Dick LeBeau probably coached his last game. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - At one corner of the Bengals' locker room, coach Dick LeBeau drank in the scene like a man who would not taste it again. He hurried from his post-game news conference to visit his players.

LeBeau smiled, but sadness spread across his face. Having lost 21 of his past 25 games, he is unlikely to return next year. An announcement is expected from club president Mike Brown as early as today.

The Bengals started their preseason against the Bills with a victory here on Aug. 9. The Bengals finished the regular season Sunday with a franchise-worst 2-14 record, losing 27-9 to the Bills.

"We're not happy," LeBeau said.

Coaches rumored early as candidates to replace LeBeau are Rams defensive coordinator Lovie Smith; Redskins defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis, Steelers offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, and University of Pittsburgh head coach Walt Harris. The only Bengals assistant coaches with a remote chance of being promoted are defensive coordinator Mark Duffner and running backs coach Jim Anderson.

Bills QB Drew Bledsoe spikes the ball after running for a touchdown. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

In another corner of the locker room, opposite LeBeau, free-agent fullback Lorenzo Neal's laughter betrayed his words. The Bengals' only Pro Bowl player, Neal talked about the possibility of re-signing with the Bengals.

"I don't like losing," Neal was saying. "There have to be some changes. There are things that have to be done."

Reserve tailback Rudi Johnson, spotting the crowd of reporters around Neal, said, "See you next year."

Neal didn't hear. Corey Dillon then yelled, "See you in Georgetown next year."

Neal laughed. Then he said, "Yeah." Then he howled for at least 10 seconds.

The Bengals train in Georgetown, Ky., where this past summer they talked of making the playoffs for the first time since 1990.

Chad Johnson fails to catch a pass in the end zone under pressure from Buffalo's Nate Clements. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

On Sunday, they clinched the first overall pick in April's college draft - the prize given to the NFL's worst team to promote parity. But the Bengals are the exception to the parity policy.

They are a combined 55-137 since the start of the 1991 season, also known as the Mike Brown Era. The Cleveland Browns, an expansion team reborn in 1999, made the AFC playoffs Sunday as a wild-card team.

Buffalo quarterback Drew Bledsoe ran for one touchdown and threw for another. Bledsoe, who lost his job in New England to Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady, was traded to the Bills in April. Brown said he heard three times from people close to Bledsoe that Bledsoe did not want to be traded to the Bengals.

So he ended up in Buffalo, where he threw for a franchise record 4,359 yards and had 24 touchdown passes. The Bills rebounded from 3-13 to finish 2002 at 8-8.

Jeff Burris scoops up a Buffalo fumble. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

The Bengals' record went the other direction. They were 6-10 in 2001. The 2-14 finish is worse than the 3-13 the team achieved in 1991, '93, '94 and '98.

The veteran players speak of training camp with dread. Even younger players are talking off the record about not wanting to finish their careers with the Bengals.

Right tackle Willie Anderson, who has started and played in more Bengals games than any player on the roster, knows the effect losing has had on Tristate football fans.

"We let a lot of people down. You can't hold your head up high in the City of Cincinnati," Anderson said.

Jon Kitna fumbles. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

"We have to say, all of us, `We want to give you a winner.' Maybe it has to be publicly said, `We are going to give you a winner - no matter what.'

"Until that is the top priority ... people are still going to have the perception of the Bengals being losers, of the players not being worth a darn and management being cheap."

"There are a lot of things that need to be corrected," said quarterback Jon Kitna, who has two years remaining on his contract. "When you're 2-14 and lost for (12) years like has happened around here, it's not a thing here and a thing there. It's a lot of things."

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