The Cincinnati Bengals have earned four consecutive trips to the playoffs and four consecutive first-round losses.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth believes the Bengals need to find some attitude if they are to finally end their 24-season playoff victory drought.
"We need some -- young kids now call it swagger -- but we need some of that ability to have a confidence in us that says, 'You know what? It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from or how good the football team is we're playing, we're really good, too, and we're going to bring it and you better stop it,'" Whitworth said, via ESPN.com. "We need a little of that attitude."
Cincy boasts a talented roster with receiver A.J. Green, running backs Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard, a solid offensive line led by Whitworth, Geno Atkins on the defensive line and a deep secondary.
What they lack, according to Whitworth, is the confidence or borderline cockiness athletes need to summon when the competition gets stiffer.
"The real thing you can adapt to is the football game, and rise to the occasion when a great play needs to be made," he said. "Or make a great play when you're tired and you have to grit it up and make the next play exhausted."
Whitworth believes swagger can be acquired, but "at some point a guy has to click it on and say, 'That's what I want to do.'"
Until now, the current group of Bengals have tripped over themselves whenever the spotlight has gotten brighter.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses Dez Bryant's contract situation and ranks the best backfields for the 2015 season. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.