Well what can a person who is a diehard Bengal fan such as myself say about this years edition of the Cincinnati Bengals?  Sit back and enjoy because here are some things about the team that you may not know, remember, or even realize.  This is why I think this years team is so much different then the teams that we have fielded in the past.

For starters, lets kinda take a look at some of the teams that we have had to (PAINFULLY) watch in previous years.  Starting with each and every team from the decade of the 90's.  Sure all of these teams had one thing in common, they were consistent.  Consistently AWFUL.  The reason I believe that these teams were so bad is because they lacked a leader year in and year out.  Sure the Bengals had a string of number one picks that decade but they wasted them on guys like David Klingler and Akili Smith, and of course lets not forget about the disaster known now as the KiJana Carter expierement.  All of those picks and not a damn thing to show for them, therefore, the team suffered to establish itself for the better part of the decade.  During the 90's however, the team did find one lone bright spot in QB Jeff Blake.  Sure Blake wasnt anything special but the one thing that he did do during his tenure as quarterback was provide the team with a decent long ball threat.  Aside from that and almost beating the Dallas Cowboys the lone bright spot was otherwise dim.

On to the 2000's.  Sure this decade didnt start out any different then the 90's ended but a change would come.  That change is the one that I am sure that all Bengals fans will remember, and no I dont mean the day that we drafted the "Franchise" QB Carson Palmer.  I am talking about the day that the Bengals introduced Marvin Lewis as the new head coach.  Sure when Lewis came in we all thought so what shit couldnt get any worse, and we didnt expect much.  My my how we all were in for a shock.  In Marvin's first draft he aimed right for the head of the class, and drafted Palmer, and the rest as they say is history.  These two events, are ones that I believe are soley responsible for the team that we are watching today.

In 2005, when the Bengals won the AFC North Coach Lewis had a simple message that he delivered in training camp that echoed all throughout the season and that was "Do Your Job".  Following his mantra the team won the division and hosted a playoff game.  We all know what happend there.  That brings me to this years team.

Again like the 2005 bunch this group has been handed another clever Lewis mantra.  This years key word is "Sacrifice".  This word is key to this year all ready, and appears to be all over the field in the first month of the season.  Here is where this years team appears to be alot different then teams in the past.  This season when you watch a Bengals game you are looking at a team playing together not just one or two guys chasing stats for a bigger paycheck.  It appears to me that there are 11 guys on all sides of the ball that are playing for each other and playing well together.

For those of us who have seen H.B.O.'s series "Hard Knocks" we know exactly what this team has gone thru all ready this year even before the regular season kicked off a month ago.  For those who dont here is a short list of what has gone on.  Basically in camp this year it was murphys law for the team, anything that could go wrong for them did go wrong.  Remember when the Bengals signed former Colts TE Ben Utecht?  I sure do and when we signed him most of us thought that he would compliment TE Reggie Kelly (who can block and catch) rather well, and allow the Bengals to do things in more two TE (Tight End) sets on offense.  Well both Ben and Reggie had their seasons cut drastically short this year by injury, and both have been placed on IR (injured reserve) thus ending their seasons.  Also this years first round pick Andre Smith (RT) held out and missed most of camp, and when he finally did sign with the team he suffered a stress fracture in his right foot that has him inactive to this day.

Sure this doesnt sound like a big deal but when you look at last season offensively its huge considering that the Bengals use their TE's to help block and pass protect to keep Palmer healthy.  Speaking of Palmer and healthy?  Just look at last season to realize how important it is to have him in the game healthy, and of course there was this preseasons ankle injury (which Palmer appears to be healthy now).  After reading all this you may be wondering if this team is even stable, and let me tell you yes they are very stable.  How is that?

Simple.  This past offseason, the team had an excellent draft as far as defense and special teams go, and offensively it wasnt too bad either.  The star of the draft for us so far has got to be Rey Maualuga.  This kid has been all over the ball and helped to solidify what ONCE WAS a pretty shitty defense.  He is not alone though.  Other big pick ups this past offseason include Roy Williams (from Dallas Cowboys), and Tank Johnson (from Chicago Bears).  Add in the improved play of Antwan Odom and veteran leadership of Dahani Jones, and second year stud Keith Rivers and our defense has a chance to do some pretty good things this year.

Perhaps the biggest thing that fans are seeing this year in the early going is that this team is a team and they will not quit, and they expect to win.  They also do not fold under pressure.  This is a welcome suprise from teams in years past.  This year the sky could be the limit for the Bengals on all sides of the ball, and it should be fun to watch.  One player that I forgot to mention is rookie P Kevin Huber.  This kid has improved the special teams BIG TIME.  Last year field position killed the Bengals but this year we have a guy who can kick the ball 50 yds or better and our cover teams are decent.

In the end I think this is gonna be a fun year to watch.  There may be a changing of the guard so to speak this year in the AFC North.  Comments or Opinions?  Feel free to post below.