| 24 December 2009
What the Bengals want of course is a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday to (finally) clinch the AFC North championship and reserve their spot in the playoffs.
Knowing the Bengals like we do, it probably won't come easy, even against the hapless 3-11 Chiefs. Kansas City has finally found an offensive identity with Matt Cassel settling in at quarterback and Jamaal Charles establishing himself as a quality running back.
However, the Chiefs have a terrible defense and that's where the Bengals need to take advantage.
Of course, that would mean offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski actually calling a good game for a change, but that would be like asking for a holiday miracle. Screw it, we're asking anyway: "Hey, Bob, could you not call a game like a novice for once in your 'how the hell are you still here' career? And if a guy is hot - like Chad Ochocinco last week against San Diego - could you actually throw him the ball at least once the entire second half? Thanks. Signed - Bengal fans. The same ones that curse you every Sunday."
Other targets of the Rapid Fire...
Bernard Scott - Need this guy back this week (and it sounds like he will be). He's an excellent backup running back, but the team needs him most for his kickoff returning abilities. Even my boy Quan Cosby has proven to be not very good as a kick returner (but still looks way better than Andre Caldwell). Have to get Scott back so the Bengals aren't starting every drive following a kickoff at their own 18.
I would say getting him back as a running back is key as well, but with Larry Johnson looking good as Cedric Benson's backup, I don't envision Scott getting too many carries. And yes, it's going to be real interesting to see how Johnson performs against his former KC teammates when they come to town. LJ is saying all the right things this week - saying the Bengals going for the playoffs is far more important than him going up against the Chiefs. But you know how he really feels. He told the world when he signed with the Bengals that having a good game against the Chiefs would be the "perfect Christmas present" for him.
Leon Hall - That was one of the most-boneheaded plays I have ever seen from a cornerback and I'll leave it at that. He's had a solid year overall, so he doesn't deserve to be ripped, but wow that was dumb. The Chargers' only chance to win in regulation was to throw the ball to the sidelines and Hall bit on a fake inside. Amazing. (And no, I didn't do a good job of stopping writing like I intended after my first sentence on Hall. Just such a stupid play that I can't get over it. Or quit writing about it. I'm still writing. Still writing. Sti... .)
Tank Johnson - Who was that possessed man wearing the No. 99 jersey in San Diego? Keep it up big man, this is more like what was expected out of you. It's probably a function of him finally getting healthy, but I definitely saw more intensity out of him against the Chargers and he was a difference-maker. With Domata Peko out until at least next week (and probably until the playoffs if the Bengals make it) Johnson needed to elevate his game and he has. I'd still like to see more out of the Bengals' other starting DT -- Pat Sims -- although he's been decent most of the time. I still think Sims was a nice find in the third round of the 2008 draft. Peko is a big loss, but Johnson and Sims are doing a good job of holding down the fort. And if Johnson is able to play even close to the level that he played at against the Chargers, that is real good news for the Bengals down the stretch.
The safety position - Man the Bengals are screwed right now at safety. Chinedum Ndukwe is playing pretty well and he deserves some credit. However, Tom Nelson is not ready to be a starting safety in the NFL or even close. Hopefully Chris Crocker gets back soon - like this week. Have to treat the KC game like a playoff tilt because you don't want to have to go into New York needing a win over the schizophrenic Jets to get in the playoffs in week 17. Of course, there always is a chance Baltimore will lose one of its two final games, which would clinch the division for the Bengals even if they lose out, but you don't want to back into the playoffs at 9-7. That would be almost embarrassing considering the way this season started out. Have to beat the Chiefs this week and restore the swagger and confidence.
Anyway, got off track there a little bit. As for safety, I still think losing Roy Williams at SS was a bigger loss than most believed. He was an enforcer back there. The Bengals need Ndukwe and Crocker to stay healthy the rest of the way and be productive.
Maurice Purify vs. Fui Vakapuna - Why is Purify on the practice squad and Vakapuna on the active roster? Can someone explain that one to me? Purify proved he was a good special teams player - perhaps the best at covering kickoffs on the team. (Certainly better than Kyries Hebert who the coaching staff is always praising for some reason even though he rarely makes a play on special teams. He is the special teams captain in case you didn't know.) Vakapuna adds absolutely nothing, other than a reminder that if the Bengals wanted to keep a backup fullback, they should have kept Chris Pressley. Pressley was signed off the Bengals' practice squad earlier this year by the Bucs and he was clearly better than Vakapuna in training camp.
I like that Jerome Simpson is finally getting a chance to be on the game-day roster and hopefully he will do something crazy - like, you know, catch a pass - pretty soon. And I really love it that Cosby is finally getting reps as the No. 4 receiver.
However, the Bengals need to have Purify on the active roster in case one of those guys gets hurt and in case they need him for special teams. Marvin Lewis preaches the importance of special teams, but then a guy like Purify doesn't get rewarded for excelling on special teams?
Furthermore, I just don't see the value in protecting Vakapuna with one of the 53 active-roster spots. Let another team have him if they want. What do you want to bet no one would sign him to their active roster?
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