Tag: Cincinnati Bengals

There isn’t a Marvin Lewis to fall back on this time.

Remember 2018? The Cincinnati Bengals fired Teryl Austin on November 12, 2018. His defense had just coughed up 500-plus yards in a 51-14 loss to New Orleans.

Fast forward almost exactly a year, Lou Anarumo’s defense just gave up 379 yards in a 49-13 loss. Baltimore needed 23:49 of clock to do it. A late field goal stopped it from finishing as the worst loss in Bengals franchise history. Sunday marked the team’s 11th straight loss, tied for a team record, and it’s one step closer to matching the franchise’s worst-ever start of 0-10 — captained by one Dave Shula.

But there isn’t a Marvin Lewis this time. When the Bengals fired Austin, Lewis stepped in and helped the defense improve. The team fought.

No such fall back plan exists. The Bengals had problems getting a qualified defensive coordinator in the door in the first place. But one could easily make the argument Anarumo should be fired for his performance. Not only is he failing to establish scheme and adapt to opponents, but his units have also coughed up at least 460 yards in four its last five games.

If the team wanted to pull a stunner and can Zac Taylor, doing so would largely be unfeasible. Who takes over? Anarumo is having a rough time and Brian Callahan on the offensive side is inexperienced and helping craft these miserable gameplans. Does special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons, in his 17th year with the team, jump to interim head coach? What does that accomplish?

And yet, it is brutal to listen to the coaches wax poetic about accountability when this is the product on the field. Were the front office to step in and fire someone it would make plenty of sense.

That probably doesn’t happen. And the Bengals backed themselves into a no-win situation. They hired Taylor knowing he needed to develop as a coach and gave him control of his staff. There’s no easy out here, if they make a move at all. But the longer something doesn’t change, the more potential irreparable harm the team does with its fans.

[vertical-gallery id=24432]

The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t just lose Sunday.

With a 49-13 knee-slapper of a performance against the Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals inched closer to the 2020 draft’s top pick while looking like a legitimate 0-16 contender.

Defensive end Carlos Dunlap called it “disgusting” and “embarrassing,” according to Fox 19’s Joe Danneman, which is only really beginning to scratch the surface of the disaster.

Keep in mind this all happened after a bye week. The Bengals held the ball for more than 36 minutes but scored 13 points. Baltimore technically didn’t need to take the field offensively thanks to two Ryan Finley turnovers that gave the Ravens 14 points — which would’ve won the game.

Remember that loss 51-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints last year? This slots comfortably behind it by a single point as the second-worst loss in team history. A field goal with 2:29 left stopped it from becoming the worst.

This was also the team’s 11th straight loss, which ties a team record.

Also consider the following from Jay Morrison of The Athletic:

First time in #Bengals history they've allowed at least 49 points through three quarters.
Previous high was 38 in a 51-45 loss to the Browns in 2007.

— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) November 10, 2019

And this miserable Bengals defense let up a historic day for the opposition, too:

Lamar Jackson's 47-yard Rush TD is the longest rush of his career, and longest rush by a quarterback since Cam Newton on Dec. 10, 2017 (62 yards).

It is also 1 yard longer than the longest Rush TD of Michael Vick's career. #BALvsCIN pic.twitter.com/4rkFzALNgT

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 10, 2019

At this point, words don’t do the situation justice. It shouldn’t have gotten to this point at all, and the options for improvement seem minimal.

Which is to say, the Bengals won’t run into a player like Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson every week, but wins are going to be hard to come by regardless given the lack of improvement out of the bye.

[vertical-gallery id=24432]