Jan 6, 2015 3 min read

The Bengals’ defense was most dependable during their run of playoff appearances. After a tough season all-around, it’s headed for a makeover.

The Bengals were last in the league in sacks and gave up 500 yards a franchise-record three times. Indianapolis piled up 482 yards and allowed only one sack during a 26-10 victory Sunday in the first round of the playoffs.

Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said the Bengals have to bring in better players after keeping the unit pretty much intact last season. He singled out tackle Geno Atkins, who had a subpar season while recovering from knee surgery. Guenther saidif Atkins can’t get back to form next season, the Bengals need to find someone else.

Former Giants’ coach Sherman dead: Allie Sherman, the player-friendly coach who led the New York Giants to NFL championship games in his first three seasons with a star-studded but aging roster, has died. He was 91.

Sherman’s family said Monday that he died Saturday at his Manhattan home.

“Allie was a great coach and an even better man,” John Mara, Giants’ president and chief executive officer, said. “He was a special friend, and I will miss him dearly.”

Sherman’s Giants lost to the Green Bay Packers in the 1961 and 1962 championship games and to the Chicago Bears in the 1963 title game. He was the NFL Coach of the Year in 1961 and 1962 and finished 57-51-4 in eight seasons with the Giants.

After posting a 33-8-1 record in his first three seasons, the Giants did not have a winning season in Sherman’s final five years, with the struggles leading frustrated fans to chant “Goodbye Allie” at times.

To his credit, Sherman always said that the fans had to right to express their displeasure.

“Allie was a friend of mine,” Hall of Fame running back Frank Gifford said. “There were a lot of times after practice when we were in Yankee Stadium and he would come over if I wasn’t looking like I was happy. He wanted to know what was wrong. He would pull up his little stool, we’d sit down and we’d talk. He was a coach and a friend. Coaching was a different kind of role in his life.”

Tannenbaum takes post with Miami: Mike Tannenbaum is returning to the AFC East, this time with the Miami Dolphins.

The former New York Jets general manager is taking over the Dolphins’ football operations, a person familiar with the situation said Tuesday. The person confirmed the hiring to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not yet made an announcement.

The person said Dennis Hickey, who became the Dolphins’ general manager a year ago, will report to Tannenbaum. Coach Joe Philbin will continue reporting directly to owner Stephen Ross.