Monday, December 10, 2001
Blame the coaches for bad offense
When the Jacksonville Jaguars went up 14-10 to start the fourth quarter Sunday, it put the Bengals in the impossible position of having to score a touchdown to win. The Bengals have lots of talent on offense, easily as much as their surging, inspired defense. But their offense is a disjointed, confused mess.
We used to say the Bengals didn't have the players to compete, and we were right. That's not the case now. It is time to start wondering why, before Sunday's games, the Pittsburgh Steelers had the fourth-best offense in the league and the Bengals were No.27.
The Steelers do not have better offensive talent. As Willie Anderson noted, “Offensive line, we're even. Our skill guys are better. What's the deal?”
Here is the deal:
Ordinary people
There is driftwood on the coaching staff. These coaches know who they are. So do the players. So do you, if you think about it.
Other teams have young, smart, aggressive people working for them. Some go on to become head coaches. Others are always in that mix. Who was the last Bengals assistant in that mold?
Exactly one current assistant is on a fast track. It's no accident the linebackers got good when Mark Duffner was helping to draft them and coach them. That the defense is the best part of this team is not a coincidence. Duffner is the coordinator.
As for the driftwood, they are comfortable here. They understand, almost without exception, that unless they are disloyal and/or outspoken, Mike Brown probably will not fire them. It's a good life, if you don't mind losing.
On Sunday, the Bengals coaches had no answer for the Jaguars' 25th-rated defense. Jacksonville was bringing up strong safety Donovin Darius close to the line, to stuff Corey Dillon. This isn't unusual; Dillon sees this every week.
Neither was it unusual the Bengals coaches had no answers.
“Every time we called a run, (Darius) knew,” Anderson said. “If they're guessing, they're doing a really good job.”
Players' growth stunted
When the play-calling isn't predictable, it's disastrous. With 10 minutes left in Sunday's game, the Bengals had a second-and-5 at the Jags' 44. The call was a delay up the middle to Dillon that seemed called from the Jags coaches' box. Darius drilled Dillon five yards in the backfield. And so on.
Players aren't being developed here, either. Warrick was a great college player, in a great college program. At Florida State, he was the MVP of the national championship game. Anyone who saw Warrick dominate the Sugar Bowl his senior year would have sworn he could not miss in the NFL.
Warrick is a possession receiver for this team.
At some point, you have to stop questioning the players you have, especially when they're constantly changing, and begin wondering why they never look as prepared as the other guys.
Maybe the answer lies with the guys in the headsets. The Bengals should have considered that years ago. They might start now.
E-mail: pdaugherty@enquirer.com. Past columns at Enquirer.com/columns/daugherty.
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DAUGHERTY: Blame the coaches for bad offense
