If you watched last year’s Hard Knocks, Marvin was tough through camp. The team responded. As the 2009 season wore down, Marvin became Mr. Softy and let the players run the asylum and play tailed off.

To top it off, Marvin went even softer in the 2010 pre-season. They didn’t build (via draft or free agency) a line that could pass block for Palmer.

Last year, the Bengals had Jeremy Johnson at fullback. He came in late, overweight. Yet once active, he regained the starting spot in three weeks.

This year, they didn’t try to sign Johnson and the guy who came in third string last year, was the starter, but was injured and out for the year before game 1. They tried to replace the fullback with a lineback, a DT, and a TE. You can’t go a season without a legitimate fullback and claim to want to run the ball.

Truth is, the Bengals have historically been a pass first team; and I believe the sales office feels the fans find three yards and a cloud of dust boring, so after drafting/signing some receiving talent, I am sure Mike made the call to pass first this season to stimulate ticket sales.

Without a proper line, they can’t pass effectively.Without a fullback, they can’t run. Isn’t it surprising that they resigned last year’s number two fullback (Chris Pressley) and suddenly Benson can run again… and they won last week?

It doesn’t take rocket science to figure this out. It just needs a HC willing to tell management that they are doing stupid stuff and take the consequences. Marvin doesn’t have the guts to do so, is a lousy game manager, and his soft locker room has lost the team.

It takes coaches willing to develop game plans to maximize the the talents and capabilities of the players rather than to try to force people not quite right into a fixed gameplan or scheme.

There are a huge number of aging players and free agents. It will take three years of active Free agency and draft to replace the talent that will walk out and refuse to comeback to a losing situation. I would be surprised if Mike can find a coach willing to take the team on until after the draft.

You have to admit Palmer has not been 100% since his injury, but he’s still a more than adequate QB. The defense struggled, but the obvious excuse would be injuries. So…..that leaves one obvious problem……..play calling. The hardly ever tried to control the ball, on the ground, and when they did it was so predictable, they were snuffed. That led Carson to throw low percentage passes to keep the chains moving. So……..what the problem? It’s obvious to me…………the offensive coordinator…Brat has to go!!!

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As correct as you are about the Bengals and Bills, as bad as Oakland has been… NOBODY can ever accuse Al Davis of not caring about winning… nor can they accuse him of putting minimal resources into his franchise…. He may be an icon from a bygone era, and he really doesn’t understand the modern game.. but for his players… Al will pay too much to keep them if he feels they are loyal to him. Coaches.. well that’s another story… He will not overpay a coach. But saying that he doesn’t care about winning nor does he pay, is just factually wrong.

Mike Brown is a cheapskate, and that’s why the Bengals will come out of hibernation once in awhile and strike lightning, followed by a decade long blackout of irrelevance.

i.e. He’s freaking delusional. Period.