|
Marvin Lewis' contract as Bengals head coach runs through the 2010 season, so he has plenty of job security. Nevertheless, he feels the heat of a 1-4 start. "It's only the heat I generate on myself, fortunately or unfortunately, however you want to put it," Lewis said Monday. "So I guess I'll disappoint the fans who think there is heat, OK? "My only heat is internal, and that's what drives me. That's the good thing, I guess, about this position. I'm not going to get concerned and they don't need to be concerned one way or another. Just go back to being loud and cheering." Been there, done that: Lewis has been here before. He was 1-4 his first two seasons (2003 and 2004), rebounding to finish 8-8 both times. The Bengals reached the playoffs in 2005, starting 5-1 and finishing 11-5. They swaggered to a 3-0 start in '06, but staggered to an 0-3 finish and ended up 8-8 for the third time in four years.
They're hoping the turnaround starts against the visiting New York Jets on Sunday: "The Jets were a playoff team a year ago and they're not quite where they want to be, so it's going to be a big game for us, It's a 4 o'clock game, so our fans will be revved up and ready to go, and we're going to revved up, ready to play." Cloudy future: Tailback Chris Perry, who fracture his right ankle at Cleveland last Nov. 26, is eligible to come off the Physically Unable to Perform list and begin practicing this week. He's not sure if he's ready. "I feel good," Perry said. "We'll have to decide if I'm going to practice. Once I get to the point where I feel I'm able to do so, we'll start. It's a matter of everybody putting their heads together and deciding it's time and I feel right. "I would love to be playing. But there are some things you have to consider before you play. You can't get out there and (an injury) happens again, God forbid. You've got to make sure you're at your best because you can't help your team if you're not out there. Hopefully, I can get out there as soon as possible." Undecided at tackle: Will Andrew Whitworth start at left offensive tackle or does Levi Jones get another chance? Jones was benched early in the second quarter at Kansas City. "We'll make that decision as we come through the week," Lewis said. "Levi is disappointed in how he was able to perform." Whitworth didn't allow any sacks against Chiefs' pass rusher Jared Allen. "We didn't win the game and we're not going to give any hoorays to anybody around here," Lewis added. Jeanty may return: Willie Anderson, Ethan Kilmer and Tab Perry likely won't play against the Jets. "We'll see where (middle linebacker) Ahmad Brooks (groin) is as the week goes on," Lewis said. "Caleb Miller (back) and Rashad Jeanty (shin) both have opportunities to return to practice this week and should be ready." Quote machine: "I really don't know what my future is here. Hopefully, I can be here and help this team out as much as possible. But I don't know what their plans are upstairs (in the executive offices), to be honest." — Perry Dayton Daily News http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/bengals/2007/10/15/ddn101507bennotesweb.html |
