This has been a record setting season in many ways for the 2009 Bengals. For starters, they’ve had a huge turnaround, from 4-11-1 last year to 10-5 this year.  They swept their division for the first time in franchise history.  They had three different running backs run for 100 or more yards for the first time in a single season.  Cedric Benson broke the franchise record with his sixth 100 yard game of the year on Sunday.  Marvin Lewis surpassed the legendary Paul Brown on the franchise’s all-time wins record.  Chad Ochocinco closes in on the all time TD receptions mark, and 10,000 career yards.  They have a top 3 defense for the first time in decades. 

Here’s one that no one expected:  After accomplishing all of those feats, they are now the first team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to win their division and not have one single pro bowl selection. 

Not one. 

Neither starting cornerback made it.  Cedric Benson did not make it.  Chad Ochocinco did not make it. Andrew Whitworth, Bobbie Williams, and Carson Palmer were also rumored to be possible picks, but snubbed. 

My first reaction was annoyance and anger, but a lack of surprise. 

The team is still trying to earn respect every day from a doubting media and surly league every day. Even now, they often find themselves ranked below teams like Pittsburgh, Green Bay, and Baltimore on the various “Power Rankings” and conversations throughout the media-sphere.  I am sure Marvin Lewis will use this development for the good, and have the team more motivated than ever. 

This may be more a commentary on how great a TEAM the Bengals are; that they play so well as the various parts of a larger machine that none of them stand-out individually.  After all, don’t they pride themselves on being “scrap heap” warriors? Having followed previous Bengal season in which the team had pro bowl chosen talent in whiny divas like Chad, Corey Dillon, and Carl Pickens, perhaps this is a good thing; a sign that the players are mature professionals who realize team goals are more important than individual accolades and fawning.  Perhaps we’ll be thankful for this turn of events in a month or so as the team points to it as yet another motivator on their journey to a championship. 

In the meantime, I’ll still be angry.