The Bengals Miserable Offseason Gets Worse With Palmer Dilemma
Yes it has been one of the worst off seasons in recent Bengals history and the news got worse yesterday as Carson Palmer packed up his stuff, put his house up for sale, and started plans to head back to his birth state of California. Carson is seriously considering retirement and he is sending the signs to the Bengals that no matter what changes they make he is sticking to his original demand to be traded or he will retire. Palmer is now a father of 3 young babies and his wife has been urging him to retire as she wants him with the kids more and the family has been getting heckled by upset Cincy fans.
Palmer has banked millions and is in no need to come back. His love for the game has seemed to take a dip as he has been “bengalized” by major injuries, bad coaching, and losing seasons.
However, as Palmer is in a perfect situation, the Bengals are trapped in an awful one and their options are dwindling. The Bengals are unable to meet Palmer’s trade demands until a new CBA is signed which could be a while and the price they could get for him is dying as the rest of the league knows we have no leverage. While in a normal circumstances teams like Oakland, Seattle, and Arizona all could offer anywhere from a first pick to a second and a third pick for Palmer his public discourse will leave the Bengals begging to get what ever they can for their former number one overall pick.
Palmer is sending a strong message that brings back memories of Barry Sander’s early retirement when no one believed he would follow through on his threat.
The Bengals are also stuck because the QB pool in the draft is considered to be one of the worst in the last decade and many believe no QB in this years draft is worth a top 20 pick, let alone the 4th overall one that the Bengals own.
Also the free agents out this year are not very good unless the Bengals make a play for a declining Mcnabb or the mentally unstable star that is Vince Yong.
Regardless of Palmer’s struggles, if fans get what they want in Palmer leaving Cincinnati they may very well end up regretting that wish. It took the Bengals nearly 12 years to find a franchise QB in Palmer and they went through many heartbreaking QB busts for years. Bengal fans remember the 2 AFC North championships because you just may be praying to have those days back if Palmer leaves. The Bengals are on the verge of entering another long QB search and should be working on a plan B immediately in case Palmer follows Sander’s footsteps and exits the game early.
League Nearing Doomsday Situation As CBA Talks Are Canceled
I have avoided talking about the collective bargaining agreement for as long as I could, but it now appears to be time to explain the situation, the deadlines, and the ramifications if a deal is not in place soon. The news broke this morning that the owners and players association would be calling off their scheduled meeting today after reportedly meeting for upwards of 10 hours yesterday with little to no progress. It’s also been reported that the meeting for next week has been canceled as well and if that report proves to be true the chances of a lockout will almost instantly double.
The reason for this is there is a March 3rd deadline to have a new agreement in place otherwise teams will be unable to make trades, players will not become free agents, and will be locked out without deals to any teams. If the league and its players cannot reach a compromise by that deadline the talks will likely be put on hold until right before the season. The situation is getting uglier by the day and the chances of them coming to terms before that March deadline are becoming more of a pipe dream than reality. If the talks head into the middle of the summer the league will suffer gigantic losses in merchandising, ticket sales, sponsors, and more. The players will also be losing out big in the way that they will be locked to their current team well into the summer and cannot blend with their new team anytime soon and they will be unable to test the waters of free agency.
For fans we still will get to enjoy the NFL draft and the scouting combine, but we will not see trades, free agency, and mini camps until something is worked out. This will be a major let down as the NFL as always prided itself on being a year round sport that always leaves the fans something to look forward to.
The league and players are mainly fighting over the money the players get in comparison to the owners. Players take far more of the NFL pie than the owners and the players are so heavily overpaid it snit fair to the owners. Some of the other issues include revenue sharing, rookie salary cap, the proposed 18 games schedule (the players hate), and overall issues with pay rates.
The league has not hit the panic button quite yet, but they have certainly now have their fingers on it. For the rest world we will have to wait and see if our nations most popular sport will even be in existence as we know it in 2011 and if so what major changes we will see across the board. The NFL sky is falling and clock is ticking.
Update: The CBA talks broke down due to union proposing a 50-50 split of all revenue. This is per Chris Mortensen of ESPN.
Super Bowl Videos & Prediction
The week has been over crowded with predictions, stats, guesses, news, sound bites, and more but the game is finally here and the Steelers and Packers are set to do battle tonight in chilly Dallas. Not going to go into it too much details because a Superbowl is so unpredictable it’s no use in breaking down these two great teams. Prediction- Packers 27- Steelers 24.
Low scoring game at first with the Steelers coming on strong and a similar ending to the last two Steeler’s Superbowl appearances but instead this time their luck runs out.
Just some videos here to enjoy before tonight. Enjoy the game and the bittersweet end to another year of football.
Lil Wayne Green and Yellow (Superbowl song)-
Awesome ESPN pregame video of top 5 Superbowl moments made out of food-
One for all the Hines Ward haters (me included)-
Bengals to Hire Jay Gruden.
The Bengals didn’t take long pulling the trigger in their search for their next offensive coordinator. The reports are the Bengals will soon announce the new coordinator to be none other than the brother of the Jon Gruden whom many fans wanted to be named head coach. Jay Gruden has only a little NFL experience spending 2002-2008 as an offensive assistant on the buccaneers when his brother was the head coach. Jay was a starting QB at Louisville during his college days and ranks in the top 5 in many of Louisville’s all time passing statistics.
He also coached the Florida Tuskers in the UFL and is now making the jump to the big leagues. Good luck to Gruden and for the Bengals fans for that for the first time in 10 years will see a different approach offensively from their Cincinnati Bengals.
Bengals Fire Bob Bratkowski
The words that Bengals fans have been dying to hear for years have finally come from the front office as the team parts ways with their offensive coordinator. It looks as if Palmer’s attempt to get changes might have gotten through to the owner as the Bengals are looking to make even more changes. The interesting part is the Bengals couldn’t fire him before the senior bowl for fear they wouldn’t get to coach in it, but once they were done with the game they immediately cut ties from their OC.
Statement from Marvin Lewis: “After reviewing our season in depth, we’ve decided it’s best for the team to make changes at this time.”
It will be interesting to see if more changes are in store and if the move convinces Palmer to lay off his trade demand. Regardless, this is a very big moment for the Bengals and they can now begin to move forward under a new direction.
With the Bengals official sacrificial lamb gone even more heat will be on Palmer and Lewis to succeed in 2011 (that is if, you know, there is actually a season in 2011).
Update: Bengals figure to hire from outside the organization which is another great piece of news. Queue the talk of Childress to Cincy talk.
Update: Carson Palmer’s Agent Releases Statement
“Because of the lack of success that Carson and the Bengals have experienced together, Carson strongly feels that a separation between him and the Bengals would be in the best interest of both parties.”
Those words were echoed today by Carson Palmer’s agent David Dunn in what seems like a retaliation statement following Mike Browns attempt to defuse the situation earlier in the day. This still could still just be posturing by Palmer, but it seems apparent that things are not right and Carson and his agent are ready to go to war. This is getting extremely ugly and is slowly becoming one of the worst times in recent Bengals history.
Chad Ochocinco decided to chime in on the situation by saying on his Twitter account “@Bengals Not sure who runs this site but tell management I’m gonna start whooping ass if we don’t get it together, let’s go damit! #WhoDey”
“I’d do anything to play for someone like Rex Ryan or anyone who has that type of mentality.” Chad & T.O.
This could just be Chad being Chad in an attempt to further his chances of leaving the team or maybe he is really trying to help bring to light all the issues with the team. Either way this team is sinking quickly and an ugly storm cloud is hovering above this franchise as Mike Brown is taking it to a new all time low.
Packers Celebrate NFC Crown While Steelers Celebrate AFC Title A Little Differently
Packers vs. Steelers will be quite a Superbowl I am sure. Its amazing what both teams have fought through to get to this point as (my preseason Superbowl predicted) Packers fought through a staggering number of injuries and heart crushing losses, and the Steelers fought through losing their QB for the first four games to suspension. Regardless, both teams have made it to the end and I will be gladly rooting on one of my all time favorite teams, the Packers.
I got to admit its been a tough day for Bengals fans in Cincy today with the news of Carson demanding a trade and their hated rivals making it to yet another Superbowl, but for those of you who missed it this video capturing the Steelers Rashard Mendenhall “celebrating” the Steelers AFC championship victory will sure to bring a smile to your face. Enjoy
Oh, and this happened too….strange game.
Report: Carson Palmer to Demand Trade From Bengals
Wow. The off-season for the Bengals just went from bad to worse. Multiple reports are surfacing saying Palmer is working his way out of the Bengals organization. As bad as fans want to act like this is a good thing for the black and orange it is not. The Bengals will likely receive little to no compensation for Palmer and the 2011 season is most likely now ruined. The 4th overall pick in the draft will now also be spent on a QB which would be a reach for this draft class.
Unfortunately the Bengals will not be able to trade him until a new CBA is in place and until then no player can be traded. So this will linger over the Bengals for quite a while.
This also shows that a lot of players in that locker room are not happy with Lewis and the rest of the staff are staying. Palmer has threatened to use retirement as a way out of Cincy and for a person like Carson to take it to that level shows that this team is under awful circumstances. The departure of the 2003 number one overall pick just might acquire the Bengals another overall pick in 2012.
Stay tuned.
Report: Ocho to Oakland? Ocho vs. Marvin.
It has been brewing for years and it seems this time the Bengals might finally be ready to flip the page to a new chapter in Bengals history that does not have Chad Ochocinco’s name written anywhere on it. Although Ocho is signed under a club option allegedly exercised years ago (supposedly 2007) he still may be on the outs with the team. A back and forth between Chad and Marvin through the media has fueled rumors of a growing discontent between the two, and its hard to see whose at fault here.
Regardless, the Chad Ochocinco we know hasn’t been the same since T.J. Houshmandzadeh followed him to the Probowl, and made the Bengals choose between the two. It seems as T.J. began to get love and Marvin seemed content on moving on without him, Chad began his disdain for his coach and started begging to leave the team. Even though the Bengals decided to keep Chad and let T.J. walk things still have never seemed to be completely healed between coach and receiver.
The combination of the media fight taking place between the two, Chad’s declining performance, Ocho’s shaky contract situation, and the fact that Chad’s beloved mentor Hue Jackson is now the head coach in Oakland all leads to reports by Profootballtalk.com that Chad is interested in heading to the bay area. Chad also would have low expectations on a team with bad receivers and could immediately fill the “go to guy ” role he seeks. Also playing out his days in warm L.A. and being close to his outside interests would most likely not just intrigue Chad, but might also help set himself up well for his life after football.
Chad has recently flirted with the Patriots as well and it is becoming painfully obvious that the Bengals will most likely take the field in 2011 without their franchise leading receiver. The most interesting factor of all is what the Bengals would be able to get for the aging receiver if anything at all. If the Bengals cannot trade Chad I believe they will cut him to make Marvin happy, and to allow more cap room to resign the teams “staples” in Benson and Joseph who are both set to become free agents in the spring.
Regardless, Chad leaving would be a sad moment for Bengal fans who just a few years ago thought the trio of Lewis, Ocho, and Palmer would lead them to the promised land.
National Championship Game: Oregon vs. Auburn & The NFL Ramifications
The BCS (Bowl Championship Series) championship game will take place tonight in the desert of Arizona between the Auburn Tigers of the SEC and the Oregon Ducks of the PAC-10. This game has already generated enormous buzz around the country, and the game has the potential to be an instant classic. Also, for the first time in a long time, it feels like the BCS system worked to perfection when it was able to avoid too much scrutiny when it picked the nation’s top 2 teams. Oregon and Auburn have earned their places in championship game and now have the opportunity of putting on one of the best title games in recent memory.
However, the game will not only display an amazing match up, but it will contain some of the most talented players in all of college football. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley and the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Cam Newton have top 10 potential in April’s NFL draft, and the running back LaMichael James was slated to be the number one running back off the board before declaring he would return for the 2011-2012 season. It’s interesting to watch Cam Newton and Nick Fairley especially because with a great performance tonight both players could vault themselves to the top of the draft, and for Fairley possibly the number one player off the board.
With so much talent on the field tonight it will be interesting to watch not only who wins, but the individual performances that could heavily change the upcoming NFL draft.
Oregon leads the nation in both scoring and total offense while Auburn is led by one of the nation’s stingiest defenses. If Fairley can disrupt the Oregon offense then Auburn might run away with the game tonight, but Oregon has 44 touchdowns scored in under 2 minutes in this season alone so do not count the Ducks out no matter what the score. Grab the popcorn and TiVo this game because we may just be in for one hell-of-a game in the desert.
The Coaches Trophy
Bengals To Coach Against Bills In Senior Bowl
The Bengals were expecting to be offered to coach in the senior bowl and on Saturday their suspensions were confirmed when the league announced they would be coaching against the Bills staff. This is an awesome opportunity for the Bengals as they will get to be up close and personal with some of the very players they will be looking to draft when April rolls around. With the smallest scouting staff in the league the Bengals are going to benefit greatly from being given this opportunity.
However, in order to be named the coaching staff for the senior bowl a team must confirm its coaches positions are stable. So for the time being it looks as if the Bengals will be making no coaching hires or fires anytime in the near future. Somewhere Bengals fans are weeping as they read this.
Update: Marvin Lewis Returns
In a surprising turn of events it looks like Marvin will actually stay with the team in 2011. Adam Schefter has posted on his twitter that the Bengals expect to keep the coach and that the issues between the organization and its coach will be resolved in the next 24 hours.
Bengals fans hold your breath that Marvin is waiting out for more control of the team, a bigger scouting department, a new OC, and more control overall. Marvin has said he would not come back without some of those privileges. Stay tuned.
Update: If Marvin is staying it may be a good sign to fans after-all. The reason it could be a shining light is because the fear is if Lewis gets fired Mike Brown will just sign another guy he can boss around and no changes will be made. However, if there is some way Marvin can use his leverage against Brown to get an indoor practice facility and more control over team personnel then this might actually become one of the biggest bright spots in recent Bengals history.
Update 2: The Bengals have resigned Marvin Lewis and it looks like he won on a few of his demands and Bob Brat and other coaches may be on the way out as well as receivers T.O. and Ochocinco. Stay tuned for more updates.
A Look At The Bengals 2011 Draft. Prospect #1 WR A.J. Green
As I mentioned in an earlier article I am beginning to start my assessments on the top college prospects the Bengals might be looking at in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft. I will begin to break down some players in no particular order and even may come back to some players if I spot more weaknesses or strengths. I also will provide some highlights and pros and cons to the Bengals drafting said player. With all that said lets begin!
I start by looking at the WR from Georgia A.J. Green. The junior receiver started the year on a four game suspension for selling a jersey to what the NCAA deemed to be a sports agent. However, this minor transgression is the only blemish I could find on his record, and after returning from his suspension he came back firing on all cylinders. The junior caught 49 passes for 771 yards and a staggering 9 touchdowns in that short span. Green loved juggling as a kid and it shows in his game as he makes the most impossible catches look as though they are “gimmes.”
Green’s lack of eye-popping career numbers can be a little misleading as he has suffered an injury that derailed his sophomore campaign and his junior year was shortened with the aforementioned suspension. Do not let the numbers, or lack thereof, scare you away from this can’t miss receiver prospect. Green has been labeled as the best WR to come out of college since Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson.
The Bengals will definitely be in the market for a WR as their two probowl receivers T.O. and Ochocinco might leave during free agency. Green would be a great corner piece to an offense with a ton of young stars at the major skill positions. Adding Green to a young offense with new players such as Bernard Scott, Jordan Shipley, and Jermaine Gresham would certainly be a good sign for the future of the Bengals offense, and would add another gamebreaker for teams to have to defend. A player like Green would really open up the middle of the field, and that would complement Shipley and Gresham very well. Keep an eye out on this future star.
Pros:
Great Hands
Explosive
Playing in a “pro style” offense in Georgia
Can jump through the roof
6’4 height
Strong/physical receiver
Has shown up big in big games
Cons:
Lack of discipline?
Durability
Route running can be erratic
Why draft a receiver in the top 5 when the 2011 draft is expected to be deep with WR talent?
Can he beat out Julio Jones and some of the other top receivers in the Bengals opinion
Check out some of his highlights
The Beginning: A Look Into The Crutial 2011 NFL Draft For The Cincinnati Bengals
It’s late November yet for many Bengals fans the games remaining on the schedule mean next to nothing. As of the time of this article, the Bengals have only won 2 games and are in line for the second pick in the 2011 NFL draft. The disappointment of the piling losses has hurt, but many fans have taken solace in the fact they have a shot to nab a top three talent in the upcoming draft. While the draft isn’t until around April it is never too early to begin breaking down this crucial draft.
This might be my favorite part of football other than Sundays. Evaluating talent and team needs is my passion and I have correctly predicted many of the Bengals picks over the last few years. However, this year is special, because with so much talent on the roster and a very high draft pick, the 2011 draft may very well change the long-term direction of the team.
This blog will be updated frequently with projected mock picks, player evaluations, team needs, my “on the radar” players, and much more! Stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe!
(Most recent top ten players per ESPN)
Andre Johnson Brawl Video
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Andre Johnson lost his head during the game Sunday and it looks like he may pay steeply for it. It happened when Cortland Finnegan and Johnson began a series of tough blocking each other. Andre continued to be jammed near his face as he came off the line and Finnegan looked to be getting under his skin. As you can see in the video below, Andre looses it and the biggest fight in recent NFL history ensued. Both men were ejected and are facing possible suspension and fines from the league with Andre probably taking the brunt of the punishment.
Andre apologized immediately after the game, but it will be interesting to see just how the NFL handles this one. A huge, possibly record-breaking, fine is sure to be on the way and maybe even a suspension for a game or more for these two.
Never To Early: And With The __th Pick In The 2011 NFL Draft The Cincinnati Bengals Select…
It looks like the season is officially in the grave, and the fans are beginning to shovel the dirt on the 2010 Bengals. However, with every bad year brings a high draft pick and the Bengals are in line for another pick in the top ten.
So I want you, my loyal visitors, to vote in the poll below and play Mike Brown for the day. Do you believe in Carson? If not then which QB in a crowded field do you prefer? Do you want an improved pass rush or maybe a non diva young WR? A backup/eventual replacement to Benson? Vote Below!!
Bengals-Steelers in Monday Night Grudge Match.
I have got to admit I have never felt this way before a Bengals game in my life. I almost forgot they even played tonight and I haven’t looked at the clock to anxiously count down the hours to kick off as I would have in years past. Obviously their record is what is holding back my expectations of the game, but their record shouldn’t matter. This is Bengals vs. Steelers a match-up that is a mini Superbowl for fans every year. This years game obviously doesn’t have the same sizzle as was expected after last year success, but ill tell you why (with under 2 hours to go) I am finally getting excited and why you should too.
It took only one stat to get me fired up for the game and its this….
The Bengals have not lost to the Steelers since November 20th of 2008.
Yes it is only 2 years ago, but it is something I don’t want to end. If there is one game on this schedule left I want us to win it is this one. We have a chance to take down a division rival who is flying high right now and we have the opportunity to shoot them out of the sky.
It was only a year ago that I was standing about 25 yards away from Carson Palmer as he led the Bengals on a jaw dropping-walkoff win vs. the Steelers in Paul Brown Stadium. That day was one of my greatest sports memories ever and it brings to mind just how awesome it feels to beat the Steelers.
So basically watch tonight and root hard for our beloved Bengals. The year might be over and we may have no hope in reaching the playoffs, but this should be our wake up call to the world on Monday night football that the Bengals are here to stay.
Watch this replay from last year and remember the importance of games like this to the city.
And you can watch Carson work the Bengals magic here.
WHODEY
Opinion: Show Marvin Lewis The Door.
I have been keeping this in for quite a while now and its time its been said. My love for football and the Bengals is endless and nothing is like the feeling of football season beginning. However, this year felt much different. Of course I had my worries about my boy Palmer; the lack of offense, the terrible oline, the overrated defense, and the bad play calling, but those where on the back burner in my mind. The true cause of my of my concern rested with the coaching staff, namely Marvin Lewis. It has been abundantly clear to anyone who truly watches the games that Marvin has been making gigantic mistakes in the past few seasons. This has all come to a point this year where I feared it would get. Let me explain.
Marvin Lewis has done amazing things for Cincinnati football and the progress goes without question. He came to Cincinnati off of a Superbowl win with the Ravens and he brought hope to a city that had none. His development of the team is unquestionable and he helped changed the mentality of the entire culture. The Bengals are no longer a laughing-stock, but more so a struggling team. They are no longer the “Bungles” and they certainly are not the butt of every NFL joke. He cast a light of hope on a city that hadn’t seen one in nearly 15 years. He has brought the Bengals 2 AFC North championships in his tenure with the team. However, the man they call Giggles, hasn’t been smiling recently.
The cause for the Bengals recent struggles can be contributed to many things including the sub-par play of Carson Palmer, the struggles of the defense, the oline, penalties, and simply bad luck. However, I turn my attention to the man who runs the show, Marvin Lewis. It is obvious to me (if you listen to player interviews and watch the sidelines) to see that the players no longer respect or play for Marvin. A team can only take so many hits and post game “pick me up” speeches before they inevitably question their leader. It also does not help that his contract situation has been dangling for a year now.
The penalties, missed timeouts, bad play calling, bad substitutions, bad time management, bad challenges, and just the overall handling of the team has been overwhelming and will doom the 2010 Bengals. I am not one to get my pitchfork and torch to run a coach out-of-town whenever things go south, but this time I am. What Marvin has done thus far is amazing, but no one in Cincinnati is happy watching the window of opportunity, (arguably the second one they have had this decade) of this talented team, close in their faces.
Long story short, from what I have seen over years watching the team, Marvin is a great team builder, but is not the kind of coach who can lead a team to the NFL promised land. The Bengals are no longer a laughing-stock and I believe Mike Brown is determined not to let his franchise slide to where it once was (even if he isn’t good at what he does). This means that at the end of the year some heads will have to fall for the way the season has gone. In my opinion the only way to bring this talented but misguided team around is to fire Marvin Lewis.
The Bengals and their fans are dying for a championship and the man who was thought to be able to get them there turns out to be just a talented team builder, but not a Superbowl caliber coach. The market for coaches is fairly dry for 2011, but big names could emerge with interest in coaching this extremely talented squad, and Mike Brown would be wise to realize that another direction is what is best for his franchise .
11 Games To Go: The Bengals To Boom Or Bust?
The Bengals had a chance to move to 3-1 and they where a few minutes away from being 4-1. Instead the Bengals are coming out of the bye week with a dismal 2-3 record featuring back to back losses to the Browns and Buccaneers. These two losses might seal Cincinnati’s fate in repeating as AFC North champs (a title the Bengals have never won in back to back years). Palmer has looked bad, chad has been awful, the offensive line wouldn’t be able pass block if their mother was playing Quarterback, the coaches have called terrible games and made quite a few tactical coaching errors, and the “bend but don’t break” defense has been breaking. However, in Bengal land there is still hope, and hope is alive for a good reason.
The Bengals have one of the toughest schedule’s coming up for the rest of the season including game vs. the Steelers (on Monday night football), the defending champion Saints, The Ravens, The Colts, and the Jets (on Thanksgiving). Once looking at the remaining schedule many Bengals fans have retreated to their homes and have begun constructing tombstones for their beloved Bengals. However, if there is one thing Cincy knows how to do, it is to play underdog and play it well. The bye week came at a great time. The Bengals are slowly getting healthier and they have been getting kicked and buried for 3 weeks now. After a bye week like this, there is only two routes for this Bengal team to take, boom or bust.
Cincy could easily pack in it and play small ball like they have much of 2010, ending with a bad record and another top 10 pick, or they can rebound and claw their way out of the hole they have dug. To me the season is hanging solely on two factors, these being the coaching and o-line.
If Marvin Lewis wants to proves he is more than just a team builder he will need to stop making terrible coaching mistakes and get his team under control. Lewis is in the last year of his deal and if he can’t turn it around he will probably be looking for a job come 2011. Bob Bratkowski has been under heavy fire (and rightfully so) for years now, but as of late his play calling has been much improved. Bob needs to get Palmer in more no huddle situations where his QB calls the plays. He also needs to manage the offensive substitutions better and not be afraid to push the ball when the Bengals enter the red-zone instead of cowering and playing for a field goal.
If the Bengals make the playoffs they will need Benson and the o-line to carry them there. The o-line is the sole key to the rest of the season. The line is one of the worst units in the league in pass protection. At this rate they will have Carson’s head taken off by the end of 2010. If they can give him any sliver of time to throw Palmer will be able to get back on track in the air game. The most shocking part of the o-line this year has been the struggles in the run game. The same crew led the Bengals to the playoffs last year by opening up giant lanes for Cedric Benson to run through. However, this year Benson has run well in spite of terrible run blocking. The line has not finished their blocks and they are letting their men escape and get hit Benson consistently. If the Bengals are to make the playoffs this year they will need to do it on the back of Benson and as of right now he will not have enough in the tank to carry this team down the stretch without help from the big guys upfront
The Bengals are in dire situation Sunday vs. the Falcons and if they lose the season will go from disappointment and slight worry to full-blown panic/rebuilding mode. If Cincy loses Sunday the team might start to spiral downward and players and coaches such as Palmer, Lewis, and Bratkowski will be on the chopping block come 2011.
New Era To Handle NFL Hats. Fans Rejoice.
This is the best news I have heard in a while. My long-awaited dream is here, the NFL is now teamed with the best hat makers in the game, New Era. This is an amazing deal for the NFL as New Era is one of the hottest up and coming companies. New Era has handled MLB hats for years now and have done a fantastic job. With the NFL now signed on, the hat industry is sure to boom even more now. I will now go find someone to pinch me because this is a long-awaited dream come true.
NFL drops Reebok adds Nike for Jerseys and apparel.
This is huge news for NFL fans as it looks like Reebok’s long time rein over NFL merchandising is over. The NFL will now have its teams wearing Nike jerseys and that is where Nike is looking to make the most change. Nike has mentioned they will change the NFL jerseys look and make them more like the jerseys they have been supplying to college football. This is awesome news to all of us fans who love the new unis that the college teams have been wearing. The deal goes into effect in 2012, which is when we might see jerseys like the pic above.
However, the downside is that prices for almost all merchandise will probably go up. This is a great deal for the NFL as Nike seems to be a better promoter than Reebok.
Now all we need is to cross our fingers that Nike will hand over the NFL hat making rights to New Era.
Adam Jones Falsely Arrested. Bengals Lose To Bucs: Who Is On The Hot Seat?
News spread quickly Sunday afternoon that the Bengals CB Adam Jones was arrested while leaving the stadium. It turns out he was involved in a minor car incident in which he had to drive on the side-walk to avoid a swerving car. When the police arrived they placed Jones under arrest after finding a warrant out for the same name. It turns out Jones was handcuffed for nearly an hour while police got the issue sorted out. Adam was released eventually with no charges, but for a guy who has had so many legal issues and has been reportedly walking the straight and narrow, it is unfortunate that the false news might further damaged his name today. Adam Jones may make an issue out of this and I for one would not blame him. Adam has enjoyed a great season thus far and has been sharing reps with the starters.
In other news, the Bengals loss to the Bucs today puts them in a 2-3 hole going into the toughest stretch of the season. While many fans have been pushing for the Bengals to part ways with their probowl QB Carson Palmer, there are many others who are now facing the hot seat. With Marvin Lewis not under contract past this year he may be the most likely candidate to get the ax. Unfortunately it looks as if the issues with the Bengals may not be fixable during the season, and the players do not seem to be motivated by this coaching staff. There just may be a regime change if the Bengals do not make a push for the playoffs this year.
Possible Moss-To-Vikings Trade Sends NFL Into Tuesday Night Frenzy
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A normal boring Tuesday night filled with repetitive stories of game recaps and injury updates suddenly got more exciting. The Patriots have been having issues with the all pro receiver WR Randy Moss and both sides have mentioned this might be his last year in New England. Well with the receiver market fairly bare the Pats must have seen a window of opportunity to get some compensation for Moss by trading him away to a desperate team. That team happens to be the Brett Farve led Minnesota Vikings which is coincidentally where Moss started his NFL career.
The news of the trade talks came from Bill Simmons of ESPN when he accidentally tweeted the info on what he meant to be a private message. Now the news is out and the Pats have been quick to deny any deal being done. However, New England did own up to the possibility of a trade which is more info than the Patriots ever let out.
Once a story like this is started it is hard to turn back. All indications are Moss will be traded back to the Vikings in what is a desperate attempt to get Farve a man to throw to so that they can possibly make one last Super Bowl run with their aging QB. This possible trade is a great deal for both parties so it is hard to see the deal not getting done. Wow. With the NFL in labor talks and facing a possible lockout in 2011, the league is really getting interesting this year and the popularity of the game is continuing to sky-rocket because of it. Stay Tuned.
Poll #1: What To Do With The Franchise QB?
I’m not a big fan of this topic because I am worried Cincinnati is becoming the new Philadelphia by wishing away a great QB, but many people have been debating this topic and have asked me to make one of these. So vote away! Let me know how you feel about the Bengals QB leave your comments and don’t forget to vote!
Cincinnati Bengal & Breaking Sports News 