Marvin Again Does Not Need Defense

FACT: The Bengals finished 30th in the NFL in total defense in 2006, allowing 355.1 ypg.

FACT: The Bengals allowed opponents to convert 41.7% of third downs last season.

FACT: The Bengals lost a starting linebacker, a starting cornerback, their 3rd defensive tackle, and their most versatile defensive back to free agency.

FACT: The Bengals' defense has gotten worse each and every season under Marvin Lewis.

FACT: The Bengals have signed only one defensive player through free agency so far.

Ok, why do I bring up all of these points? I do so to illustrate the fact that the Bengals' D needs some serious help, and Marvin Lewis and Mike Brown again fail to address it. The Bengals lucked out when CB Leon Hall fell to them in the first round. Hall will be able to team with Jonathon Joseph to make one of the best young CB groups in the NFL. The Bengals just needed to pick themselves up another defensive player in round 2 and their day would be complete. It did not matter where the player played. Position was irrelevant, as long as it was somewhere on defense. I was going crazy as I saw David Harris falling, pick-after-pick, down the board. Harris is an outstanding ILB from Michigan who can help out and would start everyday for this team. Thats when the Jets flew in and ruined my day. The Jets traded up and selected Harris two spots in front of the Bengals and another LB went the very next pick. This left Cincinnati sitting there without a whole lot of options defensively, but again, it did not matter just select someone on D.

I even convinced myself it would ok if they took an offensive player, but that player was Ryan Kalil, the center out of USC, who looks like he will become one of the best centers in the league in a short time. I told myself Kalil would be a great pick because Rich Braham retired and the rest of the Bengals' centers were average at best. Then, the Bengals pick was read.......RUNNINGBACK.......those are the only words I heard before I started throwing stuff around the room. RUNNINGBACK, are you serious???????????? This defense is not getting better any time soon, but Marvin thinks its ok to draft a RB with one of their 2 first day picks. I am sick and tired of his failure to address the defense. You do not draft a "change of pace" back in the second round when you have as many holes as the Bengals do. It is the same reason you do not draft a 3rd down RB in the first round (Chris Perry), or a player who is a project in the 1st round (David Pollack). You have enough holes to fill on D without having to reach or take someone who is not going to help right away. Yet, Marvin does something like this, and then he will have the nerve to tell us that everything is ok as the defense gets their ass handed to them week after week after week. So now we have an undersized, change of pace back with durability issues, instead of someone to help out the defense. Thank you, Marvin Lewis. Your genius knows no bounds. Please go study up on clock management because your seat is beginning to get very warm.