National Football League

How The Bengals Can Reclaim The AFC North

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:55 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Emile Pierce/FanSided via Stripe Hype

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An off-year saw the Bengals struggle to a losing record and concede the AFC North to the Steelers. What do they need to reclaim the crown?

The offseason has barely gotten underway but Bengals’ brass is well aware of what didn’t happen. What was supposed to be a turnaround year for Cincinnati transformed into their worst performance since 2010. That year, the Bengals posted a 4-12 record before the ship was righted and the Dalton-Green era came to life. But, the problem goes farther than the 6-9-1 record that fans suffered through.

Not only did the Bengals concede the AFC North crown to the Pittsburgh Steelers, they looked absolutely mediocre doing it. The high-powered offense that had been a threat to NFL defenses was suddenly grounded. Most of the carnage was achieved by a lack of red zone offense. Tyler Eifert was absent for the first six weeks of the season. Andy Dalton had new weapons to use but he was also under the guidance of a new offensive coordinator.

Without the leadership of Vontaze Burfict for three weeks, the Bengals’ defense looked lost. Players were out of position and generally looked confused and dazed. In other words, the defense wasn’t the championship unit that helped the Bengals tie a franchise record by going 12-4 in 2015.

If the Bengals are going to reclaim the AFC North crown, there are a few things that need to be addressed. Fortunately, the coaching staff will be returning in one piece. The loss of quality position coaches was overlooked as a reason Cincinnati suffered in certain areas. Looking ahead to the 2017 season, here are some upgrades that will definitely help.

 Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

The Rex-Files

Since top-secret information on Rex Burkhead is known to the NFL, Mike Brown has to keep him in Stripes. The Bengals’ season finale against the Ravens was a prime showcase for Burkhead. Personally, I see no reason why Rex hasn’t been the featured back in the Bengals offense.

Buried behind Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard, Burkhead finally got his chance to shine. With injuries to both backs, Rex made the most of his opportunity and proved he can play in the league. Hill struggled once again and the stats don’t lie. Jeremy finished the year averaging 3.8 yards per carry. The years before, his final numbers were 794 yards rushing for a 3.6 ypc mark.

With a limited number of appearances, Burkhead was able to put up more than decent numbers. The Bengals’ fourth-year back finished the year with 344 yards on 74 carries (4.6 ypc). The much maligned offensive line paved the way for those hard-earned yards. Burkhead ran with purpose and vision. When the line opened a hole, he showed the same patience as an Ezekiel Elliott or Le’Veon Bell. There was no dancing behind the line. Rex hit the opening and constantly kept his legs churning for positive yardage.

When asked about Burkhead’s performance against the Ravens, offensive coordinator Ken Zampese was surprisingly candid.

Yeah. It’s a no-brainer. No. 33 needs to be in Orange and Black.

William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports

Fix The D

When the Bengals tied the 1988 team for most wins in a season, it wasn’t with offense alone. The defense played a huge role in the rise to division champion. But, in 2016, there were a few glaring details that kept the Bengals from being the team fans wanted.

The overall team speed of the defense seemed to suffer. The linebackers seemed a step slow and out of breath. Maybe it was due to new conditioning regimens. Coach Jim Haslett wanted everyone close to their rookie weight. Shedding added ponds takes an adjustment period. 

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Whatever the situation was, it needs to be corrected. The first half of the season was a struggle for the unit. But, after key players began to play up to expectations, things began to turn around. Once Burfict played himself into shape, he posted stats that were better than his teammates that played the entire year.

The second half of the season was a complete 180. Over the last eight games, the defense played like the squad that fans were used to seeing. The Bengals’ defense went from allowing 23.6 points per game to a more respectable 16.1 over the last eight. Thankfully, everyone seemed to be on the same page.

To top it all off.

Brown denied the Washington Redskins access to interview Guenther for the same position under Jay Gruden. Keeping the entire staff intact is a step towards stability.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Lewis…Step Ya Game Up

It’s been a long time since Bengals fans have felt good about the Stripes in a playoff game. The 2017 season has to be the year that Marvin Lewis delivers or he’s out. There have been way too many chuckles, bad clock management, and last-minute extensions. Lewis has no other choice than to produce.

Lewis is in the same situation as last year. He has no contract in place and the current agreement ends in 2017. But, to be honest, the Bengals have come a long way with Lewis at the helm. They have become one of the most successful franchises in the NFL. Unfortunately, that success has been in the regular season. In seven postseason tries, Lewis has been one-and-done.

It’s time to dump the motivational mumbo jumbo. No more Pound The Rock or Do Your Job. This is the year that Lewis & Co. must show fans that they can produce a legitimate winner. What’s that? Piling up regular season W’s has become old hat for the Bengals. What counts most in the NFL is how you perform under the lights. The Big Dance and primetime have to become priorities for the Bengals.

Cincinnati is just a few key moves away from getting to the next level. Lewis has been shrewd enough to engineer five straight appearances in the playoffs. That’s a feat hard to duplicate in the NFL. But, this year, the buck has to go farther than a Wild Card game. Win the North, get a playoff win…or two. Maybe, that gets the contract extended.

Until further notice, this is Marvin’s team. It’s time to step the game up.

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