DaytonDailyNews.com

I've come to the conclusion that Cincinnati Bengals fans are fickle.

I should know.

It probably stems from the fact the team has been the Bungles for much of its existence, a team that seemed to go back and forth between mediocrity and disaster, save for its two Super Bowl years. And even then, the Bengals lost the Big Ones.

So, while we were encouraged by last year's division championship and all the hype this year, it was very easy to hop off the bandwagon when they lost two games in a row.

Sure, they are banged up. And there's no question they were, ah, cheated by that terrible roughing-the-passer call at Tampa Bay. But all of a sudden they were the Bungles again.

I know, I know, it's not nice to use the Bu... word, but they did lose to lowly, previously winless Tampa Bay. That's not exactly championship form.

I suppose a true fan is loyal to the end, defending his or her team against all naysayers. I should have said, "I know they lost to Tampa Bay. They'll be back. What do those talk-show guys know anyway? Who Dey ... and all that."

And then, Sunday, after a first quarter that had Bu... written all over it, an amazing thing happened: The BENGALS returned. They started passing the ball, catching it and running for nice chunks of yardage.

Oh, happy day! Pro football is fun again. Life is pretty nice up here atop the bandwagon.

So who do they play this week?

They play host to the Atlanta Falcons. Oh, they're pretty tough.

What the heck, bring 'em on!

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2409 or jmorris@DaytonDailyNews.com.