Al Golden Bengals DC Hire

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Post on Jan 24, 2025

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Al Golden: A Surprising Bengals DC Hire – My Take

So, Al Golden as the Bengals' new defensive coordinator? Yeah, I'll admit, I was shocked. Like, totally blindsided. I mean, I've been following the Bengals for, what, twenty years? And this one… this one threw me for a loop. I’d spent weeks scouring articles, podcasts – the whole nine yards – trying to predict who Zac Taylor would bring in. I had a whole spreadsheet, dude. Seriously. And Al Golden wasn't even on the spreadsheet. He was like that surprise guest at a wedding you totally didn't see coming.

My Initial Reaction and Concerns

My first thought? Wait, what? Then came the second wave: Why? I mean, I knew Golden had a coaching background – spent time at Temple, Miami, even a stint in the NFL with the Hurricanes. But Defensive Coordinator for a team with playoff aspirations? That seemed… ambitious. To be honest, my gut reaction was a mix of confusion and concern. I’d seen some pretty brutal Miami Hurricanes defenses in his time there, to put it mildly. Lots of points allowed. Lots and lots of points.

Diving Deeper into Al Golden's Resume

Okay, deep breaths. I needed to take a step back. So I did what any self-respecting Bengals fan would do: I started digging. I reread articles about his time at Miami, looked at advanced stats, and even checked out some film (okay, maybe just YouTube highlights – I'm not a full-on film guy). I mean, you gotta do your homework. You know, due diligence and all that. What I found surprised me.

Unexpected Strengths and Potential

While his Miami tenure had some definite lowlights, his work with linebackers and defensive schemes showed promise, albeit inconsistently. His time at Temple was more impressive. There was a clear improvement in their defensive performance over the course of his tenure there, showing a bit more consistency. Plus, his experience coaching at the college level might bring a fresh perspective to the Bengals' defense. That's something you don't always get. It could be the secret sauce, you know?

The Importance of Coaching Staff Synergy

Then I started thinking about the bigger picture – the entire coaching staff. A good DC isn't just about X's and O's; it's about the chemistry with the head coach and the rest of the team. Maybe, just maybe, Zac Taylor sees something special in Golden. Something I haven't quite grasped yet. Something that goes beyond the numbers. Maybe it's a personality thing, or maybe it's a specific defensive philosophy that meshes perfectly with the Bengals' personnel. Who knows?

My (Slightly Less Pessimistic) Conclusion

Ultimately, I'm still cautiously optimistic, and I guess that’s the best way to put it. I'm not going to jump to conclusions. Al Golden's hiring is a gamble, no doubt about it. But it's a gamble Taylor believes in. And as a fan, I have to trust his judgment. He's seen more film than I have, and spent more time analyzing players. The key will be how well he adapts his schemes to the Bengals’ players, and how effectively he communicates his vision to the defense. The early games of the season will be crucial in showing whether or not he can handle the pressure of being a DC at this level. One thing's for sure: this season will be interesting to watch, and definitely one to follow. I’ll definitely keep my spreadsheet updated!