It just sunk in - the Bengals have once again sunk to the nadir of football - irrelevancy.  Not interesting because they lose so badly, not interesting because they find new ways to lose every week, not even interesting because the team is blowing up on the lockerroom, the Bengals are now far worse.  They're an afterthought by those that cover and care about the NFL, the last minute highlight in an hour and a half long Sportcenter where they show one play because they have to do so.   This is not new territory for the Cincinnati franchise, it's just a new record to have reached that point by the end of week two.

The Bengals lost to a terrible Ravens squad last week in a snoozer; they lost to a slightly better, more disciplined Titans squad this week.  Each game was marred by the fact that the outcome was never in doubt after the first few series.  Scores might have been close, but it was apparent who was going to win the game.  Teams don't have to pull out a new gameplan to beat the Bengals; they don't have to make impressive athletic feats. No, teams can just run a vanilla package and let the Bengals self-destruct.  Bengals week is once again a vacation for other NFL teams - a time to rest, relax, have a few laughs, but never really do much of anything.

Irrelevancy is not solely caused by losing.  Sometimes losing is interesting in and of itself - The Dolphins were interesting last year BECAUSE they were so bad.  Irrevelancy stems from something much worse than just being bad - it stems from the continued adherence to a modus operendi that has never succeeded and been PROVEN unsuccessful after years of application on the field.  Bengals games are the equivalent of scientific experiments to prove or disprove the theory of gravity; yeah, it might be an "experiment" because you're dropping an apple to see where it falls but everyone knows the damn apple is going to fall towards the ground.

Phrases like "We did good things, but we just have to get better," or "We need to execute better and focus on the little things" are indicators of irrelevancy.  Sights like an offense sitting silent on the sidelines while they watch an entire 4th quarter tick by or a former Pro Bowl QB standing on the sideline, jaw agape, after his terrible throw detroyed any chance of a comeback are other signs of the fateful disease.  The Bengals are irrelevant because they run plays up the gut on 2nd and 2 and 3rd and 2, don't get the first down, and punt.  Irrelevancy is having no identity at all.  The Bengals aren't a running team that can't pass, a passing team that can't run, or an offensive juggernaut that can't play defense - they're just mediocre.  Good enough to come close to sniffing a win, but never good enough to threaten.

For once this season I'd like to see a blowup on the sideline.  I'd like to see Carson Palmer light into his offensive line for not blocking.  I'd like to see Marvin Lewis chew out a player for not making an easy tackle rather than doing that stupid clap-clap-clap while his players run to the sideline.  I'd like to see a press conference where a player breaks into tears because losing hurts so much or Marvin Lewis go "Denny Green" on the press.  I'd like to see somebody on the Bengals show some damn emotion.  I won't hold my breath, however.  Us fans will have to make do with blase platitudes from the coaches and players that serve only to increase our frustration with the team. 

Absent a sea change in the team, I predict the Bengals will go 6-10.  They'll win a few, just enough to keep us interested.  They're too talented not to win a few.  They will leave no mark on the 2008 season, however.  It will be almost like they never played - the only people who'll pay attention are us stupid Bengals fans that get sucked in every year.

This is exactly the kind of feeling I thought was over when the Bengals hired Marvin Lewis.  I believed the players when they said that the "culture had changed" and "losing is no longer acceptable."  I got sucked in when the Bengals signed some free agents and actually developed some talent.  I guess I was an idiot.

Thank you 2008 Bengals for giving me that feeling of utter hopelessness and disbelief again.  Welcome to NFL hell.  I thought we left, but this was just another torture after all, the torture of misguided hope.

Of course, I they beat the Giants, maybe I'll hop back on board :)