Veteran NFL coach Mike Zimmer is the latest man hired to fix the Bengals defense, a feat that has eluded the franchise for most of its existence. He arrives with plenty of experience under his belt and plenty of room for improvement on the field.
The Bengals ranked 27th of 32 teams in yards allowed and 24th in points allowed in 2007. They have ranked among the bottom half of the league in yards allowed in 20 of the past 23 years.
Zimmer was unavailable for comment yesterday. He will be introduced as the team's new defensive coordinator during a news conference today in Paul Brown Stadium.
Zimmer will be the third defensive coordinator in Marvin Lewis' five-plus seasons as coach, following Leslie Frazier and the recently fired Chuck Bresnahan. The Bengals have ranked among the bottom six teams in yards allowed in four of Lewis' five seasons.
"Mike has coordinated defenses at a high level in the NFL for a number of years, and this is obviously a very important hire for me and for our organization," Lewis said in a statement. "I'm excited about utilizing Mike's ability to develop our young players and our defensive scheme."
Zimmer was the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator from 2000 to 2006, and he was defensive coordinator in Atlanta last season.
He is said to prefer a simple but aggressive scheme, which should be a welcome change for the young Bengals. Some players said their late-season improvement resulted in part because the coaching staff scaled back the playbook. While players stopped short of criticizing Bresnahan, it was clear some preferred a simpler, faster style.
Updated: 6:50 p.m.
The agent for running back Cedric Benson says his client's work ethic is a classic Midwestern approach and is a good fit for a Cincinnati team in desperate need of backfield depth.
"If you look at his history before the Bears,...
Posted: 6:10 a.m.
If Ryan Fitzpatrick gets another shot to start Sunday in Dallas, the Bengals only have to look at their last 19 games to see the road map for getting a victory with a backup quarterback.
In that stretch they've played eight...
Opening comments: ML: My thoughts didn't change much after watching the three phases of the game on video. Sometimes the execution of the offense was not where we needed it to be, and we played pretty well for most of the day on special...
This is THE podcast for all Cincinnati Bengals fans.Twice a week, legendary Cincinnati sportscaster, Ken Broo, is joined by the editors, writers and publisher of the popular bi-weekly publication, Bengals ReportIn this up to the minute podcast, the discussion is all Bengals featuring interviews with your favorite Bengals players.Get the inside scoop on the Bengals and their upcoming games by placing Bengals Report on your list of favorites!
In this episode, Ken Broo and Bengals Report executive editor, Mark Hardin preview the Bengals vs Browns game coming up Sunday 92808. You'll hear comments from Carson Palmer, Chris Perry and Marvin Lewis. For the best in sports, visit Ken Broo's web site www.kenbroo.com
In this episode, Ken Broo and Bengals Report executive editor, Mark Hardin preview the Bengals upcoming game at the New York Giants. You'll hear comments from Bengals head coach, Marvin Lewis and quarterback Carson Palmer. For the best in sports, visit Ken Broo's web site www.kenbroo.com
In this episode, Ken Broo and Bengals Report executive editor, Mark Hardin review the Bengals loss to the Tennessee Titans in week #2 of the 2008 NFL season. You'll hear comments from head coach Marvin Lewis, running back Chris Perry and wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh. For the best in sports visit Ken's web site www.kenbroo.com.
