A Season Hanging in the Balance.

I know you all are expecting something up-lifting, something optimistic about the debacle on Monday Night. But you’re not going to get it! Grab your cafeteria tray, get in line, and get ready to receive two heaping, steaming, stinking scoopfuls of what I was force fed in the stands.

Thank God this is a bye week. Not because the Bengals have time to rest up, heal up and prep up for the Chiefs, but because I get a weekend off from the pain and suffering of being a Bengals fan. The past few weeks, on the morning after a game, I feel like instead of the players, the fans should report to the stadium for “treatment”. But since it is bye week, lets discuss the challenges I see for the 2007 version of the Cincinnati Bengals, unlike Marvin’s list, mine doesn’t spend much time on issues like “ Maturity” and “Selfishness.”

1. We. Need. Linebackers. If you are a non-smoker between the ages of 22 and 30 are close to 6.0” and weigh 200 lbs report to Paul Brown Stadium immediately. Seriously, how can any team beat the Patriots with 2 healthy linebackers in the second half, both of whom weren’t on your team in August.

2. We need a healthy stable offensive line. I am not sure why Big Willie’s still trying to start, but if he can’t go, and looks more and more like he can’t, then he needs to sit and let the Koistra era begin. I’m not sure what’s up between Levi and Whitworth, but let’s resolve it now. Our pass protection and running game will improve from the consistency and improved mobility.

3. We need to re-establish our running game. Granted, we’ve played from behind late in most games, but until we show opposing defenses we can hurt them on the ground, they will continue to double cover TJ and Chad and take away the deep vertical game. See Point 2 on how to get it back.

4. We do need to get healthy, and anyone who says “it’s not a valid excuse” is kidding themselves. Look at our PUP, Walking Wounded and IR list: Kenny Irons, Chris Perry, Lemar Marshall, Rudi, Tab Perry, David Pollack, Willie Anderson, Shane Graham, Ethan Kilmer, Rashad Jeanty, Ahmad Brooks, Caleb Miller, Eric Ghiaciuc. There’s a few on there I probably missed. We just got Antonio Chatman back. Those are all guys we counted on heading into the season.

5. Special Teams need to Be Special: It’s been tough the first 4 games and large portions of the blame can be placed on our special teams. Health, and free agency are contributing factors, Marvin and added and subtracted some players and to their credit, the coverage units performed much better Monday Night. We still cannot return the ball though, and Shane Graham’s kicks have been suspect (see above pt 4).

6. Finally enough with talk about maturing, selfishness, learning to win, etc. We've been hearing that crap for 5 years. It is Marvin’s job to set that tone and instill those traits. He’s had 5 years to do it, this is his team. If this team isn’t mentally or emotionally prepared to win, that is Marvin’s fault. This moment, this bye week, is his chance to show us what kind of coach he really is. If he loses this team now, he may never get it back and we may descend into the dark ages of Bungledom once again. Quit blaming the players, Marvin and fix it, they’re your guys and this is your team.

We have a lot of issues to address in 2 weeks. The goods news is, our next 4 games are not as tough on paper as our first 4. Kansas City is struggling, the Jets are terrible, the Bills are struggling and we get the Steelers at home. The opportunity to right the ship is there, but I am unconvinced we will seize the opportunity. Hang on Bengals Fans, its going to be a rough ride!