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Bresnahan, Hunley gone? Huh?

2. January 2008  - Published by Chris Wetzel
Comments (3)

Reports from league sources say that Bengals defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan and linebackers coach Ricky Hunley have both been fired.  Although the Bengals have not officially announced these moves, they should not shock the majority of fans.

Bresnahan has been fighting for his job since last season, and although the defense did show slight signs of improvement over the second half of the season, from where does the Hunley firing come?  The Bengals had more linebackers this year than the Reds have relievers with ERAs over 5.00.

You surely can't fault Hunley for a team that was fielding Robert Geathers at LB due to all the injuries/suspensions?  Honestly, playing linebacker for the Bengals has been an arduous task for a couple of years now.  Anyone remember in 2006 saying at game time, "Brian Simmons is not playing AGAIN?"

No offense, Marvin (if you had a say in this at all), but the Bengals need personnel, not coaching changes.  At least not this one.  Since David Pollack suffered that horrific injury and Odell Thurman was first suspended, this team has not been able to provide the players necessary to man the position.

You really think it was Ricky Hunley's fault that Corey Mays played so poorly?  No, Corey Mays should never be on the field except for maybe special teams.  This team's problem is personnel foremost, then coaching.

It was probably time for Bresnahan to go, especially with the wealth of talent floating around that could be the next defensive coordinator.  (Rex Ryan, anyone?)  And maybe Hunley's firing has more to do with the rumored move to a 3-4, but I doubt it.  It looks like he's just the scapegoat.

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Comments

Dan Clasgens
Dan Clasgens
1/2/2008 7:32:51 PM #
Bresnahan is a scape goat to. Bottomline, you produce or you lose your job in the NFL. There is no telling what the Bengals could have been at linebacker had both David Pollack and Odell Thurman would've worked out. I agree that coaching is only part of the team's problem.

To me the most obvious weakness this franchise has it evaluating talent. Newsflash - Mike Brown needs to add front office personel. Until that happens the Bengals fans' version of Groundhog Day will only continue.
Jeremy Fischer
Jeremy Fischer
1/3/2008 9:15:53 AM #
Agreed on the Hunley take.  I think he got caught up in a general "house cleaning" situation.  The defense has been so weak for several seasons that I think Marvin (or whoever gets the final say in this decision) just decided to scrap the coaches on that whole side of the ball basically and start over.

I think that's why the rumored move to the 3-4 is probably going to come true.

I also agree with Dan.  Unless Mike gets with the program and upgrades on the scouting/talent evaluation end, it won't get a lot better.

And this may be blasphemy, but I actually think that the O-coordinator needed to go before Bresnahan.  Don't get me wrong, I am not a Bresnahan apologist by any means.  But Bresnahan never had the type of talent on his side of the ball that they have had on the offensive side of the ball.  And yet the offense continues to bog down in the red zone, drops off the map after the first drive, and has way too many games of only 10-13 pts. for the talent they have.

That tells me that the O-coordinator isn't doing his job.  He probably scripts the first 10-13 plays (1st drive), which they go over in practice all week.  Then after that, it's up to him to call the game based on the gameplan discussed in practice and the feel of the game in the moment.  That's where the Bengals have issues.  And have had issues for the past 2 seasons.

Honestly, with all the Pro-Bowl talent on that side of the ball, there should never, ever be a 21-pt. game where all 21 pts. are scored by Shane Graham.  Seriously.
Ben-Ro
Ben-Ro
1/3/2008 1:43:29 PM #
That O-Coordinator that Fish is talking about is the same one that pretty much single-handedly got the Bengals to the playoffs in 2005.  Look at the game being played on the field.  Is it possible to predict some of the playcalling on offense?  Yes.  But that's only because Carson and his receivers haven't been on the same page all season and then end up on 2nd and 3rd and long situations constantly.  The Bengals were dead LAST in the NFL in sacks.  When you can't get penetration and disrupt timing, then teams will run and pass on you at will.  Cincy was 10th in total offense this season and 11th in scoring offense in the NFL.  Why not the powerhouse they once were?  Because the defense isn't forcing turnovers, isn't forcing three-and-outs, and, in turn, isn't giving the offense as many opporunities to score.  The offense was also operating without an arguable future hall-of-famer in Willie Anderson and without thier starting running back to begin the season.  The o-line allowed less sacks, 17, than any other team in the league.  All this, and Carson sets a new franchise record with over 4,000 yards passing.  The offensive coordinator is not the problem.  Everything on the defensive side of the ball is.
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