By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The NFL prides itself on parity, luring fans with claims that any team can win on any given weekend. So far this season, 17 games have been decided by one touchdown or less.

The Seahawks are undefeated and in first place, while the Bills are tied atop the AFC East standings.

The Eagles and Jets, meanwhile, both made the playoffs last season yet are winless and in last place entering Week 4.

"What you're seeing is teams and organizations putting a plan in place and then try to work toward their plan with players, philosophy and so forth," Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said.

"You try to pick and choose so many guys every year, put them together and then take it and run with it as long as you can. Then the next year, you re-evaluate it and you put it into place again."

After winning two of 16 games last season, the Bengals and their new head coach are one of six teams still without a win in 2003.

A tough early schedule, however, cannot detract from Lewis' vision to eradicate a culture of losing.

"What is important is you've got to have your own people that can carry your flag and set the tempo that you know is important out there," Lewis said.

Changing fortunes in Cincinnati has meant emptying lockers and restocking them with draftees or free agent signees.

"When you're trying to root out some of the negative things in the past and guys who have been around it, that's a long process," Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna said.

"It's a process that there's going to be some hurt, some pain, some feelings that get hurt. But in the end, the reward is going to be far greater than the pain that you had to go through."

Spotlighting the Bengals' past deficiencies talent-wise are the whereabouts of former players.

Of the 24 players listed on the Bengals' active roster or injured reserve at the end of last season who are no longer with the team, nine are still listed as active in the NFL.

Of those, only Bills linebacker Takeo Spikes, Vikings backup quarterback Gus Frerotte, Chargers fullback Lorenzo Neal and Falcons defensive back Cory Hall have made an impact.

"There's no question (Lewis is) trying to put his own stamp on this team," said Howard Balzer, who covers the NFL for USA Today's Sports Weekly.

"It's unrealistic to think it was going to happen overnight."

The departure of several players from season to season is not unusual, but Lewis tried to find replacements that fit his criteria.

"I don't know that our talent level has risen, but I think we do have people pulling the same rope and working in the same direction," Lewis said. "That's important. You've got to know who you can count on."

Key pickups during the offseason - defensive tackle John Thorton, defensive end Duane Clemons, defensive back Tory James and linebacker Kevin Hardy - all possess similar traits.

They've all won in the past. They've all played for team-oriented coaches. They all wanted to play for Lewis and probably would not have given the Bengals the time of day if he weren't the coach.

"You start to think, has it changed? But it has," Kitna said. "It just hasn't produced the wins we're looking for. But if we just keep at it and believe in it as one unit, when it comes, it's going to come in bunches. It doesn't make anybody feel better in this locker room or sitting in the seats or watching on TV, nobody feels better about it because of what has gone on here for the last 12, 13 years. The reality is it's going to change, and it's changing."

Old faces, new places

Of the 24 players listed on the Bengals' active roster or injured reserve at the end of the 2002 season and who are no longer with the team, nine are active in the NFL:

Sean Brewer, TE, Falcons

Steve Foley, LB, Texans

Gus Frerotte, QB, Vikings

Brock Gutierrez, C, 49ers

Cory Hall, FS, Falcons

Nicolas Luchey, FB, Packers

Lorenzo Neal, FB, Chargers

Takeo Spikes, LB, Bills

Lamont Thompson, S, Titans

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