The long road back

Bungling Bengals searching, but can't find the answers

Bruce Coslet is 17-24 in his two-and-a-half seasons with the Bengals. Mark Lyons/Allsport

The Cincinnati Bengals, who haven't made the playoffs since 1990, open their training camp July 30 in Georgetown, Ky. Here are a few questions from Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z, followed by CNNSI.com's perspective on some of the issues facing the Bengals this season. SI's season preview will be posted August 24.

Dr. Z wants to know : 1) No winning record in eight years. Quarterback situation a revolving door. Defense looks lost in Dick LeBeau's zone blitz. Top receiver Carl Pickens wants to play elsewhere. How much of this can be fixed in one year?

2) Fans will be screaming for No. 1 draft pick Akili Smith to take over for Jeff Blake by game No. __? (fill in the blank)

3) Big news out of Cincy, and you heard it here first -- defensive linemen will be switching from two-gap to one-gap. How about one gulp?

4) Or one gyp? As in the new stadium, financed mostly by taxpayers.

The Bengals can make the playoffs if : Boomer Esiason and Anthony Munoz and James Brooks come out of retirement, and the light finally goes on for the struggling defense. Only one team, the St. Louis Rams, has a worse record than the Bengals this decade. The defense was worst in the league last season. Offensively, there could be some movement, especially if a quarterback (Jeff Blake or Akili Smith) comes through, Pickens sticks around and a running back (Corey Dillon or Ki-Jana Carter) runs well. Otherwise ...

Bengals Facts 1998 record: 3-13 (fifth in AFC Central) Coach: Bruce Coslet (17-24 with Bengals, 43-62 overall) Stadium: Cinergy Field (60,389, artificial turf) 1998 rankings: Offense -- 19th run, 17th pass, 17th overall. Defense -- 30th vs. run, 12th vs. pass, 28th overall. Depth chart 1998 results 1998 player statistics 1999 schedule CNN/SI Projection: 3-13

Pivotal games : Oct. 3 vs. St. Louis, Dec. 12 vs. Cleveland. They have the easiest schedule in the league, outside the expansion Browns. Still, if the Bengals start 0-3 (and they could), the game against the Rams will tell a lot. And a late loss to the cross-state Browns, at home, could be disastrous.

On the hot seat : Bruce Coslet waited in the wings for Dave Shula to get fired, and now is in the same fix his predecessor was in. Coslet prodded the Bengals to a 7-2 record to finish up '96 once Shula was fired. Since, then, Coslet is 10-22. If he doesn't get the Bengals to play, Coslet may not be around to see that taxpayer-financed stadium open next season.

Up-and-comer : Hold on to your helmet, Akili Smith. With so much on the line -- Coslet's job, the chance to break out of their '90s funk, any good feelings the fans have left over for the Bengals -- the team won't hesitate to throw Smith into the fire. If Blake falters, or even if Smith shows the faintest glimmer that he has a clue, the Bengals will go with their No. 1 draft pick. In an instant.

Player Movement Unrestricted Free Agents Restricted Free Agents Players Lost Brian DeMarco, G, from Jax. Oliver Gibson, DT, from Pitt. Matt O'Dwyer, G, from NYJ Corey Sawyer, CB, re-signed Marco Battaglia, TE, re-signed Ken Blackman, G, re-signed Rod Jones, T, re-signed Jevon Langford, DE, re-signed Brian Milne, RB, re-signed Greg Myers, S, re-signed Stepfret Williams, WR, re-signed Clyde Simmons, DE, Chi. Eric Bieniemy, RB, Phi. Anthony Brown, T, Cin. Sam Shade, S, Wash.

1999 Draft Picks Round Overall Pick Player Pos School 1 3 Akili Smith QB Oregon 2 33 Charles Fisher CB West Virginia 3 65 Cory Hall S Fresno St. 4 98 Craig Yeast WR Kentucky 5 135 Nick Williams FB Miami (FL) 6 173 Kelly Gregg DT Oklahoma 7 209 Tony Coats OG Washington 7 245 Scott Covington QB Miami (FL) 7 249 Donald Broomfield DT Clemson