Week 12 is upon us, the worst is getting worse, and the better is getting….well, there is no better right now. It’s time to break down and dissect what’s going on in the Queen City.
Let’s take a look at this Bengals team from two different angles, under a microscope (this season) and from an aerial view, or a broad perspective (the last five years). While we’re at it, let’s take a look at a couple of hot topics, shall we?
Under a microscope, this team is an absolute train wreck. If you ask yourself, how so? Well, here you go:
At the beginning of the season, most of us were as high on the season as we could’ve been, and then it went down the toilet fairly quickly.
Joe Burrow entered the season as healthy as could be, AND the team drafted a couple of new offensive linemen, along with a new free agent. That got torn apart when Burrow’s toe got torn apart in week 2.
Chase Brown was due for a major breakout season and potential top 10 running back status as he was gearing up for his first full season as RB1, then that plan got squashed when the offensive line decided (once again) to get manhandled by every defensive lineman in the league.
Ja’Marr Chase was looking to defend his title of the triple crown (most receptions, yards, and touchdowns) before he got suspended Monday for his on-field actions Sunday against the Steelers. He has appealed this decision, but if upheld, he will miss Sunday’s game against the Patriots, which will not make this feat any easier, though he’s still only 285 yards away from the leader, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and a handful of touchdowns behind.
Mike Gesicki was also eyeing another big season, as he just signed a 3-year extension with the team in the offseason, until he got hurt, and his name has barely been mentioned.
I’m going to go ahead and group the offensive line and defensive line together, as they’ve both been underwhelming. We will just keep it at that.
We tried to give the front office a pass (again) after they drafted a few guys and picked up a couple of guys. We simply said, “Well, at least they did something.”
In reality, the new offensive linemen are the least of our worries. Unfortunately, it’s the incumbent members who are causing the issues. Orlando Brown, Jr. and Ted Karras are the issues. I’ll also withhold Amarius Mims (for now).
As much as we like Brown and Karras as leaders and community engagement heroes, they’re past their prime, plain and simple, no explanation needed. They have now caused Burrow to miss nearly another entire season and also caused Burrow’s 40-year-old substitute to be shaken up.
With the loss of Reader, Rankins, and Hubbard, the team was already hurting. The team picked up TJ Slaton, Jr,. and drafted Shemar Stewart. Slaton’s primary task was to stop the run, which is the complete opposite of what has happened.
Meanwhile, Stewart brought more attitude and excuses with him to Cincinnati than he did talent and motivation.
This brings us to the entire secondary. There are maybe 1 or 2 guys that I could maybe give a pass, but I’m not going to. The reason I’m not is because of inconsistency. A couple of them can have good bursts here and there, but cannot maintain it. And Cam Taylor-Britt is now out for the season due to a foot injury requiring surgery.
There’s no reason to name each player on the defense from this point on when they each have the same problem. There is not a single player who can tackle or cover a receiver. Once again, there’s no explanation needed. I’ll just leave this with you.
Now, the broader perspective. It doesn’t get much better. It actually makes you feel more sick. The Bengals are handed success, and they decide to just throw it in the trash. The front office was handed this success in 2020 and 2021 when they drafted their franchise quarterback and wide receiver, Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. Let’s go ahead and tack along Tee Higgins in this group as well.
But instead of adding on to their default template, they simply submitted those three as their final project. Rather than fully furnishing their 53-man roster, they simply set their draft settings and free agency period to default settings, and it’s coming back to bite them.
Well, more like demolish them.
Unfortunately, with this season inching toward a merciful ending, it’s time to completely, and I do mean completely, overhaul the defense. The players and the coaching staff.
While you’re at it, take the offensive coaching staff and the front office. The only people left on the team should be Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. Let’s leave Evan McPherson, too. And maybe the offensive line outside of Brown and Karras. DJ Turner, Chase Brown, and Ryan Rehkow also deserve to stay.
Besides them, nobody else deserves to have a job.
Whether or not you believe it was a fluke, this front office allowed a Super Bowl-caliber team to simply crumble. From a lack of accountability, lack of knowledge, amongst other things, they put all of their eggs into a semi-non-existent basket and assumed it would carry them to the promised land, and instead it began to disintegrate.
This front office needs to listen to someone other than themselves, which would be a first time in, well, forever. They need to regain the trust of players and this entire city, but it’s fair to wonder if they have any real desire to make that a reality.
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