The 2010 season was something of an earthquake for the Cincinnati Bengals. Sky-high expectations were built by an offseason of big-name acquisitions. Super Bowl dreams floated through the sky. For once, everything seemed relatively stable and secure.

Then, the earthquake hit.

The Bengals lost their first game in New England. Penalties and lackluster performances began piling up. The team went on a 10-game losing streak that tied a franchise record and finished with 12 losses overall. A long streak of home sellouts came to an end.

Everything was in shambles. But there was hope resting in the offseason. Surely, new bodies would be brought in to sort through the rubble. Changes would be made to ensure that this could never happen again. Lessons would be learned.

Sadly, none of that happened. Bengals owner Mike Brown brought back Marvin Lewis. Up to this point, no coordinators or coaches have been changed. Nothing is different from that disastrous season last year. The clean-up effort has stalled.

And then the aftershocks started. Chad Ochocinco – or is it Johnson this week? – started sniping with Lewis. Then last week, word broke that Carson Palmer, the franchise quarterback, the stable, steadying influence on a team of turmoil, wants to be traded. The last pillar has crumbled. Nothing seems to be secure for this season - or any of the ones after it.

So what now?

Mike Brown must do what he does best and play hardball. Palmer has to play for the Bengals this year unless the sweetest sweetheart deal arrives in a trade. Cincinnati has no other choice. Palmer’s backup is his brother Jordan, a quarterback with NFL size but virtually no NFL experience. Free agency is nonexistent until a bargaining agreement is reached. And the draft picks available at No. 4 aren’t that enticing, nor will they be ready to play in the fall of 2011.

Thus, the Bengals must keep Palmer. Convince him to give the team one more season while auditioning for every other franchise. Draft a quarterback and put together a contingency plan. It’s far from an ideal situation, but it’s the best the Bengals can do.

An earthquake of a season has been followed by some aftershocks. Safety and stability seem a long way away.

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For more on the Cincinnati Bengals, check out FanSided's StripeHype blog.

-- NATE WILKINSON
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