The L.A. Dime

Last year I boldly told my friends that the Bengals would win the division. They laughed, I swore at them, and in the end, I was right, so I swore some more. This year, I had no such feeling. The schedule would be brutal. It was like the league had it in for us. “We can’t possibly let the Bengals win.” Even before we lost over half a dozen starters to injury and suspensions (there isn’t a new joke that can be made on that subject), I was thinking 9-7, 10-6 if we were lucky. I figured we’d be in a fight for a wildcard with that kind of schedule, especially with Carson coming back from injury as he was.

A sophomore slump was to be expected. They are a young team unaccustomed to winning. It got in their heads. Many of them got into trouble. Even more of them got hurt. They blew games they should of won (Tampa Bay was not entirely their fault). And when they faced the toughest teams in the league, they imploded under the pressure, ultimately finishing 8-8 – a record Bengal fans were thrilled with just two years ago.

There are a few positives. Now they know what it takes to win consistently in the NFL. Now they know that one good year does not a champion make. Now they know the consequences of being stupid off the field. Unless the NFL does truly despise the Orange and Black, the 2007 schedule should be easier. They have a mid-round draft pick to spend on defense. They have some cap room. And most importantly, they have a bitter taste in their mouths. Next season is the test. Next season will inform Cincinnati fans whether the Lewis era is a flash in the pan, or a slow build toward becoming champions.

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