NFL Playoffs 2015: Cincinnati Bengals And Others Who Need A Deep Run

Jun 16, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) looks on during minicamp at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

There comes a time when a team reaches that apex of expectations. Fans and even ownership begin to grow impatient, demanding more results from a team that shows all the talent required to go deep into the NFL playoffs but for whatever reason can’t get it done.

These failures often lead to thoughts that perhaps the current formula isn’t working and changes are needed. Those changes can range anywhere from a replaced head coach or general manager to an all-out fire sale where everybody goes and the organization starts from scratch. A number of teams are approaching dangerously close to that territory in 2015. Unless they can not just make the playoffs but advance deep into them, they run the risk of seeing those changes in the near future.

Cincinnati Bengals

There is no mistaking it. The impatience is palpable with the Cincinnati Bengals. A roster full of talent on offense and defense. A strong, stable coaching staff. Four-straight trips to the postseason. Yet they’ve gone one-and-done each and every time, with none of the game ever being that close. How much longer before Andy Dalton and Marvin Lewis wear out their welcomes? One more quick exit, or missing out entirely would be the backbreaker.

Denver Broncos

At age 39, Peyton Manning doesn’t have long left. Neither do several key veterans on the Denver Broncos roster. So that means their window for making a legitimate run at the Super Bowl is closing fast. Their loss to Indianapolis back in January was a disheartening one, representing a giant blown opportunity. If they can’t get it done in 2015, will John Elway decide to purge the veterans and let Gary Kubiak start fresh?

Indianapolis Colts

Ironically, the team that put the Broncos in their situation is facing one themselves. GM Ryan Grigson made a heavy investment in veteran players like Frank Gore and Andre Johnson with the expectation that they help Andrew Luck elevate this team to the Super Bowl after advancing a little further in the playoffs each year. Questions abound regarding the job security of head coach Chuck Pagano and how he can’t get them past teams like the Patriots. The last thing he can afford is his team taking a step back.

Detroit Lions

Ndamukong Suh is gone. Calvin Johnson is beginning to wear down. Matthew Stafford regressed last season. What looked like a possible champion in waiting back in 2011 with the Detroit Lions has suddenly become a team that is trying to perfect their formula before it’s too late. Their painful collapse in Dallas last season magnified how far they still have to go. Is their core still strong enough to make that happen or is it already too late?

Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo is approaching his late 30s. His body has taken some nasty hits over the years and he can’t be expected to carry the Dallas Cowboys much longer. Last season was arguably the best he’s ever posted and it was only enough to get them to the divisional round. DeMarco Murray is gone, leaving questions about their running game. Time is not on their side, which would explain the aggressive offseason they had with risky additions like Greg Hardy and Randy Gregory. It could easily blow up in their faces, but also propel them over the top.

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