Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: Which Players Will Join The 3,000-Hit Club?

Does this team miss Jon Kitna?

Seems like a silly question right? He's been gone two years and hasn't been the preferred starter at quarterback for the Bengals for four years.  But consider this, over the past two years Marvin Lewis' biggest complaint about players has been "selfishness", something that Jon Kitna never was. Let's look at some facts.

Following the 2003 season Marvin Lewis declared that Palmer would be the starting quarterback despite the fact that Jon Kitna had just won NFL Comeback Player of the Year.  In 2004 Carson Palmer started the first thirteen games of the season and led the team to a 6-7 record.  During this time Kitna was entirely supportive of Carson Palmer as the starting quarterback - he was entirely unselfish and did what was in the best interest of the team.  This "best interest of the team" attitude continued throughout 2005 and the Bengals made their first playoff run in over a decade.  During the 2006 season the Bengals suffered a late season collapse and missed the playoffs by one game.  We all know about this last year where the team seemed to lack team unity and leadership.

During the two years that Kitna was the backup quarterback and consummate team player the overall Bengals record was 19-13 in the regular season, since he left the Bengals are 15-17.

That is a pretty small sample size and could easily be coincidence, but I wonder:  when Jon Kitna left during free agency was their a leadership void left on this team that hasn't been filled?

If the answer to that question is yes, then a second questions follows: How many games did it cost them?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors.

Comment 1 comment  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

Kitna.
I can't say that the team misses him but I think that he was a stabilizing force for Palmer.  Kind of like a second coach on the sidelines who really identified with what he was doing.

by davidincincinnati on Jan 17, 2008 9:47 PM EST reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about the Cincinnati Bengals.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Small
My poem...dedicated to Chili Dog.

Recent FanPosts

Small
This is how I think we should draft what do you think???
Chad-johnson_small
LIVE MOCK DRAFT SIGN UP! ...10 teams left... Draft draft to come.
Stephraim_small
the "it's been a couple hours since a mock draft was posted" mock draft....but seriously....
Nfl
Unbreaking the NFL's blackout policy
Small
Bad News
Stephraim_small
goodbye free NFL games
Small
Bengals trade the 21st pick...? To Dolphins?
Small
I have a trade all teams would be happy with.
Thumbnail_small
2012 Bengals Mock Draft Scenarios (3 Rounds)
Small
On break at work, awkward to read cincyjungle

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >


Editor-In Chief

Cj_small Josh Kirkendall

5255_133614603784_666578784_2414703_1976100_n_small Jason Garrison

Editor/Managing Editor

Rudiblanket_small Anthony Cosenza

Authors

Photo_3_small BeerRun

010511170110_small Joe Goodberry

40297_422933299865_509514865_4658259_6466915_n_small Ryan Harper

Moderators

Nfl palewook

680764146_0eac16fabd_small 80%OFTHETIMEIMRIGHTEVERYTIME

Koolaid_small UpStateMike

Bengals_stamp_by_jamaal10_small Doc Scratch