Here Lies the Difference...

by Galaxy CDS on Sep 8, 2008 10:01 AM EDT Comment 1 comment

This simple quote from Willie Anderson based on his less than a week in Baltimore, found on Bengals.com, is all you need to know about why the Bengals continue to be also-rans in the NFL.

"I was shocked this week when I saw how well these guys prepare. I don't know anything about pass routes. But these guys are very unique. They just love football and study it all the time."

From the lack of a GM, to the league's smallest scouting department, and right on through to game planning and execution, this organization is not run like an NFL team should be.

We have the talent to be successful. What we lack is the determination, the drive, and the passion needed to put in the time and effort needed to win. In 2005 these guys played hungry, looked prepared, and won. Since then, from the top down, this organization has lacked that fire, and increasingly looks disorganized and at times disinterested.

When our starting cornerback was Artrell Hawkins, our quarterback Akili Smith, our coach the immortal Dave Shula, losing like this was almost bearable, you could understand why. I for one am embarrased that a group this talented is this bad.

Here's another difference which relates to that drive or lack thereof. Chad says he wants to PLAY for a winner. Teams like the Ravens are full of guys who want to BE winners. Huge difference.

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Two names - Ray Lewis and John Ogden

Ray is a film freak. He studies football every day. Every new player takes that from him. He holds a film session in his own living room with his teammates. His passion for the game envelopes the team. He may sound over the top but he has sounded like that since 1996 and that is too much time to be an act. It’s for real. It’s his franchise. We have been lucky with stoic leaders like John Ogden, Ed Reed and Matt Stover and more vocal generals like Lewis, Bart Scott and Derrick Mason. No one shrugs at the way the team is lead. They may smile and say Ray is Ray but they get it and wouldn’t have it any other way. If it weren’t for master job keeper Brian Billick they could have been in at least one more Super Bowl. These leaders followed their coach down many dead ends but never sought out the media although the play calling and QB circus killed the team. The only time I saw Ogden get mad was around 2000 when the Ravens had 1st and goal on the Redskins 1 and Billick called for 3 pass plays. The last was intercepted. Ogden threw his helmet. I was hoping he was going to throw Billick. It was a huge effort for them to stay together let alone play near .500 ball under Billick. The man did everything possible to keep the Raven’s out of their Super Bowl but the defense and team leaders willed them in. We didn’t score a touchdown for 5 straight games and only a few in the playoffs but scratched our way into the Super Bowl. Marvin Lewis and a handful of players took us there. That is what the Bengals need. Just a small handful of true ballers that are on board with winning. Players that demand respect from opponents not smiles and laughs. Yeah it’s fun to watch Chad..because he’s on your team. If you want your nucleus to be centered around a comedian, no matter how good, the team will become that. If you want the focal point of your team to be Ray Lewis or Ogden it will become that. Now that he will anchor our line, I appreciate you letting your John Ogden go. See you November 30th and we’ll see what’s changed. Ravens 27 Bengals 13.

by raven on Sep 9, 2008 10:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs