Benching Dalton: A Cincinnati Bengals Love-Tragedy

   On the day of the trade deadline, which also happened to be his birthday, the Cincinnati Bengals announced that they were benching their 2011 2nd-round draft selection quarterback Andy Dalton after nine seasons and starting rookie Ryan Finley, a 4th-round selection from this past years draft out of North Carolina State.

It was announced that the decision was made by first-year head coach Zac Taylor, who was known to be a supporter of Dalton when he arrived in Cincinnati. Dalton, clearly disappointed with the decision, made it known that he was displeased to the media on Wednesday after practice about coach Taylor's decision and the way that the Bengals organization handled the situation. He [Dalton] said that he was informed only three hours prior to the deadline which didn't allow much time for his agent to seek a trade.

With all that is going on around the Bengals organization (or lack of activity that is), it is kind of hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel with all the smoke in the way. However, if we look at this at the surface level it's a way for both parties to get to where they really need to be at this point. I see this possibly being the best for the Bengals organization, fans and even Andy Dalton.

Bengals

• Get to see what life is like after Dalton
• Fresh start for the organization who still seem to be living in the shadows of Marvin Lewis
• Rejuvenating the fan base, turning a new leaf 

Fans 

• They've been highly critical of Dalton for the past few seasons - They get someone new 
• This is closer to the closing of the Marvin Lewis chapter - Andy is an extension of Marvin
• Change isn't always good but it's something new, exciting and the fan base needs this right now

Dalton 

• Doesn't have to worry about getting injured as he gets closer to his contract season
• Won't have to worry about playing behind that offensive line, which hasn't looked very good this season
• Possibly has an opportunity to go play for another team and could see what else is out there for him. Or could gain more appreciation from the Cincinnati fan base which has been extremely critical of his play over the past few seasons. 

Through the first 8 games Dalton has 2,252 passing yards, 9 passing touchdowns, 8 interceptions on 60% of his passes completed. Also, he has accounted for all 3 of the Bengals rushing scores.

Though sounding fretful in his first public interview since the announcement came, Dalton did acknowledge that he is here to support Finley and hopes to see the team succeed going forward and he will support the team in anyway he can. While I didn't see the logic in an 0-8 team making the decision to bench their best option at quarterback while the team is already without their best offensive weapon for the first half of the season in AJ Green and head coach Zac Taylor still is looking for his first win. I do believe that this could be the turning of the page from the Marvin Lewis era that the Cincinnati Bengals have really not addressed since only making the change at head coach but keeping the roster mostly the same.

Ryan Finley will make his first start in the national football league coming off of the bye week, November 10, as the Bengals host the division leading Baltimore Ravens with the possibility of AJ Green returning for that game.

While this seems like the world is collapsing in on Dalton, the Bengals and it's fans. This honestly could be new life unfolding for all three. The Bengals need to be forward-thinking with all decisions at this point. If they are thinking 2020 this could be a stepping stone towards the Bengals knowing they'll draft a quarterback in the upcoming draft, possibly trading Dalton in the offseason and maybe being aggressive next season like many have wished they would for the past few years. While I am not positive of this, it surely feels like optimism is needed and this is one way to see light at the end of the tunnel. 

The Lesson 1999 Should Have Taught Bengals Fans For 2020

Akili Smith, Quarterback - 1999 draft selection (No.3 overall)

The "New Dey" hasn't really lived up to it's hype, so far, in 2019 for the Cincinnati Bengals after an 0-7 start to the season for first-year head coach Zac Taylor. Right now the conversation in Cincinnati is less about actual football in 2019 but more so about the NFL Draft in 2020, where it looks the Bengals will have a top 5 draft pick.

In 1999, with the 4th overall draft pick, the Bengals drafted quarterback Akili Smith from the University of Oregon. In 2000, Smith's first full season as the starter, the Bengals went 4-12. 2001 they were 6-10 and 2002 they regressed to 2-14. Now, Smith wasn't all to blame but he wasn't going to be the key to the rebuilding process.  That was proven to be right as the Bengals drafted Heisman-winning quarterback, Carson Palmer in 2003.

The biggest question right now, for the Bengals, is how do they turn things around as an organization? Drafting a QB seems to always be the way most organizations believe that's solve that problem and that's the basis of rebuilding. For the Bengals, with this draft class, I don't think that's the solution.  I know people have been intrigued with the notion of the Bengals drafting a quarterback early in this years draft to replace the veteran Andy Dalton. Names like Justin Herbert; Oregon; Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama; Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma and Joe Burrow from LSU are all names that have been mentioned as quarterbacks that could possibly be drafted early in the 2020 draft. But if the Bengals remain patient and take the best player on their draft board and not best quarterback on their draft board I think they'll get it right. If it's one thing that I believe that the 1999 draft taught me and should have taught Bengals fans it's that drafting a quarterback is not the solution ... drafting the right PLAYER is.

The Bengals (0-7) are traveling to London, England to face the defending NFC champions in the Los Angeles Rams. Zac Taylor has a chance to get his first win against his old team. The Bengals-Rams kickoff on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

Will 2019 Really Be A "New Dey" or "Groundhog's Dey" For the Cincinnati Bengals?

August 10, 2019 will be start of a new regime for the Cincinnati Bengals. For the first time since 2002 the Cincinnati Bengals will be playing a football game without a head coach named Marvin Lewis. New head coach, Zac Taylor has been embraced by the city and the team so far. The players seemingly has bought into the new coach and his philosophy; there has been positive words during camp from star players such as wide receiver AJ Green and defensive end Carlos Dunlap.

But I often see myself asking the question: Did not drafting a quarterback and showing signs of the re-build mean that coach Taylor believes he can win with this team? A team in which Marvin Lewis built?

Now I ask: Do we give him a pass if they don't make the playoffs? What standard do we hold him to? Yes, he's a first year head coach but it seems that he seems that he can win with the team Marvin Lewis couldn't. In 2018 the Bengals got off to a 4-1 start and then injuries happened, the team lost momentum. Quarterback Andy Dalton missed majority of the season with a thumb injury, AJ Green injured his toe and struggled with that for more than half of the season which caused him to miss a few games, tried to return, but officially had to call it a season after week 13. Also to mention, the team was without pass-rusher Carl Lawson who was poised to have a big season. Now, with all that being said, with a roster being close to being fully healthy (AJ Green has an injured foot and could miss at least 3-4 regular season game after hurting his ankle on the first day of training camp in Dayton, OH) and wide receiver Tyler Boyd emerging in 2018 with his first 1,000-yard receiving season and will likely be the primary target for Dalton. Also, who may be the most important piece to this years team most important piece in running back Joe Mixon who just led the AFC in rushing and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark, also, in his young career.

So, with a team that started 4-1 (healthy) just one season ago, can coach Taylor capitalize and make this team a contender? The AFC North is known to be one that is one of the toughest, year-in and year-out with this season, at least on paper, could be one of the toughest; the Cleveland Browns look to have a high powered offense led by quarterback Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. whom they acquired in a trade from the New York Giants, The Pittsburgh Steelers are without Antonio Brown now but they're still the Steelers and Wide Receiver Juju Smith-Schuster believes he can be the star receiver that the Steelers need after having an amazing 2018 season. Plus, the Baltimore Ravens are looking to make another playoff appearance led by second-year starter, quarterback, Lamar Jackson.

Coach Taylor is up against a strong test and not opting for the re-build and going for the "win now" approach is a bold one for any first-year, first-time head coach. The Cincinnati Bengals organization, since announcing the new coach, has been branding 2019 with the slogan "New Dey" ... But will it be really? The Bengals in the off-season, outside of the new coach, hasn't made a lot of noise. Now there's a possibility that coach Taylor could take this team, they stay healthy and win 10 or games. Or  there's the possibility that he take this team (healthy or not) and they win 4 or 5. With that being said that takes me back to my first question: How do we judge coach Taylor and the 2019 Bengals? I say that he and the "New Dey" will be judged on 2 things:

1. Can he lead this team to beat the Steeler at Paul Brown Stadium? The Bengals struggled under Marvin Lewis to beat the Steelers at home.
2. How will he handle things when they're not going well? Will he be a vocal coach? One thing that fans often showed frustration with former Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis for his nonchalant attitude after a disappointing loss.

Coach Zac Taylor brings youth with him and maybe that means energy, passion and other qualities former coach Lewis did't often to display.

The Bengals open up their preseason Saturday, August 10th as they travel Arrowhead Stadium to face the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, I wouldn't too much stock into the first preseason game or any preseason game for that matter. But, there are things that I will watch for. How does this team play for him? Look for play-calling on third downs, in the red zone and how will they use the multiple running backs listed on their depth chart? These will all be things to key-in on.

In 2019 there will be a lot of questions answered about Zac Taylor but more about the Bengals organization. Because, it's been no secret, the biggest concern is how much control they let their head coach get, will team owner Mike Brown let Taylor have more control and let him do things his way? If he does, I think this is closer to the "New Dey" but if things get rough and we see a team that isn't being active near the trade deadline or a team that shows little fight if they get too far out of the playoff picture then I think we will be living in a "Groundhogs Dey".

I Need Bengals Fans To Make One Promise Before the 2019 Season

  There's a NEW DAY for WHO DEY nation! The Cincinnati Bengals have a new head coach in former quarterback coach of the Los Angeles Rams Zac Taylor.

Taylor,35, was announced as the 10th head coach in the organizations history on February 4, 2019.

 After 16 seasons with Marvin Lewis as their head coach, the Cincinnati Bengals and Lewis had decided to part ways after finishing the 2018 season with a 6-win, 10-loss season. Lewis' record through his 16-year tenure in Cincinnati ended with a 131-121-3 record, 0-7 in the playoffs.

*Note: Lewis failed to lead the team to the playoffs since the 2015-16  season*

It seems that Bengals fans finally got what they were asking for. Something new, something fresh, a change at head coach in Cincinnati. After 16 seasons of what a lot of fans have considered a mediocre coaching job by Lewis, mostly because of the lack of post season success in the time, the Bengals fans were granted their wish. However, with this change at head coach, the fans have to be willing to accept everything that comes with it. This means several things. Players may be traded, players may be cut, it could be an upgrade at the position, they could be in the same place as they were with the old regime, it could be a quick turnover. The only thing that is known for sure is that it's going to be different and that's what fans asked for. I ask this question: What if the change isn't good in year 1? What if there's digression in the team and the team finishes with a record of 5-11 or worse? How long do you give the new coach to show improve in the team? The frustration, apparently, in Cincinnati is the lack of postseason success. The Bengals haven't won a playoff game since 1990, long steak in the NFL currently (28 seasons).

The expectations with Taylor shouldn't be to win a Super Bowl coming into this job. They shouldn't be to win a playoff game in his first two season. The only expectations people should have going into this is that he does things different than Marvin Lewis. Bengals fans need to remember that he (Taylor) is a first-year head coach and that he may not have early success like we saw with Sean McVay, Doug Pederson or most recently Matt Nagy. All of the success and failure won't solely rely on Taylor and what changes he brings to the field from a coaching stand point. It will also be on Bengals owner Mike Brown who hasn't been known to open up his pocket book when it comes to free agency, nor has he been know to make very drastic moves before the trade deadline. So the fans in Cincinnati can't only hope that Taylor is the change that is needed for the Bengals, but that Mike Brown is willing to change as well and become more aggressive during free agency, before the trade deadline and even during the NFL draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals are in new hands with former Rams' quarterback coach Zac Taylor and right now he's still the unknown from a head coaching stand point. However, we know he's NOT Marvin Lewis and that's all that Bengals fans had been wishing for.

The Bengals have hired former Oakland Raiders quarterback coach Brian Callahan as their new  offensive coordinator. As of now, they (Bengals) are still without a defensive coordinator.

A Moment With Rio: The Brew Podcast

  Today, I had the honor of having the Brew Podcast join me for a moment. We discussed the events they have coming up, their opinion on the new "no kneeling during the Anthem" rule in the NFL, we discuss when and if the NBA/basketball will become the biggest revenue and more popular sport than the NFL/football. Also, find out what they have planned for episode 100. Make sure you go support them and listen to their most recent as well as past episodes at: TheBrewPodcast1.com

5 Keys For The Bengals To Have a Successful Season in 2018

A.J. Green (left) and Andy Dalton (right)

With NFL training camp approaching the Cincinnati Bengals seem to be a big mystery in 2018. The Bengals have an opportunity to  still be a contender in the AFC and after a down season in 2017, there seems to be a lot of people that forget the amount of talent this team has.

The Bengals didn't make many big off season additions to their roster, they are bringing back head coach Marvin Lewis after it seemed they were going to part ways after a 15-year stint with the organization. However, after the season finale victory over the Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals announced that coach Lewis would return for the 2018-19 season. 

Here are 5 things the Bengals will need to have a successful season in 2018:

1. Create Turnovers. In 2017 they finished near the bottom of the league in interceptions (11), dead last in forced fumbles (4) and total turnovers (15). They have to give the offense more opportunities and the defense not getting turnovers means they'll usually have to be on the field for more plays and they'll have less time to rest. With a new defensive coordinator this season maybe this is something that we could see change, maybe we see more exotic blitzes and a less conservative defense. 
2. Mix-on it up.  Joe Mixon entering his second season is the obvious featured back this season with Jeremy Hill no longer on the roster. What people believed would be a great stable of backs in 2017 ended up being a blunder of backs. Mixon didn't really get good traction to start his rookie campaign but showed flashes through the season, mostly due to having to share carries with two other backs. Also, it help with him having to run behind one of the most inconsistent offensive lines in the league. 2018 is looking different. The Bengals have added former Buffalo Bills' Left Tackle Cordy Glenn and drafted Center Billy Martin from the Ohio State University. It's on Mixon and veteran running back Giovani Bernard to show they can be dynamic running back duo that people believe they can be. 
3. Beat the Steelers. The Bengals are on a four-game losing streak (regular season games) against the Steelers. The last time they defeated the Steelers was November 1, 2015. If the Bengals are going to compete for a playoff spot in 2018 they have to beat the team that has been the best in their division, as well as the entire NFL, the past few seasons. To put it in simple terms: "To be the best, you've got to beat the best". 
4. More than Green. 2017 offense was essentially the A.J. Green show. If Green wasn't making a big play it wasn't really much hope for the offense; the rushing attack wasn't very effective, no other player besides Green had over 600 receiving yards and the production decreased with every other receiver from 2016 to 2017. If they can get more consistent production from their receivers not named A.J. Green it will benefit quarterback Andy Dalton drastically, the Bengals could open up their rushing attack and could allow for even more opportunities for Green too. 
5. Take advantage of winnable games. It always seems like this team suffers losses through the season to  the hands of teams they should be able to defeat, based off of match-ups. If the Bengals win the games that they are suppose to they could potentially fight for a top seed in the AFC which could lead to a first-round bye in the playoffs. Remember, this is something that hurt the Bengals in the 2015 season. Had they gotten a bye week for the playoffs, they would've had Andy Dalton, who suffered a thumb injury in week 14 against the Steelers, back for the playoffs and a lot of people believed they could've made it to the AFC Championship game with the roster they had that season. Winning teams win games that they are suppose to.  

2018 has a lot of questions surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals and who they are verses what they could be. On paper it seems to be a very talented team. However, recent history has shown us that they are a team that is continuing to underachieve and have failed to rise to the top of the AFC. This is a team that has a quarterback who is in his prime as well as their premier receiver in A.J. Green. The window of opportunity seems to be getting smaller every year since 2015 for this team. Can Marvin Lewis finally lead this organization a playoff win after failing to do so in his first seven attempts? If they can do these 5 things, this could be a team that could be exciting to watch and be a team that plays late into January. 

The Legacy of A.J. Green?

  Entering his eighth season in the National Football League, A.J. Green hopes to help lead the Cincinnati Bengals to another playoff birth and maybe even more. So far through his career Green has seen success statistically and has been the model athlete and public figure both on the field and off. But, so far through his first seven years, what is the legacy of Green as a player.

On the field, there's no doubt, A.J. Green is as talented and consistent as any of the top-tier receivers in the league and his stats show that. He's one of the only players in NFL history to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first five seasons (Randy Moss the only other receiver to do it) and had it not been due to injury we could be saying that he would have done it for his first seven seasons consecutively (2016 he finished with 964 yards receiving). However, even with 1,000 yards in 6-of-7 seasons and double-digit touchdowns in 3-of-7 seasons, I still feel as if Green is an under-appreciated player in the league today.

Green isn't the most vocal receiver in the league, he doesn't boast too much after making a big play, he doesn't have a fancy touchdown celebration that he does and you won't see any antics from him on or off the field. A few things that he does is show up to the games, doesn't complain or blame others when he has a bad game and doesn't give the media a reason to keep him in the headlines for anything negative. Most of all, he goes out and gives his all on the field every single week and is the model of consistency in the Bengals' offense. He currently has 10 games with at least 150-receiving yards and two games with at least 200-receiving yards. Chances are when his number is called he'll step up.

Interesting stat: Even having had six seasons with 1,000 or more yards receiving, Green has never had a season with 100 or more receptions. 

There's no doubt in my mind that Green will be wearing a gold jacket after he hangs his cleats up, there's no doubt that he will finish as the greatest receiver in Bengals history but what will his legacy be to the majority when it's all said and done. I believe that he differs a lot from the Chad Johnson's and Randy Mosses of the world and Terrell Owens. Not because he doesn't compare talent wise but because he isn't an off-the-field personality that they are and that's okay. But I do think sometimes that he's the forgotten man on the list when we talk about the greats, past and present. He isn't what Odell Beckham Jr. is and won't be. The only player I would draw him closest to in comparison from a talent and character perspective would be Larry Fitzgerald (not saying he's better) and that's because they both go out put in their hours and leave it all on the field then go home.

Green currently has 8,213 receiving yards, 57 receiving touchdowns on 556 career receptions. He is currently second on the Bengals all-time receiving list for receptions, receiving touchdowns and receiving yards (only Chad Johnson has more in all three categories).

The 2018 season will be big for Green, he'll be turning 30-years-old prior to the start of the season and is entering the back-end of his prime. the window seems to still be open for the Cincinnati Bengals to compete in the AFC and possibly make a championship run. I don't know exactly how the season will go for the Bengals but I could be sure that, if healthy, A.J. Green will look to have the greatest season of his NFL career.