8 Things To Expect from the Marvin Lewis-Led Cincinnati Bengals in 2011
It's official, Marvin Lewis is returning to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 2011 season. ESPN and NFL.com had reported today that he was very likely to stay, and that a contract has been in the works, with some issues having been resolved and others still in the process of being discussed. It is now being reported that Marvin Lewis will remain as head coach for the upcoming season.
While some fans will rejoice at the news, others will grimace. Here are eight things to expect from the Marvin Lewis-led Cincinnati Bengals in 2011.
Sweeping Changes
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Before the 2010 season Marvin Lewis refused to agree to a contract extension, citing that the changes he had requested to be made to the franchise long ago still had not been met, hindering his desire to sign on the dotted line.
Lewis made clear that he wouldn't be signing a new contract unless certain conditions were met, and it seems like he will have stuck to this. He seemed ready to walk away following the loss to Baltimore on Sunday, and it will have taken more than just more of the same for Mike Brown to get him back.
For this reason we should see some sweeping changes in the 2011 season. Lewis has asked for an indoor training facility (Cinci is the only Northern team without one), a deeper scouting staff and more control over roster decisions. It looks like these conditions will have been a factor in getting Lewis to remain in Cincinnati, so there is reason to believe there will be a lot of change in this coming offseason.
Compromise
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For as much change that takes place this offseason, there's one thing that remains. Mike Brown runs the show, and for as much change as there is there is likely to be, there will be equal amounts of compromise.
While I believe that Lewis will perhaps get some sort of agreement, substantial change won't happen, at least while Brown is busy with the CBA.
I feel that Lewis will succeed in getting a new training facility, even if it is just a practice pitch being covered, or Brown will perhaps make a better bid to share the University of Cincinnati's Richard E. Lindner Varsity Village, though I can't see this happening unless the Bengals look like they might be heading for the postseason and will need somewhere to practice in cold weather.
However, as much as I would love to see Lewis have total control over roster decisions, I cannot see Mike Brown granting this. Instead, we might see Lewis have a greater involvement in the process but not much else.
Similarly with the scouting staff, I expect Mike Brown to expand it beyond one man, to a small team, but I do not expect anything substantial—this is Mike Brown we're talking about, after all.
Any other front office changes will be slim to absolute ZERO!
Youth Movement
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During Lewis' final press conference I got the impression that Marv knew what he needed to do to make the team successful now, but he didn't at the start of the season, he just expected all the pieces to fall into place.
I expect Marv to instill a youth movement, with Bubba Caldwell and Jerome Simpson playing a serious part of a retooled offense, along with promising young talents Shipley and Gresham. Lewis has already explained how he feels he is completely to blame for not realizing the talent that Simpson had to put on the field, and it has made him more inclined now to give them a chance.
I also disagree with the largely held idea that the Bengals need to fill the void left by Cedric Benson (if he leaves, of course) with one of their draft picks. Bernard Scott is an incredibly promising young talent and I feel he could be a major player in the running game over time—he just needs the chance. He may well get it if the Bengals part ways with Cedric Benson.
We could also see more of an emphasis on Carlos Dunlap and Andre Smith, as well as the possibility of Rey Maualuga slotting into Dhani Jones' shoes in the defense.
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Carson Palmer
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Expect to see Carson Palmer back in stripes in 2011.
The QB had a horrendous season this year, but one cannot doubt he had his flashes of brilliance, however minute they were.
What saved Carson Palmer was his performance late in the season, throwing a career game at home against San Diego, showcasing Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson's talents in the process.
The fact that Carson has performed without T.Ocho gives some reason to get back in Carson's corner, following his lackluster season.
Are the last few games enough to go by? Can Carson get it done? Were T.Ocho to blame? All of these questions will be answered by the 2011 season, so expect Carson Palmer to be around long enough to answer all of them.
If the Bengals don't make the playoffs, it could signal the end for the once "elite" QB.
A Return to the Run
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IF Cedric Benson returns next year, you can expect to see the Bengals return back to what won them the AFC North, running the football.
As a run-first offense, Cinci swept the division and found themselves happily in the playoffs. This year they focused on the pass, and they're on the outside looking in. Coincidence? Nope!
When questioned about what helped the Bengals play better toward the end of the season and whether he would be back next year, Benson said:
"We found ourselves doing the things that made us successful a year ago, It's clear obviously that's the identity of this team, and it's important that this team grows in that fashion. We were able to find some success here, and I think we can find a lot more. I think coming back wouldn't be a bad thing to think about. We passed quite a bit this year, and we tried to develop ourselves as that type of team, and we're not, and we suffered because of it."
If Benson isn't lured away by a better offer, expect the Bengals to make him the focal point of the offense once more. Benson struggled with fumbles this season, but that may have been due to a lack of action. With more carries we'll see better production, and the team should be much better for it.
A Tight Battle for the AFC North
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If all goes well the Bengals could still miss out on the playoffs, despite a good season. The Bengals 2011 schedule is not particularly tough, so a winning record is quite possible.
However, Baltimore and Pittsburgh are both great teams right now, and I fully expect there to be a tight fight at the top. Even Cleveland isn't worth discounting, with some bright stars and a great future ahead of them. The AFC North division games will be crucial in providing separation for whoever wants to walk away with the division, and will be as hardly contested as ever, if not more so!
If Marvin Lewis, Bob Bratkowski, Carson Palmer and the rest want to prove the naysayers wrong, they have the schedule to do it, they just need to perform consistently.
Cincinnati Bengals Schedule
Home: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Houston, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Arizona, San Francisco
Away: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Denver, St. Louis, Seattle
Growing Pains
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If Cincinnati goes with a youth movement like I have suggested, you can expect some growing pains. Retooling any franchise takes time unless you have Tom Brady, and let's face it, our Carson Palmer isn't on the same level.
Therefore, it may take some time, as with the Josh Freeman-led youngsters in Tampa Bay, some tough losses and a real fight to get a team with a changing face up to speed in time to make a playoff run next year.
Be prepared for a topsy-turvy season. If the Bengals go with the run, the pass game could suffer, and with young inexperienced receivers, a lack of balls being thrown their way may stop them from developing, meaning they aren't able to make the key catches when called upon.
If the Bengals take the focus off of the T.Ocho-driven passing game and put it back on the run, they could see some success, but would they be better off keeping T.Ocho (or one of them) to make the key catches when called upon and risk their diva tendencies flaring up due to lack of action? Or do they give the youngsters a chance, hoping that their desire to play helps them step up to the level required of them on the occasions the passing game is looked to?
Da'Quan Bowers
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In mock drafts people have been suggesting that the Bengals' top needs are an RB and a QB.
Quite simply put, the Bengals need a rough, tough, pass-rushing DE on their team more than anything. The main part of the Bengals D that worries opponents are corners Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall. Carlos Dunlap has also made his presence felt in the latter part of the season. Rey Maualuga is still finding his identity on defense, and Keith Rivers has been somewhat of a disappointment.
The Bengals should look to take Da'Quan Bowers as their first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He led the FBS in sacks this season with 15.5 and has looked great while doing it. He also won the honor of ACC Defensive Player of the Year for the 2010 season, and a week later he was named the recipient of the 2010 Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
His style of play would arguably fit any defense in the league, and he should make an immediate impact. With a defense that is struggling to find its identity after having some drastically different seasons, Bowers could provide a real boost and a solid foundation for the 2011 defensive campaign.
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