Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach Profile

For ten years starting in 1981, Marvin Lewis coached linebackers at Idaho State, Long Beach State, the University of New Mexico and the University of Pittsburgh. His first pro coaching gig was in Pittsburgh in 1992, where he coached a sick LB unit for five seasons. The Steelers made it to the Super Bowl in 1995, and the team’s amazing group of linebackers was one of the main reasons why. For six seasons, starting in 1996, Lewis was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. The 2000 Ravens had one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history. The Ravens won the Super Bowl that year despite the fact that Trent Dilfer was at the helm on offense. After a one-year stint as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Washington Redskins, Lewis became the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2003.

In four seasons with Bengals, Lewis has compiled three 8-8 finishes, and one winning season. That came in 2005, when the Bengals finished 11-5, won their division and lost in the first round to the eventual champs, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The fact that the Cincinnati Bengals haven’t had a losing season since Marvin Lewis became the coach in 2003 is promising. In 1990, the team went 9-7. In 1996, the team won eight games. Every other year in between (‘91, ‘92, ‘93, ‘94, ‘95, ‘97, ‘98, ‘99, ‘00, ‘01 and ‘02), the Bengals posted sorry losing records. That’s a whole bunch of losing. So when a new general steps in and doesn’t have a losing season in his first four seasons as head coach, that’s pretty impressive stuff, especially for a franchise with such a wretched recent past.

Marvin Lewis has to be happy that the offseason is over. Cincy’s warden must be tired of dealing with prisons and profiling, character questions and off-the-field drama. Lewis is a football coach, and he wants to get back to doing what he does best. When training camp starts, Cincinnati’s players will have less free time on their hands. That’s a good thing. When troubled players are focused on training for the upcoming season, they’re less likely to abuse substances, drive recklessly or punch women in the eye.   

Expectations are mounting for Marvin. Spoiled by four consecutive non-losing seasons, the fans in Cincy are ready for more. Cincy fans often forget the fact that Lewis has the best record of any head coach in Bengals history. Pushing the team over .500 might not be good enough though. If the Cincinnati Bengals miss the playoffs in the next couple of seasons, Marvin could be given the boot.

Cincinnati Bengals Off-Season Moves

Offensive Guard Eric Steinbach bolted to the Browns and was handsomely compensated. On the defensive line, Sam Adams was cut and glaciated his way over to Denver. Center Alex Stepanovich and DT Michael Myers were brought in to bolster the trenches on both sides of the ball.

QB Anthony Wright will now be holding a clipboard in the Meadowlands. He signed with the Giants. CB Tory James went to the Patriots, as did WR Kelley Washington . Chris Henry’s eight-game suspension might have created some extra playing time for Washington, who now finds himself playing for a roster spot in New England’s crowded crew of wide receivers. Reggie Kelly signed a three-year deal to return to the Cincinnati Bengals, but tight end Tony Stewart signed with Oakland.    

The LB unit got shaken up with the addition of middle linebacker Edgerton Hartwell. A. J. Nicholson was released. Brian Simmons was cut loose, and followed safety free agent Kevin Kaesviharn to New Orleans. It remains to be seen whether LB Odell Thurman will be reinstated by the league and accepted back into the Bengal family.   

Cincinnati Bengals 2007-08 Season Outlook

The Cincinnati Bengals were on the cusp of making the playoffs in 2006, but a loss to the Steelers in the final game of the season blew all playoff hopes for Cincy. Immediately after the game, QB Carson Palmer said, “That’s another game we shouldn’t have lost to another team we feel we’re better than.” Palmer had an amazing year. He set a team record by passing for 4,035 yards last season. Despite the weapons and talent that Cincy possesses, the team is still not in title contention territory.

Far removed from being the laughing stock of the league, the Cincinnati Bengals have become respectable opponents on any given Sunday. But the team still needs something more to get them over the hump. Losing records may be a thing of the past, but the Bengals have yet to win a playoff game under head coach Marvin Lewis.  

With Palmer, Chad Johnson, Rudi Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the Cincinnati Bengals have a solid core of offensive skill players. But the defense needs to step up in a big way. Losing Kevin Kaesviharn is going to hurt, especially for a unit that ranked at the bottom of the league in pass defense. Young corners Joseph and Hall provide a nice counterbalance to an aging D-line, but bright spots like DE Justin Smith add dynamism to the defensive side of the ball. The linebackers have to improve  their play in ‘07. With the injury to David Pollack, the release of A.J. Nicholson, and the suspension of Odell Thurman, the LB unit needs some serious upgrading. The addition of Edgerton Hartwell isn’t going to solve all the problems of the unit.

There’s no question that the offense has the potential to be an elite unit, but Cincy’s defense leaves too much to be desired. If young players can step up and exceed expectations, the Cincinnati Bengals will be competitive, but the offense is going to have to score a ridiculous amount of points on a weekly basis in order for the Bengals to be successful.

Cincinnati Bengals Trivia

From 1992-2002, the Bengals lost more games than any other team in football.

Fans are prohibited from bringing noisemaking devices, Frisbees or umbrellas into Paul Brown stadium.

The West Coast Offense, a popular offensive scheme that emphasizes a variety of passing attacks, was invented by Bill Walsh while an assistant coach with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The “Ickey Shuffle,” a touchdown dance that was likely the inspiration for other banned touchdown celebrations such as the Atlanta Falcons’ “Dirty Bird” and the St. Louis Rams’ “Bob and Weave,” was invented by Ickey Woods during the Bengals’ 1988-89 AFC Championship season.

Cincinnati Bengals 2007-08  Roster

Cincinnati Bengals 2007-08  Depth Chart

Cincinnati Bengals – Paul Brown Stadium

Construction Began: August 25, 1998
Opened: September 10, 2000
Capacity: 65,600
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Surface: FieldTurf

One of the few NFL stadiums that has decided not to sell the naming rights of their stadium, Paul Brown Stadium is named after the Bengals founder. It was the result of a positive initiative that was put in the hands of the local voters when Riverfront Stadium was beginning to experience signs of age and significant wear. The stadium was constructed offering many modern amenities and excellent seating options to fans, including nearly 200 luxury suites, multiple restaurant options and retail stores for the die-hard Bengals fanatic. The natural grass was replaced with the more versatile FieldTurf surface after the 2003 season, due to struggles with the upkeep of natural sod in varied weather conditions.