The San Francisco 49ers went 4-12 in 2018. The Green Bay Packers went 6-9-1.
Now they’re playing in the NFC title game.
If nothing else, it’s a brief glimmer of hope for a Cincinnati Bengals team mired in a rebuild after a two-win season. The massive turnaround from one season to the next isn’t so rare anymore — provided a team makes the right moves.
Both the Packers and the 49ers found savvy younger head coaches with an offensive slant. They’ve drafted at least somewhat well and perhaps most importantly…
…they’ve spent in free agency.
The Packers reinvented things by spending big on pass rushers Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith. They combined for more than 25 sacks. The 49ers attacked a need by signing Richard Sherman.
Free agency seems to be the big hump the Bengals are unwilling to get over. The Packers — even with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback — threw up their hands and spent big to address major needs. Now they’re a game from the Super Bowl.
In theory, the Bengals could do the same and the result could be contention. Solidify the offensive line with a big-money player. Spend big on a linebacker. Something along those lines, in addition to quality drafting and retention of their own stars, could fuel a quick turnaround.
The conservative Bengals have been slower to change and modernize than most franchises. But the blueprint will be there on the field during the title games, and in the Super Bowl, too.
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