BALTIMORE (AP) Marvin Lewis had just snagged a victory well worth celebrating
Graham Gano Jersey , yet the focus of his postgame session had very little to do with X’s and O’s.
What everyone really wanted to know after Cincinnati’s 31-27 win over Baltimore on Sunday was: Would this be the last game for Lewis as coach of the
Bengals?
”I don’t know that,” Lewis said. ”We’ll see. There are decisions to be made. First, it would be ownership.”
Article continues below ... Though it has been rumored that Lewis is ready to walk away from the job after 15 seasons and 125 wins, he insisted that’s not necessarily the case.
Lewis is scheduled to meet with owner Mike Brown, perhaps as soon as Monday, to discuss his future in Cincinnati.
”Yes, I want to coach this team
Charles Johnson Jersey ,” Lewis said.
Asked if he would return if Brown asks him back, Lewis replied, ”It’s more complicated than that.”
Though Sunday’s victory knocked the Ravens out of playoff contention, the Bengals (7-9) stumbled to their second straight losing season. And, while Lewis
is the winningest coach in Bengals history (125-112-3), he is 0-7 in the
postseason.
His players say they’d love to have Lewis back in 2018.
”I think he’s a heck of a coach,” said tight end Tyler Kroft
Andrew Norwell Jersey , who scored two touchdowns Sunday. ”I love playing for coach Lewis. But that (decision) is above my pay grade.”
Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has gone through plenty of good times, and perhaps far more bad times, under Lewis. Sunday’s game, in which Dalton threw
three touchdown passes, definitely belonged in the former category.
”I have no idea if he’s coming back or not,” Dalton said. ”But if this is his final game, I couldn’t think of a better way to send him out – with a dramatic
win like that.”
Lewis
Daryl Williams Jersey , not surprisingly, maintained a low-key stature in the locker room amid the celebration, even though he was defensive coordinator
of the Ravens from 1996-2001.
”He wasn’t overly emotional after the game,” Dalton said.
The players sure were, though. Even though the Bengals realized weeks ago that this season wouldn’t end in a playoff run, they pulled together to beat
Detroit last week before stunning the Ravens – and in the process, getting
Buffalo into the postseason.
”The last weeks
Mario Addison Jersey , we really came together as a team,” Dalton said. ”We now believe we’re close to being a playoff team again. This was the perfect
way to end the season.”
Whether it also ends Lewis’ run in Cincy remains to be seen.
”We’ll find out,” cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said. ”I can’t really speak on it. I can say that I love Coach Lewis. He’s definitely been a great inspiration
in my life. I wish him the best.”
—
For more AP NFL coverage: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL
.
