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If you are a long-time Bengals fan, then you are definitely used to the splash of cold water that brings you back to reality. Whether it's disappointing seasons, or always playing the little brother to the Pittsburgh Steelers and/or Baltimore Ravens, there is always some sobering news to keep Bengaldom's collective head out of the clouds.
This post contains some of that sobering news.
Though Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis has done a number of notable and positive things as head coach in his 11-year stint, Opening Weekend is not his forte. In the past ten games that the Bengals have played in Week One under Lewis, the team has a losing record at 4-6. It's one of the mars on his resume in his Cincinnati tenure.
To further the insult to injury, three of the six losses that the Bengals have suffered in Week One under Lewis have been blowouts. In his first game as an NFL head coach, the Bengals lost to the Broncos at home, 30-10, which also started a three-game losing streak to start that season. In 2010 when hopes were high, the team was embarrassed at Gillette Stadium by the Patriots to the tune of 38-24. Expectations were high again last season and the Bengals were blown out on Monday Night Football by the Ravens, 44-13.
There have been some odd moments on Opening Day under Lewis as well--some going in favor of the Bengals and others not so much. Who can forget the Brandon Stokley miracle of 2009? How about the heroics of Bruce Gradkowski to pull out an unlikely win against the Browns in 2011?
What's the moral of the story here? Expect the unexpected this Sunday.
For the eleventh opener under Lewis, the Bengals are three-point underdogs against the Chicago Bears on the road. While some believe that the Bengals should be the favorite here, this game isn't any walk in the park--in fact, this game will the first of a tough start to the team's schedule. If Lewis and the Bengals really want to prove that they have truly changed their stripes in 2013, it will start with an impressive victory on Sunday by bucking some of these Opening Weekend trends.