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Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis appeared to be on the hot seat prior to the start of the 2009 season.

As the Bengals enter the bye week in first place of the AFC North with a 5-2 record, Lewis's hot seat seems to have cooled down and he has his team in the perfect position to make a strong run at the playoffs.

Throughout his career as head coach with the Bengals, Lewis has been criticized for his lack-of-discipline towards his players. The team has built a reputation over the last couple of years for all of the trouble their players have seen with the law. Even cornerback Leon Hall was arrested last April for driving under the influence.

Ever since Lewis took the Bengals to the playoffs in 2005 for the first time in 15 years, the team's gone 19-28-1 the three seasons since. Part of the reason why the seventh-year head coach seemed to be on the hot seat so much was because of the type of talent he had on offense each season, which was similar to the same one from a few years ago.

Quarterback Carson Palmer was the leader on offense. Chad Ochocinco was the top target at wide receiver. Even T.J. Houshmandzadeh was a solid option as a No. 2 wideout.

Now, Palmer and Ochocinco are currently with the team, but Houshmandzadeh parted ways after signing with the Seattle Seahawks during the offseason. However, the Bengals wasted little time finding his replacement after signing Laveranues Coles from the New York Jets.

It may be just seven games into the 2009 season, but this Bengals offense already has the potential to be just as good, if not better, than the same offense from the 2005 season. Not to mention they have to be satisfied with the way their defense has performed thus far, allowing just 18.3 points per game this season.

At 5-2, the Bengals are in solid shape to make a strong run at the playoffs with a favorable schedule. Of their nine remaining games, they still have to play the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and Kansas City Chiefs, who have a combined record of 5-22.

As long as the "Cardiac Cats" can continue finding ways to win with an offense and defense both ranking in the top 10 overall in the NFL, it's safe to say Lewis' hot seat has cooled down in Cincinnati. Lewis knew how well his team was capable of performing.

After a few seasons of frustration, he's finally got his team right where he wants them and feels much better about his job security. 

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