The season's over - wait 'til next year.

I won't dwell on the debacle that was the Bengals-Steelers game on Sunday.  I see it like this - a few plays here and there and the Bengals win that game.  Alas, however, it is the Bengals' inability to make plays this year that has doomed this team to underachieving and mediocrity.

I want to focus on the future because there always is next year.  I've said these words for the last decade and a half, so I have no problem saying them again.  This year, I admit, that dread phrase gets stuck in my throat a bit.  

Despite this year's failures, I think the Bengals are poised to be a contender for the foreseeable future.  (This assumes that Bresnahan is fired but I can't see any way that he'll be retained)

The Bengals have a franchise QB in Palmer who, despite having a tough few games, is having a year for which many teams would lust.  He's proven that he can run the offense in the past and has shown flashes of Brady-esque brilliance at a few points in his career.  Sometimes it looks like he's pressing too much but, can you blame him with the Bengals defense?  He must feel like he needs to score on every drive.  

The receivers will bounce back.  This season has worn on them, but imagine an entire off-season with TJ, Chad, and Chris Henry together.  Potential there, eh?

The line, despite the injuries, has played admirably and young players like Andrew Whitworth, despite going through a few growing pains, seem to be coming around.

The holes?  Running Back and Tight End.  

RBs:  In his defense, Rudi has been hurt but I don't think he looked the same even when he was healthy in the beginning of the season.  Further, Dorsey and Watson are hands down the more effective runners at this point - particularly when it comes to sliding through holes to pick up a few yards.  Rudi has really hurt the Bengals this year by taking too many losses or no gains when he simply needed to put his head down and get the tough yards.  Rudi has been pounding the rock alot the past few years and, sadly, I think he might be turning into the next Jamal Anderson.  Whether Watson, Dorsey, Perry, or Irons is the solution at this position remains to be seen.  Still, all the Bengals need is a RB that does not hurt them by losing yards - as evidenced by Denver, an effective RB is easier to find than a good receiver or QB.

TEs:  Tight Ends are hard to evaluate.  Kelly is a great leader and blocker, and he will make a tough catch when thrown to, but the BEngals O lacks a threat at the TE position.  A good TE as a "bailout" read can pickup the intermediate range third downs that the Bengals have had so much trouble converting this season.  Will Daniel Coates evolve or will the Bengals need to find a catching threat in free agency/draft is a question for this offseason.

The Defense:

Linebackers:  Brooks and Thurmond should be back next year.  The Bengals found a gritty vet with some gas left in the tank in Dhani Jones and Landon Johnson, much to my surprise, looks to be evolving into a versatile asset for the Bengals D.

The Secondary:  I think Dexter Jackson is a lost cause; here's to finding a veteran strong safety who does NOT make rookie mistakes.  That said, Hall and Joseph are improving and have made plays (albeit few) when given the opportunity by the scheme.  Bresnahan calls too many soft zones and it is sickening to watch teams consistently complete intermediate patterns right in front of the corners. With the season in the toilet, why not match up Joseph and Hall in more bump and run coverage to help them learn the ropes a bit faster?  This could pay off next year.  I still have not figured out Madieu Williams but I think he deserves one more year before he's given up for dead.

The D-Line:  Geathers is a diamond in the rough. Let's hope that injuries don't deprive him of a whole season at D End.  Everyone else on the D-Line are bit players, capable of doing a narrow job but not worthy of a double team.  This includes the "franchise player" Justin Smith.  He's a high effort player but he's no leader (something the Bengals are sorely lacking) - I won't call him a 1st round bust, but he definitely didn't pan out as well as I thought he would.

Spacial Teams:  Graham and Larson are effective.  Other ST players will get better as the Bengals get more talent and experience.    

Look at the rest of the AFC North:  

The Steelers:  The Steelers are a fine franchise but they are poised to take a downturn.  Think about it - Fast Willie Parker is going to slow down next year like any overworked RB (as Rudi did for the Bengals), Hines Ward only has a few more years left in him. Holmes and Miller are good players, but absent a consistent running game, can they get open?  Further, absent a consistent running game, can Big Ben carry the offense himself?  Remember, he came into the league in a situation that any young QB would die for - one where he never had to win games.  In fact, the Steelers won their Super Bowl despite him, not because of him.  In short, give me Palmer over the next decade; let the Steeler's have an over-hyped version of Mark Rypien.

The Ravens:  Ray Ray will be gone soon, and the rest of that aging defense will lose a step.  Boller and McNair sure as hell ain't the solution at QB and Willis just might be trash after all (as Buffalo found out).  Needless to say the "old Browns" might just begin to resemble the inept Browns teams of the last decade.  

Further, they are whiners - the Bengals might claim that they are better than their record but they have NEVER claimed conspiracy this season - Bart "Mr. Meltdown" Scott actually said the words "We are a better team than the Patriots; the Refs lost us that game."  Absurd.  It could be that the Ravens just suck (and think, the Bengals beat them twice...).

The Browns:  Overcheiving.  Talented on offense, horrible on defense - sound familiar Bengals fans?  Once the Browns get a real schedule next year, they'll come back down to earth (just like the Bengals did after their "breakout" 8-8 season).  Throw in Quinn waiting in the wings over Derek "Kelly Holcomb" Anderson to complicate matters and one can see how the Browns are a few years away at least.  Remember, Quinn never won a big game in college - I don't think there's a chance he'll turn out better than Palmer.  

The Bottom Line:  Every good team has their Jim Mora "Playoffs" moment in their development.  This year is that year.  Grin and bear it; I still predict that better days are ahead - and soon.