It's time for Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski to move on

by Kirkendall on Dec 29, 2008 9:50 AM EST Comment 6 comments

Mark Curnutte analyzed the implications of the Bengals three-game winning streak, peaked after a 16-6 beating of the Kansas City Chiefs.

That finish, coupled with a franchise-record 23 players on the injured reserve list - not counting starting quarterback Carson Palmer or right tackle Stacy Andrews - should be enough ammunition to give Bengals management confidence to stay the course into next season.

We're still not exactly sure what would change. Would there be a change in the front office? Not likely while Mike Brown sits in the Admiral's chair. A new head coach? In fact, we honestly believe that the Bengals wouldn't have changed a thing, if they would have only won a single game or eight games. What could change?

Mark Curnutte believes that Bob Bratkowski is safe.

Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski is not likely to take a fall, even though the Bengals scored a league-worst 204 points, because his offense didn't have Palmer for 12 games.

Our feeling is that if a system is based on one player, then it's a badly flawed system. A good system would take someone like, oh, I don't know, Matt Cassel and still be a top-five offense; the Patriots' backup quarterback's success came from a good system that allowed the team to succeed. You see the difference between greatly organized franchises and not-so greatly organized franchises with that small comparison.

It would have been far more impressive if Bratkowski wouldn't have orchestrated the league's worst offense, in his eighth season, with a bunch of players that didn't even start the season. By now, the system should be so integrated and ingrained with each incoming player, that it should succeed no matter who we plug in. Not used as an excuse.

The Bengals are on their third defensive coordinator, and the two preceding coordinators recorded defenses amongst the worst in the league -- though non were the worst in the league. What leverage Bratkowski has saving his job is unknown. But we feel that an offensive coordinator calling the players for the worst offense in the league in his eighth season is a failure with the system he's incorporated. In most instances of long-term offensive coordinators with a single team, it's just time to move on.

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Obviously, Brat needs to go

Should the O-line coach go with him?
The misevaluations of Stacy Andrews, Eric Ghauicuic, and Willie Anderson, and the general incompetence in the first 12 games say yes, but the performance of Collins and Livings merits some credit.

by R.F. Mehl on Dec 29, 2008 12:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Don’t think Willie being cut loose was a bad call – not having a replacement was. I don’t think they could have signed Willie without putting the team in a bind salary cap wise. Willie is near the end and you can’t afford to keep guys like him around – but – the team has to have replacements in place and ready to go. And they certainly did not have that!

Agree with the Stacey Andrews part – that’s a lot of years and money spent on a developmental project that did not pay off. But the question is: who is the one that picked him? OL coach or Marvin or Management?

by OnagerSRP on Dec 29, 2008 1:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

it just we had already put a lot of up front money in bonuses for Willie when we resigned him a few years ago. Brownie saved some money by cutting him, but it was too late in the year to use it to go after a good player. And, ideally, the coaches would have realized that Willie could have played for another year and Andrews wasn’t worth the franchise money.
In retrospect that seems obvious, and maybe I’m being to harsh on that decision, but those type of personal choices are what has killed us the last 15+ years.

by R.F. Mehl on Dec 29, 2008 5:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I know there's TONS of examples.

But letting Eric Steinbach go, in favor of extensions for Levi Jones and Willie Anderson is still the worst decision the front office has made — especially during the Marvin Lewis era.

If we (and we probably should to keep it entertaining) create that list, that would be my #1.

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Kirkendall on Dec 29, 2008 5:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Can not agree more

We have been pushing to get Bob out of town all season (and last season).

I told a bunch of people I will give up my tickets if he is not gone.
(whether I stick to it or not is a different story)

Fire the Soul Patch!!!

WhoDey

by whodeyfans on Dec 29, 2008 3:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Offense

Carson needs a top 10 offensive line to perform to his capabilities and we dont have that right now. Levi has always been an enigma but he was well-regarded a couple years ago. I dont mind the Bengals putting the cash to Willie and Levi but Stacy Andrews? Re he eally? Steinbach, allegedly, was a bit of a locker room pariah. I have nothing but second hand crap to base that on but the man sure could pull on run sweeps. I think Rudi got half of his big runs on plats where Eric pulled and delivered a key block that sprung him.

TJ must be back, whatever it takes. He’s a true pro and a gamer, I like the fact he has some spit and vigor to him. Im not as big of a fan of CJ and Slim due to their less than max effort and substandard downfield blocking. The tight ends are below average. So, too, are the running backs.

I have to admit I have scoffed the play calling over recent seasons. It has driven me nuts, predictable!

by obc2 on Dec 29, 2008 8:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs