Cincy Jungle - Bengals and Marvin Lewis parting ways following 2017 seasonWho Deyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48495/cincyjungle_fave.png2018-01-02T09:00:02-05:00http://www.cincyjungle.com/rss/stream/165515392018-01-02T09:00:02-05:002018-01-02T09:00:02-05:00The Bengals’ Week 17 win over the Ravens mattered for reasons bigger than draft order
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<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Many Bengals fans wanted the team to lose against the Ravens to help their draft order, but the win was big, important and mattered more than draft order.</p> <p id="LPhKzO">There’s a growing list of unanswered questions heading into the offseason for the Cincinnati Bengals. That much is obvious.</p>
<p id="6d5J79">Will <span>Marvin Lewis</span> remain in Cincinnati and if so, what’s his role? Is he posturing for a better deal (ala, 2011) or has he had enough? What is AJ McCarron’s status and will that have any impact on <span>Andy Dalton</span>? There are urgent questions on the offensive line (don’t get complacent with recent performances) and linebacker. Did <span>Tyler Kroft</span> complete his transition as the next <span>Tyler Eifert</span>? Where does Eifert go? Will <span>William Jackson</span> III, quickly becoming Cincinnati’s top defensive back, replace God as the creation of all things?<em> I’m a little high on the guy.</em> Will Carlos Dunlap ever stop dancing between snaps?</p>
<p id="lqiK0z">Those questions will have answers attached to them over time. Cincinnati (6-9 and eliminated from the postseason) had one meaningless game to play on Sunday. </p>
<p id="Re9jeo">And it didn’t play out as expected.</p>
<p id="bZjFty">With just more than 12 minutes remaining in the season, and perhaps the Marvin Lewis era, Cincinnati was barely functioning on offense while the defense was frustratingly having issues defending passes over the middle. <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a> quarterback <span>Joe Flacco</span> completed passes to <span>Mike Wallace</span> and <span>Michael Campanaro</span> for 10 and 11 yards respectively. </p>
<p id="cpLB4F"><em>I know there are no more healthy linebackers, but cover the middle!</em> </p>
<p id="Oxwm2F">The clock was ticking... 10:46, 10:45, 10:44. </p>
<p id="6vjnri">After a minimal three-yard <span>Alex Collins</span> run, Flacco found Campanaro over the middle for 10 more yards. A minimal swing pass, a defensive penalty (12 men on the field) and an incomplete pass later, Baltimore celebrated their first lead of the game on MIke Wallace’s six-yard touchdown reception. </p>
<p id="KGqSNi">Despite eight minutes remaining and Cincinnati’s surmountable three-point deficit against a vulnerable Ravens squad, a baser instinct kicked in. As a <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> fan who celebrated the 80s, survived the 90s, and enjoyed the roller coaster Marvin Lewis era, the instinct to run away and pretend this game stopped existing was strong. <em>They were going to screw it up. They always screw it up. </em>I plugged my ears with my beefy fingers and mumbled song lyrics not unlike<em> “la, la, la”.</em></p>
<aside id="vM7o0w"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Marvin Lewis \"wishes\" he could share news, says no decision made on his future with Bengals","url":"https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/1/1/16838430/marvin-lewis-wishes-share-news-no-decision-future-bengals"},{"title":"Death by Status Quo: How Bengals’ front office allowed Marvin Lewis to become a lame duck","url":"https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/12/31/16801896/death-by-status-quo-bengals-front-office-marvin-lewis-lame-duck"}]}'></div></aside><p id="fUvYei">Look. Baltimore grinned at their 27-24 lead with 8:48 on the clock and they should. They knew it was over. Andy Dalton would throw an interception, or throw it away on fourth down. A block would be missed. A weird call issued. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of time for Cincinnati to recover and win; the deficit was only within one possession; a field goal, at minimum, required the Ravens to score again. These were not insuperable scenarios. </p>
<p id="WLUpU2">Yet, for the Bengals, the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/odds">odds</a> saturated pessimism. History supports this. We’re talking about a a team that blew a comfortable 17-point lead against the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a>, a fourth-quarter lead against Tennessee, and a 14-point halftime advantage over the Aaron Rodgers-led <a href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Packers</a>. You can thank a dysfunctional Bengals offense for these second half meltdowns, from no halftime adjustments, injuries, and questionable player management that relegated <span>John Ross</span> and <span>Tyler Boyd</span> to Marvin Lewis’s doghouse. </p>
<p id="Lk9iD4">Cincinnati’s response was conservative, calling <span>Joe Mixon</span> and <span>Giovani Bernard</span> on consecutive runs that only generated four yards... 8:51, 8:50, 8:49. Ravens linebacker <span>Matt Judon</span> delayed his blitz on third-and-six, penetrating Cincinnati’s offensive line and dropping Andy Dalton for a nine-yard loss. The clock dropped below seven minutes. It’s fourth down. Cincinnati had to punt. Baltimore reached midfield on their ensuing possession. Save for a <span>Javorius Allen</span> 19-yard run, Baltimore couldn’t mount a threat against Cincinnati’s defense. <span>Sam Koch</span> dropped his eighth punt inside Cincinnati’s 15-yard line. </p>
<p id="OcJlDK">With less than three minutes remaining, Cincinnati opened with a first down on their own 15-yard line. </p>
<p id="NKU2Bn"><em>Nope. </em></p>
<p id="mppddM"><em>Not happening.</em></p>
<p id="bY75pE">Andy Dalton, a legend in the making, accumulates a pair of first downs with passes to Boyd, and <span>A.J. Green</span>. A <span>Brandon Carr</span> pass interference put Cincinnati on their own 43 with 1:53 remaining. Two plays later, <span>Eric Weddle</span> snags a Dalton pass around on Baltimore’s 32-yard line. There it is! Cincinnati loses another game. Why do they keep doing this shi... <em>Wait, what? A defensive hold on </em><span><em>Marlon Humphrey</em></span><em>. </em></p>
<p id="tXqXtO">Bengals have a first down on Baltimore’s 47-yard line with 1:13 on the clock. An illegal shift slugged Cincinnati back across midfield. Back-to-back incomplete passes, and a three-yard nothing pass to <span>Tyler Kroft</span> setup a fourth-and-12 from the Ravens 49-yard line with 53 seconds remaining. </p>
<p id="RpDAGp">The fate of two teams was on the line. </p>
<p id="LPCbdB">Andy Dalton, the myth, takes the shotgun snap and pivots on his fifth step. Striding forward into great protection, Dalton unleashes a fastball to a wide-open Tyler Boyd around the Ravens 20-yard line. </p>
<p id="vTRoky">“We caught them in the wrong defense,” <a href="http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Quick-hiits-Lewis-says-hed-like-to-be-back-Boyd-silences-city/b0e2984b-44df-443b-9bf3-e08e8fe275f3">said Boyd via Bengals.com</a>. “I saw the seam and Andy delivered the ball. It got so quiet. I thought there was a penalty.” Boyd spun around and became a world class sprinter, avoiding collapsing defenders to score a 49-yard touchdown, giving Cincinnati a 31-24 lead and an eventual win. </p>
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<cite>Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="e4hPI3"><strong>THE WIN THAT MATTERED</strong></p>
<p id="u2835Z">Cincinnati’s 7-9 record translates to another January without the playoffs. And it was a difficult year. Injuries crushed the defense, the offensive coordinator was fired after two games, and Marvin Lewis’ departure has been a distracting topic of conversation. </p>
<p id="VCDaIM">Yet, Sunday’s win mattered. Buffalo will make its first postseason appearance in 18 years. Back then, Doug Flutie was their quarterback and Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas was still on the roster. This game mattered in Buffalo. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">GINGA TO BOYD! 6 Points!<br>We coming for you Marrone!!<br> <br>Drought. Broke. ✔️ <a href="https://t.co/6B2AErra8L">pic.twitter.com/6B2AErra8L</a></p>— Buffalo Fanatics (@BuffFanatics) <a href="https://twitter.com/BuffFanatics/status/947652565398966272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr">Omg. <a href="https://t.co/LDm7mkSNrT">pic.twitter.com/LDm7mkSNrT</a></p>— Steve Whipple (@S_Whipple) <a href="https://twitter.com/S_Whipple/status/947632255333257216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a>
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<p id="Cr1S64">This game may have mattered in Cincinnati, and not for any practical reason. Players on this roster are prideful, exercised with great kids that want to do right by each other and their coaches. They played hard. They played to win. There was a significant difference in talent against better teams, but Cincinnati left it on the field. Despite the faction of fans that want losses to improve Cincinnati’s draft position (an argument you can’t disregard out of hand), you should be proud of these players. Unsure of Marvin Lewis’ plans, they wanted to give him a sendoff. No one really knows how the Lewis story will play out, but many want him to stay.</p>
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<p id="CFyX79">“He’s the right guy for the right team,” said LaFell and several of his teammates agreed.</p>
<p id="EwzkYP">“He’s my coach,” said cornerback <span>Dre Kirkpatrick</span>.</p>
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<p id="WV3wUM">When the Cincinnati Bengals won three straight at the end of 2008, it gave them momentum to win 10 games the following season. After going 2-11 in 2010, Cincinnati won two of its last three with a couple of scrubs like <span>Andre Caldwell</span> and Jerome Simpson. The momentum gave those core players confidence and five consecutive years qualifying for the playoffs. </p>
<p id="hdso2r">How a team ends a season can impact the next season, which is especially true for the Bengals. Cincinnati needed this win over the Ravens; they knocked Baltimore out of the playoffs, got their revenge from a September beating, and younger players like Boyd, Tyler Kroft, William Jackson, <span>Darqueze Dennard</span>, and even <span>Christian Westerman</span>, are entering the offseason with a lot of confidence.</p>
<p id="1xCOCp">And that matters.</p>
<p id="aAQxaI"></p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/1/2/16837214/bengals-week-17-finale-win-ravens-mattered-draft-orderJosh Kirkendall2018-01-01T13:12:51-05:002018-01-01T13:12:51-05:00Marvin Lewis “wishes” he could share news, says no decision made on his future with Bengals
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<img alt="NFL: Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KmMZ9lqFSqYUE9o1YbCFdYO78Rs=/0x0:3364x2243/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58170227/usa_today_10498706.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The waiting game continues as Marvin Lewis says his future with the Bengals remains undecided after he spoke with Bengals owner Mike Brown this morning.</p> <p id="iW1oPE"><a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> head coach <span>Marvin Lewis</span> addressed the media on Monday afternoon following the Bengals’ final game of 2017, a 31-27 win against the <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a>.</p>
<p id="O0Sn84">Lewis is not under contract to remain the Bengals’ head coach in 2018 and his future as well as the future of the Bengals’ coaching staff is very much in question. But, as of Monday afternoon, Lewis says there's no decision on his future with the team. He doesn't think it will draw on too long and he says he will continue to talk to <span>Mike Brown</span>.</p>
<p id="gDvPE3">"We discussed the football team this morning," Lewis said of his discussion with <span>Brown</span>, the Bengals’ owner. "Just what my viewpoints were... I think as you move forward -- 2017 is over, we're going into 2018 now and the future. I think everybody wants to make sure we stay on the same course together."</p>
<p id="VFHvnU">As such, no decision was reached about Lewis’ future in Cincinnati or who will coach the Bengals next season.</p>
<p id="9461hW">"I wish I could give you more news, but I can't,” Lewis said, noting it’s a “hard” situation. He also acknowledged he and the rest of the Bengals coaches need to do a better job coaching, while refusing to say if he’d keep his staff if he were to return as head coach in 2018. Lewis showed up more than 30 minutes late to his 12:00 p.m. ET press conference, a rarity for Lewis who is typically prompt.</p>
<aside id="DgGDBt"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Bengals and Marvin Lewis parting ways following 2017 season","url":"https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/12/17/16787498/bengals-and-marvin-lewis-parting-ways-following-2017-season"},{"title":"Paul Guenther targeted by Raiders and Jon Gruden as DC; may be candidate to replace Marvin Lewis","url":"https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/1/1/16838164/paul-guenther-raiders-jon-gruden-dc-candidate-replace-marvin-lewis"}]}'></div></aside><p id="IbSEcq">Lewis then went on to talk about how “real” Bengals fans should feel after the team’s second straight losing season. It seems pretty nervy for a guy with zero playoff wins in 15 years to talk about what “real fans” should think or feel, but, here’s what Lewis had to say on the topic:</p>
<p id="O4MgAo">“If you’re a real fan, you stay the course and understand we’re not happy with what transpired this season,” Lewis said. “If I’m here (next year), we’re going to do everything to make us World Champions. That’s why I do what I do.”</p>
<p id="zOiZ1A">Lewis also spoke to things he would do if he were back with the Bengals in 2018.</p>
<p id="KyQzEf">"We're going to have to build better... We're going to have to build a team that could win this division... We're not there,” he said.</p>
<p id="0FVEuh">That scarily seems like some of what he could have spoken to Brown about this morning, leaning toward the side of Lewis returning—in some capacity—in 2018. There’s a possibility he could be moved to a front office job instead of remaining head coach. The Bengals don’t have a GM, so it’s possible he could move into that role, too. Though, Duke Tobin, Director of Player Personnel, essentially serves as GM for the organization.</p>
<p id="xxDYJ7">Lewis ended things on Monday afternoon by stating the obvious—that he’s currently employed by the Bengals—and noting he’s not considering jobs outside of the organization right now.</p>
<p id="Cd6FID">"This is the only team right now that I'm employed by," Lewis said ending the press conference.</p>
<p id="190CYD">And now, we continue waiting for news. We’ll keep you updated as it comes.</p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/1/1/16838430/marvin-lewis-wishes-share-news-no-decision-future-bengalsRebecca Toback2018-01-01T11:25:07-05:002018-01-01T11:25:07-05:00Paul Guenther targeted by Raiders and Jon Gruden as DC; may be candidate to replace Marvin Lewis
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v Cleveland Browns" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EnRbvHDl171qcUYEX4uGqYLBy2U=/0x55:2700x1855/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58169355/858796126.jpg.0.jpg" />
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<p>Oakland is looking to hire Paul Guenther as their next defensive coordinator, but the Bengals may consider him as their next head coach. </p> <p id="XHfCkg">The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> could be losing defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. </p>
<p id="pcYJjn">According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Oakland Raiders</a> are confident they will hire Jon Gruden to be their next coach, replacing the now-fired <span>Jack Del Rio</span>. </p>
<p id="XAHBuh">And if Gruden is hired, he’s targeting Guenther to be his defensive coordinator in Oakland. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raiders?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raiders</a> are confident Jon Gruden will say yes eventually, though he is being careful about doing so before they comply with the Rooney Rule and he is still on the books to broadcast a game Saturday for ESPN. Gruden is already planning to call plays, hire DC Paul Guenther.</p>— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/947850818929266688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a>
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<p id="LcelvN">However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter is not as confident Guenther lands in Oakland. Schefter does think Guenther is an option as their defensive coordinator, but he’s also a head-coaching candidate for the Bengals: </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bengals' DC Paul Guenther, whose contract is now up, is an enviable position: he is expected to be a leading candidate to become Jon Gruden's DC in Oakland or could be HC candidate in Cincinnati depending on how the Marvin Lewis situations unfolds, per league source.</p>— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/947841940644597760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a>
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<p id="URofgW">Guenther has been defensive coordinator of the Bengals since 2014, though his tenure has been erratic at best. His defenses have been dominant at times, but they’ve also been horrific for stretches, including this season.</p>
<p id="vZU58X">The Bengals finished 2017 ranked 18th in total defense, 16th in scoring defense, and 25th in third-down defense. To be fair, Guenther’s defense was hit hard on the injury front as the season wore on, but you’d still like to see more from a guy who’s reportedly being considered to be your team’s next head coach. </p>
<p id="lfFyw3">The Bengals are <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/1/1/16838098/no-decision-made-marvin-lewis-future-bengals-per-report">still mulling over Lewis’ future</a> in Cincinnati. His contract is up, and so too is Guenther’s. That means Guenther could leave Cincinnati on his own to become Oakland’s next defensive coordinator, but my guess is he waits to see how the situation in Cincinnati plays out. </p>
<p id="oVurro">Hopefully, all of this is settled this week. The Bengals need to move quickly if they’re going to find a new head coach and staff. </p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/1/1/16838164/paul-guenther-raiders-jon-gruden-dc-candidate-replace-marvin-lewisJason Marcum2018-01-01T11:08:01-05:002018-01-01T11:08:01-05:00No decision made on Marvin Lewis’ future with Bengals, per report
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v Baltimore Ravens" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DQ15z0A9EvFBS5knSpIWPeoG4wk=/0x0:5472x3648/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58169259/900125256.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Bengals and Marvin Lewis are taking their time on making a decision on his future. </p> <p id="F6o954">The <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> won’t be rushing to make a decision on <span>Marvin Lewis</span>. </p>
<p id="OZApsC"><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641763&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincinnati.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fnfl%2Fbengals%2F2018%2F01%2F01%2Fcincinnati-bengals-marvin-lewis-take-time-2018-decision%2F994088001%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincyjungle.com%2F2018%2F1%2F1%2F16838098%2Fno-decision-made-marvin-lewis-future-bengals-per-report" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">According to the Cincinnati Enquirer</a>, Lewis and owner Mike Brown met Monday morning, but no decision was made regarding the future of Lewis. NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo has since <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo/status/947844739033915392">confirmed the report</a>. </p>
<p id="Z4nkLO">That would suggest the Bengals are seriously considering another year of Lewis. It seemed inevitable that he was on his way out, by his own volition or by the Bengals telling him to go, but now, there’s a very real possibility he is head coach of the Bengals in 2018.</p>
<p id="ZvRyUE">Some things never change, but given the history of Brown as owner of the Bengals, it shouldn’t be a surprise at all if Lewis is brought back. </p>
<p id="UBWulc">Whatever the ultimate decision is, it ideally will be made this week. The Bengals need time to get Lewis and his staff re-signed with many of them having their contracts now expired, including Lewis. </p>
<p id="GymtfE">Stay tuned. </p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/1/1/16838098/no-decision-made-marvin-lewis-future-bengals-per-reportJason Marcum2017-12-31T20:36:01-05:002017-12-31T20:36:01-05:00Marvin Lewis says he’ll talk to Mike Brown on Monday about his future with Bengals
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<img alt="NFL: Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Yk7Y3yk7-cVIYtHamWOhDQu7CUk=/0x0:3804x2536/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58166327/usa_today_10497878.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Marvin Lewis maintains that his future is not decided and won’t be before Monday morning.</p> <p id="8LcRgm">Could Marvin Lewis actually remain the head coach of the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a> in 2018?</p>
<p id="iAL83y">It’s possible, but I still don’t believe he will be.</p>
<p id="Q1pLYC">Following the Bengals’ shocking win over the <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a> on New Year’s Eve, Lewis was questioned about his future in Cincinnati and if he’d like to remain the Bengals’ head coach going forward. Lewis is not under contract in 2018.</p>
<p id="6H8UcE"><a href="http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-0739290213112618450-4">According to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell</a>, Lewis said he and Bengals owner Mike Brown will talk tomorrow, as they do each Monday. When asked if he would accept an offer for a new contract if one is extended, Lewis replied, "It's a little more complicated than that."</p>
<p id="Q6pXj0">Here’s more from Jim Owczarski:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Marvin Lewis says it’s more complicated than just Mike Brown asking him to come back, but he said he would like to coach the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bengals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bengals</a> in 2018.</p>— Jim Owczarski (@JimOwczarski) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimOwczarski/status/947636636174700544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a>
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<aside id="aLBZfI"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Bengals’ 31-27 win over Ravens ends a roller coaster 2017 season for Cincinnati","url":"https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/12/31/16836074/bengals-31-27-win-over-ravens-ends-a-roller-coaster-2017-season-for-cincinnati"},{"title":"Bengals contacting outside candidates to replace Marvin Lewis, per report","url":"https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/12/31/16835598/bengals-outside-candidates-replace-marvin-lewis-nfl-rumors"}]}'></div></aside><div id="SalVF9">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Never seen this from coach before... Marvin Lewis threw his hat to a fan as he walked off in Baltimore (via <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX19Joe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FOX19Joe</a>) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bengals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bengals</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX19?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fox19</a> <a href="https://t.co/gM1H392ZO6">pic.twitter.com/gM1H392ZO6</a></p>— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX19Jeremy/status/947639654005772288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2018</a>
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<p id="Kf0Cnp">Rumors emerged during the last three weeks that Lewis and the Bengals already had decided to mutually part ways. Lewis has denied the rumors without end, even though he’s the one who started them, per many sources. Lewis’ contract with the Bengals is now over and the Bengals do not have a head coach under contract for 2018.</p>
<p id="4vJYnd">The Bengals have endured back-to-back losing seasons and Lewis has gone 0-7 in the playoffs since becoming head coach of the Bengals in 2003. As the winningest coach in franchise history and the second longest tenured active coach in the NFL, Lewis’ time in Cincinnati may be up.</p>
<p id="Q30V5g">We’ll find out for sure soon and update you as more details become available.</p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/12/31/16837142/marvin-lewis-says-hell-talk-to-mike-brown-on-monday-about-his-future-with-bengalsRebecca Toback2017-12-31T10:30:02-05:002017-12-31T10:30:02-05:00Death by Status Quo: How Bengals’ front office allowed Marvin Lewis to become a lame duck
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<img alt="NFL: Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/R5kyr5k52dviprK8jARc6W4Mq4U=/0x39:4548x3071/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58158191/usa_today_9598290.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Lewis is leaving the Bengals, and it’s time to open the window and let some fresh air in. However, the team’s brain trust that contributed to his fall is still in place, and we can’t be sure they like new ideas. </p> <p id="UdmgZG">After 15 seasons as head coach of the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals,</a> <span>Marvin Lewis</span> appears ready to move on, and so does the front office.</p>
<p id="U3R4Ti">The man who rescued the much-maligned franchise from the pit of misery of professional football has dismissed reports that he won’t stay in Cincinnati past 2017, but where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire. Both he and the team should embrace the opportunity of a fresh start.</p>
<p id="HbOWXD">I’m young and, relatively, a new fan of this team. When I started rooting for them, they already had Cason Palmer, Rudi Johnson and Chad Johnson. In fact, they were mostly the appeal for me to become a fan — in no particular order. </p>
<p id="H7Z2oJ">I’d be lying if I said I understood the pains of supporters that cheered on this team despite all the pain during the 90s and early 2000s, during the Dave Shula, Bruce Coslet and Dick LeBeau times, during the era where the Bengals and not the <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a> were the laughingstock of the entire NFL.</p>
<p id="SV4Ga0">I do understand the impact Lewis had in changing that. He led the turnaround, twice. <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641763&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincinnati.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2F2017%2F12%2F17%2Fpaul-daugherty-left-cincinnati-bengals-marvin-lewis%2F108710104%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincyjungle.com%2F2017%2F12%2F31%2F16801896%2Fdeath-by-status-quo-bengals-front-office-marvin-lewis-lame-duck" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">As Paul Daugherty from The Enquirer said recently</a>, “Lewis moved a mountain here.”</p>
<p id="7n4D4N">But he never won in the playoffs, and that took a toll, not only on him but also on the front office and the squad. That might be what people — other than most Bengals fans, remember of him when he leaves Paul Brown Stadium, but that is not fair. He had many flaws, and those were enlarged after that painful 2015 Wild Card loss to the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a>. </p>
<p id="VxiM90">They never recovered. </p>
<p id="xyRhsw">You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain. </p>
<p id="k6eeqH">And he was a hero for many of those years, as he was the one that took team control off of Mike Brown’s hands and tried to build a more professional franchise that could, and did, compete with the powerhouses in the league. That is why his impact might end up being a mixed bag when it didn’t have to. </p>
<p id="HSfX5u">Lewis is not the only one to blame for how things turned out after taking the Bengals to five consecutive playoffs trips that included two division titles. The front office allowed this to happen and will now face the uncertain for the first time in a long time.</p>
<p id="IPIX7u">I wrote back in the beginning of the season that this franchise was afraid of changes. The 90s were so dark that the Brown family was deeply scared of going back and was happy to live in the eight-to-nine win scenario that was a safe bet for as long as Marvin Lewis could keep the machine working. </p>
<p id="Y8KrBH">That fear — and maybe not having a lot of cash helped too — made them stay away from free agency, presumably to avoid another Owens, and made them believers of <em>familiarity above everything </em>that was embraced by Lewis too.</p>
<p id="AK9EFK">That is why we can clearly divide Lewis’ ending tenure with the Bengals in two parts, and not only because of his two different quarterback-wide receiver combo, but also by the team-building philosophy used in each era. Lewis and the front office were together in the last one, making responsibilities very difficult to assign. They’re both equally at fault, or at least in my opinion. </p>
<p id="ECD5fb">Death by status quo could be a perfect epitaph to Lewis’ reign in Cincinnati. Stagnation and inertia are two other good words that can be applied here. They are the reasons why Lewis is leaving in such a bad taste when it should’ve been quite the opposite, as he was the one that changed and modernized a franchise that might have been the Las Vegas Bengals had the painful losing continued. </p>
<p id="gIsDTJ">On the other hand, having won in the playoffs just once might have changed all this. And they had good opportunities in the post-Palmer era, like against a <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/">Chargers</a> quad they’d beat in San Diego on that same 2013 season, or against the Steelers when <span>Jeremy Hill</span> fumbled away the game two years ago. </p>
<p id="5U0Hke">But that didn’t happen, and it quickly went downward.</p>
<p id="tYT3Ax">To say that Lewis lost the edge, it might be an understatement. The way he’s handled the team in recent times suggests that he has, including failing to address the reports that he is leaving after the season with his players. </p>
<p id="YsIC5P">That is the ultimate showing of how his tenure has stagnated, something he was partly responsible for after he promoted quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese to offensive coordinator, just because it was his turn. </p>
<p id="wy466Q">Or in the same way they still ran almost every time on first down when they were unable to produce anything on the ground, and the opponents knew it. Or in the same way he’s kept playing under-producing veterans over rookies despite their clear poor play. </p>
<p id="824Aed">You can also argue that <a href="https://www.wcpo.com/sports/football/bengals/brennan-lewis-is-both-the-best-coach-and-the-most-disappointing?page=2">he allowed too many players with bad behavior to erode team chemistry</a>, but I wasn’t there personally and can’t tell how much of an impact it had.</p>
<p id="L6oba2">But the front office has allowed and contributed to this. They’ve experimented a success the team hadn’t seen since Paul Brown passed away, and they wanted to keep it alive for as long as they could. </p>
<p id="sDiPSB">That is why they reinforced that philosophy of <em>familiarity above all, </em>which left them in very bad shape without hitting home runs in every single draft. That, combined with the wrong goal of stockpiling compensation picks, has led to a decline in the quality of the squad that has led to two-straight losing seasons for the Bengals, something not seen since 2008.</p>
<p id="Z1rugD">After nailing the 2011 (<span>Andy Dalton</span>, <span>A.J. Green</span>, <span>Clint Boling)</span> and 2012 drafts (<span>Dre Kirkpatrick</span>, <span>Kevin Zeitler</span>, <span>Mohamed Sanu</span>, Marvin Jones, <span>George Iloka),</span> they started to get less production from their rookie classes. </p>
<p id="6vwH8l">Some will correctly point that they got <span>Giovani Bernard</span>, <span>Shawn Williams</span> and <span>Tyler Eifert</span> in 2013, but they also wasted a second-round pick on a 26-year-old raw punt blocker (<span>Margus Hunt</span>), and Eifert has missed considerable time due to many different injuries. </p>
<p id="kogFKt">One election can summarize this, though. In 2014, Michael Johnson left in free agency after a successful five-year stint in Cincy. The Bengals picked a project to replace him in the third round of the draft in the same year (<span>Will Clarke</span>) and hoped their swiss-army knife in the defensive line, <span>Wallace Gilberry,</span> could fill the hole created. </p>
<p id="A1wN4Y">If the draft is your only vehicle to add talent, and you’re a contender, you must add immediate contributors. But the front office and Lewis were repeat offenders the following year when they doubled down in offensive tackles in the first two rounds, despite the fact that their two starters were still under contract and playing well.</p>
<p id="8XgIuy">Hindsight is 20/20, but the fact that the Bengals’ roster has declined in talent is one of the main reasons why Lewis is leaving the way he is, and Cincinnati is recording back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in a decade. </p>
<p id="X40eqZ">And it has declined because both the Brown family and Lewis have stuck with what they know and have worked for years, and stagnation is one of the likely results of that philosophy. They could have nailed every single draft and added 3-4 studs every year, but that is mighty hard.</p>
<p id="ejDGRD">With Hue Jackson and Mike Zimmer gone — the two guys that offered fresh looks for this franchise — the Bengals entered the bumpy road they’re now on, and the only way out is forward.</p>
<p id="7yFLKZ">So yes, Lewis has a lot of blame for wasting the prime of some of the most talented players the Bengals franchise has seen, and he’s getting the heat from fans and pundits for it. </p>
<p id="BOvrjI">But the front office that he helped professionalize when he first got to Cincinnati should shoulder part of that blame too, and not only for keeping Lewis long past his expiration date, but also for enforcing a flawed team-building philosophy that has cost them when they had a chance to win it all. </p>
<p id="rPfyeC">Lewis will be remembered differently in time, and he’ll get his due, I’m sure.</p>
<p id="V3cPcR">So long, and thanks for all of the fish, Marvin.</p>
<p id="PGzWMd"></p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/12/31/16801896/death-by-status-quo-bengals-front-office-marvin-lewis-lame-duckmuertedeatenas2017-12-31T08:00:03-05:002017-12-31T08:00:03-05:00Bengals Bytes: Marvin Lewis’ last stand
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<img alt="Cincinnati Bengals v Detroit Lions" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/afnVqTbGo7WFV57Yov_8gIObdYM=/0x0:3504x2336/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58156681/56451758.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Tom Pidgeon/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Is this the final game for Marvin Lewis as head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals? What will his lasting legacy be? </p> <p id="1YRrPF"></p>
<p id="78NV6B"><a href="http://www.espn.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/93668/marvin-lewis-turned-bengals-into-winners-but-legacy-includes-0-7-playoff-record">Marvin Lewis made Bengals winners, but legacy includes 0-7 in playoffs</a><br>There's been no official word, but if Sunday is Marvin Lewis' finale, the coach leaves the Bengals better than he found them but without any hardware. A departure would end a 15-season tenure for Lewis, who brought the team to heights it hadn’t seen in decades. But the veteran coach could never quite exorcise his playoff demons, going 0-7 in the postseason.</p>
<p id="fCBZS0"><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641763&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincinnati.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fnfl%2Fbengals%2F2017%2F12%2F29%2Fcincinnati-bengals-complicated-legacy-marvin-lewis%2F990451001%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincyjungle.com%2F2017%2F12%2F31%2F16833738%2Fbengals-bytes-12-31-marvin-lewis-last-stand" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis' complicated legacy</a><br>Taking a deep look at the overwhelming success and unequivocal failure of Marvin Lewis and his complicated legacy on and off the field in Cincinnati. A career record of 8-24 against rival Pittsburgh funnels into the 0-7 postseason statistic as a second black eye, but Lewis’ stability legitimized the franchise and made them relevant. Not just for one year or even a few lucky seasons, he sustained it.</p>
<p id="Oh7x0p"><a href="http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Media-Roundtable-questions-hover-for-Bengals-/58877ec4-8b75-4720-9889-c047848b2280">Media Roundtable: questions hover for Bengals</a><br>For the seventh time in the last eight years, the Bengals end a season against the <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a>. They may be closing out a lot more than that in Baltimore temperatures projected to feel like 13 degrees with the Ravens needing a win to chill for the postseason and published reports suggesting head coach <span>Marvin Lewis</span>’ 15-year run in Cincinnati has thawed.</p>
<p id="VtSW2G"><a href="http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/TDBHBengals-have-a-Ball-with-help-from-Commander-Cody-to-hoist-Central-crown/24d4239a-9317-4f81-8347-5fc4f68e2671">Bengals have a Ball with help from Commander Cody to hoist Central crown</a><br>In a year the Reds go wire-to-wire the Bengals go to the wire. The Bengals find themselves on the last day of the season needing help to make the postseason. They are 0-for-3 until tonight, when Houston backup quarterback Cody Carlson lights up the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a> in the Astrodome, 34-14, to thwart Pittsburgh’s bid to clinch the AFC Central. So the Bengals’ tractor-pull of a 21-14 victory over the lowly <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a> at Riverfront Stadium to win the division.</p>
<p id="wo2Juj"><a href="http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Ravens-vs-Bengals-Everything-You-Need-to-Know/ca910529-c84c-45dd-aa0b-3013a9d3e7dd">Ravens vs. Bengals: Everything You Need to Know</a><br>The Ravens shut out the Bengals, 20-0, to kick off the 2017 season in Cincinnati. It was a dominant performance that Baltimore wants to replicate. The Ravens and Bengals will have met in Week 17 seven of the past eight years, but this will be the first time it’s happened in Baltimore since 2011. The Bengals have won the past four regular-season finales, though playoff bids weren’t always on the line.</p>
<h3 id="rc7hoL">AFC North Bytes</h3>
<p id="18osX3"><a href="http://www.espn.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/93675/john-harbaugh-delivered-nfls-best-overlooked-coaching-performance">John Harbaugh delivers NFL's most overlooked coaching performance</a><br>When the Ravens stumbled to a 4-5 start, Harbaugh kept his players focused and became the guiding force as the team won five of its next six games. Harbaugh kept his players disciplined and focused throughout all of the significant injuries and unexpected retirements.</p>
<p id="P3RywG"><a href="http://www.espn.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/93661/joe-cool-doesnt-like-freezing-cold-although-his-play-says-otherwise">Joe Cool doesn't like freezing cold (although his play says otherwise)</a><br>Flacco's passer rating in such cold games is 91.8. Since he entered the league in 2008, only two other quarterbacks -- <span>Peyton Manning</span> and <span>Aaron Rodgers</span> -- have produced better ratings than Flacco in those frigid conditions.</p>
<p id="jHxuva"><a href="http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Whos-Playing-Whos-Not-vs-Cincinnati-Bengals/613073cc-ac49-4e61-9823-e499227a8842">Who's Playing, Who's Not vs. Cincinnati Bengals</a><br>Head Coach John Harbaugh said earlier in the week that Maclin would have a “chance” to play Sunday, but it would depend on how he progressed throughout the week.</p>
<p id="TQm2jS">If Maclin is out, then <span>Chris Moore</span>, <span>Michael Campanaro</span> and <span>Breshad Perriman</span> would likely have increased roles. Campanaro had a strong game last week in Maclin’s absence, catching a touchdown and drawing a pair of critical pass interference penalties.</p>
<p id="TdVIUR"><a href="http://www.espn.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/93666/joe-thomas-backs-hue-jackson-says-browns-are-set-up-for-a-long-run-of-success">Joe Thomas believes Browns are 'set up for a long run of success'</a><br>A departure would end a 15-season tenure for Lewis, who brought the team to heights it hadn’t seen in decades. But the veteran coach could never quite exorcise his playoff demons, going 0-7 in the postseason. The problem with the plan, <span>Thomas</span> said, was the difficulty of accepting losing in historic ways -- the Browns are 1-30 the past two seasons heading into the finale in Pittsburgh.</p>
<p id="F51tQ5"><a href="http://www.espn.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/93658/eric-weddle-stunned-to-hear-hell-get-1-million-if-ravens-make-playoffs">Eric Weddle stunned to hear he'll get $1M if Ravens make playoffs</a><br>His deal with the Ravens calls for safety Eric Weddle to get a bonus if he makes the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-pro-bowl">Pro Bowl</a> (check) and Baltimore grabs a postseason berth. The Ravens can reach the postseason if they beat the Cincinnati Bengals at home Sunday or if either the <a href="https://www.musiccitymiracles.com/">Tennessee Titans</a> or <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a> lose. Weddle leads the way for a Ravens defense that tops the NFL with 33 takeaways.</p>
<h3 id="2D5rqU">Random Bytes</h3>
<p id="sXFEmW"><a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/12/30/eric-reid-teams-might-not-sign-me-over-anthem-protest-im-ok-with-that/">Eric Reid: Teams might not sign me over anthem protest, I’m OK with that</a><br>If <span>Eric Reid's</span> decision to kneel during the national anthem costs him money, he can live with it. Reid, the <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">49ers</a> safety who will be an unrestricted free agent in March, was asked on Friday if he's concerned about teams deciding not to sign him because they don't want an anthem protester.</p>
<p id="rUXWQF"><a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21910765/james-harrison-new-england-patriots-addresses-steelers-criticism-statement">James Harrison of New England Patriots addresses Steelers criticism in statement</a><br>"If anybody thought I signed a two-year deal with a team in the NFL at age 39 to sit on the bench and collect a check and a participation trophy, they're mistaken," Patriots LB James Harrison wrote in a statement posted on his Instagram account on Friday.</p>
<p id="Vre5Be"><a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000900035/article/packers-sign-corey-linsley-to-3year-255m-extension">Packers sign Corey Linsley to 3-year, $25.5M extension</a><br>Green Bay signed center Corey Linsley to an extension, the team announced Saturday. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported it's a three-year extension worth $25.5 million. Linsley, a fourth-year center out of Ohio State, is one start from completing his first full season since his rookie campaign of 2014.</p>
<p id="M8iefP"><a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/12/30/giants-fire-longtime-personnel-executive-marc-ross/">Giants fire longtime personnel executive Marc Ross</a><br>New Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman isn't wasting any time making significant changes, on the roster or the front office. Gettleman fired longtime V.P. of Player Evaluation Marc Ross today, bringing a surprisingly abrupt end to Ross's 11-year tenure with the Giants.</p>
<p id="e9HWMC"><a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21893374/2017-nfl-season-alternate-universe-bizarro-line-looked-like">2017 NFL season alternate universe - What bizarro timeline might have looked like</a><br>The 2017 season has delivered a reality few of us could have predicted or expected. What if <span>Jimmy Garoppolo</span> had been traded before the season? What if <span>Jay Cutler</span> had stayed in broadcasting and Miami got desperate? Time to use your imagination in our bizarro timeline of the season.</p>
<p id="O3zTld"><a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000900026/article/whats-the-best-head-coaching-job-nfl-execs-weigh-in">What's the best head coaching job? NFL execs weigh in</a><br>Tom Pelissero asks a handful of potential head coaches, coaching agents, NFL executives and others, what's the best head coaching job that could come open this year? Plus, five big Week 17 questions.</p>
https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/12/31/16833738/bengals-bytes-12-31-marvin-lewis-last-standJason Marcum2017-12-31T07:00:02-05:002017-12-31T07:00:02-05:00When did we finally get sick of Marvin Lewis?
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<img alt="NFL: Preseason-Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ugW7njScWP2IgeQkxrS1QlXbuGs=/0x57:2984x2046/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58158073/usa_today_9505452.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Did it take 15 years for us to realize Marvin Lewis was a bad coach all along? When did we notice that Marvin was a bad coach?</p> <p id="PxKpKk">Come Monday, we should finally get what we want: <span>Marvin Lewis</span> not coaching the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a> in 2018. </p>
<p id="XTa3U4">This isn’t always what we wanted, though. For instance, when Lewis led the Bengals to 11-5 in 2005, we were delighted to have a winning record and play in the playoffs for the first time since 1990. But recently, Marv from the Bengals is making decisions like Marv from Home Alone.</p>
<p id="NfSOfn">When did we decide that Marvin was no longer the savior of the franchise? What compelled Cincy Jungle to make <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/10/25/16547426/bengals-fire-marvin-lewis-tshirts">“Fire Marvin” t-shirts</a>, and what made Bengals fans so fed up that the shirts sold out? When did we want the winningest coach in franchise history to pack his bags?</p>
<p id="dtLyHe">Let’s start from before the beginning. Forrest Gregg and Sam Wyche had both taken the Bengals to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl">the Super Bowl</a>, even though both would eventually lose to Joe Montana and the <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">49ers</a>. </p>
<p id="3gryeM">Nonetheless, <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/6/5/4396780/the-firing-of-sam-wyche-and-bengals-news-and-notes">Wyche was fired three years after his Super Bowl appearance</a>, and the Bengals were sentenced to a generation of incompetence. </p>
<p id="8JixUd">The next three coaches all fell flat on their faces and defined the image of failure that the Bengals are still trying to shake. David Shula had a winning percentage of .268 before he was fired seven games into the 1996 season. </p>
<p id="jiye9n">His replacement, Bruce Coslet, fared only slightly better with a .350 winning percentage. He survived five more seasons before being canned only three games into the 2000 campaign. </p>
<p id="jtIphq">Dick LeBeau succeeded Coslet, but was far less successful. Not only did he record a winning percentage of .267 and was at the helm for a 2-14 season in 2002—the worst record in Bengals history. </p>
<p id="kVurxV">That brings us to Marvin. LeBeau was axed after reaching a franchise low. The Bengals brought in Lewis, who was a successful defensive coordinator with Baltimore and Washington.</p>
<p id="pxCWTw">At the beginning of Marvin’s tenure, he was well received on account of not being Dick LeBeau. Lewis was 8-8 in his first two seasons as the Bengals head coach. Since the Bengals had only been as good as 8-8 once since Wyche’s departure (which was in 1996 during the year Shula was fired and Coslet took over seven games in), the sadly lowered bar had been greatly surpassed. </p>
<p id="KgDTiu">Things were trending upward until “<a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2015/7/23/9019191/kimo-von-oelhoffen-painfully-carson-palmer-injury">The Injury</a>.”</p>
<p id="RbqMHi">The 2005 Bengals are arguably the best team the Bengals have ever had. <span>Carson Palmer</span> passed for what was at the time the second most passing yards in a single season in Bengals history, as well as the highest touchdown-interception ratio.</p>
<p id="TKsDl4">Rudi Johnson set the single-season franchise record for rushing in 2004 and again in 2005, which are still top-two in Bengals history. </p>
<p id="2FWBaN"><span>Chad Johnson</span> caught 97 passes for franchise-record yardage en route to earning First-team All-Pro honors. For the first time since Sam Wyche, the Bengals won their division and were going to the Playoffs. Marvin Lewis had won the first of his four AFC North titles, and was primed to make a deep playoff run, until “<a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2015/7/23/9019191/kimo-von-oelhoffen-painfully-carson-palmer-injury">The Injury</a>.”</p>
<p id="7GLKwA">None of us blamed Marvin for losing the the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a> in the Wild Card round. As we all know, Carson Palmer was brutally injured on the first pass play of the game. Kimo von Oelhoffen tore Palmer’s ACL before the Bengals had a chance to win that game. </p>
<p id="pfW2j5">Of course, we didn’t know that this would be the first of seven Wild Card losses under Marvin’s leadership, but we also realized that it would take a lot more than <span>Jon Kitna</span> to win in the playoffs. But as soon as the Bengals climbed to the top, they fell almost as quickly.</p>
<p id="cjny5V">Of course, by this point, Marvin was a hero. Following a franchise-worst 2-14 season, Lewis spent four years as the only Bengals coach to never record a losing season. He led the miserable “Bungles” to take control of the division. </p>
<p id="b8hBZU">Even though the Bengals were knocked out of the first round, Lewis had done so much already, it would take a disaster (or seven in a row) for him to fall out of favor in Cincinnati.</p>
<p id="EeZqQW">Lewis would go 19-28 over the next three seasons. He turned things around in 2009, though, going 10-6 and winning the AFC North for a second time. The Bengals would go undefeated in division play that year. <span>Chad Johnson</span>, now Chad Ochocinco, received 72 catches for over 1,000 yards before going to the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-pro-bowl">Pro Bowl</a> again, as offseason free agent signing <span>Cedric Benson</span> rushed for the seventh-highest single-season rushing total in franchise history. </p>
<p id="476EZ7">Unfortunately, the playoff curse would strike again as <span>Mark Sanchez</span> would lead the 9-7 <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">Jets</a> over the Bengals in the Wild Card round. Sacks and turnovers kept the Bengals to only 14 points against <span>Rex Ryan</span> and Gang Green, despite entering the game as 10-point favorites. </p>
<p id="rzGVd2">What was a surprisingly productive season ended in playoff disappointment. After being embarrassed in New York by the Jets and losing 37-0 in the last regular season game, the Bengals couldn’t find a way to beat them at home in their second consecutive matchup. </p>
<p id="ePq1Vl">The team would have an off year in 2010 that <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/624592-carson-palmer-leaving-the-sinking-ship-are-the-cincinnati-bengals-that-bad?comment_id=4138268">would make Palmer bail on the Bengals</a>. We all feared that Palmer’s departure would signal a continuation of the losing culture that defined the Bungles of the ‘90s. Even though Marvin had now been in town for eight years, the Bengals still couldn’t get over the hump. </p>
<p id="nR6q0w">In terms of regular season record, however, 2010 would be a blip on the radar. Marvin would lead the team to a disappointing 4-12 season, but this would set them up for <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2011/4/30/2146262/2011-nfl-draft-cincinnati-bengals-draft-recap">one of the best drafts in franchise history</a>. In 2011, the Bengals selected <span>A.J. Green</span> in the first round, <span>Andy Dalton</span> in the second round, and <span>Clint Boling</span> in the fourth round. </p>
<p id="FlhSjT">The rookie quarterback and receiver would lead the Bengals to a 9-7 season which was good enough to land them in the playoffs despite being third in the AFC North. Dalton, Green, second-year tight end <span>Jermaine Gresham</span>, and second-year defensive tackle <span>Geno Atkins</span> all made it to the Pro Bowl. But the Bengals would be sent packing from the playoffs for the third time in Marvin’s tenure.</p>
<p id="i7hnKy">Could we really blame Marvin for that loss? After all, the Bengals just barely snuck into the playoffs that year after the Jets and the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/oakland-raiders">Raiders</a> lost in Week 17. The four Pro Bowlers were either rookies or second-year players. They did lose to the AFC South Champions that boasted the 4th best scoring defense in the NFL that year. </p>
<p id="YumSeI">The next year Green and Gresham were even more productive and Geno Atkins was named first-team All-Pro. With an improved record of 10-6, the Bengals climbed to second place in the AFC North and made the playoffs a second straight time. But they played the <a href="https://www.battleredblog.com/">Texans</a> again in the 2012 Wild Card game and lost. </p>
<p id="MoT3Wf">The offense fell flat despite having some standout playmakers on that side of the ball. Even though the Texans defense was as good as the previous year, everyone expected the Bengals (who scored 24 points a game) to get more than 13 points, with the only touchdown coming from a <span>Leon Hall</span> pick-six. Even though the Bengals were four-point underdogs, this was not a good showing.</p>
<p id="VyLgkz">In 2013, the Bengals looked like they had everything together. Bengals assistant coaches featured Jay Gruden (offensive coordinator), Hue Jackson (quarterbacks), Mike Zimmer (defensive coordinator), and Paul Guenther (linebackers); three of which are current head coaches, while the fourth is speculatively a candidate to take the Bengals’ head coaching job. </p>
<p id="LYc3on">Under Gruden and Jackson, Dalton broke the single-season franchise record of 4,293 yards and 33 touchdowns (but didn’t make the Pro Bowl, oddly enough). Youngster Marvin Jones and Green both received 10 or more touchdowns and undrafted free agent <span>Vontaze Burfict</span> made the Pro Bowl with 115 total tackles. The Bengals took home their first of two AFC North titles in the Dalton/Green era.</p>
<p id="ZjSjbn">For the first time since 2009, the Bengals had homefield advantage in the playoffs and entered the game as a six-point favorite. But when the 11-5 Bengals took on the 9-7 <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/">Chargers</a>, the offense once again went limp. The sixth-best scoring offense in the NFL only scored 10 points in that embarrassing loss. </p>
<p id="6qv0Hq">That game, more than any other, describes the Bengals playoff woes. The Bengals should always have explosive offenses with Dalton and Green. Yet, they have always had trouble scoring in the most important games, only putting up 14 points a playoff game under Lewis. 2013 is most extreme case; the Bengals had the fewest point total, yet the offense was completely healthy. </p>
<p id="r4edoq">In the next two playoff games, one could argue injuries to Jones, Green, and Dalton affected the outcome of each game. This was not the case in 2013 as the Bengals faced one of the worst defenses of all seven teams they played with Lewis at the helm.</p>
<p id="kltz1X">After the 2013 Wild Card loss, grumblings were louder than ever as Bengals fans demanded an explanation for the horrible defeat.</p>
<p id="HkLifs">The Bengals would make the playoffs again in 2014, but with injuries to Green, Gresham, Marvin Jones, and <span>Tyler Eifert</span>, the Bengals’ offensive inability could be justified. The leading receivers in that game among the depleted offense were <span>Rex Burkhead</span>, <span>Giovani Bernard</span>, and Ryan Hewitt. It would have taken a New Year’s miracle to salvage that season against the <a href="https://www.stampedeblue.com/">Colts</a> and their aptly named quarterback, <span>Andrew Luck</span>.</p>
<p id="b5uwPc">While many were thinking 2015 would be the year of the Bengal, the Chinese were more accurate in calling it the year of the sheep. Green, Jones, Eifert, <span>Mohamed Sanu</span>, Bernard, <span>Jeremy Hill</span>, and Burfict were all supposed to be healthy. </p>
<p id="xz6GNg">While Dalton, and eventually <span>AJ McCarron</span> filling in during Dalton’s injury, had impressive seasons at quarterback, the Bengals boasted the second-best scoring defense in the NFL. <span>Reggie Nelson</span> and <span>Adam Jones</span> made the Pro Bowl, as well as Atkins who also secured first-team All-Pro honors again. <span>Cedric Peerman</span> represented special teams at the Pro Bowl, while Green and Eifert were clear locks for the game.</p>
<p id="8tL4au">The Bengals had a collection of impressive wins to start the season 8-0, including wins against the defending NFC Champion <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a> and the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Even though Dalton injured his hand in their second matchup against the Steelers, McCarron fared well all things considered. </p>
<p id="CN4mgF">The former National Champion from Alabama went 2-2 in the last four games, including an overtime loss to the eventual Super Bowl-winning <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/">Broncos</a>. The Bengals finished with a franchise record-tying 12 wins en route to Marvin’s fourth (and probably last) AFC North title.</p>
<p id="XRLi8Q">The Bengals played against the Steelers in Paul Brown Stadium for the Wild Card game. While the offense did struggle behind the leadership of the second-string quarterback, a new problem presented itself. With a lead late in the fourth quarter, Adam Jones and Burfict both committed personal fouls that moved the Steelers into field goal range. The Bengals would lose that game by two points.</p>
<p id="jUCkO5">Jones and Burfict already had a reputation as hotheads, but their actions in this game solidified that legacy. Marvin Lewis showed that he has no control over two of his biggest liabilities. Not only was Marvin criticized for his inability to show up in big games, he also showed that he either was unable or unwilling to do anything about his team’s detrimental antics. Now, more than ever, people were calling for Marvin’s head.</p>
<p id="05bHlk">The 2016 season was about as disappointing as could be expected. Marvin Jones and Sanu walked out the door, and A.J. Green missed almost half the season due to injury. The Bengals and Marvin Lewis fell to 6-9-1 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011 (or for glass-half-full folks, the Bengals ended their streak of Wild Card round losses). </p>
<p id="IqsMmb">For the first time since Marvin arrived in Cincinnati, he was not given a contract extension at the end of the year. 2017 would be a make it or break it year for Marvin.</p>
<p id="xXUF3n">We would later find out that 2017 would in fact be a break it year. His offense would score nine points in the first two games of the season, prompting him to fire his second-year offensive coordinator, Ken Zampese. </p>
<p id="2HWBfQ">The Bengals first-round draft pick, <span>John Ross</span>, would end up playing only 17 snaps before landing on Injured Reserve. The offensive line was in shambles after letting the two best players walk away. </p>
<p id="CHU5pT">But worst of all, Marvin had no sense of urgency all year. His coaching was unsatisfactory, but his explanations were just bizarre. There is enough material for an entire article, so we won’t go into it all now. If you forgot (or blocked it from your memory), you can look <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/11/13/16645806/marvin-lewis-calls-out-jeremy-hill-for-choosing-to-undergo-season-ending-surgery">here</a>, <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/11/15/16649514/marvin-lewis-blames-defense-takeaways-bengals-head-coach">here</a>, <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/11/15/16656484/marvin-lewis-john-ross-jeremy-hill-bengals-football-2017">here</a>, <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/12/10/16759292/marvin-lewis-either-really-clueless-bad-liar-bengals-football-2017">here</a>, <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/12/12/16765402/marvin-lewis-not-my-responsibility-bengals-motivated-nfl-football-2017">here</a>, or <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/12/17/16787980/marvin-lewis-denies-espn-report-that-hes-stepping-down-as-bengals-head-coach-at-end-of-season">here</a>.</p>
<p id="dRU30n">Of course, by 2017 the only thing that was going to save Marvin’s job was pretty much a playoff win. We knew Marvin’s weaknesses coming in, and some of us falsely hoped he could overcome them. </p>
<p id="93VFET">After each playoff loss, the voices clamoring for Marvin’s removal grew louder. The 2013 loss to San Diego really added fuel to the fire, given the lack of offensive prowess that the offense had previously shown. </p>
<p id="8o3uV0">The 2015 loss to the Steelers was pinned on Marvin, despite Dalton’s absence, because of his lack of discipline. Both of these issues have yet to be corrected, and it looks like Marvin will never have that opportunity again. Even Marvin defenders had some inklings of doubt after those games.</p>
<p id="9EhyZJ">The reality is that we never felt fully comfortable with Marvin’s playoff performances. Each game seemed like a do or die, but some injury or unforeseeable circumstance would take the blame off of Marvin and somehow save him to fight for his job the next year. </p>
<p id="tKdAHt">But after not making the playoffs for the last two years, even the best record in franchise history won’t be enough to save him.</p>
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https://www.cincyjungle.com/2017/12/31/16804222/when-did-finally-get-sick-marvin-lewis-bengals-football-2017Nick Manchester