What Now For The Cincinnati Bengals

Jan 5, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) celebrates with tight end Jermaine Gresham (84) after a catch during second quarter of the AFC wild card playoff football game against the San Diego Chargers at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

It is now Tuesday night, the Cincinnati Bengals are once again out of the NFL Playoffs and the fans are once again foaming at the mouth from complaining about all the problems the Bengals have. The Bengals collapsed, no way around it but what really can they change to ensure it doesn’t happen again?

“Fire Marvin Lewis, fire Jay Gruden, cut Andy Dalton” said all irrational fans after Sunday’s loss. All three happening are irrational, one of the three is likely more realistic.

Andy Dalton is the quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, that won’t change so lets all stop with the death threats, ginger jokes and Carson Palmer jokes. Sure it sucks knowing your team will be stuck in mediocrity with Dalton but this team is owned by Mike Brown, don’t even act like you’re surprised.

Andy Dalton defenders respond with “He’s taken the Bengals to 3 straight playoff appearances” which is great. It’s like talking to the hot girl or guy at the bar every night but never going home with them, its a tease really. But yeah if you are ok with one and done every year Andy Dalton is your boy.

As for Jay Gruden, it appears he is set to take a head coaching job somewhere. Washington, Tennessee, Detroit, or Minnesota, who knows but his name has been linked strongly to one of those jobs and that is good for Bengals fans. Gruden is the offensive mastermind behind a team that scored 10 points on Sunday, a team that averages roughly 27 points per game. Gruden and his offense managed to score zero points in the second half Sunday. That is unacceptable.

Now to the person every Bengals fan hates, Marvin Lewis. 11 years in Cincinnati, 11 long and tumultuous years here in Cincinnati have led to four play off appearances and zero playoff wins, count them oh right you can’t because the number is zero! Marvin Lewis and his lack of urgency, awful play calling and horrid clock management have doomed the Bengals this season and last. Anything I complain about is just rhetoric at this point, you all know what is wrong with him we do this every year.

How would you fix the Bengals? Well perfect fan world you fire the three listed above. But realistically Marvin gets fired, the Bengals then promote Mike Zimmer to head coach, Jay Gruden takes a head coaching job and Dalton gets benched.

But who would you get to replace Dalton? Hard to say really, there are no veterans worth trading for, no back ups that are really stellar so do you trade up? With Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel all likely being taken in the top 7 who would you draft? How about Zach Mettenberger out of LSU? He would fit the Bengals well. Or do you give up multiple year picks to take one of the three listed above? It is hard to say.

What we do know is the Cincinnati Bengals are out of the playoffs once again this year. The front office stays mute and Marvin acts like every thing is fine. When will things ever change? That’s right never, welcome to Cincinnati ya filthy animals.

How would you change the Bengals? Comment below.