Game 1: Horrible… I Blame Lewis
September 7, 2008 by Chris Tait
Filed under Bengals, NFL Football
Rookie Head Coach…
Rookie Quarterback…
Rookie Halfback…
Playing the worst team in your division last year… a 5 and 11 team… and this is what Bengal Fan gets? Bengals 10 and Ravens 17. To steal a line from Shaq, that was hor-awful, horrible and awful all at once. The strength of this team was to be offense and they mustered 3 points. (TD was from fumble recovery)
Carson Palmer was an embarrassing 10-for-25 for 99 yards with an interception. His 35.2 passer rating was by far the worst of his career. The newly annointed #1 back was held to 37 yards on 18 carries. Chad Ocho Sinco can be added to the list of underachievers only snagging one pass for 22 yds.
Marvin Lewis blamed the loss on the failure to convert the short-yardage plays. “The key were the third-and-one and fourth-and one. We don’t stop them on defense and they stop us… They were critical plays in the game. Physically, we have to play better football than we played today. … All in all, that’s the disappointing thing. They get down and dirty and be more physical at the end of the game. Both sides of the football.”
UMMM, Marvin I respectfully disagree. You had an entire off-season to plan for this year, this game. It was critical that the team got off to a good start. The table was set. A 5 and 11 team who are just starting a rebuilding process. Rookies in the most important spots, including wearing the headset. Come on Marvin, you are the head coach, stand up and take responsibility for the train wreck when you are the conductor. My respect for Lewis is at an all time low. Drop character guys like Anderson. Waive your starting HB and most experienced corner, all of whom were recent Pro-Bowlers, then come in with an offensive game plan that puts up 8 first downs and 154 total yards. And you blame the team’s physicality? Puh-lease.
It seems Lewis has short term memory problems. In the 3rd quarter, on the drive before the Bengals didn’t convert on 4th and 1, they stopped the Ravens in the same situation. Physical play was there, coaching was not. Lewis just witnessed a failed 4th and 1 attempt, then he gives Perry the ball when he didn’t have success all game long. Take the points when you can get them, especially when there weren’t many to be had.
The defense, is not entirely free from blame. They couldn’t force rookie Joe Flacco to make even one mistake in his first start and allowed the Ravens run game to hit 229 yds. There was not much, other than the 65 yd fumble recovery, to write home about. That said they started the game with a forced fumble, which could have set the tone. Then the offense proceeded to roll over and show the Raven defense their belly right away with a three and out for minus nine yards. Pretty deflating situation for the d.
All in all, this was a tough one to watch for Bengals fan. The only hope is that the pride of the core group forces them to really take it up a notch next game. They can only win despite Lewis not because of him.
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September 7th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
My Uncle’s a huge Bengals fan and I watched a good portion of the game with him. And I agree with what your saying. The Bengals offense was just atrocious today. Maybe Palmer was looking for the Ocho Cinco jersey and got confused.
On the bright the side defense looked like an improved unit.
PS Tag the Bengals in the article so the logo shows up.
September 7th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I just tagged it for ya buddy and now the Bengals logo is showing.
As for this game, I was stunned that Lewis was outcoached today. Flacco managed the game and as you said, from what I saw the offense was far too inconsistent and Palmer has to be much better. He is a vet now, no more excuses. You have to win the games you should win in this league. This game will come back to haunt them!
September 7th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Thanks for the tag, I was focusing on spell check, haha. I couldn’t agree more that this game will haunt them. There are no easy games in their division with Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Baltimore should be the only thing close to a gimme. Palmer was bad, as was Perry, but the team couldn’t seem to adjust to the defense in front of them.
Take nothing away from the Ravens defense. It is a confusing scheme, but it shouldn’t be for a team that see’s them twice a year. Not to mention the d coordinator of the Ravens is still the same guy from last year so they should at least be familiar.
September 7th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Haha, Chad should have stepped it up today given all the distractions he caused. I am bitterly disappointed in the way the offense was, for the most part, non existent. Could be a long year if this week was any indication.
September 7th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
I am not sold on Perry one bit. He was too small in college and hasnt done a thing in the NFL. He got away with it at Michigan with a big OL. It really could be a long year for the Bengals.
September 7th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
It won’t be any easier next week facing the Titans front four and overall defense. I expect Collins will be the starting qb as well.
September 7th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
He did nothing in this game to prove you wrong. I said from the start of bloggging here that Perry is a nice back to have on the roster to spell a horse like Rudi was. He is great in that role but the first day as the #1 guy and he couldn’t muster enough yards to keep the Ravens ‘d’ honest. It really showed.
September 7th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Oh yeah, these guys have to figure out something to move the chains by next week or they could find themselves in a world of trouble.
September 7th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Teams will stack the box on the Bengals with no legitimate threat. They should have paid Rudi this year and then drafted a top RB in the first round come April 2009.
September 7th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Shaun Alexander?… after today I would take the shot.
September 7th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
No kidding! It is like the Pats, they dont wait to get a solid replacement for Brady. Bengals need to address this situation now! Otherwise, Lewis is out of work very soon! Alexander has to be on their priority list!
September 8th, 2008 at 5:17 am
The Bungles are in for a long season I think. How long is it until Ocho Chumpo asks for a trade?