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?
no commentsCharlotte-Mecklenburg police said Henry died at 6:36 a.m. Thursday. He was 26.
Loleini Tonga is the mother of Henry's three children and homicide investigators have been called in to study the case. No charges were immediately filed according to the Associated Press.
The AP also released a statement from police that reads: "Detectives continue to work diligently on this active investigation."
A memorable Bengals season just became even more memorable for all the wrong reasons. What a senseless death and it will be interesting when more details come out. There is a lot to this story that we currently don't know.
no commentsFollowing an argument, Henry's girlfriend tried to drive away in a pickup truck, but Henry jumped in the bed of the truck. He eventually fell out of the truck and suffered "life-threatening" injuries according to Bengals.com. Several news outlets jumped the gun and reported that Henry had died earlier in the day.
Those reports turned out to be erroneous, but Henry is currently clinging to life by a proverbial thread. Our prayers go out to him and his family.
Henry is on injured reserve with the Bengals this year after suffering a broken arm against Baltimore. He had reportedly turned his personal life around after a series of arrests earlier in his career.
Henry, 26, is in his fifth season with the Bengals who drafted him in the third round out of West Virginia in 2005. In eight games this season, he had 12 receptions for 236 yards (a team-best 19.7 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.
Henry's best season came in his second year in 2006 when he hauled in 36 receptions for 605 yards (16.8) and nine touchdowns.
no commentsStarting free safety Chris Crocker is out at least this week and probably longer with an ankle injury, meaning rookie free agent defensive back Rico Murray will stay on the active roster for now. That makes a whopping four undrafted free agent rookies that have played for Cincinnati this year (Quan Cosby, Tom Nelson and Dan Skuta being the others).
Murray was promoted from the practice squad last week and defensive tackle Shaun Smith was cut. However, the team announced on Wednesday that it re-signed Smith and released wide receiver Maurice Purify. It's a bit surprising because Purify was such a standout on special teams. The team is hoping that Purify clears waivers so they can re-sign him to the practice squad.
The big news here is that second-year wide receiver Jerome Simpson will finally get a chance to show what he can do. He will move into the No. 4 WR spot and might give the Bengals some much-needed athletic ability on the outside. Hopefully he can prove people like me that called him a bust wrong. Simpson was a second-round pick in 2008 and it will be interesting to see if he can make the most of the opportunity.
Something else to monitor going into the showdown at San Diego on Sunday is the health of rookie running back Bernard Scott. The Bengals need him to play for his kickoff returning abilities if nothing else. Andre Caldwell is as bad as they come at returning kicks and Cosby doesn't seem all that great in the role either. (I love Cosby as a punt returner though.) I also like what Scott brings as a running back, but with Cedric Benson and Larry Johnson, Scott is definitely needed most as a kickoff returner right now.
As for the Chargers game this week, the Bengals are 6.5-point underdogs for the second straight week. The Vikings certainly didn't have trouble covering that spread last week, but I think the Bengals will show up ready to play this time around. I know a lot of Who Dey fans aren't feeling good about this game - and rightfully so - but it would be a huge win if the Bengals can pull it off. Suddenly, they would be tied with the Chargers for the second-best record in the AFC and would own the tiebreaker over the Chargers if the teams ended up tied at the conclusion of the regular season. That would mean a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Then again, if the Bengals go out and lay another egg this week, the only things fans will be concerned about will be beating the Chiefs at home next week (Dec. 27) and just getting in the playoffs. (The Bengals will clinch the AFC North championship with any win in their last three games, or any loss from the Ravens.)
So, at this point, they could earn the coveted No. 2 seed, or they could potentially miss the playoffs altogether. Yes, it will probably be somewhere in between. They'll likely make the playoffs as the No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the AFC. However, everything can change with a strong performance in San Diego. It's time for the Bengals to make a statement in a game outside of their division. Well, there was the Green Bay game this year on the road, but that seems like so long ago (because it was). The Bengals seem to be going in the wrong direction and a win over the Chargers is exactly what the team needs from a confidence perspective. They need to get momentum going in their favor if they want to make any noise in the postseason (presuming they get there, which is no sure thing with the way they've looked lately).
no commentsHowever, the Bengals need to turn the page and get ready for the game at San Diego next week because Cincinnati is still very much in the hunt for the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs, which would mean a first-round bye and a home game in the divisional round.
As for those awful moments in the Vikings game...
* If there is a head coach in the NFL worse at time management than Marvin Lewis, I'd love to know who it is. Lewis is clueless when it comes to clock management at the end of halves.
Against the Vikings, the Bengals were very much in the game at 13-7 in the final moments of the second quarter. The defense had just held Minnesota to a field goal deep in Cincinnati territory and it looked like the Bengals would go into halftime down by just six points.
The Bengals got the ball back with 35 seconds left and two timeouts. As any competent football coach would know, they had two options there: Throw the ball down the field and try for a last-second field goal, or kneel on the ball and run the clock out.
Lewis and the Bengals decided to try something in between. They didn't want to go for big yardage, but they didn't want to completely kneel on the ball either. They were stuck in the middle. And on the second play of the drive, Brian Leonard fumbled after catching a screen pass (it was debatable if he had the ball long enough for the catch to count - but they didn't even replay the play) and the Vikings recovered. They kicked a field goal on the very next play to take a 16-7 lead with them into the locker room at halftime. Talk about giving away three points there. And I put the blame solely on the head coach. Make up your mind, Marvin. You are either gambling and throwing the ball down the field, or you're taking a knee. There is no room for indecision in the NFL and it cost the Bengals in that situation.
* More proof that the Bengals are a poorly coached team? All the penalties. They were racking up so many penalties today (11 for 85 yards to be exact) that the Raiders' teams of the 1970's would be jealous. But how can you say Marvin Lewis is not a good coach? The Bengals are 9-4 this year. True, but I just see too many things that would not happen on a well-coached team. I don't think Lewis is a terrible coach by any means; I just think he's average at best. Honestly, I think the Bengals have won in spite of him at times this year. I see a coach that has no idea what he's doing in the clock management department and I see a team that plays with not enough discipline.
* Speaking of coaching letdowns, offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski should be ashamed of himself. The Bengals managed just 210 yards of total offense against the Vikings. And yes, Minnesota has one of the best defensive units in the NFL, but that's still inexcusable when you have as much talent as the Bengals do on the offensive side of the ball. I'll continue to say it until I'm blue in the face: Can you imagine what a good offensive coordinator would be getting out of this offense? There is plenty of talent in place with Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, the deep stable of running backs and a solid offensive line. Simply put, Bratkowski is not getting enough production out of this offense. I think often time he comes into games with a questionable plan and doesn't do a good job of adjusting during the game and calling the right plays.
* In fairness to Brat, the loss of Chris Henry has really hurt this team. The Bengals don't have a legitimate deep threat other than Ochocinco and teams key on him so much that it's difficult for him to get behind defenders. Not throwing the ball down the field is also part of the problem. You have to take some shots deep and we're not seeing the Bengals do that enough this year.
* What has happened to Kevin Huber? I thought the rookie punter looked great early in the year, but he's really hit a dry spell. Against the Vikings, he managed a paltry 32.4 yards per punt (on seven attempts).
* Hey Shayne Graham, I know you have a weak leg on kickoffs, but can you at least not kick the ball out of bounds and give the opposing team the ball at the 40? Thanks. When the hell are the Bengals going to sign a kickoff specialist? If Graham is your placekicker, you need someone else handling kickoffs. That must be obvious to everyone except Mike Brown and the Bengals coaches.
* Man Dhani Jones is awful in pass coverage. And Rey Maualuga had his worst game of his career against the Vikings with a boneheaded late hit out of bounds and some missed tackles. Poor day at the office for the Bengals' linebackers. And I continue to think Keith Rivers is the reincarnation of Brian Simmons (and I don't mean that as a compliment). Brandon Johnson is the better player for my money. (Oh yeah, money, that's why Rivers is playing. He is a former first-rounder, Johnson is a former fifth-rounder that the Bengals signed as a free agent.)
* Laveranues Coles, are you still on the team? Are you still alive? Should someone call the police or something? Has anyone heard from him? (For the record, I think momma Coles meant to spell his first name "Laverneus." Because the way it's spelled now, it looks like it should be pronounced "Lav-er-a-noose." Maybe that only bothers me though. ... Kind of like that safety Herana-Daze Jones the Bengals had a few years ago. He somehow pronounced his first-name "Hernandez." But that didn't make any sense the way it was spelled. It looked like it should have been pronounced "Her-ANA-daze." I think his momma meant to spell it "Hernan-Daze" ... and that would have been plenty stupid too, but at least would have made a little more sense.) But as for Coles, talk about a guy not earning his paycheck or even close.
* Jerome Simpson, how pathetic are you to not even be able to make the game-day roster on a team that needs athletic wide receivers (as opposed to undersized possession receivers like Lav-er-a-noose)? Calling Simpson a bust doesn't even do justice to how big of a disappointment he's been. But it's not his fault the Bengals foolishly passed on DeSean Jackson in the second round of the 2008 draft for him. Jackson was an obvious pick because at the time the Bengals needed a WR and a return specialist. Jackson would have filled both voids and would have filled them well. But somehow, Brown and his brain(less) trust messed it up. Shocking, I know. And now the team is left with Simpson taking up a spot on the roster and adding absolutely nothing to the team. C'mon, he's got to be better than Lav-er-a-noose, right? No? OK, you're probably right. I shouldn't be so hard on Coles. He's at least better than Jerome Simpson, I'll give him that much.
* As for that signing of defensive tackle Shaun Smith, it certainly didn't last for long. Smith was released and defensive back Rico Murray was signed from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. However, there are reports that the Bengals could re-sign Smith next week or later in the season if need be.
* Starting DT Domata Peko is a huge loss for this team (arthroscopic knee surgery) and it will be interesting to see if he can get back in three weeks for the season finale against the Jets. I just hope he's OK for the playoffs. The Bengals need just one win in their final three games -- or a loss from Baltimore -- to clinch the AFC North championship. But Cincinnati has bigger plans than that and it will all start with the showdown at the Chargers this coming Sunday. The Bengals and Chargers are neck-and-neck for the No. 2 seed and that game could basically decide who gets the coveted first-round playoff bye (the Chargers are currently one game up, but the Bengals would obviously own the tiebreaker if they defeat San Diego). But yeah, the way the Bengals looked on Sunday, maybe we should just hope they get in the playoffs. However, I'm not worried about that at all considering the lone home game remaining is against the lowly Chiefs. The Bengals are going to make the playoffs. My only questions are how high of a seed will they get and can they do any damage once they get in.
no commentsVeteran defensive tackle Shaun Smith will reportedly sign with the Bengals on Wednesday, which tells me the team must be concerned about Tank Johnson's injury situation.
We already know Domata Peko is out at least until the season finale at the Jets following arthroscopic knee surgery, but Johnson is dealing with back and foot injuries. And for the Bengals to go to such drastic measures as to sign Smith means the team probably isn't convinced Johnson will make it through the rest of the season.
Smith, 28, has good size at 6-foot-2, 325 pounds and he played for the Bengals from 2004-06. He started five games at defensive tackle during the '05 season when the Bengals won the AFC North championship.
In 2007, Smith signed a four-year, $8.6 million dollar contract with the Cleveland Browns (which the Bengals could have matched, but wisely chose not to) and he started 10 games in 2007 and nine in '08. Smith -- who was best known in Cleveland for punching quarterback Brady Quinn during a dispute last year in the weight room -- was cut by the Browns during the preseason this year. Smith was then signed by the Detroit Lions, who quickly cut him.
It was learned soon after that Smith was suspended four games by the NFL for testing positive for a banned supplement. However, he was somehow able to serve said suspension while looking for work this year. So, he will be able to play for the Bengals immediately, although I find it highly unlikely that he will. This is just an insurance policy and he will be on the active roster, but inactive for game days. At least for now.
Even if Johnson is hurt worse than the team is letting on, they could activate Orien Harris who they picked up off the street before they went after Smith (which would lead one to believe they like Harris -- who they traded straight-up for Brian Leonard and then got back -- more than they like Smith).
Or, a more likely option is to "go small" with Frostee Rucker seeing most of his action at tackle, Jonathan Fanene seeing snaps at tackle, and Michael Johnson playing more at DE (if Fanene moves inside, Johnson would take his snaps on the outside). That scenario isn't ideal because it leaves the Bengals susceptible to the run up the middle, but with Peko out and Johnson hurting, they've got to do something. Thank goodness Pat Sims is healthy ... knock on wood. Not that Sims has been tearing it up or anything, but the 2008 third-round pick out of Auburn is a solid player and maybe he will break out now that he's starting and getting more playing time.
Final analysis: This is kind of a ho-hum move but I like that the Bengals are trying to cover all their bases. Smith is a bit of a clown (did I say "a bit of"?) but he's probably as good as you could hope to find off the scrap heap at a position like D-tackle.
Now if the Bengals could just do something about that depleted depth at safety.
no commentsIf the Cincinnati Bengals win any of their final four games, they will clinch the AFC North championship.
The Bengals are 9-3, while Pittsburgh and Baltimore are struggling at 6-6. The best the Steelers and Ravens can finish this season is 10-6. And since the Bengals own the tiebreaker, that means the proverbial magic number for Cincinnati is exactly one. If the Bengals get to 10 wins, they are automatically in the playoffs as the division champ.
However, they have much bigger plans than that and I see no reason why they can't go into Minnesota this week and upset the 10-2 Vikings (the Bengals are 6.5-point underdogs). Brett Favre is having an excellent season - especially at the age of 40 - but isn't he due for one of those games when he throws a slew of picks? We've seen it from him several times during his illustrious career. (The Bengals also ushered in the Favre era in 1992 when he led a comeback victory over Cincinnati in Green Bay after coming in off the bench.)
It's going to be difficult holding down running back Adrian Peterson - especially with Domata Peko out (the Bengals' defensive tackle had arthroscopic knee surgery on Monday and will be out for the next 2-4 weeks) - but I think the Bengals' defense can cause some problems for Favre.
Minnesota also has an excellent defense led by end Jared Allen, who is probably going to be too much for Bengals right tackle Dennis Roland to handle. The Vikings also have the "Williams Wall" with run-stuffing defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams. Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield has been out lately with an injury and the Bengals better hope he will miss at least one more game.
This is a very good Vikings team, but the Bengals have the ability to go on the road and get a victory. They need to force Favre into making mistakes - which he has done throughout his career, but has largely avoided this year. Favre has never had a better supporting cast and that's why he's taking less chances. But he's still Brett Favre. There are going to be opportunities for the Bengals to get turnovers and they need to capitalize on those chances. Favre's favorite target is wide receiver Sidney Rice and it will be interesting to see if Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall - one of the best corner tandems in the NFL - will be able to shut him down.
If any defense can get it done against Favre, Peterson, Rice and the rest of the Vikings' offense, it's the Bengals. Cincinnati is putting up staggering defensive statistics this season, things Bengal fans have never seen before.
Three-fourths of the way through the regular season, the Bengals rank No. 1 in the NFL in scoring defense (15.6 points-allowed per game) and No. 4 in the NFL in total defense (293.2 yards-allowed per game). You don't put up numbers like that by accident and the Bengals have proven they don't just have a good defense - they have a borderline great one.
However, there are some concerns from my point of view because injuries are starting to catch up to them. Peko is a huge loss because he's one of the best run-pluggers in the NFL (and also does a good job collapsing the pocket on passing plays). I like Tank Johnson and Pat Sims as the starters, but now there is zero depth behind them. Johnson has been battling injuries most of the season, so who knows how long he will last. Hopefully Peko is able to get back by the playoffs; I doubt he plays much if at all the rest of the regular season.
Safety is also a concern. I thought Roy Williams was a bigger loss than most people seemed to think, and now Chris Crocker is injured as well. He's not out for the year like Williams, but the Bengals are suddenly begging for quality depth at safety. Maybe rookie free agent Tom Nelson will continue to be a pleasant surprise (hey, Quan Cosby has proven that UFAs can make an immediate impact) and he did play well against the Lions last week.
However, I can't help but think the Bengals should have held on to Marvin White, who looked good last week playing against his former team. The Bengals cut the 2007 fourth-round draft pick this year and he was picked up by the Cowboys. Dallas released him and he was snatched up by the Lions, where he's carved out a starting role for himself.
Hindsight is definitely 20/20 with this one. I can't say I was upset when White was let go by the Bengals because he hadn't proven anything up to that point of his career - especially for someone drafted relatively high. But now, he would definitely look good on the roster as a top backup.
At it stands, Chinedum Ndukwe - a player that runs a 4.7 40 - is the best safety on the roster. (It would be Crocker, but he's hurt right now.) Consider me very concerned about the situation at safety.
Switching gears, I'm not at all concerned about the Bengals' running game. How could you be? They rank sixth in the NFL at 133.9 rushing yards per game. It was good to see Cedric Benson back in workhorse form last week and there is no question that him and Larry Johnson form an excellent 1-2 punch, something that the Vikings have not seen this year. Johnson looked great two weeks ago against the Browns and that kind of play will be needed if the Bengals are to pull off the upset.
Hopefully Carson Palmer continues to take a couple deep shots down the field as well. We haven't seen nearly enough of that this year. But if Winfield is out, the Bengals need to attack down the field. (Actually, Winfield's best attribute is his excellent tackling ability, but he's also solid in coverage.) Chad Ochocinco needs to be more of a big-play guy and less of a possession receiver.
The Bengals miss Chris Henry because he was definitely the best deep threat on the field. Andre Caldwell and Laveranues Coles are possession receivers. I like what they bring to the table for the most part, but there's no getting around the fact that the Bengals lack a deep threat this year. But Ochocinco needs to become that. He still has the speed to do that and no one in the NFL runs better routes.
While this week's game will be fun, next week against the Chargers will be even bigger because the Bengals could put themselves in a position to claim the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs, which would mean a first-round bye.
But we'll worry about that next week. This week is about going up to the dome and beating Old Man Favre. Can one of the NFL's best defenses force him into a bunch of mistakes? Stay tuned, but I at least think it will be a close game with the Bengals giving the Vikings all they can handle. Don't forget how tough the Steelers and Ravens played the Vikings (the Steelers won in Pittsburgh, the Ravens lost in Minneapolis).
The Vikings might be the second-best team in the NFC, but the AFC is so much better than the NFC this year that it's absurd. This is certainly a winnable game for the Bengals.
no commentsAlright, I'm not thrilled that once again the Bengals showed a lack of a killer instinct against one of the worst teams in the NFL.
However, all that matters is that Cincinnati defeated the visiting Detroit Lions on Sunday 23-13 to move to 9-3 on the year and keep its stranglehold on the AFC North. (And that loss at Oakland doesn't look quite as bad now since the Raiders shockingly chomped the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Sunday.)
The good news in the win over the Lions included the return of Cedric Benson who showed no ill-effects after missing the last two games with a hip injury. Benson was back to his workhorse self with 36 carries for 110 yards.
Another positive sign was the game turned in by Chad Ochocinco who torched the shaky Lions defense for nine receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown. I've been saying all year that Ochocinco has never looked better and he's not being used enough. But he was certainly a big part of the offense today and that was good to see.
Other items that stand out from the win over Detroit...
* The ‘Scrap Iron Defense' - OK, I'll buy into that nickname. It's not great, but I'll go with the flow.
The Bengals entered play first in the entire NFL in scoring defense and sixth in total defense. Just amazing when you consider some of the pathetic defenses we've seen over the years in Cincinnati. First in the NFL in scoring defense and sixth in total defense! Maybe they'll be able to make some noise in the playoffs after all because that sounds like a recipe for postseason success.
Late in the third quarter against the Lions, the Bengals were leading 20-7 and appeared to be going in for score. However, Carson Palmer lost a fumble and the ball was returned to midfield by Detroit.
So what happened? The Bengals forced a three-and-out and got the ball right back for the offense. Led by Benson, Cincinnati marched down the field and Shayne Graham's third field goal gave them a commanding 23-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.
And then the Bengals showed their lack of a killer instinct by not really slamming the door on the Lions, but at least they held on for a 10-point victory.
But this bit was supposed to be an ode to the defense. So, take a bow, Mike Zimmer. I still can't believe Marvin Lewis was able to find a competent defensive coordinator. And Zimmer is not just competent, he exactly what this defense needed and more. Even during last season's dismal 4-11-1 campaign, Zimmer's defense was tough all year.
I imagine he's still hurting deeply about the loss of his wife earlier this year, but hopefully the season the team is having is somewhat therapeutic for him.
Interestingly -- as Three-Way Chili reader Shaun Simpson pointed out -- Zimmer's contract is up at the end of the year. But I would have to think the team will sign him to a two-or-three-year extension. Even Mike Brown can't mess that up, can he? OK, that's true, we should never assume anything when it comes to Brown. Especially when the topic is "making intelligent decisions."
But honestly, I would be shocked if Zimmer isn't back next year. I think he'll be around at least as long as Lewis, and that will be for a while.
* Quan Cosby - I can't mention this guy enough. Quan Cosby. Quan Cosby. Quan Cosby.
Unless you've been around longer than me (I'm 33), he's the best punt returner you've seen play for the Bengals. Think about that. A rookie undrafted free agent is the best punt returner you can remember playing for the Bengals.
He uncorked a 25-yarder to begin the Lions game and averaged 18 yards on three returns. He's now averaging a very-solid 11.8 yards per return on the season. Love everything about this guy and I see no reason why he can't get involved as a reserve receiver later in his career as well.
Quan Cosby. Quan Cosby.
* J-Jo - Fourth-year cornerback Johnathan Joseph gets a lot of credit for his cover skills ... and rightfully so. He leads the Bengals with five interceptions and is a candidate for the Pro Bowl (the same could probably be said for Leon Hall).
However, what really makes Joseph special in my opinion is his ability to also come up and help in run support. He throws his body around fearlessly and is a relatively good tackler in the open field. The best cornerbacks are physical (there are exceptions like Deion Sanders in his prime) and Joseph is certainly a physical corner. He led the Bengals with eight tackles against the Lions - all solo stops. This young man has developed into an excellent all-around corner.
* Fanene keeps getting it done - He leads all active Bengals players with five sacks this season (Antwan Odom has eight, but he's on IR) and against the Lions defensive lineman Jonathan Fanene added a pick six to his resume. (Thanks in part to a nice play by rookie DE Michael Johnson to deflect a pass at the line of scrimmage. Johnson added his second sack of the season later in the game. You gotta be excited about Johnson, who was a third-round steal.)
If not for Fanene's interception, who knows how this game would have turned out. Remember, the Lions were leading 7-0 at the time and had all the momentum. That play completely changed the game around.
It's pretty incredible the season the former seventh-round pick is having. He fell into a couple of his sacks this season and got lucky, but that happens to a lot of D-linemen. Some sacks are going to be luck. The point is that he's making a huge impact and he's helped fill the void left by Odom when he went down.
I still think Odom was a big loss because he was the best true pass-rusher I've seen in a Bengals uniform for quite some time. He was headed for a 12-14 sack season or so. But Fanene has certainly softened that blow with his outstanding play. And he can even slide down to tackle which is important because...
* Peko is a big loss - Domata Peko is on the shelf with a knee injury and that is a huge loss, and kills the depth at defensive tackle. I don't mind Tank Johnson and Pat Sims as the starters (in fact I think they're both good players) but if one of those guys goes down, the Bengals will have to play someone out of position. For example, move Frostee Rucker or Fanene to tackle. They have both played there at times, but could they handle being a full-time starter inside? I'm not sure.
I think Peko is one of the top defensive tackles in the NFL and is extremely underrated. That is going to be an enormous loss if he's out for very long.
* Bengals about to find out how good they really are - You're not exactly sure if the Bengals are legit? Well, they will undoubtedly get a chance to prove themselves when they go on the road the next two weeks to play the Minnesota Vikings and San Diego Chargers. The latter game is more important because it could determine who gets the No. 2 seed (and a first-round bye) in the AFC playoffs, but both games will be interesting measuring sticks for Who Dey Nation.
What do I think will happen? I am predicting 1-1, but nothing will surprise me. 0-2 wouldn't be surprising since these are two of the best teams in the NFL and the Bengals have to go on the road to play them. However, the Bengals are a very balanced team and have the ability to play well in big games. 2-0 would be a mild surprise in this stretch, but it wouldn't be shocking.
But let's just hope for at least 1-1 because then I think the Bengals will beat the Chiefs at home on Dec. 27 (get that Christmas gift for Larry Johnson) and will have a very good shot at knocking off a mediocre Jets team in New York in the regular-season finale.
I'm still thinking 11-5 for a final record, but 12-4 would not shock me at all.
And who knows, maybe 13-3 is possible. But I think 12-4 would be enough to get the No. 2 seed and the first-round bye and that's what Marvin Lewis and crew are shooting for right now.
no commentsThis is a feature I started two weeks ago where I bring up a player or a topic and give you my quick take on the matter.
Brandon Johnson vs. Keith Rivers - I know a lot of Bengals fans are anxious for Rivers to get healthy and return to the starting lineup at weak-side linebacker. But why? If he wasn't the ninth overall pick of the 2008 draft, what would you honestly think about his play? Yes, we haven't seen a lot of him due to him missing over half the season last year (because of the jaw-breaking cheap shot from Hines Ward) and due to his injuries this year, but he's played enough to make an impression. And from where I stand, it hasn't been a very good one.
For my money, Johnson is clearly the better player. Watching them, you would think Johnson was the former first-rounder and Rivers was the former fifth-rounder. I don't think Rivers is terrible, I just think it's clear that Johnson brings more to the table at this stage of their careers.
Was very impressed with Johnson last year after the Bengals signed him as a free agent (he played two years for the Arizona Cardinals) and I continue to be this year. He yaps a little too much for my tastes (he and Dhani Jones feel the need to wildly celebrate every simple tackle they make), but I sure like the brand of football he plays. He's very athletic, tough and has a nose for the football.
Rey Maualuga - Just get the feeling this guy is on the verge of a breakout where he literally is the difference-maker for the Bengals on defense and wins a game for them. He keeps getting better and looks somewhat comfortable at the strong-side linebacker spot (even though it's obvious he is the middle ‘backer of the future and will move there when Jones' days are done). Maualuga is a sure-tackler and I love his wrecking-ball style of playing linebacker. And he might not be fast in the 40, but he has good football speed and can make plays sideline-to-sideline.
Sweeping the AFC North - I actually felt good about the Bengals entering the 2009 season. However, if you would have told me they would sweep the AFC North with a 6-0 record and would be 8-3 at this stage of the season, I would have told you to hop in the first vehicle you could find (unless it was driven by Tiger with his wife swinging golf clubs at you) and get to the nearest psychiatric ward.
However, it has become a reality and I'm still trying to allow it to sink in. That might be something Bengal fans never see again. Even going 5-1 would have been a great year in what is a very tough division (minus the Browns of course). Those four wins over the Steelers and Ravens have been the highlight of the season thus far.
Carson Palmer's mobility - I'm not ready to nickname him "Crazy Legs Carson" but I am very impressed with his ability to scramble when things break down. Palmer showed somewhat good mobility early in his pro career, but the last few years he's been a bit of a statue back there. However, something is different this year and I like it. Maybe it's taken him this long to fully get over the mental hump after his knee injury in the playoffs four years ago. Palmer is never going to beat teams with his running ability. But picking up a few cheap first downs on scrambles kills a defense and can be the difference in winning or losing a game.
Larry Johnson - Any more questions as to why the Bengals signed this guy? He looked great against the Browns with 22 carries for 107 yards - his first time reaching triple-digits in yards since last year. Johnson breaks tackles, is quick through the hole and can carry defenders along with him for extra yards.
Could there be some friction between Johnson and Cedric Benson in the locker room? Perhaps, but I'm not all that worried about it. And bringing LJ in was a very good insurance policy because there is no guarantee that Benson will stay healthy the rest of the way. I also like Bernard Scott - quite a bit in fact - but there is nothing wrong with building depth.
Also, if Benson starts to whine about the competition (which I don't think he will do), then he's not the kind of long-term back the team wants anyway. Good players welcome competition.
Furthermore, if Benson is smart, he will realize that there is no way LJ is coming back to the Bengals next year, while Benson is signed through 2010. Some other team will offer LJ a decent deal after this season (read: more money than the Bengals will offer) and will tell him they will give him more opportunities to carry the ball than the Bengals could.
Signing LJ was just a half-year thing for the Bengals this season to cover their ass for the playoff run. There is no question the top two running backs on the team next year will be Benson and Scott. I say that for two reasons: they're good and they're under contract.
LJ will be with another team next year, but I'm sure glad to have him now. He didn't look good against the Browns ... he looked great. (Yeah, yeah, I know ... how much can you tell from playing the Browns. But there's no getting around the fact that LJ still has some gas in the tank.)
The rest of the schedule - It sets up very nicely for the Bengals from my perspective. If Cincinnati finishes 3-2 down the stretch - putting them at 11-5 for the season - that would clinch the division title since Pittsburgh and Baltimore would have to win out just to get to 11-5 (and both teams would lose the tiebreaker against the Bengals).
In my estimation, the Bengals have two easy games (Detroit and Kansas City at home), two tough games (Minnesota and San Diego on the road) and one game that is a toss-up of sorts (at N.Y. Jets).
Despite the inexcusable loss in Oakland - and the idea that the Bengals always find a way to play down to their competition - I think they'll take care of business against the Lions and Chiefs at Paul Brown Stadium. That would put them at 10-6 at worst to finish the season (meaning if the Steelers lose one game and the Ravens lose one game at any point during the next five weeks, the Bengals will clinch the division title).
But I think the Bengals will be at least 11-5 to finish out the year. Obviously beating the Vikings or Chargers on the road will be a difficult task, but I think Cincinnati could go 1-1 in those games. 0-2 might be more likely, but don't discount the idea that the Bengals could win at least one of those games. The Steelers (who beat Minnesota) and the Ravens played the Vikings very tough and there's no reason to think the Bengals won't do the same. The Chargers are one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now, but they're not exactly a well-coached team and I think the Bengals will be tough to beat even in Southern California. The Bengals play down to their competition at times, but they also have the ability to bring their best in big games.
The Jets on the final weekend of the regular season is tough to call. Hopefully the Bengals have already clinched a playoff berth by then and they are just positioning for a good seed (and maybe even a first-round bye). The Jets have a good defense, but rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez has been shaky of late and that is another game that I think the Bengals could win on the road.
Right now, I think the Bengals are looking at 12-4 at best and 10-6 at worst. I think they'll finish right in the middle at 11-5.
Andre Smith: It's about time he played. Now we just need to work on the little thing called playing well. The Bengals already have one obvious bust in the 2009 draft (third-round TE Chase Coffman) and they certainly can't afford their first-rounder (sixth overall!) to reside in Bustville as well. I'm encouraged Smith finally saw the field. Now we'll see if he can beat out players who are far-less talented than him like Dennis Roland. Not sure what Smith's best position is (right tackle, guard?) but the Bengals better have a good idea since they were the ones that drafted him so early despite some red flags (going AWOL from the combine, weight issues, getting suspended for his final game at Alabama, going back-and-forth in terms of hiring an agent, etc.).
Quan Cosby - Love what this guy brings as a punt returner. He always does a good job of going north-south and getting what he can. What a find he was as an undrafted free agent. The Bengals haven't had a good punt returner in a long time and he's already borderline-excellent and will only get better. I also love that he's physical for a smaller guy and will knock someone on their ass if given the chance. When he gets a chance to block (like on Scott's kickoff return for a TD against the Steelers three weeks ago) he is extremely effective and literally lays guys out.
The Bengals' lack of a killer instinct - We've seen it far too many times this year: The Bengals get comfortable and completely shut down offensively. Tresselball might work at Ohio State, but I don't want to see Marvin Lewis adopt that philosophy. It works for the Buckeyes (barely, sometimes) because they are far more talented than most of the teams they play. The talent level is pretty equal across the NFL and you need good schemes to beat good teams.
Right now, I am not seeing good offensive schemes from coordinator Bob Bratkowski. A good offensive coordinator would be getting much more out of a franchise quarterback like Carson Palmer.
Kudos to the Bengals for building a strong running game; it was certainly needed if they were going to establish themselves as a playoff team. However, that doesn't mean you have to completely forget about Palmer's ability to throw the ball downfield - especially to Chad Ochocinco who looks as good as ever this year.
I fear the Bengals have gone too conservative on offense. It cost them a win in the Raiders game after they completely shut down shop after building a 14-0 lead (and lost 20-17). It almost cost them in the second Ravens game when they shut down shop after building a 17-0 lead (they won 17-7 but the Ravens were still in the game until late in the fourth quarter when it looked like it was going to be a blowout). And Sunday's lackadaisical effort in the second half against the Browns reminded me of almost every OSU game I've watched in recent years.
But Carson Palmer is no Terrelle Pryor. Palmer can actually throw the football. Note to Bratkowski: allow him to do it more often. You have one of the best QBs in the game and you're treating him like Ryan Fitzpatrick.
no commentsWhat an awfully-coached game for the Bengals from start-to-finish. There were so many poor decisions that I almost lost count. But the two that hurt the most were offensive play-calling and allowing an obviously-bad kickoff returner to handle the ball with the game on the line.
When Cincinnati had the chance to put the game away when leading 17-10 late in the fourth quarter, offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski made one of the worst calls you could imagine. Just past midfield on third-and-five, the Bengals threw a fade pass to Brian Leonard about 15 yards down the field. If they get the first down there, the game is basically over. Pathetic decision by Bratkowski who struggled for much of the game to come up with the right call. You call a fade to Leonard there? Really?
However, even after the Bengals' defense allowed the Raiders to tie the game at 17-17 (thanks in large part to Morgan Trent's back-to-back brain cramps), the worst that could've happened for the Bengals was that the game would go to overtime. Well, unless you allow the worst kick returner in the NFL to return the ensuing kickoff.
And what does Marvin Lewis do? Despite the fact that Bernard Scott has clearly proven himself to be the best kickoff returner on the team - and despite the fact that Caldwell is DEAD LAST in the NFL in kickoff return average for players with 15 or more returns - he inexplicably allows Caldwell to return the kickoff. Didn't Scott return a kickoff for a touchdown against the Steelers last week? Did I dream that? And you allow "slow-motion" Caldwell to ever have his hands on a kickoff again?
Caldwell is obviously uncomfortable in this role as even the most novice of football fans could understand. He's a good wide receiver, bad kick returner. But Lewis and the coaching staff continue to try and pound a square peg into a round hole.
At best, Caldwell is going to have a shaky kickoff return (probably returned to the 18 or 19). At worst - as he already proved once prior to the Oakland game this season - he will fumble the ball away. And that's exactly what he did to cost the Bengals the game on Sunday.
But do I fault Andre Caldwell?
Absolutely not.
If some random blogger like me said a month ago that Caldwell had no business returning kickoffs in the NFL, then how couldn't Lewis see that? And what part about Bernard Scott establishing himself as the best kickoff returner on the team last week against the Steelers didn't Lewis understand?
Oh, because Scott was playing running back, he couldn't return kicks?
Wrong.
Horrible coaching decision.
In fact, the entire Bengals' coaching staff should be embarrassed for not getting their team ready to beat an awful Raiders team. They're lucky the Steelers lost to the equally-pathetic Chiefs earlier on Sunday.
Yeah, and you could also blame the Bengals' loss on Jeremi Johnson's fumble in the fourth quarter when they were going in for what looked like a TD already up 17-10. But what is Bratkowski doing giving the ball to Johnson there? The only thing Johnson has proven he won't drop during his years with the Bengals is a Big Mac.
Bratkowski is usually so predictable as a play-caller that it's excruciating for fans. (One of many examples: He almost-always runs on second-and-10 after throwing an incomplete pass on first down. If we know that, you had better believe everyone that plays the Bengal;s knows that too.)
However, today, he wasn't predictable. He was just bad. Can you imagine what a good offensive coordinator could have done with Carson Palmer against the Raiders' defense?
Exactly.
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