Who Dey! - A Cincinnati Bengals Franchise

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Game: Madden NFL 11 (PS3)
Sliders: Playmaker's
Draft Classes: Madden Generated

Simulated the 2010 season, ending up with a 5-11 record and the Patriots winning the Super Bowl over the Packers. Michael Vick was the MVP.

Some House Rules

- Can only restructure 1 contract per regular season
- Free Agents of 80+ OVR must be given the contracts they want, no negotiating
- I control all 32 teams in order to create storylines and drama in form of rifts inside a team that might get resolved somehow
- I simulate the draft, because I have a tendency to always try to take the upper hand if I have a chance, so I wouldn't draft a player I want to play for the Bengals earlier even if another team needed him

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After another disappointing season, Brown decides he's had enough, coaching staff fired by new owner

Posted Feb 12, 2011

CINCINNATI, OH-- After the Bengals ended the 2010 season with yet another losing record, going 5-11, and the offense struggling throughout the whole year, owner Mike Brown decided that he didn't want to be a part of this organization anymore, and sold the team to an unkown businessman from the North of Europe, Finland, where you'd think that the noble sport of football wasn't even played, as polar bears and penguins walk across the streets. That's not exactly the case though, as I did some research.

Finland, in reality, is only cold during the winters, when the temperature can go as low as -30 degrees Celsius, but during the summer, it's actually quite warm there, with the highest temperature measured being 42 degrees Celsius. And they even have their own football league there, called Vaahteraliiga. It isn't the NFL, but it's football nonetheless. Actually, a couple of players there have got to a training camp with NFL teams, and some have played in the now gone NFL Europe.

But we want to talk Bengals, and this new owner certainly didn't wait to make a splash here in Cincinnati. He fired all of his coaching staff - yes, all of it - and brought in a rookie head coach called Jerry Ellis. With Ellis came defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and offensive coordinator Mike Mornhinweg, both from the Philadelphia Eagles. Also hired was special teams coordinator, Patrick Wellington, who also has had no previous NFL coaching experience, just like Ellis.

Ellis and his staff will face a challenge right away, as they have to satisfy a disgruntled star quarterback in Carson Palmer. Even though Palmer had a poor season throwing for 17 touchdowns and 24 interceptions, his receivers didn't make it easy for him. Terrell Owens looked like a bum compared to his old self, and even though Chad Ochocinco made it past the 1,000 yard benchmark, he scored only two touchdowns the whole year. The running game effort made by Cedric Benson and the O-line was admirable, so there shouldn't be too much need of an upgrade there.

The situation right now seems to be that Palmer wants out. Ochocinco doesn't want him to go, nobody's even sure if Owens is going to be resigned... what a mess this Cincinnati team is in!

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T.O. Retires! Says he doesn't want to play football anymore

Posted Feb 15, 2011



CINCINNATI, OH-- After a long 15 years terrorizing opposing defenses, one of the greatest - and most annoying - receivers of all time has decided to call it quits. Terrell Owens, T.O., has retired.

During his career Owens saw a bunch of different teams, as he had stints with the 49ers, the Eagles, the Cowboys, the Bills, and last year, the Bengals. His showboat nature and selfish attitude never let him settle down, as more often than not he was calling out the coach, the quarterback or anyone else on the team. It was never him, who was performing badly, and even though it's a shame, I think that that is what people will remember T.O. by. He was a big crybaby, who performed on any given Sunday. But even if someone is a great player, you have to consider the team first, and Owens never was a team-first player.

This also solves one of the problems Bengals had this off-season, as they were unsure whether they should sign Owens to a new contract. Now Carson Palmer, if everything goes well with him, will throw to only one loudmouth receiver next year. The other wideouts? Well, let's say they're not so eager to express themselves like Chad and T.O. are.

Other notable retirements in the NFL
Brett Favre (MIN)
Derrick Mason (BAL)
Ricky Williams (MIA)
T. Richardson (NYJ)
J. Taylor (NYJ)
D. Driver (GB)

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T.J. Houshmandzadeh returns to Cincy, fullback Davis added

CINCINNATI, OH-- One of the more popular Bengals of all time has returned to Cincinnati, as the team signed wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh to a 2-year contract earlier this week. T.J. - who's surname is incredibly hard to spell - played in Cincinnati for 8 seasons before signing with the Seattle Seahawks and after that the Baltimore Ravens.

The fans are excited about the return, as Houshmandzadeh had some very good years with the Bengals. His best might have been the 2007 season, when he caught 112 passes for 1143 yards and 12 touchdowns, tying Wes Welker for most catches in the league. That was also the year when T.J. was selected for the Pro Bowl.

"It feels good to be back here", Houshmandzadeh told the press after his signing was made public. "Last time, we weren't doing really well, and I needed a breath of fresh air. But now that I've tried playing elsewhere, I know that my home is here in Cincinnati."

Another factor that is rumoured to have affected the return is the firing of Marvin Lewis, and the hiring of Jerry Ellis. Even though Houshmandzadeh said that the reasons for him leaving were money, and the fact that Cincy was losing, rumours say that he didn't get along with Lewis too well. Meanwhile, Ellis has impressed him with bringing in two revered coordinators, and promising an aerial attack in a division where the ground game has always been the focus.

The other players were also happy with the signing, especially Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco. Which leads to speculation that this might be part of Ellis' ultimate scheme to keep both of the stars happy, and playing for the Bengals.

The only other free agent signing the Bengals made was fullback Jason Davis, who will compete with the promising Chris Pressley for the starting job.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE!!!
Made a huge, huge mistake during the off-season while choosing my staff! I only hired Norv Turner as the offensive coordinator, otherwise the same Bengals staff remained. Because I let the CPU simulate through all the other staff changes, I thought it might fire some of my coaches against my will, like it did once when I was playing with the Cardinals. But it didn't do it. Instead, the selected team that had it's staff selections on the screen were the Eagles! So Jerry Ellis actually went to Philly, and Marvin Lewis is still my head coach! So, in actuality, all of the storylines featuring the coaching staff (which is like... 90% of this story) have not happened! A big, big failure, I know. Please forgive me, and continue to follow.

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Bengals have solid draft, bring in revered linebacker from Tennessee in the first round

CINCINNATI, OH-- The NFL Draft is now over, and the Bengals had a weekend that could be called a good one. They drafted the best player available when they could, and also filled needs at key positions. One of them being inside linebacker, as Dhani Jones is getting up there in years.

The one to follow Dhani as the leader of this defense is the first round pick from Tennessee, Rockford Roback. Roback was the team leader in tackles during all the years he played for the Volunteers. His speed and ability to stop the run or cover the pass is outstanding. He might even be an immediate starter in the Bengals 4-3 defense.

"We are excited about drafting him", head coach Marvin Lewis told the press. "Rockford had an excellent college career and when we saw that he slipped to us, we didn't have any doubts."

Following Roback's selection, the Bengals drafted Tyrone Williams in the second round. The running back from Rutgers has a deadly combination of speed and strength. He can either juke his way past defenders or power through them. With Cedric Benson and Bernard Scott already in the mix, the Bengals backfield looks promising for the upcoming season. Another running back was added in the later rounds, as Cordell Perry was added. Perry's a true power back, and he struck fear into opposing defenders during his four years at Wake Forest.

Other players drafted by the Bengals were Kyle Martin, a center from North Carolina, and UCLA cornerback Cedric Profit.

The first overall pick of the draft this year, selected by the Miami Dolphins, was offensive tackle Anton St. Martin from LA Tech.

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Bengals sign Charlie Whitehurst

By GEOFF HOBSON
Posted July 5, 2011


Charlie Whitehurst (pictured above) is now a Cincinnati Bengal for at least 2 years

The Bengals were without a backup quarterback as training camp approaches. Jordan Palmer, Carson's little brother, didn't have his contract renewed at the end of the season, and thus the only other quarterback in the roster was unproven Dan LeFevour. Thus, Cincy was forced to hit the free agent market, where names like Bruce Gradkowski were still waiting for someone to pick them up.

It wasn't Gradkowski who the Bengals chose, but 5-year pro Charlie Whitehurst. Whitehurst has not seen a lot of playing time, not getting any snaps in the regular season during his tenure with the San Diego Chargers - who are Cincy's first pre-season opponent - and only a couple of games last season with the Seattle Seahawks. He has always been a back-up, and more often than not, a third-stringer. But still Marvin Lewis and the coaching staff decided to get him. Not surprising, as Whitehurst's former head coach in San Diego is now the offensive coordinator in Cincinnati.

"Charlie has always showed promise, and I think he can be a reliable quarterback in this league. He always does what you ask of him," Norv Turner said of Whitehurst.

Given Carson Palmer's problems with injuries the past few seasons, Whitehurst might just as well get his chance on the field with the Bengals. However, he has to perform in the pre-season as well, because his job as the number two isn't written in stone. It might just as well go to LeFevour, who's only in his second year as a pro.

"This is going to be an open competition for everyone, even Carson," head coach Marvin Lewis said. "He has the biggest chance of being the starter, but the job might just as well go to Charlie or Dan."

The Bengals open training camp later this month, and come August, they'll be playing their first pre-season game in San Diego.

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Bengals open Training Camp with a bang
By GEOFF HOBSON


Carson Palmer (9) and Chad Ochocinco (85) celebrate after a good play during practice

The Bengals had their first practice of the 2011 training camp today, and there were a lot of good things to be seen on the field. Perhaps the biggest impression was made by veteran wideout Chad Ochocinco, who came out with a chip on his shoulder and was making plays every time he was on the field.

The one that made the crowd cheer the most was Ocho's leaping catch on a 40-yard bomb from quarterback Carson Palmer. Ocho beat his man on a straight out streak and caught the ball while diving forward into the endzone.

"It was good to see him play like he did today," head coach Marvin Lewis said. "Usually, Chad's a bit off during practice, but today he had everything going right."

The Bengals are also glad that Palmer reported to training camp on time. It has been reported that the quarterback wants out of the organization. Maybe new offensive coordinator Norv Turner has said something to Carson to convince him to stay with the team? Who knows. Palmer has refused to comment on the subject himself.

"I'm a Bengal now and that's that. What happens, happens, but now I'm here."

As the Bengals get ready for their first pre-season game against the San Diego Chargers, their looking to get a lot of good practices out of their first round pick, linebacker Rockford Roback. The Bengals didn't have pads on today, so no hitting was allowed, but you could see Roback had a hang of the playbook already and made some nice plays on pass coverage.

"He had a good practice as well. For now, Dhani Jones is the starter there, but we'll see what happens," Lewis told the press.

I at least am anxiously waiting for the San Diego game, just to see what these new rookies can do.