2008 AFC North: Will The Bengals Be a Contender Soon?

Football ManiaxsJun 4, 2008

The AFC North is a division that has some of the best rivalries in the NFL. These teams and their fans really do not like each other. The Bengals appeared to be poised to dominate the division after an 11-5 record with a young offensive core in 2005. The Steelers beat them in the Wildcard Round, won the Super Bowl, and appeared to be in complete control of the division. The Bengals have been irrelevant since. The Steelers didn’t even make the playoffs after their Super Bowl win, and the 13-3 Baltimore Ravens reemerged in 2006. Then the Ravens crashed to 5-11 as the Steelers took back the division. Forgotten, have been the Cleveland Browns, who came out of nowhere to win 10 games in 2007. They were one of the biggest surprises in 2007. As big free agency spenders, they look to take the division for the first time since 1989.

The AFC North has been a wide-open race the last few years. Here is how I see the 2008 season playing out in the AFC North. Part III

Cincinnati Bengals

'07 Record: 7-9

Points Scored: 380 (11th)

Points Allowed: 385 (24th)

Playoff Result: N/A

2008 Strength of Schedule: 140-116 (.547) (seventh (t) in NFL)

Strengths: The Bengals have a great passing attack. Carson Palmer had his second consecutive 4,000-yard season and dished out 26 touchdown passes. The only off part for him was his 20 interceptions. He is one of the best passers in the NFL, but has yet to be consistently surrounded with a good defense that can get the Bengals into the playoffs.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh busted out for 112 catches and 12 touchdowns. Chad Johnson had 1,440 yards and eight touchdowns. Those two players are as productive as any receiving duo in the NFL. They cause nightmares for defensive coordinators and are perfect complements.

Kenny Watson and Rudi Johnson combined for 1,260 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. While the Bengals only ranked 24th in rushing yards, this pair gave them enough considering the potency of the passing attack. The problem is that the Bengals were forced to throw out of necessity in a lot of games and not by choice. Their defense gave up too many points for the backs to get enough carries.

Shayne Graham is one of the best kickers in the business. He is accurate, kicks for distance, and has been an elite level kicker for the last few seasons.

Weaknesses: This team’s main weakness was its defense. Defensive guru Marvin Lewis has never been able to fix that since arriving in Cincinnati. In 2005 and 2006, they forced a high number of turnovers to offset their large number of points. Their high-flying offense could make up for that.

Last year the Bengals were 24th in points allowed, 27th in yards allowed, 21st in rushing yards allowed, and 26th in passing yards allowed. While they were still sixth in interceptions with 19, it wasn’t nearly enough to win games, given that they were turning the ball over a lot and not running the ball well.

They lost their best defensive lineman in Justin Smith to San Francisco. They added Keith Rivers at linebacker in the draft. However, they had to add wide receivers in the second and third round in the event "Ocho Cinco" is a no-show. That hurt them from upgrading the defense even more. It is still going to be exploited in 2008.

In past years, Rudi Johnson was a threat. He was good for 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns. Last year he was hurt most of the season and the Bengals were too one-dimensional on offense. That was a big reason for Palmer’s 20 interceptions. He only threw 25 in 2005 and 2006 combined.

The biggest problem is this team’s attitude. This is the weakest team in terms of mental toughness in the NFL. That starts with the front office. They had a roster of players that should have starred in The Longest Yard. Chris Henry and Odell Thurman were released because of their constant brushes with the law. Both were talented players that did not live up to expectations off the field.

That did not discourage the Bengals from drafting Jason Shirley from Fresno State. Shirley has received a two-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team in August. He was suspended for a second time in October on suspicion of driving under the influence and hit-and-run. Shirley was reinstated on November 15, but two days later, he was dismissed from the school after he was cited for suspicion of driving with a suspended license and expired registration.

Most teams would have moved on to the next player on their Big Board. The Bengals were perfectly comfortable drafting someone with that record. As long as they continue to draft players of that character, they will continue to have these problems. Adding a fifth round "problem child" doesn’t ruin a team. Nevertheless, the fact that they even drafted him, given the problems they have had, shows the mentality of that front office. Apparently, character is not a priority in Cincinnati. Management is as much responsible for the problems they have had in recent years, as the players who have not been able to stay out of trouble. You can’t keep ignoring character and not expect to have these problems.

Then there is Chad Johnson. I can understand his frustration, and the Bengals should have traded him. However, his attempt to acquire a trade this offseason has been nothing short of a circus. He was quoted as saying this in a June 3, 2008 article by Dave Fleming for ESPN Magazine, "It's the reinvention of Ocho Cinco," he says. "I'm dead serious. People need to take me as I am, because I just don't give a [expletive] anymore. That's how I'd sum up my attitude for the next season."

That’s fantastic coming from one of your offensive leaders and best players. He has transformed himself from a funny and enjoyable player to a Terrell Owens-type player in just a couple seasons. I like Chad Johnson, but he needs to get back to the old Chad Johnson, before I am going to resume enjoying him. Also, T.J. Houshmandzadeh is missing minicamps looking for a new contract.

There are enough good players here, but no one appears to be on the same page. Winning is secondary at this point in Cincinnati, for both the players and the front office.

Prediction: The schedule is too tough for the Bengals to be playing against themselves. Pittsburgh is still good, and Cleveland is fast improving. The AFC South and NFC East had six playoff teams in 2006. There just aren’t many winnable games for the Bengals outside the division.

The sad thing is that quarterback is one of the hardest positions to fill, and the Bengals have a great talent there. They are wasting away the prime years of Carson Palmer’s career by not adding a defense and having their skill players bicker. I feel bad for him because I think he is a good character guy. He deserves better. It is a shame he has to play in such chaos.

The Bengals will outscore some people and win games with their offense. However, turnovers, lack of a running game, lack of defense, lack of mental toughness, and lack of teamwork will be too much to overcome against a tough schedule. If they are not careful, they could fight their way to the bottom and finish in last place in the AFC North.

2008 Cincinnati Bengals’ Record: 5-11 – AFC North third Place; No Playoffs