Bengals need to identify problems before playoffs
By Emile Pierce
Before thoughts of Conference Championships and the Super Bowl dominates the hearts of fans, the Bengals are faced with winning a playoff game.
While most fans will blindly propel the Bengals into the pageantry of Super Bowl LIII, it’s best to take it slow. Yes, there’s a ton of talent available for Marvin Lewis and Co. to mold. But, there’s also the issue of identifying what went wrong during the 2017 season. After blowing another year and finishing at 7-9, the instinctive thing to do is blame every aspect of the team. But, there were shining moments mixed with the mediocrity. If the Bengals are going to become competitive enough for the playoffs, it’s time to look at the weaknesses.
Getting to the playoffs isn’t as easy as the average fan thinks. When looking at perennial postseason teams like the Patriots, Packers and Steelers, it’s easy to see what they’ve done. The most glaring achievement is winning when it counts. Over the past two seasons, the Bengals have done just enough to get by. Building a championship-caliber team takes more than just throwing money on the table.
Hopefully, Lewis has brought in the right coaches for the job. On paper, it looks like the Bengals should have been to the Super Bowl at least twice. But, if the chemistry between coaches and players is off…the whole thing can be tossed into the trash. Then, there’s the matter of just understanding what has to be done with the personnel on hand.
Find the right players and stick with them
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Every player feels like they should be starting in the NFL. Actually, the mere fact that they’re on a teams roster is amazing. But, it takes more than a warm body in pads to get the job done. The incoming coaching staff should be quick to get players into positions that will mean an automatic upgrade for the 2018 season.
Frank Pollack should be able to identify who needs to be where, on the offensive line. Christian Westerman and Alex Redmond sat around gathering dust on the bench, before getting the call to save the O-line. If those players and their talents are tapped earlier in the season, the Bengals’ running game looks a lot better than it did.
This team cannot continue to develop players and let them go elsewhere. Fans will once again have the pleasure of watching former Bengals in the Super Bowl. Mohamed Sanu, Rex Burkhead, Marquis Flowers have all been to the Big Dance. More importantly, they were able to experience the thrill of winning a playoff game. Wow. That really sounds desperate. But, it’s life in Cincinnati. It needs to end.
Get the defense off the field
This is actually a two-part solution. First, the offense has to sustain drives. The need for either a ball control type scheme, fast tempo or hybrid of both has to be found immediately.
Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor did an amazing job within the framework of what he was given. Now, it’s time to flesh out his philosophies to get a better understanding of what the Bengals can do. Also, give the defense some points on those long drives. Settling for a field goal is putting pressure on a D that has the potential to be dominant.
On the other hand, the defense will be expected to finish on third down. Whether that was due to a lack of blitzing by former DC Paul Guenther of just vanilla predictability, it needs to be fixed.
Teryl Austin comes with the tag of being a taskmaster who pays attention to detail. Bingo. That’s exactly what the Bengals need. Fresh ideas on both sides of the ball.
With a swift kick in the butt and problems solved, Cincinnati should be postseason worthy.