Aug 23, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden on the sidelines during the first half against the Green Bay Packers at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

Okay, this isn’t Jay Gruden’s 3rd year coaching, but this is his 3rd year as an offensive coordinator for the Bengals.  If year 3 is a good way to measure a player’s success, then why can’t it be the standard for a coach’s success too?  I admit, a coach’s career is much longer than a player’s career, but the bar must be set, and Jay Gruden, just like Andy Dalton, has no excuse not to be successful as a 3rd year offensive coordinator.

Before being added to the Bengals coaching staff in 2011, Gruden was a very well respected offensive coordinator in the UFL, and former head coach of the Florida Tuskers.  Gruden came to the Bengals after the firing of former offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski who held the position since 2001.  Gruden, just like Dalton and Green, came into a lockout NFL season and in a completely new style of offense.

Once the lockout ended, Gruden scrambled to put the playbook together in 2011, and really did not try to call too much to overwhelm the new Bengals quarterback.  Gruden quickly learned, however, that Dalton could handle about anything thrown his way.  2011 came and went with the Bengals losing to the Texans in the first round of the playoffs, and with a full offseason to prepare in 2012, there was no reason to think this past season wouldn’t be short of electrifying.

2012 definitely had more offensive ups and downs than a Kings Island roller coaster.  There were times during the season when the Bengals offense seemed like a well oiled machine that was virtually unstoppable.  Other parts of the season, however, the Bengals couldn’t manage to gain a first down, and the play calling seemed stale at best.  Obviously Gruden cannot go onto the field and execute the plays, but if the play calling seems predictable to us fans at home, imagine what the opposing defensive coordinators think.

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May 10, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton watches from the tunnel during the Bengals rookie minicamp at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

With all of the pieces falling into place for Cincinnati on both sides of the ball, many fans of the Queen City find themselves impatiently waiting for the start of the 2013 season.

After talking to several fans, it seems like there is a lot more football anxiety than usual. Why? Because all of the fans that have stuck with the Bengals through all of the disappointments in the last three decades finally have something to get excited for.

It’s been a long time since their team was expected to have a legitimate shot at winning the division, other than perhaps last year.

It’s been a long time since the team has entered a season coming off of back-to-back playoff appearances. Thirty years, in fact.

And many think it’s about time we stop flirting with becoming an elite, perennial playoff team, and actually become one.

I share those same sentiments, but if we are to do just that, I think it relies largely on three things.

The first is the adjustments that head coach Marvin Lewis is able to make throughout the season. This is not just mid-game, but throughout the course of the year as well. Cincinnati still has a very young team, and the guidance of a head coach will be invaluable to a group of players looking to win their first playoff game.

The second is the play-calling of Jay Gruden. At the beginning of last season saw Gruden experiment with a lot of unexpected calls, and the defenses were repeatedly caught off guard. In the second half, the scores that Cincinnati put up in each game were significantly decreased. This is partly because the opposing defenses got tougher, but partly because the play-calling became almost monotonous. Indeed, I found myself able to predict what we would do next. And if I can do that, it’s a sure bet that an opposing defensive coordinator can do the same.

Finally, and perhaps more than any other factor, this year will rest on the shoulders of Andy Dalton.

He has been surrounded by talent at nearly every position on offense. Now, he simply needs to use it. There has been a lot of skepticism about Dalton as to what consistency he can have in the NFL. He needs to forget about everything that is being said, and relax in the pocket. Being able to handle the pressure will be key as the third-year quarterback looks to lead his team to the franchise’s first playoff game in over twenty years.

There’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to.

Before the 2012 season began, Whitworth discussed using yoga as a way to help rehabilitate his bothersome knee. He claimed it had helped, but it appeared that he was physically limited compared to before his knee issues.

While chronic knee problems are never a good sign for a football player on the wrong side of thirty, but electing to have the surgery is at least a good sign towards recovery. As they say, admitting the problem is the first step.

But since Big Whit has long been a personal favorite of mine, I decided to compare performances from 2012 to those in 2009, before the injury issues arose and Whitworth was arguably playing at the highest level in the league. Just to make sure that fond memories of the lovable big man on Hard Knocks whose wife packed his gigantic, foul-smelling cleats and who was ejected from a game for going after John Henderson when he tried to use Whit’s eyes like bowling ball holes were not building a legend in my mind.

And, as they say, the tape does not lie. While it may be time to begin to think about grooming a replacement for Whitworth, much like Whitworth was groomed to replace Levi Jones, the knee procedure will hopefully have him playing more at the 2009 level than the 2012, in which he used his exemplary technique and veteran guise to win more than he did physical ability. Here are a few side-by-side comparisons of the two years.

Andrew Whitworth blocks Connor Barwin in the Cincinnati Bengals’ Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium

In this season’s Wild Card playoff loss to the Houston Texans, Whit is shown here pass blocking against Cincinnati product Connor Barwin. Due to Whitworth’s limited mobility, Barwin has used his speed to begin to turn the corner on Whitworth. Whitworth has bent at the waist in order to lunge at Barwin, which takes away any leverage that he has when using his powerful hands to control Barwin.

Luckily it was a three-step drop on a quick slant, so Whitworth was smart in that he did enough to keep Andy Dalton clean, but this is an illustration of how his bum right knee affected him against speed rushers.

Houston Texans’ Wade Phillips calls a stunt against Andrew Whitworth of the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL Playoffs

On the next play, a third and ten, the Texans’ Wade Phillips calls a stunt with Barwin and defensive end Antonio Smith. This was a smart call to exploit Whitworth, knowing that he would be looking to protect himself against Barwin’s speed. What Phillips did not count on is Whitworth’s football IQ.

Barwin takes a jab step like he is rushing outside, but then tries to dart behind Smith to take advantage of the blocking scheme that has guard Clint Boling locked onto Smith and protection slid to the right to account for J.J. Watt. But as soon as Whitworth sees that Barwin is cutting inside, he immediately moves to pick up Smith so Boling can block Barwin.

Plays like this are why the Bengals were able to overcome left guard Travelle Wharton’s season-ending injury and why Whitworth was able to make the Pro Bowl despite his physical limitations.