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Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > September > 22 > Entry
Bengals vs. Browns: A ‘Battle of Ohio’ defeat could cost a coach his job
SHOULD CRENNEL OR LEWIS
GET FIRED AFTER 0-4 START?
NFL IS A BOTTOM-LINE BUSINESS;
BOTH TEAMS HAVE UNDERACHIEVED;
AX COULD FALL ON LOSING COACH
With the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns preparing to collide at Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Stadium with identical 0-3 records on Sunday, Sept. 28, the losing coach is a candidate to be fired on Monday, Sept. 29.
Both teams had high expectations and playoff aspirations when the 2008 season started, yet neither team plays hard all the time and both squads have dramatically underachieved.
The pressure is on Cleveland’s Romeo Crennel and Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis to win like never before.
Lewis told his team back in the spring that there’s enough talent “in this room” to win the Super Bowl. That was before Willie Anderson, Rudi Johnson and Deltha O’Neal were “knifed” in final cuts.
The Browns were expected to contend for the AFC North Division title after a 10-6 season in 2007, but they’ve fallen flat on their faces, and they’re trying to get up.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, since the NFL instituted its current playoff format in 1990, only three of 90 teams that started a season 0-3 have gone on to qualify for the postseason.
They are the 1992 San Diego Chargers, the 1995 Detroit Lions and the 1998 Buffalo Bills.
The Bengals-Browns winner will have an opportunity to become playoff qualifier No. 4 after stumbling out of the starting gate at 0-3.
The game spells doom for the loser. But it could serve as a springboard for the winner.
The “Battle of Ohio” is more like “Armageddon Sunday.”
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By Weldon
September 22, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this
Bengals beaten by a field goal -Wndy’s belief that field goals are unfair once again rears it’s ugly head. Ok to use field goals during game but should not be used to win games in overtime. Once again, a clean shirted 130 pounder trots on the field and wins the game amid all the bruised players. Not fair says I! Roddick lost to Nadal in Davis cup which should all be amateur competition. I repeat, just stick a flag up behind me and I am now playing for my country? Wht a joke! JUst one pro against another - flag being only difference. Same thing in golf! Azinger gets all caught up in pro against pro matches named Ryder Cup! There! I said it and I’m glad I said it!By We STINK!
September 22, 2008 4:37 PM | Link to this
Well, I can tell you who will be fired after the Bengals lose this coming Sunday, and it ain’t going to be Marvin Lewis. Mike Brown would never eat that salary. Never.By Derrick
September 22, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this
Would Marvin send Brat as his personal substitute?By ShockMonkey
September 22, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
Even if we lose and let’s face it, that’s probable knowing this team, Mikey will never eat Marvin’s contract. He could go 4 and 12 and still have a job next year. No sense cryin cause nothing ever changes in Bengal fiefdom!By Ft. Myers Foursome
September 22, 2008 11:02 PM | Link to this
Rumor has it that Presidential candidate, John McCain, read your reader’s comments just before he went on national TV and called them a nation of whinners.By John
September 23, 2008 12:54 AM | Link to this
Your question is should he be fired?No! Will he be fired? No. Marvin is safe ‘till the seats become empty for a while. (See Dave Shula). As long as MB and family are making money, all is well in Cincinnati.By Brian
September 23, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this
Chickster, You promised a list of 27 deceased bengals at 9:00AM, today—September 23rd. Your tardiness is INCONSISTENT with your other postings. If you truly want to be a champion, you need to improve upon your CONSISTENCY. Brian LaSalle HS`90By cantbeatagoodfilet
September 23, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
No, Marvin won’t be fired. Al Davis said “Just win, baby!”. Mike Brown says “Just go 8 and 8, baby!”.By Pete
September 23, 2008 11:10 AM | Link to this
This game & these teams no longer has significance. Battle of Ohio? BS! Chick, there will be no collision on Sunday because no one could hit a bull in the rear w/ a boat oar. These teams stink @ best & will continue to be the bottom dweller, jokes of the NFL in this order: #1 BUNGALS, #2 CLOWNS. I’ll watch the cooking channel w/ my wife before I ever watch this match up again.By David V.
September 23, 2008 12:22 PM | Link to this
Prediction: The Bengals-Browns game will end in a 0-0 tie…the next day, the Browns fire Crennel and the Bengals fire Lewis…the day after, the Browns hire Lewis and the Bengals hire Crennel…the teams reverse their losing trend and meet in the AFC Wildcard playoff…yeah…like that’s gonna happen…I think I’ll see what’s going on in the Nashville papers…Go TITANS!!!!!By Mike
September 23, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
Browns fans are hoping they can win just enough games this year to not have Romeo fired during the season. That sets them up for a prime run at getting Bill Cowher as their next head coach in the off-season. Hopefully Browns and Bengals split their games to help this. Marvin’s days have been numbered since Chris Henry came back.By Rocky
September 23, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this
I’ve been a Browns fan since the days of Jim Brown. For the past 43 years, the Browns have always talked a good game but have never been able to win the big one. After last week’s loss to Baltimore, I’m finished. I quit. I don’t care any more. I won’t watch any more Browns games, and I won’t follow their progress. I’ll spend Sundays with my wife, going for walks, the movies, shopping, visiting family, but I won’t have the tv on, and I won’t be checking any scores. I don’t care if Romeo is fired or not. It won’t make any difference. With luck, the Browns may end up with 6 wins this year, but they’ll do it without my support. And Bengals fans are in the same boat as I am. It doesn’t matter if they fire Marvin or not. The Bengals, like the Browns, will continue to be a sub-par team in the NFL regardless of who the coach is.By blindeye
September 23, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this
I have to admit that I’m surprised that the Browns are doing so poorly but I think that the Bengals should win. If they don’t win they may not have another chance to win until game 10.