Personnel director: Bengals don’t lack composure, leadership

INDIANAPOLIS — Our lasting image of the 2015 Cincinnati Bengals, following a mostly terrific season, was that of the team losing its cool in the final moments of the wild-card loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

One fumble. Two unsportsmanlike penalties. And one crushing loss to its rival for a team that has not won a playoff game since January 6, 1991.

[Follow Yahoo Sports draft expert Eric Edholm on Facebook and Twitter]

Even with the mistakes made by Jeremy Hill, Vontaze Burfict and Adam Jones late in that game, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said the team has not had any internal discussions about a lack of composure.

“Well, I don’t think we lack team leadership or composure. I don’t think you get to 12-4 by lacking that. I think the folks that were involved at the end of the playoff game, and we’re just one of 31 teams that had a disappointing ending, but we had a disappointing ending, and the guys that are involved I think have spoken their piece on that.

“I think they’re working to rectify that. I think they wish they would’ve reacted maybe a little differently. But our guys weren’t the only ones involved in that. The two guys that we had involved in that, I would say over the course of the season and that game did far more to cause us to win than they did to cause us to lose. They’re valuable guys to us. And so, I don’t worry about a leadership or a composure issue. I think we’ve got a veteran team that can handle it and bounce back.”

That’s a strong statement for a team that has been called out in past years for drafting talented but occasionally troubled players but one that has put an emphasis on character and toughness in recent years. The regular-season success last year, Tobin seems to be saying, is a case where the baby can’t be thrown out with the bathwater.

Fair point.

But Burfict has spoken recently about his need to perhaps change his style of play, not allowing referees to make him a target for personal-foul penalties. His hit on Steelers receiver Antonio Brown with 25 seconds left in the playoff loss might have been the difference between a win and a loss. Tobin agreed that a change might be needed — to a certain point, anyway.

“I think that’s right. He’s come out and said that that he needs to change some elements of it,” Tobin said. “But this game is about passion and passionate players are the best players in the league and so we’re not going to tell him not to be a passionate football player. That’s what he is. That’s what makes him good.

“Obviously there are some things that maybe at the end of the plays or some decisions he makes in a fraction of second that he’ll start to do a little differently, but he’s an important part of what we do and we’re not going to restrict him to the point where he’s ineffective.”

– – – – – – –

Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm