Is Change Needed in Cincinnati ?

 

Should Lewis stay or go?. Photo Credit: Andrew Weber/USA Today Sports

The Bengals  suffered another first round exit from the playoffs Sunday, this time  at the hands of the Colts.

By: Michael Hanley (@Magic20099)


The Bengals have now  gone 0-6 in their last six playoff appearances, continuing a dubious mark for the franchise. It also adds another year to the tally of seasons without a playoff win, which stretches all the way back to 1990 when Boomer Esiason led them to a victory over the Houston Oilers in the Wildcard round. It is a mind boggling stat to read into when you think of the overall team has on its roster now.

Speculation has grown through the media and fans to if head coach Marvin Lewis should continue on as the lead man for the franchise.  Now you cannot takeaway the fact that he has helped the franchise turn from a laughingstock of the league to a playoff caliber team. That was something that looked like a pipe dream when he arrived on the scene.

The Bengals had very little talent and direction before he arrived and looked like a lifeless franchise just drifting in no real positive direction. It is a credit to his work and the work of his coaching staff that they have taken what was a massive rebuilding job and turned it into a perennial contender for a playoff berth in the AFC.

Their comes  a time though when you are a franchise that has made it to the level of being a playoff team that you have to break through at some point and make a run at a Super Bowl.

You have seen countless others like the Ravens, Steelers, Patriots all have long term success getting to the postseason but then also taking advantage of the opportunity and wining  a Lombardi trophy.I think change is needed in Cincinnati in order for them to truly maximize this roster's talent and ceiling.

If this is any other owner than Mike Brown we are talking about, Lewis is more than likely gone from his head coaching position. Brown though is a very loyal and frugal owner to a degree. Their is no chance he is paying two head coaches at the same time. He would love to spend that money elsewhere on the team most likely.

His loyalty to Lewis has paid off to an extent as in getting to the postseason and having  a young and promising team to have on the field. At some point though playoff wins are wanted by the fans and will not stop their pressure on the team to do so until it happens. Brown is his own man and boss so only he can make  a decision either way on Lewis.

There is a sense of comfort that he has with Lewis and knowing how stable he is for the franchise to have. That thinking could continue to get Lewis through these one and done playoff exits for the foreseeable future. 

Unless something happens to embarrass the franchise under his watch, Lewis seems to have free reign for as long as he wants, which is good in some ways but bad in other ways in term of breaking through in the playoffs.