StooGrimson
He drives around, all over the town...
This trip down memory lane is kind of disturbing.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051109/SPT02/511090355/1078/SPT
Those are the breaks
At 7-2, Bengals try to reverse string of struggles after going into the bye week with winning record
By Kevin Kelly
Enquirer staff writer
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</TD><TD class=photosidebar_body align=right>Enquirer file photo
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=photosidebar_body colSpan=2>2001, AFTER THE BREAK: Quarterback Scott Mitchell is sandwiched between Courtney Brown (left) and Brant Boyer of the Browns in one of the Bengals' seven post-bye losses.
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The radical makeover of the Bengals roster since Marvin Lewis became head coach in 2003 has left 13 players in the locker room that were on the season-opening roster in 2002.
Even fewer were with the team when it last entered a bye week with a winning record, as it has with a 7-2 record this season.
"I can't even remember 2001," right tackle Willie Anderson said. "Sorry. I can't."
The Bengals were 4-3 at the break in 2001 - their first winning record at the bye since the 1990 playoff season - but lost seven of their remaining nine games to finish 6-10.
Entrusted with time off this week to refresh and recharge, players are determined not to let a similar collapse occur this season.
"If you look around the league at teams that year-in and year-out are winning teams, those guys get time off to refresh their bodies," Anderson said. "Once they come back they're missing football, and they understand that what they did before the bye week is nothing.
"The real challenge now is November and December and into January. Forget about the previous nine games because now the big boys start playing."
Post-bye week success has been rare in Cincinnati since 1990 - as the capsules below indicate - but with Lewis at the helm the past two seasons the Bengals are 14-9 record in games after the bye week.
1991
Before the bye: Coming off a playoff appearance the season before, the Bengals were outscored 123-61 during an 0-4 start.
At the bye: "We haven't been successful at all," wide receiver Tim McGee said. "It's been a difficult time for us. We need something to build on. We need to build our confidence."
After the bye: Things didn't improve much as opponents outscored the Bengals 118-49 in the next four games - all losses - en route to a 3-13 season that culminated with the resignation/firing of head coach Sam Wyche.
1992
Before the bye: A 35-yard pass from Packers quarterback Brett Favre with 13 seconds remaining in Week 3 handed the Bengals the first of two losses as they entered the bye week 2-2.
At the bye: "Our season will basically be decided in the next nine weeks, with all six of our division games in that span," said head coach Dave Shula, who was in his first season.
After the bye: In those six games against AFC Central opponents, the Bengals went 1-5 and finished the season 5-11.
1993
Before the bye: The NFL experimented with two bye weeks, and the Bengals were winless at each stop (0-4 and 0-7).
At the bye: "We thought we would get some wins early in the year and be able to improve in the second half," Shula said. "It just makes it that much more difficult."
After the bye: The Bengals lost a franchise-record 10 games to start the season, matched the club record for worst record in a season (3-13) and were outscored by 132 points, but three wins over the final six games generated some optimism for 1994.
1994
Before the bye: Opponents sacked quarterback David Klingler 19 times and the Bengals offense turned the ball over 16 times in just the first five games - all losses.
At the bye: "When you lose, it's painful," Bengals president Mike Brown said. "And then you lose and lose and lose again. Do I see us getting better? We certainly are better in some ways, but not better in ways to win."
After the bye: Doug Pelfrey kicked a team record six field goals, including a 26-yarder in overtime, as the Bengals beat the Seahawks in Week 10 for the first of three wins.
1995
Before the bye: After beating the Colts and Jaguars in Weeks 1 and 2, the Bengals lost the next four games by a combined 19 points.
At the bye: "You look at the scores and it shows there's not a whole lot more to be done to get us over the hump," Shula said. "It comes down to just taking care of the fine points of your assignment.... just doing it play by play."
After the bye: The Bengals exit the bye week one game behind Pittsburgh and Cleveland in the AFC Central and split the next 10 games for a 7-9 record that heightened playoff expectations for the next season.
1996
Before the bye: A 30-15 victory against the winless Saints in Week 3 avoided a 0-3 start and temporarily quieted calls to fire Shula.
At the bye: "The Cincinnati Bengals can play a lot better," punter Lee Johnson said.
After the bye: Shula is fired after the Bengals lose their next four games following the bye. Offensive coordinator Bruce Coslet took over and guided the team to seven wins in its last nine games.
1997
Before the bye: A 21-point comeback in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals produced a season-opening win followed by a loss at Baltimore entering the bye.
At the bye: "We haven't played a complete game yet," linebacker James Francis said. "Once we do that, we can play with anybody."
After the bye: Boomer Esiason replaced Jeff Blake and helped the Bengals to wins in four of their final five games to finish 7-9.
1998
Before the bye: A 53-yard interception return for a touchdown by Corey Sawyer gave the Bengals a 34-28 overtime win against the Lions - their only victory in four games before the week off.
At the bye: "It's time for us to go on a run here if we want to go to the playoffs, which is our goal," free safety Greg Myers said. "It was our goal at the beginning of the year and it's still our goal. We've put ourselves in a little hole here."
After the bye: The momentum gained from a 25-20 win against the Steelers after the bye was short-lived. The Bengals lost 10 of their remaining 11 games for another 3-13 finish.
1999
Before the bye: A 44-28 win in the final game at Cinergy Field was the team's third consecutive victory as it entered the bye with a 4-10 record.
At the bye: "You've got to start somewhere," linebacker Takeo Spikes said. "You've got to crawl before you can walk. We've been getting the good breaks. Things are happening that haven't happened early in the year. Now we're finally getting them and taking advantage."
After the bye: Two losses in the final two games capped a 4-12 season, during which they were outscored by 177 points, and a 52-108 decade.
2000
Before the bye: No games
At the bye: "We're going to be competitive, and there are going to be some ups and downs. And whether the fans out there, at this point, where we are, can live through that, I don't know."
After the bye: The season began with Bruce Coslet as head coach and a 24-7 loss in the first regular season game at Paul Brown Stadium. It ended with Dick LeBeau, who replaced Coslet after an 0-3 start, and a 4-12 record for the second consecutive season.
2001
Before the bye: The Bengals were 4-3 entering the bye week, which marked the first time since 1990 the team ended October with a winning record.
At the bye: "The momentum going into the bye week should carry us for the next part of the season," Spikes said.
After the bye: Two consecutive wins finished a 6-10 season that represented the franchise's fourth-best record in its previous 11 years.
2002
Before the bye: A 0-6 start crushed heightened expectationsthe Bengals would snapan 11-year streak without a postseason appearance.
At the bye: "The bye week should be focused on trying to figure out what is going on around here - why we at least can't get in the ballgames and give ourselves a chance to win," linebacker Brian Simmons said.
After the bye: LeBeau was fired after the Bengals won just two of their last 10 games to finish with the NFL's worst record and set a franchise record for most losses (14) and fewest wins (two) in a season.
2003
Before the bye: The Marvin Lewis era began with a 1-4 start that included three losses by a combined 16 points.
At the bye: "There are a lot of good things we do, but it is still not enough to get us over the hump," Lewis said. "Our margin for error is not great, so everything we do is magnified."
After the bye: By winning seven of their next 11 games, the Bengals stayed incontention for a playoff spot until losing 22-14 against the Browns in the regular season finale.
2004
Before the bye: The Bengals had the worst run defense in the league, and trailed at halftime in each of their first four games as they went into the bye with a 1-3 record.
At the bye: "Once we get that second (win) we're going to be hot," running back Rudi Johnson said.
After the bye: Seven wins in the remaining 12 games produced consecutive non-losing seasons for the first time since 1989 and 1990.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051109/SPT02/511090355/1078/SPT
Those are the breaks
At 7-2, Bengals try to reverse string of struggles after going into the bye week with winning record
By Kevin Kelly
Enquirer staff writer
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</TD><TD class=photosidebar_body align=right>Enquirer file photo</TD></TR><TR><TD class=photosidebar_body colSpan=2>2001, AFTER THE BREAK: Quarterback Scott Mitchell is sandwiched between Courtney Brown (left) and Brant Boyer of the Browns in one of the Bengals' seven post-bye losses.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->
The radical makeover of the Bengals roster since Marvin Lewis became head coach in 2003 has left 13 players in the locker room that were on the season-opening roster in 2002.
Even fewer were with the team when it last entered a bye week with a winning record, as it has with a 7-2 record this season.
"I can't even remember 2001," right tackle Willie Anderson said. "Sorry. I can't."
The Bengals were 4-3 at the break in 2001 - their first winning record at the bye since the 1990 playoff season - but lost seven of their remaining nine games to finish 6-10.
Entrusted with time off this week to refresh and recharge, players are determined not to let a similar collapse occur this season.
"If you look around the league at teams that year-in and year-out are winning teams, those guys get time off to refresh their bodies," Anderson said. "Once they come back they're missing football, and they understand that what they did before the bye week is nothing.
"The real challenge now is November and December and into January. Forget about the previous nine games because now the big boys start playing."
Post-bye week success has been rare in Cincinnati since 1990 - as the capsules below indicate - but with Lewis at the helm the past two seasons the Bengals are 14-9 record in games after the bye week.
1991
Before the bye: Coming off a playoff appearance the season before, the Bengals were outscored 123-61 during an 0-4 start.
At the bye: "We haven't been successful at all," wide receiver Tim McGee said. "It's been a difficult time for us. We need something to build on. We need to build our confidence."
After the bye: Things didn't improve much as opponents outscored the Bengals 118-49 in the next four games - all losses - en route to a 3-13 season that culminated with the resignation/firing of head coach Sam Wyche.
1992
Before the bye: A 35-yard pass from Packers quarterback Brett Favre with 13 seconds remaining in Week 3 handed the Bengals the first of two losses as they entered the bye week 2-2.
At the bye: "Our season will basically be decided in the next nine weeks, with all six of our division games in that span," said head coach Dave Shula, who was in his first season.
After the bye: In those six games against AFC Central opponents, the Bengals went 1-5 and finished the season 5-11.
1993
Before the bye: The NFL experimented with two bye weeks, and the Bengals were winless at each stop (0-4 and 0-7).
At the bye: "We thought we would get some wins early in the year and be able to improve in the second half," Shula said. "It just makes it that much more difficult."
After the bye: The Bengals lost a franchise-record 10 games to start the season, matched the club record for worst record in a season (3-13) and were outscored by 132 points, but three wins over the final six games generated some optimism for 1994.
1994
Before the bye: Opponents sacked quarterback David Klingler 19 times and the Bengals offense turned the ball over 16 times in just the first five games - all losses.
At the bye: "When you lose, it's painful," Bengals president Mike Brown said. "And then you lose and lose and lose again. Do I see us getting better? We certainly are better in some ways, but not better in ways to win."
After the bye: Doug Pelfrey kicked a team record six field goals, including a 26-yarder in overtime, as the Bengals beat the Seahawks in Week 10 for the first of three wins.
1995
Before the bye: After beating the Colts and Jaguars in Weeks 1 and 2, the Bengals lost the next four games by a combined 19 points.
At the bye: "You look at the scores and it shows there's not a whole lot more to be done to get us over the hump," Shula said. "It comes down to just taking care of the fine points of your assignment.... just doing it play by play."
After the bye: The Bengals exit the bye week one game behind Pittsburgh and Cleveland in the AFC Central and split the next 10 games for a 7-9 record that heightened playoff expectations for the next season.
1996
Before the bye: A 30-15 victory against the winless Saints in Week 3 avoided a 0-3 start and temporarily quieted calls to fire Shula.
At the bye: "The Cincinnati Bengals can play a lot better," punter Lee Johnson said.
After the bye: Shula is fired after the Bengals lose their next four games following the bye. Offensive coordinator Bruce Coslet took over and guided the team to seven wins in its last nine games.
1997
Before the bye: A 21-point comeback in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals produced a season-opening win followed by a loss at Baltimore entering the bye.
At the bye: "We haven't played a complete game yet," linebacker James Francis said. "Once we do that, we can play with anybody."
After the bye: Boomer Esiason replaced Jeff Blake and helped the Bengals to wins in four of their final five games to finish 7-9.
1998
Before the bye: A 53-yard interception return for a touchdown by Corey Sawyer gave the Bengals a 34-28 overtime win against the Lions - their only victory in four games before the week off.
At the bye: "It's time for us to go on a run here if we want to go to the playoffs, which is our goal," free safety Greg Myers said. "It was our goal at the beginning of the year and it's still our goal. We've put ourselves in a little hole here."
After the bye: The momentum gained from a 25-20 win against the Steelers after the bye was short-lived. The Bengals lost 10 of their remaining 11 games for another 3-13 finish.
1999
Before the bye: A 44-28 win in the final game at Cinergy Field was the team's third consecutive victory as it entered the bye with a 4-10 record.
At the bye: "You've got to start somewhere," linebacker Takeo Spikes said. "You've got to crawl before you can walk. We've been getting the good breaks. Things are happening that haven't happened early in the year. Now we're finally getting them and taking advantage."
After the bye: Two losses in the final two games capped a 4-12 season, during which they were outscored by 177 points, and a 52-108 decade.
2000
Before the bye: No games
At the bye: "We're going to be competitive, and there are going to be some ups and downs. And whether the fans out there, at this point, where we are, can live through that, I don't know."
After the bye: The season began with Bruce Coslet as head coach and a 24-7 loss in the first regular season game at Paul Brown Stadium. It ended with Dick LeBeau, who replaced Coslet after an 0-3 start, and a 4-12 record for the second consecutive season.
2001
Before the bye: The Bengals were 4-3 entering the bye week, which marked the first time since 1990 the team ended October with a winning record.
At the bye: "The momentum going into the bye week should carry us for the next part of the season," Spikes said.
After the bye: Two consecutive wins finished a 6-10 season that represented the franchise's fourth-best record in its previous 11 years.
2002
Before the bye: A 0-6 start crushed heightened expectationsthe Bengals would snapan 11-year streak without a postseason appearance.
At the bye: "The bye week should be focused on trying to figure out what is going on around here - why we at least can't get in the ballgames and give ourselves a chance to win," linebacker Brian Simmons said.
After the bye: LeBeau was fired after the Bengals won just two of their last 10 games to finish with the NFL's worst record and set a franchise record for most losses (14) and fewest wins (two) in a season.
2003
Before the bye: The Marvin Lewis era began with a 1-4 start that included three losses by a combined 16 points.
At the bye: "There are a lot of good things we do, but it is still not enough to get us over the hump," Lewis said. "Our margin for error is not great, so everything we do is magnified."
After the bye: By winning seven of their next 11 games, the Bengals stayed incontention for a playoff spot until losing 22-14 against the Browns in the regular season finale.
2004
Before the bye: The Bengals had the worst run defense in the league, and trailed at halftime in each of their first four games as they went into the bye with a 1-3 record.
At the bye: "Once we get that second (win) we're going to be hot," running back Rudi Johnson said.
After the bye: Seven wins in the remaining 12 games produced consecutive non-losing seasons for the first time since 1989 and 1990.