One game does not make a season

By Charles Farmer
Contributing Columnist
Union County Post
After the Cincinnati Bengals secured a 28-20 win on the road over the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers, many deemed the team as the favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl in Miami.
The Bengals were expected to make quick work of their next opponent, the New England Patriots who were coming off a humiliating loss on national television to the Denver Broncos. Rumor had it that this New England team was a mere shell of the same franchise that had won back to back Super Bowls and had lost significant pieces responsible for their success, primarily the wide receivers capable of making plays for quarterback Tom Brady.
But someone forgot to send Brady the memo, as the guy known as the “Ultimate Competitor” of this age led his team to an impressive 38-13 win over the Bengals in the jungle, leaving the Cincinnati faithful scratching their heads wondering what happened to their Super Bowl contender?
While it’s great for fans to get excited when their team is winning, the franchise and the players must keep victories in perspective and deal with one game at a time letting the future take care of itself.
The loss clearly showed that the Bengals still have work to do in order to become the elite team of the NFL or the AFC Conference. I think the biggest problem Coach Marvin Lewis faces is teaching his team consistency in winning and staying focused.
Great football teams take care of business on the field with a solid effort, which usually leads to winning ball games, no matter the quality of the opponent they are facing. A perfect example of this from last year was the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were considered an underdog heading into the post-season, but played with a nothing to lose attitude and went onto to become Super Bowl champions. In 2005, Pittsburgh lost three games in a row before compiling eight straight wins including three playoff victories on the road and the Super Bowl triumph.
Today, a number of teams are filled with talented players that have been drafted from the improved college football ranks over the years.
Add in the fact that many former top assistants (Sean Payton – Saints, Eric Mangini-Jets, and Brad Childress -Vikings) are accepting head coaching jobs and transforming former perennial losers into valid competitors that can legitimately challenge some of the league’s best teams.
That’s why the expectations are and should be high for the Bengals because they now have the talent on both sides of the ball to become a great team, but must realize that it takes more than lining up to become a winner. At some point they will have to perform.
The Bengals’ Carson Palmer is an elite quarterback and has a solid offensive nucleus around him that includes tailback Rudi Johnson plus a great cast of receivers and a veteran offensive line as well. In the Pittsburgh game, the Bengals showed that they have all of the tools to become a legitimate contender in the league. Now they just have to believe it themselves.
Most recently, the Bengals (3-2) suffered their second straight loss (14-13) to previously winless Tampa Bay.
While it’s true the team has suffered a number of injuries, the Bengals feature enough depth to compensate and defeat mediocre teams.
The Bengals still face major challenges with playoff contenders like Carolina, Atlanta, San Diego, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Denver and Pittsburgh remaining on their schedule.
In the Patriots, Cincinnati met a franchise and coach Bill Belichick, that has learned how to win over the years. While their play has not always been stylish or great to watch, New England has cultivated the correct formula on how to earn victories. Hopefully that’s something Marvin Lewis can teach his players this season.