Football Bengals' season is likely over and so too is the Marvin Lewis era

oaklandhater · 11-28-2016, 06:31 PM

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/mo...vin-lewis-era/

Once thought to be a Super Bowl contender, Bengals fall to 3-7-1 and fruitless Lewis era could be over

Pete Prisco

Thud. Smack. Bang.
Use any loud noise you want to describe a window being slammed shut, and that's what they're hearing in Cincinnati.
The Cincinnati Bengals ' window, the one with Marvin Lewis leading the team to five straight postseason appearances, is about to be slammed shut. Cincinnati, which entered the season as one of the favorites in the AFC North and a legitimate Super Bowl contender, fell to 3-7-1 on Sunday by losing 19-14 to the Baltimore Ravens .
That means the season is over and the Lewis era could be as well.
If it is, it has been a nice run for a team that was a laughingstock for a long time before Lewis got to Cincinnati in 2003, but a non-playoff season, even with all the injuries, will make it tough to bring Lewis back. He is under contract through the 2017 season after getting a one-year extension this spring, which could mean he's back for another season, but that might be pushing it.
There were many calling for his head after the Bengals lost in the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Steelers last January in a game that featured an utter meltdown by the Bengals to blow it, complete with a lack of discipline. But that was absurd then when Lewis just went to the playoffs five straight times and played that game without injured quarterback Andy Dalton .
Even so, it likely made it so he had to get back to the playoffs this year and maybe even win a game to assure himself another season.
That isn't happening now.

Lewis has been a successful coach, but when you go 0-7 in the playoffs and then have a disaster like this year, it's hard to justify Lewis coming back for another season -- even if there is some thinking the Bengals won't let him go with one-year left.
Fourteen seasons is a long time for a coach in one spot without a playoff victory. Lewis has a record of 115-101-3 in his 14 seasons with six seasons of double-digit victories. That's not awful. But it would be hard to imagine the Bengals bringing him back after this season.
The Bengals have had their share of injuries this season, and some players have looked flat-out old, but this is a really bad look for a team expected to be a Super Bowl contender.
If Lewis is out after the season, it has been a heck of a run. Fourteen years is a long time in one place in this era. But without a playoff victory, it would be hard to imagine owner Mike Brown bringing him back again.

11-28-2016, 06:31 PM	Topic Starter
oaklandhater future chiefs fans Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: oakland california Casino cash: $7468993	Bengals' season is likely over and so too is the Marvin Lewis era http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/mo...vin-lewis-era/ Once thought to be a Super Bowl contender, Bengals fall to 3-7-1 and fruitless Lewis era could be over Pete Prisco Thud. Smack. Bang. Use any loud noise you want to describe a window being slammed shut, and that's what they're hearing in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Bengals ' window, the one with Marvin Lewis leading the team to five straight postseason appearances, is about to be slammed shut. Cincinnati, which entered the season as one of the favorites in the AFC North and a legitimate Super Bowl contender, fell to 3-7-1 on Sunday by losing 19-14 to the Baltimore Ravens . That means the season is over and the Lewis era could be as well. If it is, it has been a nice run for a team that was a laughingstock for a long time before Lewis got to Cincinnati in 2003, but a non-playoff season, even with all the injuries, will make it tough to bring Lewis back. He is under contract through the 2017 season after getting a one-year extension this spring, which could mean he's back for another season, but that might be pushing it. There were many calling for his head after the Bengals lost in the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Steelers last January in a game that featured an utter meltdown by the Bengals to blow it, complete with a lack of discipline. But that was absurd then when Lewis just went to the playoffs five straight times and played that game without injured quarterback Andy Dalton . Even so, it likely made it so he had to get back to the playoffs this year and maybe even win a game to assure himself another season. That isn't happening now. Lewis has been a successful coach, but when you go 0-7 in the playoffs and then have a disaster like this year, it's hard to justify Lewis coming back for another season -- even if there is some thinking the Bengals won't let him go with one-year left. Fourteen seasons is a long time for a coach in one spot without a playoff victory. Lewis has a record of 115-101-3 in his 14 seasons with six seasons of double-digit victories. That's not awful. But it would be hard to imagine the Bengals bringing him back after this season. The Bengals have had their share of injuries this season, and some players have looked flat-out old, but this is a really bad look for a team expected to be a Super Bowl contender. If Lewis is out after the season, it has been a heck of a run. Fourteen years is a long time in one place in this era. But without a playoff victory, it would be hard to imagine owner Mike Brown bringing him back again.
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