As I watch ESPN after work this evening, two big stories are running about the Cowboys.  I can't say I didn't see this coming, but Pac Man Adam Jones has been suspended for at least 4 games and may be out of the league for good, or at least a good while.  And the Cowboys have made a big trade for the Lions' Roy Williams (a first, third, and sixth draft pick next year) and the Lions' seventh round pick next year.

As I wallow away in Bengals misery a couple thoughts come to mind...........are the Bengals too inept to pull off a similar trade for Chad or TJ(I know he's a FA so diff. story)?  I think we know that the answer to that is yes after the botched trades this off-season.  But why not trade one of these guys for a similar deal???  Chad doesn't want to be here and the only thing he adds to the team this year is excitement about when he'll blow up and choke Marvin again.  We missed the opportunity with Chad earlier this year with Washington, so why not capitalize now?  And TJ doesn't want to be here next year, so why not get whatever we can for him as far as a draft pick instead of letting him leave via FA.  I can't imagine tagging him next year is the best course of action...so why not?  We need the picks to start rebuilding this team.  Of course I know some of you will say they'll just botch the picks, but maybe a miracle happens and they hire a GM (I know, extremely wishful thinking).  Miami still needs a WR!

My other thought is how long before Mike Turd decides to show his redeeming side by signing Pac Man?  I'd bet it's crossing his mind about how cheap he can get Jones!

Sitting here watching Dallas vs. Arizona (you know, real NFL action), does anyone else think that more teams are trying more on-side kicks at times other than the end of the game?  I mean even the Bengals tried this last week........

Well, the season is done (not mathmatically, but no way they win more than 6 games, probably 3 is the best guess).  For another week in a row the D played well enough for a win, or at least well enough early to give the O a chance to get up.   Here are my random thoughts from the game:

it is comical to watch the Bengals D try to tackle late in a game....I know it's over, but have some pride

why is Kyle Larson one of the highest paid punters punters in the league?  why does their punter kick better into the wind than Larson with the wind at his back?

are we allowed yet to critisize Palmer?  another bad game, this week with "good enough" protection from the OL....or will the CP lovers tell us it was the wind?  didn't seem to affect a backup quite as much as CP, so I don't buy that excuse...say what you will, CP is not playing well this year.  Maybe the excuse makers will say it's because our WRs haven't had enough time with him, but he just is NOT as accurate as he once was   (as I write this Carson throws his second pick on a pass that was high off the hands of the receiver, who CP left out to dry in traffic, I think it was R. Kelly)

when do we fire Bratturdsky?  yes the players are not giving top-tier performances, but the O is predictable and stale, and NEEDS a shakeup

the D played well early and kept the game close....they still can't stop giving up big plays and until they do, I guess we'll hear Marvin use his trusted excuse..."I saw some good things, good pressure, and they played well with the exception of a few long gains"  If the D could ever play a complete game, they may be able to win a game for the O!

I guess I'll still watch more games, but the Bengals are DONE, I think they need major shake ups to turn it around....at least a new OC, probably new HC and OC.

Oh, and to all the annoying Buckeyes fans that were talking trash after UC's lost last weekend, WTF was that game last night?  For those that said UC embarassed themselves vs. Okla., what do you call what OSU did vs. USC because that was far worse?  At least UC could muster some TDs...a measley FG was all you could do?  Will Tressel ever stop being so conservative? 

Who is Marvin Lewis???....well, he was the savior, he was the man that brought the Bengals back to respectability in the NFL.  He came in with a tough attitude and performed a very difficult task....turning around a perennial losing locker room/attitude.  I contend that Marvin has now pulled a complete 180...and this locker room is back to where it was PRE-ML. 

Marvin's press conferences are a complete joke...they should turn these things into Reality TV..at the least, Marvin will have  plethora of film to use for the Coors Light commercials with the clips of the coach's press conferences.  I can't believe a man as smart, driven, and successful as Marvin (yes, he's successful to get to where he is in my opinion) can look at himself in the mirror after these classic, broken record responses.

We can blame Mike Turd, he's definitely part of the problem, but a lot of this falls on Marvin.  His keeping of Bratturdsky, I put that on Marvin.  If I was Marvin, the ultimatum would have already been made to Mike Turd.....if not after the 2006 season, definitely after last year.  Either we get a new OC, or I'm outta here.  You'd have to think he'd have little problem finding a new HC job, and at least a DC job.  How can we justify two new DCs, but still the same OC.  Big Willie and just about every other NFL analyst has said part of the problem is the predictability of our offense.  Yes, I know some of you will say our OL has played horrible, while true, they were adequate last year and 2006, enough so to prove that even with protection and at least a passing game, this offense has become stale.  They continue to rely on the deep pass, longer drops for Carson, even with a line this year that's struggling.

This proves that they are just stuck on stupid.  They can't adjust their game plans during a game, or even come up with anything resembling a successful initial game plan.  The ultimate responsibility here rests with Marvin.

At this point, I think they are done....I tried to stay positive and optimistic as long as reasonably possible, but unless they look 10234 times better vs. Tenn. I won't be changing my mind.  I'd say a 45-7 trouncing of Tenn. is what it'd take to instill my confidence back in them!