Marvin Lewis just cannot get over the hump. His 12 seasons in Cincinnati is beginning to look like 40 years in the desert. Days after losing to the Indianapolis Colts 26-10 in the opening round of the 2014 NFL playoffs, Cincinnati Bengals fans are singing the same sad, tired, song of defeat in mediocrity.
In 12 seasons as head coach of the orange and black, Marvin Lewis has rewritten the same narrative year after year. Regular season success creates excitement followed by an early exit from the playoffs and thus annual disappointment. He is the Romo-haters new target, epitomizing the Ace Venture: “Oh man it was so close too, can I do it again?” moment. And much like the slinky from this legendary comedic scene, everything is downhill from here for the Bengals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olDVtmTSLIQ
Lewis is the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL, behind New England’s Bill Belichick. In addition to becoming the 37th head coach in NFL history with 100 wins, he is the winningest coach in Bengals history. Lewis delivered two AFC North titles (in 2005 and 2009), earning the AP coach of the year after winning his second division crown. Furthermore, Lewis led the Bengals to a team-record four consecutive playoff appearances from 2011 to 2014.
The Bengals’ skipper has spawned four other head coaches from his tree as well: Leslie Frazier, Hue Jackson, Jay Gruden and Mike Zimmer. Yet this glowing regular-season resume may not and should not be enough to save Lewis’ job.
With six playoff appearances in 12 years, Lewis created hope in a franchise that had struggled for decades. Lewis has a record of 100-90-2 in his tenure, but has yet to win a single playoff game. Six times, Lewis’ Bengals have been cast aside in the first round of the playoffs. The most recent defeat coming at the hands the Colts, who were yielding 23.1 points per game during the regular season (Cincinnati scored 10).
Lewis’ career has been defined by his disappointing finishes, and 2014 takes the cake. Cincinnati was in the driver’s seat in the AFC North with four games to go, but Lewis’ team folded like the house of cards.
At what point does a lack of playoff success mean an end of the line for the team’s coach? Philadelphia parted ways with its winningest coach of all time, Andy Reid, after a putrid 2012 season due to a lack of playoff success. Reid reached the playoffs nine times in 14 seasons as the Eagles’ coach, but never won a Super Bowl. Lewis is in a similar predicament with even less postseason success to speak of.
Blame it on the quarterback if you wish, because Andy Dalton is certainly no Tom Brady, but it would be a tough task to deem Lewis comparable to Belichick. Regular season wins will sell tickets and create revenue, which is all well and good from an front office standpoint, but the Bengals fan base is getting restless. And rightfully so.