Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals: With No Eifert Know Effort

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

The absence of Tyler Eifert can no longer be an excuse for the Bengals. He has been seen as a fix-all. But, it is clear that he cannot be counted on.

Tyler Eifert Cannot be Counted on for this Season.

The talented Tight End has not played in all 16 games in any season since coming into the NFL. In 2013, he came close to a full season with 15 games while only playing in one game in 2014. Last year, Bengals fans were able to see the potential of this offense until Andy Dalton‘s thumb broke the Championship dream. The 2016 season has been seen as a season of redemption for Who Dey nation. Yet, at this point, Tyler Eifert is but a dream for the Bengals that should be seen as a bonus but not a necessity.

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Early career injury struggles are not necessarily a harbinger of things to come for any player. At the same time, until any player shows he can be counted on…he shouldn’t be counted on. Hopefully, when Eifert’s ankle and back heal up Andy Dalton can count on him as the safety valve that he should be. Ankles are hurt and healed all the time as players move on to productive careers. The back injury, however, is the injury Bengals fans should be most worried about. For a 26-year-old to already be battling a back issue, no matter how minor, is not a good sign for his longevity. Even so, no excuse is acceptable for the 2016 Cincinnati Bengals.

Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Time to Take the Training Wheels Off

C.J. Uzomah is a 6’5, 265 pound unpolished but talented beast of a Tight End. This season, fans have seen flashes of Uzomah making catches across the middle and securing first downs for Andy Dalton. With an average of just under 3 catches per game, it is time to make the big bodied Tight End more of a focus of the offense.

With no Eifert for at least another week (or more) the Bengals as a whole need to up their effort. Coaches need to up their effort to get backups ready and players need to up their effort to take hold of this opportunity. The Bengals Nation has seen this script before: A talented team that makes the playoffs but makes excuses for losing. It’s time for this team to either ride or crash and C.J. Uzomah can be a great player to ride the first half of the season.

The Waiting Game

Tyler Eifert can’t be expected to be in football shape for at least a few weeks once he does come back. On top of that, if he is 100% opposing defenses are going to shade toward him as much as possible. Mix in a continuous double team of A.J. Green and there will be huge opportunities for players like Tyler Boyd and C.J. Uzomah in one-on-one coverage.

Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

It has appeared that both Boyd and Uzomah have been held back early in this season. Uzomah was seen as a Project last year and Boyd has a lot to learn in the Slot. However, Boyd and Uzomah can both alleviate the pressure on A.J. Green and the running game if they are made a focal point on offense. Marvin Lewis has seemingly placed training wheels on everyone but Andy Dalton, Jeremy Hill, and A.J. Green this year. The wait is over. The time is now.

With an MVP caliber QB its time to stop waiting around for Tyler Eifert and let Boyd and Uzomah make plays.

Next: Don't Let the Dolphins Win Fool You

Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Beating the Dolphins Means Very Little

One of the worst things about the modern NFL are the games on Thursday nights. Players don’t want to play them and aren’t fully recovered from playing on Sunday. Furthermore, the Dolphins have been a complete mess for over a decade. Neither fans nor the team should be too excited about their win against the Dolphins. At the same time, a win in the NFL is a win that will have future playoff implications.

Marvin Lewis could have used the short week to add new wrinkles and emphasize new players but decided to just get through the game and onto a long week of rest. In a long season, this approach has its merits but he missed an opportunity to win the game by 40 points and gain experience for his bench.

With a big game at the Cowboys coming up it is important to learn from the last game. The reason the Dolphins win means little is due to HOW the Bengals won. In the NFL, a field goal exhibition is no way to become a Championship team.

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Each game builds on itself and the Bengals come into the Cowboys game having stalled on drive after drive against the Dolphins. Maybe the Bengals knew they could give 75% effort and still win but teams that win Championships are all-in, every game, all the time. This rookie led

This rookie led lineup of the Cowboys is not to be taken lightly even without Dez Bryant. All the Dolphins win means is that the Bengals must play better to beat the Cowboys on the road. Field Goals must be replaced with Touchdowns and drives must end with a bang, not a whimper.

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Without a Playoff Win this Could Be Marvin Lewis’ Last Year

Marvin Lewis would be a fool to think that Bengals fans will remain OK with losing in the Playoffs. The Lewis coaching style is good enough to get to the Playoffs but things must change this year because fans expect to win in the Playoffs.

Whether it be using Tyler Boyd and C.J. Uzomah more or simply opening up the offense for Andy Dalton there needs to be a greater effort to be different. Things have been the same in Cincinnati since Lewis joined the team. Early on, that was a good thing because the Bengals had been a joke for years. Yet, after numerous Wild Card defeats and missed opportunities in the regular season things cannot stay the same.

The first step the Bengals needed to take years ago was to enter the conversation as a legitimate contender in the AFC North. Luckily, the team has been a major player in the AFC in general and Lewis is a big reason. In 2016, it is time for the next step and the next stage. For many teams, it takes a new voice to move them off of a plateau. Lewis is a good man who is smart, solid and compassionate enough to be a father-figure to Vontaze Burfict.

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Hopefully, adjustments in strategy and rotation will be accompanied with an intensified effort to win. This Bengals team has yet to play a complete game in 2016 but is still in great position for another Wild Card birth or even a Divisional Title. Lewis and the Bengals may be without Tyler Eifert but they can in no way take the next step without a focused effort on a Super Bowl victory.

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