a funnel cake and a few hot dogs. Yeah…that’s the feeling.
Watching Giovani Bernard get blown up by a linebacker…frustrating. Andy Dalton getting sacked on back-to-back plays…double frustration. Yet, nothing seems to even out for this team.
Maybe it’s time to start writing about April. Thinking draft? Think O-line.
When it really counted and the Stripes had to move the ball…they couldn’t. All the space-age formations and the fancy motion was nothing more than a precursor to the end result. The Bengals are not prepared to win big games under pressure. That, dear readers, is a product of the coaching staff.
The Bengals looked like they were still in Bye Week. They had ample time to get it right and still laid an egg on the big stage. Well, at this point, the Fat Lady is warming up her pipes.
No Excuses
There are too many opportunities being thrown away. Most fans were willing to settle for the tie in London. But, giving the Giants a lopsided, one-point win is inexcusable.
Next: Falling From Playoff Picture?
The meat grinder portion of the schedule was supposed to be over. Cincinnati is now in the home stretch. With the effort currently given, the rest of the season does not bode well. Looking at the remaining schedule, the Browns seem like the only winnable matchup. Cincinnati is 0-5-1 against teams that are over .500.
If a repeat of 2012 is waiting to happen, it needs to be soon. The frustration is unbearable.