CINCINNATI -- On Sunday in Cleveland, Marvin Lewis officially becomes the longest-tenured head coach in Bengals history. With five more wins, he also becomes the winningest.
After the Bengals won the AFC North and Lewis was named NFL Coach of the Year in 2009, there was a big dropoff last year. The team finished 4-12, which included a 10-game losing streak, and Carson Palmer declared that he wanted out.
With the selection of A.J. Green and Andy Dalton in the first two rounds, the trade of Chad Ochocinco and some retooling on defense, Lewis enters his ninth season with plenty of optimism.
"This team is rested, ready to go and will have the energy and enthusiasm we'll need as we start the season," he said.
Question: Is it hard for you to believe you've been here nine seasons?
Answer: Yes, time flies, it goes by fast. It's the longest place we've lived anywhere so that's the amazing part.
Q: Did you think in 2003 that it would be your longest-tenured place?
A: Well, I hoped that it would be or else I wouldn't have made the move. I've never been one to want to move around. When I get someplace I like it, I like where I live. I think obviously the work here is not done and what we came here to do and set to do. One thing I can say is my coaches are united in the same thing. They're not on the phone looking for other jobs. They know the task at hand and enjoy both working here and living here in Cincinnati and I think that makes a big difference. There's a lot of loyalty they have and they know what our task at hand is and that's to get this organization a championship.
Q: You've had a ton of changes, especially on defense. Do you like the way this team is put together now?
A: We accomplished every one of those goals as far as personnel that I had put together in December and January. It had some of those things that no one anticipated we would do because I felt like we needed to add two linebackers and we did that, two cornerbacks and we did that, two safeties and we did that. Those are the things defensively that I think no one thought about. I think the way the draft worked out we addressed a couple of our needs at the top on offense (Green and Dalton) and continue to work at those things. I think having (offensive tackle) Andre Smith out there has been the biggest shot in the arm that we could get. I hoped and anticipated that but I'm just tickled to death that he's out there and doing what we expected him to do and why we believe in him. He's just one of the guys now, he's no longer a story. He's a guy with great upside and he's rounding into that as far as technique and playing. This was all new for him - training camp, preseason and this is great. He's kind of the forgotten man now, which is good.
Q: Is this the most athletic group of linebackers you've had since you've been here?
A: I think it's the biggest, strongest, most NFL ready group of backers I've had since I've been here. I think Thomas (Howard) and Manny (Lawson) bring experience ... I think for Rey (Maualuga) it has been a good three years and he's matured, he's ready to be a leader and he's had a great apprenticeship. He's benefited from learning from a great pro in Dhani Jones. He's had a mentor better than anything money can buy, which is great.
Q: Are you sensing more guys wanting to be leaders now?
A: I don't know if anyone feels like they're overshadowed. They can be themselves and are more in line with each other as far as what their desires are and I think that's a good thing. I think it will continue to grow. This atmosphere fosters guys to step up and want to take their responsibility.
Q: In light of everything that happened this offseason, do you get the sense this group has closed ranks?
A: They have closed ranks. They have cast a deaf ear to things outside. They saw the opposite and it didn't do anything. You can't talk yourself into winning football games.
Q: Was last year a good lesson for everyone in terms of what happens when you lose your way?
A: We made it harder on ourselves because we turned it over and we did things that made it harder. Obviously there was a lot behind the scenes that made it harder. We didn't lose our way. That's a copout statement when things don't go well. When you fumble the ball or throw interceptions or give up big plays defensively you lose your way. Even in the wins we lost our way but we overcame them early on. I think our way would have been fine if we would have taken care of the football and not given up big plays defensively.
Q: So losing your way was self inflicted?
A: Yes, and then everyone looked to push the blame on something. At the end I get the blame.
Q: I know you hate talking about the past but what is the one thing you could have changed about last year?
A: I think we would think less is better in a lot of ways. That could be scheme, personnel, flamboyance, all of the above. I think we would have kept our way better.
Q: Happy the focus seems to be on football and not on who is appearing on reality shows?
A: I recognize these guys have lives and interests beyond football but we can't ever let it get in the way of football. I think it had more effect on the team than we would give credit to. I know I don't have to worry (this year).
Q: What is the thing you've been most pleased about with Andy Dalton's progress?
A: He hasn't changed his demeanor one bit. From the dining room in Mobile, Ala. (at the Senior Bowl) to talking to him on the phone after we picked him to the interception against the Jets to his touchdown pass against the Panthers to his calm last week in the game. The things he has done, his demeanor has been the same.
I'm sure his blood pressure will be a little heightened on Sunday but I don't know. I think there's a calmness he has and a belief in the huddle in him which is cool to see. You're talking about guys who have played their careers with a different player in that spot and now this is the guy they're riding with and they tell him all the time they have his back. During the preseason they're saying "I can't come out until you take Andy out." And that's the way they feel. It's been fun to watch him grow and take control and it will be fun to watch his success during the season.
Q: Is this team more equipped to handle a rookie quarterback now compared to 2003 because you know your team and staff?
A: No question about that and I said that from the start. It's a different spot than what we were in 2003. We know what we're up against, we know where the demons lie, we know what to do to be successful and I'm better served at least for helping manage the game with a rookie quarterback than I would have been in 2003.
Q: Is this rebuild easier because you don't have to sell it to your locker room?
A: This group has already bought in. Some of them have been division champs twice since they've been here. They know that possibility is there.
Q: Do you feel like everyone in this organization from the top down is on the same page?
A: Yeah, I think we are. From the top down it has been a great relationship to work through. I think we're always going to have disagreements. That's healthy and part of any job. The things that I felt were important to get done this offseason, if I went down the checklist and it's all occurred and that part I feel really good about. We have installed a new offense, we've retooled the defense, we put new players in spots and done other things throughout the building that our players notice and ways where we felt we could improve and make things nicer. Then they get some guys in from other teams and they say "Boy, I like the way this is done here," and that part has been good. It has been a reinforcement for them.
Q: How important was it to get Andrew Whitworth, Leon Hall and Kyle Cook signed to extensions?
A: I think that's a huge statement made by the organization, and we're not done. We're going to continue to retain our young starting players and guys we feel have bright futures in the NFL. Not just here, but across the board. Leon and Andrew and Kyle have really been pillars here and will continue to be. We've got some more on defense that will come up and get done, and a couple of other guys possibly on offense as we go through this season. I think it's good for players in-house to see the reward to guys who have played their tails off and gone about things the right way. I think that's a good message as well.
Q: That first meeting with Andy at the Senior Bowl, did you have a feeling this guy could be the one you drafted?
A: No idea (laughing). I really didn't have a sense of Andy Dalton until I came back from the Senior Bowl and I began to watch the quarterbacks on tape. I watched his video from TCU and then I watched all the Senior Bowl video. I can remember seeing him before the Super Bowl on one of the (Dallas) morning shows and here's this guy with red hair and it's "How do I know that guy?" It took me a bit to put two and two together and that he was the quarterback from TCU on the South team. I told him that later when I saw him in Indy. I think by the time we went to Indianapolis (for the Scouting Combine) it's one of those things where you are holding your breath. Hoping you get the chance to select him.
Q: Senior Bowl - one of the toughest weeks you've had because the news of Carson Palmer's trade demand came back and you were on the verge of making a change at offensive coordinator?
A: It was a bad week in every way. Obviously I was well aware of the situation with Carson well before then but I think all in all with all the other stuff. Having to go through what I went through with the coaching staff that week was very, very difficult because you're talking about people who you are friends with. That was a bad week. To do it over again, we wouldn't have been there coaching that game. But it's behind us now. The first-hand experience with the players was a positive.
Q: How much has this area grown on you?
A: I love living here. I enjoy all aspects, it is great. The things we've been able to accomplish with the foundation has been outstanding and we couldn't do it without the support of the Greater Cincinnati area and our partners and sponsors. Having the organization behind what we're doing, that goes without saying, but I knew that. That was one of the reasons why the job was attractive to me. I've been in this division for 10 years previous to that and every time we came here I thought it was a great place.
Q: Will this team be better?
A: This team will be better, yes. This team will be much better. I know how this team will compete and it's up to me to make this team as efficient and effective as we can be. We've got the makings of a young and productive football team. We have to coach them hard.
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