One of the mysteries of the NFL is why the Cincinnati Bengals have yet to reach the Super Bowl. They’ve got a Pro Bowl quarterback in Carson Palmer, a great set of wide receivers, and enough of a running game to be competitive with any team in football. The mystery may lie in the locker room.

As the Bengals fell to 3rd place in the AFC North with a 7-9 record notably marked by losses to the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, the talk inevitably turned to character. The Bengals have been hard hit by off the field woes in the last few years. As the NFL Draft and free agency roll around look for Cincinnati to start drafting good citizens as well as good athletes. The Bengals have enough talent to compete with teams like the Patriots and the Steelers, now they have to find the character to do it. When that happens a seat in Paul Brown Stadium will be worth its weight in gold.