As fans, we tend to justify why our favorite team loses games. Focusing on mistakes, instinctively blaming coaches, players or front office staff is something we do quite often. Now that the New York Jets beat the San Diego Chargers, a team that the Bengals lost to by three points, the question of why the Bengals couldn't beat the Jets was answered. Right? They're pretty good, playing great football at the right time with a mix of missed critical field goals at the right time. The Bengals weren't playing good football. Cincinnati had lost steam; they looked tired, if not exhausted, mentally and physically. Losing four of your last five, and five out of your last eight tends to prove that.
So Cincinnati was beat by a team that will play in next week's AFC Championship game. Does that make you feel any better, now that perspective is put into its little puzzle pieces? Yea, me neither.
Marvin Lewis sat down with Geoff Hobson.
NO, NO, BRATKOWSKI IS FINE. In one of Geoff Hobson's latest, he writes that Bengals "offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski has indicated he would be back."
HOT SEAT APPLIES TO CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS TOO. Chick Ludwig is now wondering if Carson Palmer is on the hot seat.
And we have a quarterback in 30-year-old Carson Palmer, who has yet to win a playoff game.
To me, Palmer represents the single biggest mystery of 2009. During this, the Bengals’ turnaround season from 4-11-1 in 2008 to 10-6 in 2009, Palmer had a down year, an off year, an inconsistent year.
We could see the Baltimore Ravens next year without Ed Reed or Derrick Mason. Speaking of Baltimore, Bruce is calling out the Ravens because they are not fulfilling their potential.
Chad's head coach for the Pro Bowl this year will be San Diego's Norv Turner.