I didn't consider Caldwell. That is a really good point about his AFCN ties. It may be something strongly considered if Mike Brown does make a change.

 

Thanks.

 

Though under most circumstances that I'm hoping Jim Caldwell is given the opportunity to coach the Lions in 2016,  it seems like it's at best a 50-50 shot he will have the opportunity.   If Caldwell is let go,  one of the potential benefits for another team that hires him as HC is he might be able to bring Jim Bob Cooter as Offensive Coordinator and/ or Teryl Austin as Defensive Coordinator ( if he doesn't get an NFL HC job ). 

 

When the dust settles though,  even if Marvin Lewis is let go,   I think there's a very good chance the Bengals will go the internal route for their next HC.  

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If Cincy goes the internal route, Hue Jackson is a no-brain hire. That would be the only way they don't lose him.

 

Any coach would be happy with 7 playoff berths in 10 seasons, but they all want to win those wild card games. Why isn't Mike Brown tired of losing them?

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Man I wish we had a playoff streak.

 

Anyways, I could see him being fired and would more than likely get a job this offseason even. If they dont promote Jackson I would like to see Tom come in to cinci and see what he could do with all that talent. Given this is if Philly doesnt sign Tom first.

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:thanks: Extra Life 2016 is 11/05/16 :thanks:

Man I wish we had a playoff streak.


Anyways, I could see him being fired and would more than likely get a job this offseason even. If they dont promote Jackson I would like to see Tom come in to cinci and see what he could do with all that talent. Given this is if Philly doesnt sign Tom first.

We'll see if Cincy's roster stays pretty much intact. Alot of the players, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, are getting a little "long in the tooth" and are going to be FAs.


If Cincy does make a coaching change, they might also start going through changes in player personnel too.


They've had a good window to try and make a serious playoff push, although most of the offense was young and have now hit their prime windows this season.


Thus was the season where it looked like Cincy really had it all together for a deep run. The offensive guys were healthy and had experience, and the defense was playing out of their minds this year.


Dalton was undoubtedly having his best season by far. It looked like he was ready to take another step up. But then he went down, and we saw what happened.


If Cincy doesn't decide to go "all in" for another push next year, there will likely be some FA guys looking for a 2-3 year spot on other teams.


Maybe the Jags could be a good spot for a couple of Cincy's defensive FAs.

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Truth speaker.

 

I fixed that for you.

 

Yes, this game should cost Marvin his job.

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Man I wish we had a playoff streak.

 

IMO... this debate is all about perspective.

 

If Cincy knee jerks and fires Lewis, it's because they've lost perspective.  I get that they're hungry for a playoff win, as hungry as the Jaguars are to have a winning/competitive season again.  But that's the point... to fire Lewis would be to dismiss what's brought them to the level they're at, a place where the Jaguars aren't and may not be close to right now.

 

They just need a little polish.  Not dramatic changes.  The difficult work is done.

 

If Dalton were playing, I don't think this would be a discussion.  Cincy probably would have run away with it.  Instead, McCarron's turnovers kept the Steelers in the game long enough for them to get just enough up on them.

 

That being said, Lewis does need to lay down the law on discipline, and ensure that message is loud and clear.  That includes teammates looking out for each other to help prevent this.

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"You do your own thing in your own time. You should be proud."

I wouldn't fire him for 0-7. I'd fire him for his team completely losing control and composure at the end of a game that they absolutely should have won. The control structure of the Bengals is a bit of a mystery, but it's thought that Lewis has a great deal of say over personnel. If he builds his team around players he can't control, like Vontaze Burfict and Pac-Man Jones, then maybe it's time to bring in a new coach/psuedo-GM (or an actual GM and a new coach) who will either control those players or offload them. You can't keep watching your team shoot itself in the foot, the leg, the groin, the chest, the head, whatever and keep your job forever. Lewis is a great defensive mind and a competent head coach, but his teams self-destruct when it counts, and that should be enough to get him dropped.

 

Let someplace like Cleveland, which just needs a competent, level-headed coach that can bring them back from the dead, bring him in.

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IMO... this debate is all about perspective.


If Cincy knee jerks and fires Lewis, it's because they've lost perspective. I get that they're hungry for a playoff win, as hungry as the Jaguars are to have a winning/competitive season again. But that's the point... to fire Lewis would be to dismiss what's brought them to the level they're at, a place where the Jaguars aren't and may not be close to right now.


They just need a little polish. Not dramatic changes. The difficult work is done.


If Dalton were playing, I don't think this would be a discussion. Cincy probably would have run away with it. Instead, McCarron's turnovers kept the Steelers in the game long enough for them to get just enough up on them.


That being said, Lewis does need to lay down the law on discipline, and ensure that message is loud and clear. That includes teammates looking out for each other to help prevent this.

Good post. Agree with all of that.

The last part about Lewis "needing to lay down the law" is the critical part though. After all of this time (he is the 2nd longest tenured HC), is he capable of changing/enforcing more discipline? Or, is what we've seen the past few years what it's going to still be? Idk, it's an interesting question.


Cincy is definitely starved for a playoff victory and run. But, you are correct that even though they've had that struggle, the Bengals have been very competitive for a decade. They've fielded a roster consistently in the top 5 or 10 of the NFL. And, they have had countless victories and epic games against other "elite" franchises of the league. I've seen them beat a ton of top notch teams during that stretch (Pats, Packers, Steelers, Colts *cough*, Broncos, Seahawks etc.). Remember the TIE games with Carolina and Philly? McNabb and his "I didn't know there was such thing as a tie," Lol.


They have been very competitive, and played some very exciting games for a long time now (though they did have a down year when Palmer was hurt and Fitzpatrick played). Alot of franchises would love to be in the mix as Cincy has.


The Jags are still progressing/building. In alot of ways, the current Jaguars remind me almost exactly of where the Bengals were in Palmer's first two years. Bortles' play is very similar to the way Palmer progressed and looked early. If the Jags could become good enough to be serious competitors for playoff spots each season, it would definitely make alot of people happy.

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Reports are coming in saying he is safe per Schefter

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:thanks: Extra Life 2016 is 11/05/16 :thanks:

Reports are coming in saying he is safe per Schefter

I'd fire him and replace him with Jackson, no questions asked. Control of his team on and off the field hasn't exactly been a hallmark of the Lewis-era Bengals,and now it's cost them a playoff game that was theirs to lose with moments to go. The Jeremy Hill fumble was huge, but without Burfict unloading his shoulder into the head of a defenseless receiver and Pac Man getting up in the face of a ref, those 30 yards don't happen, and the Steelers suddenly don't have an easy field goal to win it.

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I'd fire him and replace him with Jackson, no questions asked. Control of his team on and off the field hasn't exactly been a hallmark of the Lewis-era Bengals,and now it's cost them a playoff game that was theirs to lose with moments to go. The Jeremy Hill fumble was huge, but without Burfict unloading his shoulder into the head of a defenseless receiver and Pac Man getting up in the face of a ref, those 30 yards don't happen, and the Steelers suddenly don't have an easy field goal to win it.

 

Burfict's penalty alone put the Steelers in FG range. Jones just made it easier.

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