2009 Cincinnati Bengals Football Preview

2008 Record: 4-11-1, Third AFC North

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Head Coach: Marvin Lewis; Seventh year

Key Additions: WR Laveranues Coles, DT Tank Johnson, S Roy Williams

Key Losses: WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, OT Stacy Andrews, OT Levi Jones, S Mike Doss

1st Round Draft Picks: Andre Smith – Offensive Lineman

2nd Round Draft Picks: Rey Maualuga - Linebacker

2009 Cincinnati Bengals Schedule

Cincinnati Bengals2008 NFL Season in Review

The 2008 season was not a good one for the Cincinnati Bengals. Franchise quarterback Carson Palmer missed most of the year and was ineffective in the handful of games he was able to play. The running game never got going either, and the result was a team that ranked dead last in the NFL in points scored and yards, while finishing 29 th in rushing yards and 30 th in passing yards. The team also continued to struggle with the controversies headed by the legally challenged Chris Henry and the attention craving Chad Johnson, who by the way is now officially Chad Ochocinco.

Cincinnati Bengals2009 NFL Season Preview

The Bengals don't have anywhere go besides up, however the journey won't be an easy one. Coach Marvin Lewis still has a seemingly tenuous grip on his coaching position, and arguably the best active player from the team last season, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, is no longer on the club. Can a few big name draft picks, a healthy quarterback and a wide receiver with a new last name turn the team around, headed back to respectability?

2009 Cincinnati Bengals Offense:

The Bengals offense was absolutely putrid in the 2008 NFL season, ranking last throughout the entire league in both yards gained and points scored. A dubious feat, it has much to do with the injuries suffered by Carson Palmer. Without Palmer in the lineup, the wide receiving tandem of Houshmandzadeh and Johnson were no longer major threats, and the running game was snuffed out without much of a fight.

With Houshmandzadeh gone, Palmer will have one less target to turn to. Laveraneus Coles is a solid number two wide receiver, but he can't completely fill the shoes of Houshmandzadeh. More concerning is the lack of a running game. The club hopes first round draft pick Andre Smith can help that, as well as help to keep Palmer healthy. However, first year offensive tackles, especially ones changing sides of the formation, are never guarantees to make a positive instant impact.

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2009 Cincinnati Bengals Defense:

The once proud leader of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl winning defense, Marvin Lewis has been unable to craft a squad that comes anywhere close to that kind of quality. The club took a flier on defensive tackle Tank Johnson to help plug up the middle, and considering their recent history with players having legal troubles, it shows the desperate status of the club. Second round draft pick, linebacker Ray Maualuga out of USC, may be able to inject some life, energy and teeth into the entire unit. At least that's what the club is pinning their defensive hopes on for the 2009 NFL season.

2009 Cincinnati Bengals Prediction: Third AFC North

By Jake Emen
ProFootball-fans.com Staff Writer

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