Bengals Bytes (11/5): Should an old-school coach replace Marvin Lewis?

Paul Daugherty: Do the Bengals need to go old-school to replace Marvin?
Tom Coughlin is the answer to every Bengals fan who ever wonders what it would be like if Forrest were still here. Coughlin is the idol of every red meat-eater dominating a Barcalounger between 1 and 4 on Sunday, hoping beyond reason that Coach will “do something’’ to “shake up’’ the team.

Bengals' strategy vs. Jags? 'Let Blake throw the ball'
The book is out on Jacksonville, and the Cincinnati Bengals have studied it ahead of their Week 9 clash in North Florida. Run. Run. Run. Jacksonville hasn't fooled anyone with their game plan all year, but they haven't tried to from the start. Jags coach Doug Marrone said in July that he wanted "to run the ball every play" and effectively "change the game" in the process. So far, so good.

Brandon LaFell, AJ McCarron still don their old college pads
Take a look around the Bengals' locker room and almost all of the lockers look fairly identical. Most of them have one set of orange and black pads above them. The only two that stand out happen to be right next to each other.

AJ McCarron files grievance vs. Cincinnati Bengals, wants to be unrestricted free agent in 2018
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron, at the center of headlines this past week, soon will be the center of headlines again. McCarron has filed a grievance against the Bengals and is awaiting a ruling from an arbitrator that will determine whether he is an unrestricted or restricted free agent after this season, sources tell ESPN.

TDBH: Something old, something new can’t save Bengals
Quarterback Ken Anderson riddles the Colts for 320 yards with the help of wide receiver Isaac Curtis’ 14th career 100-yard game and rookie tight end Dan Ross’ first and the Bengals still can’t win today at Memorial Stadium even though they knock Baltimore quarterback Bert Jones out of the game early in the second quarter. Underscoring just how tough of a year it’s been, veteran quarterback Greg Landry comes off the bench to send the Bengals to 2-8 when he hits 14 of 20 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns to spark the Colts’ 38-28 victory. “I think we did kind of relax when Jones went out,” says Bengals defensive lineman Gary Burley, now playing tackle instead of end.

Media Roundtable: Bengals duel Jags, numbers
The Benals.com Media Roundtable sees a steel-cage match where the Bengals don’t have many statistical escapes against a team that three years ago they faced as a huge favorite. The Bengals’ struggling offensive line and the Jaguars’ tandem of brute running game and explosive defense has flipped the series without changing quarterbacks.

Bengals sign kicker, cut Derron Smith
Unwilling to gamble with kicker Randy Bullock’s cranky back the Bengals chose to make another gamble Saturday before they left for Jacksonville when they signed a first-year player looking for his first NFL points. The Bengals waived three-year back-up safety Derron Smith to make room for Marshall Koehn and either Koehn or Bullock are going to be active.

Dalton turns Thursday into history as Bengals become first AFC Central-North team to hit 8-0
Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu breaks open a one-touchdown game when he runs a reverse for a 25-yard touchdown with 13:26 left in the game tonight as his 8-0 Bengals and quarterback Andy Dalton reverse his Thursday fortunes in a 31-10 victory over the Browns at sold-out Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals come into the national showcase with a big agenda and cash the chips in deflating Johnny Football for the second time in a year while becoming the 11th team in this century and the 33rd of all-time to start 8-0.

AFC North Bytes

Baltimore Ravens: Terrell Suggs Continues to Thrive at 35
As the Baltimore Ravens enter the second half of the season in a position to make a playoff push, the team will rely on one key veteran on defense to carry the team during key points in games. Ageless wonder Terrell Suggs has shown no signs of slowing down during his age-35 season, and at this point, it is safe to say that he will be one of the most important players on defense during the final eight-game push.

Joe Thomas Reportedly Highest-Paid OL in NFL After New Browns Contract
The Cleveland Browns reportedly gave left tackle Joe Thomas a raise on Saturday with the final year of his contract on the horizon. According to ESPN.com's Field Yates, the Browns made Thomas the NFL's highest-paid offensive lineman for the 2018 season by tacking on $3 million—including a $1.5 million roster bonus—to his existing deal.

Random Bytes

Chiefs LB Tamba Hali has been activated
The Chiefs have also waived cornerback DJ White, who they selected in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. White appeared in 11 games and recorded 11 tackles and a pick. It was a strange week in the realm of Hali news, where he went from practicing to not practicing to finally practicing for the first time on Thursday. The team also reportedly tweaked his contract.

Dolphins Ownership, Players Create Fund for Social Justice Programs
As part of the initiative, the Dolphins will fund a social justice grant program and scholarships for students. They will also sponsor the Police Athletic League of North Miami and host "a conference at Hard Rock Stadium designed to promote positive interaction between youth and law enforcement.

Andrew Luck advised not to throw for months to focus on rehab
When the Indianapolis Colts placed quarterback Andrew Luck on injured reserve earlier this week, it wasn't a surprise. The $140-million star hadn't thrown in weeks, time was quickly running out on the season and they had worked out fill-in passers two days prior. It was the expected outcome for a trying season that never got started -- and no one really knows what might come next.