The admittedly cliched slogan could make for a unique t-shirt or game day sign, though, if my image search is any indication.
(I did find a “Make Who Dey Great Again” sign and one declaring “Carson = quitter”, so it wasn’t a total loss.)
I guess that means I stumbled upon the chance to buy low or get in on the ground floor of a great investment opportunity.
Nothing will play a larger role in determining just what kind of season Lewis’ team has than how right he is about the players on his roster.
If the Bengals know what they are doing, a return to the playoffs is probable.
If not, wondering loudly if a new direction is needed will be appropriate.
“This is opening day, opening weekend,” Lewis said Wednesday when asked about young players being ready for game one against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. “It’s an exciting time, but we’re prepared for that. With our guys, we’ve been talking about it, preparing for it. This is how it’s going to look. This is how it’s going to unfold. Sound. See. Smell. It’s all going to be like this. Now let’s go do it.”
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Four words – “We’re prepared for that” – reminded me of what Lewis had to say in July when asked about third-year offensive tackles Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher.
Those two will be operating without a net after the departure of multiple veterans from last season’s team, but their head coach explained that was in the plans since 2015.
That’s the year they were taken high in the draft despite the team having a strong, veteran offensive line.
It is the same story at cornerback, where Dre Kirkpatrick got paid in the offseason and subsequent first-round picks Darqueze Dennard and William Jackson III could be needed to have a breakout year.
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This is all made all the more interesting because for a head coach who is the second-longest tenured in the league, one does not get the sense fans or media believe in Lewis all that much.
If you only look at his 0-7 postseason record, that’s understandable, but nobody should ever forget the difference between the last 14 years and the 14 years before those when assessing his career or his coaching ability.
He’s been a good coach for going on 15 years. That doesn’t mean his team will be good this fall.
In looking at the talent Lewis, the player personnel department and owner Mike Brown have put together, one could see this team going a few different ways.
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A strong corps of established players remains, there are some intriguing youngsters and the schedule is quite forgiving.
The Bengals could be on the verge of taking off again, or a real rebuild could be around the corner.
The questions about the offensive line, the secondary and the newcomers in the defensive front seven are valid.
Lewis’ response — “We’re prepared for that” — would seem to confirm as much.
That means there is nothing left to do but see what they got right.
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