Dave Lapham knows football! He played nine years with the Cincinnati Bengals (1974-1983) as an offensive lineman, and was a key player on the 1982 Bengals squad that won the AFC Championship. He has served as the Bengals radio color commentator for 28 seasons and is a Big 12 football analyst for Fox Sports Net.
“People ask me what determines a successful football team”, he said,” and I tell them, it starts with the draft.” The Bengals have made the playoffs three years in a row, and the key to that success is the draft. The Bengals play in a very tough division, the AFC North, and there’s a reason why they’ve made the playoffs the last four out of five years. “First we draft, then we develop,” Lapham said.
He believes the main strength of the current Bengals club is the roster depth. “We have so many key players, and there is healthy competition for playing time, “he said. Other teams have one or two standout players, but Lapham thinks the Bengals have plenty of guys who are starters in waiting.
He went on to explain that during the draft process, every team has a list of top players that they hope to select. He said that the Bengals organization is focused on long term team development, and tries not to stray from their original draft list.
For example, in 2011, the year that Andy Dalton and AJ Green were selected, the club received tremendous value in sticking to their selection plan. Lapham mentioned three players to watch in the upcoming season. In the 2014 draft, the team selected Russell Bodine , an offensive lineman from North Carolina in the 4th round, AJ McCarron, a QB from Alabama in the 5th round, and James Wright, a wide receiver from LSU, in the 7th round. Lapham believes that the Bengals are well-positioned to win their division this year.
The Bengals have a tough playing schedule, especially in November with three consecutive away games against New Orleans, Houston and Tampa Bay. Then, in December, the team plays in three big rivalries with Pittsburgh, Denver and Cleveland. When asked for the top games to watch this year, Latham said, “The New England Patriots game will be a good one, and of course, Monday Night Football against the Broncos. Cleveland is always a good game for bragging rights.”
On the coaching side, two new team coordinators have been selected, Hue Jackson and Paul Guenther. Hue Jackson is the new offensive coordinator. He previously worked with the Bengals for three seasons from 2005 – 2007. Paul Guenther is the new defensive coordinator, and has worked with the Bengals since 2005. Lapham is confident that the Bengals have the talent, training, and support to have a great year. He concluded, “When we take care of the football, we win playoff games.”
