Despite Early Playoff Exit, Bengals Have Reasons To Be Proud About 2009

After Carson Palmer missed most of 2008 due to an elbow injury, and the team finished a disappointing 4-11-1, there were few who believed the Cincinnati Bengals would be contenders in the AFC North this season.

If anything, most thought they would finish 8-8 at best with the division title going to the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers or the AFC Championship runner-up Baltimore Ravens.

Thanks to a major upgrade on defense and the emergence of a powerful running game, the Bengals proved their doubters wrong by finishing 10-6 to earn their first AFC North title since 2005. They also finished 6-0 in their division for the first time in franchise history.

As impressive as 6-0 in the AFC North is, nothing was more impressive for Cincinnati this season than overcoming the unfortunate deaths of two members of the Bengals family— Vikki Zimmer and Chris Henry.

Zimmer, the wife of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, passed away in October at the age of 50. She was a beloved member of the Bengals family who was well known by the players for her famous cookies provided as a sign of appreciation for putting up with Zimmer's intensity during training camp.

Most people dealing with this type of situation would prefer to take some time off or even a leave of absence. Not Mike Zimmer, who was on the sideline against the Baltimore Ravens three days after his wife's passing to be with the team. In a game dedicated to Vikki, the Bengals came through in an emotional 17-14 win thanks to a stellar performance by the defense.

Death, in general, is never easy to deal with. The fact that Cincinnati had to experience the passing away of Vikki Zimmer in the middle of their season and still compete at the level they did is nothing short of phenomenal. What was even more astonishing is that two months later, they had to deal with the death of wide receiver Chris Henry.

Henry passed away in December after suffering severe head injuries sustained from falling off the back of a pickup truck driven by his fiancée. The accident occurred three days before the Bengals played in an important game against the San Diego Chargers—a matchup between two teams fighting for the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

While their fourth-quarter rally fell just short in a 27-24 loss, Cincinnati still played with heavy hearts for Henry—who was on the right path of turning his life around after a troubled past that involved numerous run-ins with the law.

It's no question how much last weekend's loss to the New York Jets hurt, not only for members of the Bengals, but their fans in Cincinnati. A team that made it to the postseason despite all the obstacles that stood in their way throughout the season, only to fall short of the ultimate goal of playing in Miami on Feb. 7.

The 2009 season will provide the Bengals and their fans with memories—both good and bad—for years to come. After everything that happened, all they can do now is be proud of how they performed and prepare to contend in 2010.

Entering next season as the defending AFC North Champions, the Bengals should see more believers than doubters compared to the beginning of this season.

Dan Parzych is the Cincinnati Bengals Examiner for Examiner.com

He is also the founder of WhoDeyBengals.com

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