2013 Bengals Discussion (Part 3)

[Ohayou]

Who was the last to be a disappointment (non-qb)?.

I heard he plays for the Bengals now (not Maualuga).

[New York Red]

One of the greatest football minds/innovators ever IMO.

Have you ever read that book I mentioned in my previous post? It really goes in-depth into the mindset/character of Paul Brown. Brilliant coach. But he was also an overly obsessive control freak when it came to every aspect of the Browns in the 40's/50s to the degree that ownership was even intimidated (scared) to cross the guy. And his players (especially Jim Brown), though they respected him, didn't care much for him for some of his excessive rules/control.

According to the book, when Modell, a NY advertising/public relations executive, took over the Browns he wanted Brown to run the football aspect of the team, which Modell knew nothing about, while he would do the advertising/promotion aspect. And that's where the power struggle began, and the rest is history.

I haven't read that particular book, so I'll have to track it down. I've read a ton about PB otherwise though. He was definitely one of the great football minds and true innovators the sport has ever known. He's arguably the greatest football coach ever, but rarely even gets mentioned with the greats. He was an outstanding high school coach, then did great things at Ohio State in just three years, before building the Browns dynasty. Counting the national championship at OSU, he led teams to 8 championships in 12 years. No other coach has ever come close to matching that accomplishment, and likely never will. Vince Lombardi's 5 championships in 8 years is a distant second.

[Redsfaithful]

Burfict must have heard himself in practice today or yesterday.

https://twitter.com/FOX19Joe/status/406512649833152512

Vontaze Burfict wearing protective boot on right ankle as Bengals board bus for airport.

This might be the worst year I can ever remember for Bengals injuries.

[Yachtzee]

I give the guy credit. Again, as a Brown's fan, we're on our 7th head coach in 14 years. And when one looks at the condition of the Bengals (especially the disastrous 90s) prior to Marvin Lewis, the guy has improved the team and brought some consistency. And that is important. That is something the Browns have not had, not just in all the coaching changes, but also in upper management. You're perpetually in a "rebuilding" stage with these frequent changes/upheavals. Former owner Randy Lerner's passion, who inherited the team upon his Dad's death (2002), is not football but soccer. A lot of Brown fans saw him as a "bystander", with little interest, and who relied on hiring football people to run the show while he got out of the way. He spent money, but wasn't very active/involved.

The Browns have some talent, and, IMO, a good foundation. Especially on defense. We just have to fill some key holes on the offensive side. And I like the coaching staff. It's going to be an interesting off-season for us.

That Richardson trade to Indy seems to have been a good decision. The kid ain't done jack there.

My brother, and the Bengal fans I work with, will readily acknowledge what I said above about Marvin. But my brother, and a buddy, also say he's Dusty Baker - a coach who will never take the team to the next level.

My brother's constant mantra - which he was echoing again yesterday as we watched football on Thanksgiving - is "He's the second longest tenured NFL coach who has never won a play-off game".

And while that is true - and I argue this with him - he's not being totally fair in the sense that under Marvin he has at least gotten your team into the position (post-season) 4 times (probably 5) where they have had the OPPORTUNITY.

OK. They've lost. It hasn't worked out. But again, I'll be more then happy to change places with you. When the Browns start getting into the post-season on a regular basis, and are even losing in the first round, then, maybe, when I'm in that position, I'll possibly feel the same way about whoever our coach is.

Too bad Randy Lerner's "passion" for soccer didn't translate into an MLS team for Cleveland. I think Aston Villa fans would argue that Lerner's real passion is hobnobbing with the jet set owners of the EPL rather than any real passion for soccer.

Having lived in NE Ohio most of my life, I've had my share of run ins with Browns fans, but most of my friends are Browns fans too. Many of them are often too optimistic about the Browns, but there are a fair share who are realistic about the Browns' chances. We can also commiserate about years of bad football and how we share a dislike for the Steelers. We also like to get on the case of the inordinate amount of Steelers fans in NE Ohio. It used to be just transplants from Western PA and West Virginia, but unfortunately the Steelers gained quite a few fans around here in the mid to late 90s when the Browns were gone and the Bengals were terrible.

[RiverRat13]

Burfict must have heard himself in practice today or yesterday.

Ugh.

I really like the Bengals chances tomorrow, although Burfict's injury tempers that some. San Diego has the league's worst defense and Dalton usually has big games against bad defenses.

[Yachtzee]

Bengals on the board first with some good running and good blocking.

[Stray]

Rivers is shredding our D

[New York Red]

Rivers is shredding our D

On the other hand, Andy Dalton with a whopping 20 yards passing against a SD pass defense that's been a trainwreck.

[Roy Tucker]

Someone want to tell Dan Fouts he's supposed to be impartial as a network announcer?

[New York Red]

On the bright side, Kevin Huber is averaging 65.5 yards per punt.

[Ohayou]

What... the hell... was that?

[New York Red]

Speaking of punts ... nice throw, Andy.

[wolfboy]

What... the hell... was that?

Dalton thought they were wearing the powder blue away jerseys?

[Oxilon]

We're not going very far with Dalton. That was evident earlier this season and that throw just reconfirmed it.

[New York Red]

Facing the worst pass defense in the league, Andy Dalton has a QB Rating of 16.7. I don't know what kind of mind-altering PEDs he was taking in October, but he needs to re-up his prescription.