Was Bringing Back Marvin Lewis The Right Move?

To Marvin Or Not To Marvin

The Bengals were heavily criticized when they announced Marvin Lewis was coming back.

Did everyone overreact? Are we stupid for not seeing this coming? Or is the Bengals organization the one that’s just that stupid?

It’s been almost 2 months since the Bengals announced they re-signed Marvin Lewis and a lot of us initially freaked out. So… did we overreact?

Oh, you want my opinion? Bringing back Marvin Lewis was a terrible, terrible decision.

I absolutely don’t understand the logic behind it.

15 years. 0 playoff wins.

Then, despite two straight years of under .500 garbage, Marvin Lewis gets re-signed.

So.. wait.. why exactly is this such a bad move? I’m so glad you asked.

Big Game Kryptonite

Marvin has NEVER been able to win the big games.

Playoff games.

Primetime games.

Rivalry games.

Marvin doesn’t discriminate – he loses them all.

Take a look at the Steelers game from Monday Night. Playoffs on the line, you have a 17-0 lead, and you blow it.

Hey sweet, you have a 21-7 lead against Green Bay at the half, let’s blow it!

Every year Bengals seem to blow big games, or just lose them without ever competing in them. After this happening for 15 years (regardless of talent)… how can you not blame Marvin?

What Are Halftime Adjustments?

Why do we blow big game? Easy answer, refusing to make adjustments.

Marvin Lewis is “against” half time adjustments, and that has hurt us in many games. Again, against the Steelers on Monday night, not one change in the gameplan for the second half.

Marvin simply got out-coached by Mike Tomlin and that’s a huge reason why we lost. That’s just one example. It happens against good teams all season.

Marvin has proven he can bring talent, but he doesn’t know how to use it. It just makes 0 sense to bring back a head coach who can’t seem to utilize AJ Green/Joe Mixon/any good threat properly.

Missing: John Ross

Speaking of playing good players.. let’s talk about the John Ross disaster.

You have the fastest player in the NFL, and you can’t use him. WTF.

Marvin’s excuses include “oh he doesn’t know the playbook” or “he’s injured”, but that’s not an excuse for under-utilizing a talent like Ross. Bengals had to have drafted Ross to take pressure off of Green; which Green needed badly this year. Instead of helping Green and the offense, Marvin was too arrogant. Or maybe Marvin was trying to punish Ross for fumbling when the defense made a great play?

But guess what – when Ross was in (those 3 times?) he actually did help take pressure off of AJ. One play in particular comes to mind against the titans where Green was interfered. Ross was on the field, so the Titans adjusted their defense to have a safety on Ross. This left no safety help over the top on Green. Lazor makes a great play call and the pass goes to Green forcing the scared corner to commit Defensive Pass Interference.

Our Offense could of been so much better, it SHOULD have been so much better, but Marvin held it back.

Marvin “Jeff Fisher” Lewis

Look at Jeff Fisher.

For the last couple years, the Rams had looked like one of the worst teams in the NFL.

Then boom – Fisher gets fired, and would you look at that!

Goff has a breakout year, McVay (who no one had ever heard of) wins Coach of the Year, and the Rams are suddenly in the playoffs at the 2 seed.

You cannot tell me that Jeff Fisher and Marvin Lewis are not similar. Both had/have talent, but can’t figure out how to use it.

The Bengals have had talent and continue to bring in good talent. It’s Marvin holding them back. I think the day Marvin goes (if that ever freaking happens), you’ll be surprised how good our team is.

But until then, Bengals will remain average and will never get over the playoff hump.

Whodey.