For nine years Bob Bratkowski served as the Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator. He rose to toast of the town in 2005 before descending to Public Enemy No. 1 by the time he was fired following the 2010 year.

No coach drew more public ire and frustration in recent Bengals history than Bratkowski. The man responsible for the most prolific offensive season in the last two decades -- scoring 421 points with Cincinnati in '05 -- left the victim of a stale environment.

This week, the philosophy and offensive strategy Marvin Lewis worked alongside every day of his first eight years on the job lines up on the opposite side of the field as Bratkowski, now offensive coordinator of the Jaguars, faces his former team for the first time.

When two sides know each other so well, who holds the advantage? Hard to tell at this point, but defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer acknowledges it enters his thought process.

“You understand protections and you do worry a little bit about, 'Well, OK, he knows all of our blitzes and I know all of his checks, things like that, but you know, it's the guys out on the field that do it,” Zimmer said.

The Bengals DC sees a number of similarities between the Jags offense and the one Bratkowski installed in Cincinnati.  A mix of many minds and the Jaguars unique personnel created this hybrid of the Bengals model in Jacksonville. Yes, it's different. Not that different.

“It's his offense,” Zimmer said. “They've got a good scheme.”

Blaine Gabbert won't be Carson Palmer. Justin Blackmon won't be T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Searching for predictability in plays could only lead to predictably poor results.

“You try to remember, but when we were going against each other I never said he always does this or we are going to do that,” Zimmer said. “I don't think he's going to do the same thing.”

Lewis balked at breaking down the details of Bratkowski's dismissal. Does no good for either side in his mind. Plus, too much respect exists.

“It’s a difficult decision ever to have to change a coach,” Lewis said. “Bob and I were friends for a long, long time, dating back into the 80s. More than anything, that’s the hardest part, of Bob and his kids and his wife and you’ve known somebody for such a long time, back when we both got started in coaching. It’s very, very difficult, Bob’s an excellent coach. Things have gone very, very well for him. I guess it’s something we all are subject to.”

Follow Paul Dehner Jr. for Bengals updates on Twitter at @CBSBengals.