So, all it took for the Bengals’ oddly strug-gull-ling [thanks Namath] offense to get their proverbial feet on the ground was a non-revenge game against the Bears?

Can Chad have one of these same games against the Ravens? A game that is in no way about revenge or retribution towards Ray Lewis? Likely not. The Ravens defense is still very good, maybe a little old, but still very good. I wouldn’t bet my Kevin Kaesviharn XFL jersey on a Bengals blowout over the Ravens this time around. Nor should you forsake your “He Hate Me” jersey. Even after the pure domination against the Bears’ 8th-ranked Rush Defense, something inside of me still thinks the Ravens are the favorite. And that is because the Bengals haven’t truly established a solid identity yet.

Underdog? Fighter? or just plain Inconsistent? Is that what comes to mind when we think of our Bengals? Here is an easy one. What is the first thing that comes to mind when the Ravens are mentioned? Ferociousness, Power, Defense,  Attitude, Scary? The black and deep purple jerseys say it alone. You could slap one of those on Sanjaya and even he would seem formidable under a blacked out helmet visor. Now, put someone with a resume and a mouth like Ray Lewis in that jersey and all of sudden they can elevate themselves to God status on a football field.

Up until week 7, the only consistent image that the Bengals have broadcasted is inconsistent play. One week they are the Offensive Juggernaut and Hawkish Defense, while the next week they struggle to put up 14 points and allow 350+ yards passing. In a division where every other team has a true tangible identity, the Bengals are a confusing mess of contradictions.

The Steelers are Arrogant

The Ravens are Tough

The Browns are Miserable

The Bengals are… Underachieving? Inconsistent? Too many different identities under one roof?

Chad is one part Class Clown, one part Star Athlete. Carson is the snarky leader with all of the tools, but meager intensity. Tank and Roy are two bad dudes. Cedric carries a chip on his shoulder. And Rey? Well, Rey is simply a fiery blaze.

Now, if only everyone could buy into what Rey is selling. That’s an identity we could all hitch onto. Until everyone can drop their egos and buy into a system, really any system, it will continue to be a roller coaster ride on an unfinished track. Hey, even though Cleveland’s identity sucks, their track is finished… finished with the end of the regular season. Where does our track end?