Marvin Lewis Says Bengals Fans Won't 'Go Through Another Season Like This'

You have to love Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. His shameless things aren't that bad routine is a running joke for the Cincinnati media. So much so that everyone just dismisses pretty much anything he says.

Still, you have to do a double take when he says things like this:

"Our football team won't have to go through another season like this. Nor will our fans," Lewis said. "Believe me."

Um, you do know what city you are in, right? This is a franchise that has just 11 winning seasons and just lost their 10th game for the 16th time in 41 seasons. These fans have seen seasons like this before and odds are they will again. There has been exactly one winning season and no playoff wins in the last 17 years. Excuse the fans if they don't believe you.

But what else can he say? Lewis is up against a wall even if his job isn't in serious jeopardy. To be fair, Cincinnati has been devastated by injuries this season -- which includes losing Carson Palmer for most of the season. Palmer will be back next year, but T.J. Houshmandzadeh and/or Chad Johnson may not. There are more questions than answers and not enough people who care to do what it takes to turn it around.

That's why Lewis' words fall on deaf ears around here.