Bengals

>>I did not think Marvin Lewis was good head coaching material. I thought he was a brilliant football mind, but that doesn't automatically equate into a good head coach (see Norv Turner, Mike Martz, etc.).

I thought he was, and my wonderment at him winning is, in part, celebration of that. But I knew he didn't have good interviews, he could be standoffish to some after the rejection, and those two things were going to cost him. Certainly cost him as much as anything the shot at a "legit" NFL franchise, for instance the Bills, where he really could have made a huge impact; but for lack of a great shot, he made his own.

The great thing is that they're winning with the same OC, the same quarterback.


>>Many good coaches have failed at one or both (see George Seifert).

Why? He failed one strong year. That doesn't make total failure, unless I'm misunderstanding. But certainly, that one season does leave a residue on the trophy case.

 

So does the current Bengal success extend the "development period" for Carson Palmer or does Kitna take a back seat next season even though the team is developing with him at the helm?

 

Ride that hot hand.

I do think there will be some competition next year and Kitna will be on somewhat of a short leash. He's an older player and they made an investment in a player they think is capable.

But I for one think this is a good thing. Sitting didn't hurt McNair for two years, or Pennington for two plus, and they were first rounders. So yes, its Kitna's job to lose.

It will be a good situation for Palmer, cause his team, when he does inherit it, it will be good, unlike say what Lefty has now.

 

And largely the same personnel. Speaks volumes about Dick LeBeau, I guess.

Sorry, no, I just meant 2001. Certainly Seifert is still one of the best coaches to never wear a headset . He really should have hung it up though, when SF let him go. He could have retired as the NFL's all time winningest head coach, which is a nice thing to have on your application to Canton. Those 3 years he spent in Charlotte may have cost him that.

But even his situation in Frisco sort of speaks to my point. He was a great coach in cap hell, but the team was still, what, 10 - 6 his last year? He lost the approval of the front office, and he was gone.

 

Not unless Lewis is a total personnel moron, and I don't believe he is. There is no earthly reason to bench Kitna at this point. They'll ride him until his play or an injury forces them to consider putting young Carson on the field. But conceivably, that could be next year or several years from now. Pennington rode the bench behind Vinny for what, 4 seasons? Now he's one of the best QB's in the game. Not a bad move, if you can do it. But it does take a lot of discipline to keep all that money on the bench holding a clipboard.

 

>>And largely the same personnel. Speaks volumes about Dick LeBeau, I guess.

His DC sucked, but other than his age possibly bringing his abilities to be in an office for 16 hours a day, he was still a very good defensive coach. As a HC, probably shouldn't have had the job, but did allright with it. Of course, FAs wouldn't touch the Bengals before now, and the guys Lewis got have been assets.

>>Certainly Seifert is still one of the best coaches to never wear a headset .

Still have to think that was a front office move. There was a big rift between Richardson and Seifert on the O - not the means, nor the style, just that Seifert was a "meddler" because he and Musgrave went on the outs. Therefore he wasn't allowed to really toy with it when Williamson was around, I imagine, but nobody'll talk about it.

>>Those 3 years he spent in Charlotte may have cost him that.

Maybe. And if he'd have taken the SF job one more year, with Mariucci as his OC, he probably would have added 12 more wins. I don't see that as his motivation there, nor here.

>>But even his situation in Frisco sort of speaks to my point. He was a great coach in cap hell, but the team was still, what, 10 - 6 his last year? He lost the approval of the front office, and he was gone.

They didn't like Trestman. Or rather, Walsh didn't like Trestman. Guess it was a respect thing - other guys, like Holmgren or Paul Hackett, would do the same things but he was into them. Wasn't into Trestman, who IMO is still a fine QB guy and good playcaller. Not excellent, but whatever. Mooch was to be OC and replacement in a couple years. That's why GS quit, supposedly.

 

I have a feeling he'll be playing next season. He's making way too much money to be holding a clip board. At some point, they have to find out if he can play in the NFL or not.

 

I watched the Bengals "high definition" game on the NFL Channel.

He seems to be a very motivational type coach. Sort of a positive motivational speaker. Didn't really get very involved in the details, which he was a very detail oriented DC. not to say his coordinators don't, or that he doens't send one of his guys off to talk to a certian player, but he wasn't the one doing it. Not a micromanager at all, which was somewhat his rep as a DC.

He had a couple of instinctive calls for the defensive coordinator, giving a heads up for a deep pass. But he pretty much stays out of his coordinators way.

He gets his guys to play it seems. Kevin Hardy seems to have a good bit left, and he gets the most out of a very average defensive line.