I have sat and stewed on this piece for weeks now.
How do you package your passion for something? How do you separate the fandom from the critique? Can you even do that? Does it make you less of a fan to expect better from the teams and organizations you pull for?
Some would say yes, but I vehemently disagree. If you dare stick with me, let’s tear into this.
The Cincinnati Bengals sit at 4-5 after nine weeks of NFL action. One could argue if a handful of plays go the team’s way, they would be sitting at 7-2 at worst.
A missed field goal from the kicker that’s touted as “money” against Baltimore. A borderline call versus Kansas City in their house on 4th and game.
A touchdown called back against New England in week 1.
Unfortunately, checks have bounced, and some sloppy play in the early weeks lead to the game coming down to a few calls. Something the team should know by now they can’t let happen.
Zac Taylor arrived in 2019, making this his sixth season with Cincy, yet it feels like the tram has not figured out how to get out of its own way in the season’s first half.
They started the 2021, 2022, and 2023 seasons with slow starts ending up 5-4 after nine games. This year? 4-5.
Quite frankly, for a team that went to back-to-back AFC championship games in 2021 and 2022, it doesn’t reflect that in their early-season record one bit.
These slow starts force the team to fight, claw, and be damn near perfect in November and December. Outside of 2023 where Burrow went down with a wrist injury in the midst of the team looking to repeat the success of the prior two seasons, they’ve managed to do exactly that.
But, dear reader, this isn’t sustainable, and it shouldn’t have to be!
If this team could simply execute at the level they’ve proven repeatedly that they’re capable of in the first half of the year instead of just the later half, then they could have a much easier time when in-season injuries and such come up.
I understand those are unavoidable, but you must win the games you’re supposed to win and compete in the ones that are less of a sure thing.
Year after year, the Bengals have failed to do this prior to November; however, that’s far from the only issue inside Paycor.
The front office feels like they haven’t entered the 21st century, plain and simple.
The Bengals used the trade deadline to make a move for just the third time in 52 years, trading a seventh-round pick to the Chicago Bears for Khalil Herbert.
While Herbert’s acquistion does address a need with Zack Moss being sidelined, it’s wholly underwhelming to a team that desperately needed help on the defensive side of the ball.
Not only that, the scouting department is laughable at best. Eight total scouts with only six of them being full-time. Six!
For a professional football team, that is absolutely unheard of in 2024. It shows in how many misses on draft picks the Bengals have had in recent memory. (Billy Price, anyone?)
Duke Tobin has been with the organization since 1999, and I’m beginning to believe that isn’t a good thing.
The Bengals’ approach to trading, free agents, and drafting all feel antiquated. Now, credit where credit is due, they’ve had some great hits and moves in recent years that can’t go without recognition.
Burrow and Chase are obvious, but also free-agent signings like Trey Hendrickson and a multitude of tight ends that have had success with Burrow at the helm.
So, it’s certainly not all bad, but man, it could be so much better.
I would not being doing my due diligence if I didn’t talk about the newest wrinkle in the Bengals’ drafting woes (at least so far) in Jermaine Burton.
The third-round pick with noted character issues that played for both Georgia and Alabama in college, Burton slowly carved a place out in the wideout room until this past week.
As Tee Higgins missed another game, Zac Taylor and company worked Burton into a major part of the game plan Friday.
Only for Burton to skip Saturday’s walkthrough and be a healthy scratch Sunday, once again leaving the coordinators scrambling to rework the game plan for the third time in nine games.
Despite this, Burrow still looked nearly perfect with a five-touchdown performance, save for a pick in garbage time on a poorly-executed screen pass.
There was a simple consensus among the players post-game. I believe Mike Hilton said it best, so I will simply let him speak.
https://x.com/JamesRapien/status/1853423031667823084
Now, where does this leave us heading into week 10?
Cincinnati will travel back to Baltimore for a rematch of the week five matchup that went all the way to overtime.
Short week with the game being on TNF. What did the leader of the Bengals locker room have to say about this after the game Sunday?
“We’re traveling on Wednesday. Today’s Sunday. Get your f—ing bodies right. Get your minds right. It’s a big one on Thursday.”
He was equally melancholy in his post-game press conference as well. I don’t expect this to change for a while, but Joe Burrow is the franchise for a reason.
I firmly believe in Burrow to carry whatever team he has to the height of its potential. It lies on those around him to respond and step up to match his drive.
The question I have for the entire locker room, front office, coaches, and everyone involved is a simple one.
“How bad do you want it?”
Now, prove it. Show the world you are who you believe your capable of being, show the world what it means to wear the orange and black.
Sincerely,
An aggrieved Bengals fan.
(Top Photo Credit: Jeff Dean/AP Photo)
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