How to Make the Bengals Great Again
In another vintage meltdown, the Cincinnati Bengals fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-20 and saw their streak of five-straight playoff appearances end. Nearing three decades without a postseason victory, how can the Bengals return to relevancy?
Bengals fans, I feel your pain. No matter how good things are looking, your beloved jungle cats always end up being hunted. To make matters worse, it's usually the same issues that continue to plague them.
Change is needed if the Bengals are to achieve their fullest potential, on both the 53-man roster and coaching staff. Follow these steps, and Cincinnati football can finally pose a legitimate threat to the AFC.
Part ways with Vontaze Burfict
Let's get this one out of the way first. There is no question about Burfict's talent - he's among the best linebackers in the NFL - but his regular temper tantrums render that talent useless, and he ultimately ends up hurting the Bengals more than helping them.
Burfict's inability to control his own emotions has now twice triggered painful losses to the Steelers. On Sunday, he tossed Ben Roethlisberger to the ground well after the ball left Ben's hands. It's one of the dumbest penalties a defender can take, but #55 did it with glee. He proceeded to headbutt Roethlisberger following the flag. These antics are a fundamental part of Burfict's game.
Typical Dirty Burfict play on Ben! #Steelers https://t.co/wRx8a5zrP0
— Blitzburgh (@Steel_Curtain4) December 18, 2016
On top of that, Burfict's targeting of opponents is simply a detriment the to game. Stomping on LeGarrette Blount, knocking out Antonio Brown, twisting Greg Olsen's ankles, etc. Burfict is a microcosm of the Bengals as a whole. When the other team gains momentum, he implodes. Cincinnati must cleanse themselves of the stench that Burfict carries if they're serious about making a Super Bowl run.
Fire Marvin Lewis
If Marvin Lewis hasn't entirely lost the Bengals roster, he's close. Of the seven playoff appearances under Lewis, the Bengals have fallen in the Wild Card round each time, including five straight defeats from 2011-2015.
Lewis always looks like the grumpy, pretending-not-to-be-angry stepdad who got stuck supervising his kid's sleepover. When the Bengals take the lead, he's bored; when they crumble, he's indifferent. Lewis isn't a fiery motivator, and he's become inconsistent in his ability to make in-game adjustments.
Finding a coach who is able to reach January so often won't be easy, but the next coach in Cincinnati will at least offer a shot at advancing past round one. A shake-up is needed for the Bengals to become a true playoff threat, and it starts with the head coach. At this point, Lewis has become an upgraded Jeff Fisher.
Make necessary investments
The Bengals offense is good, but a few worthy acquisitions would propel it into new territory. This has been apparent following the loss of A.J. Green to injury.
Brandon LaFell has developed into a solid #2 wide out, and rookie Tyler Boyd has shown promise, but the Bengals' pass offense can still become too dependent on Green. Incorporating an additional wide out regularly would be beneficial for both the passing and rushing attacks, be it through the draft, free agency or in-house talent (Alex Erickson, for example). Adding another tight end would also be useful in preparation for Tyler Eifert's recurring injuries.
Defensively, stopping the run is priority number one. Since week 10, the Bengals have given up five 90+ yard rushers (three of which went for 118 yards or higher). Investing in run-stopping defenders within the front seven will be part of this improvement; the return of Andrew Billings should as well.
Take accountability
The first step in solving a problem is taking accountability and acknowledging one's own mistakes. Some Bengals players are able to do this, but an alarming number are not.
I am quite sick of complaining about this teams lack of discipline, lack of urgency, and lack of accountability #Bengals #whodey #firemarvin
— Break_Man (@Break_Man) December 18, 2016
Player accountability starts with the head coach, and this is just another reason why Lewis has to go. After Sunday's defeat, Burfict profanely told reporters he had nothing to say and shunned them. Members of the Bengals secondary blamed their defeat on the officials, and Jeremy Hill angrily took the bait on a tweet about the Terrible Towel.
The Bengals like to point fingers following losses rather than take individual accountability and improve on their mistakes. Again, this all circles back to Lewis, whose stagnancy is costing Cincinnati a real chance at a playoff run. On a broader level, team management has failed to take accountability by refusing to move on from Lewis.
Ultimately, the Bengals need philosophical changes more than personnel changes. All of these points are moot until the team replaces Marvin Lewis, but the removal of Burfict is vital as well. Maybe Pacman Jones too. The Bengals are in dire need of fresh energy and new leadership.
Follow these steps, Cincinnati, and your NFL team can at long last become great again. Take it from a Steelers fan, who knows a thing or two about successful franchises.
Stats used via Pro Football Reference. Follow Matthew Krivanek on Twitter for more.
