The Cincinnati Bengals’ 2-6 start (as of press time) could be blamed on numerous things, but for some reason everybody wants to point out the defense. Bengals’ defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan has taken the majority of the coaching criticism and has been singled out especially for his defensive schemes. Bresnahan has also been blamed for poor tackling by Bengal defenders, among other problems. Sure, the defense isn’t doing anything special, but are they doing enough to win games week in and week out?
Take away the Cleveland game in week two, when the Browns rolled up 51 points, the Bengal defense is allowing 28.4 points per game. Sure, those are quite a few points, but whatever happened to that “Indianapolis Colts like” offense the Bengals had?
Simply put, if the Bengals at least scored one touchdown per quarter, they’d be 5-3, tied atop the AFC North (assuming they would have beaten the Steelers), and sitting in a nice position for a playoff run.
Instead, in those same games the Bengals lost (still taking away the Cleveland game), the offense has averaged 16.2 points per game. With 2007 Pro Bowl MVP quarterback Carson Palmer having such weapons as wide receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and running back Rudi Johnson (when healthy), why are the Bengals only averaging eight points per half?
Simplified, NFL teams average about five offensive possessions per half. So, the Bengals only tally eight points every five possessions in games they lose. Considering the options the Bengals have on offense, that’s terrible.
Why? Is it play calling? Lack of a third receiver? A young and inexperienced offensive line? To those questions, there is only one answer: the Bengals just aren’t as good as we thought they were.
The Bengals do suffer from injuries, but so does every other team. Are the Bengals’ off the field issues finally taking part on the field? Yes.
Imagine that defense being anchored by Odell Thurman (suspended by the league for two full seasons), who would now have two and half years of NFL experience under his belt.
Could our offense score more than eight points in a half if they had Chris Henry (suspended the first eight games of the 2007 season) filling the role as the team’s No. 3 receiver? Probably. Are Chad Johnson’s antics finally becoming a distraction for the Bengals? That’s a whole other story to be written.
The Bengals have a boat-load of problems on and off the field. They range from the front office to special teams. The defense has done enough to keep the Bengals in games this season and have made critical stops when needed, but yet they continue to get abused and criticized by fans and the media week in and week out.
All of this while a lackluster and underachieving offense has gotten a free pass for their performance all season.
But oh well, as most fans love to say: “There’s always next year.