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!
Pregame Notes: Bengals vs. Browns in Battle of Ohio
Pregame Notes: Panthers vs. Bengals
This game is a trap game if I have ever seen one. The dreadful 0-2 Panthers welcome the 1-1 Bengals who are coming off of an emotional big win over their division rival Baltimore. The Bengals will sit down Andre Smith so that they can keep another linebacker on staff since Odom and Fanene will be inactive due to injuries. The Bengals will be thin at corner as well because Adam Jones will not play with his injury and Ghee will play through his injury.
The Panthers are also fairly banged up, and the headliners for the inactive include the potential major bust Dwayne Jarrett and the stud offensive tackle Jeff Otah. The Bengals should be able to tee off on the young QB Jimmy Clausen who is getting his first start NFL start. The Bengals have historically struggled against young QB’s and they do not have a lot of tape on Clausen to really plan for him.
However, the situations are playing into the Bengals hands as the rain has fallen in Carolina which probably moves the game plans for both teams to the ground. Carolina has two running backs in Stewart and Williams who have the ability to score anytime they touch the ball. However, neither of the backs are power backs and the bad field conditions may slow them down. With offensive tackle Jeff Otah out of the game the Bengals should be able to apply a ton of pressure on the Panthers rookie QB, and it will cause their rookie corners to be able to make some plays. The Bengals should be able to move to 2-1 today and if they want to keep pace with their division rivals they will need to handle the teams they should beat. The Panthers are struggling with identity problems and cannot find a direction for their offense. If they want to win this game they will need the Bengals to show up unprepared after their huge win last weekend, or they will need a monster effort from Jimmy Clausen. Either way the game is Cincinnati’s to grab, but they will need to get over their bad history in these trap games if they want to move to 2-1 in this young 2010 season.
Bengals have no answer for their offensive woes
Cincy is coming off of yet another ugly yet gutty win vs. their division rivals in what looked to be a must win game.
It came just one week after the team got dismantled in a blow out loss in New England. While the defense made huge strides this week the offense has continued to look lost when ever they are not in their hurry up offense.
Many have been blaming the Bengals play calling and Qb Carson Palmer. On Thursday, Cedric Benson addressed the issue with Sirius Nfl radio, and he had some strong comments directed at his team. He questioned why the Bengals are moving away from the running game and stated he needs more carries and carries at better points in the game so that he can get in rhythm. He also stated that he has been given no hint toward the direction the offense and that the lack of direction concerns him. Benson says he doesn’t understand why passing game isn’t working and seemed to hang the blame on his QB. Benson went on to say he hasn’t spoken to anyone other than his running backs coach about his concern for the offense, but his interview is making noise and the organisation will hear of it.
Chad and T.O. have also publicly expressed frustration and confusion with the offense. The Bengals have a right to be concerned, but they are in luck, because arguably the easiest stretch of the season is here. The Bengals get a chance to get back on track this weekend vs. a weak Carolina team. They better get their offense rolling soon or the uneasiness in the locker room will grow. Stay tuned.
Bengals Steal Win In A Thriller In The Jungle
Mike Nugent provided the Bengals the power needed to burst past a division rival. It’s rare when a kicker is the games MVP, but when you’re in a defensive game vs. division rival Baltimore , a kicker can very well be the deciding factor. Today the Bengals won off of 5 field goals from Nugent and it was clear the Bengals made a wise decision by letting go of Shane Graham. The Bengals won their first game of the year by an outstanding defensive game, a cautious but effective offensive attack, and a kicker who proved his immense value on the team.
Carson and the offense struggled, but that is to be expected against an elite defense like the Ravens have, but they did what was necessary to win. There where questions about how Cincy’s pass rush would respond to last weeks debacle, and the defense roared back with their answer, picking off Joe Flacco four times and constantly getting pressure in his face. The ball control offense and smothering defense allowed a low scoring but high action game in the Jungle. A huge return by B.Scott was another giant play that helped seal the victory.
Palmer is now 9-3 all time vs. their tough defensive rivals and that record is a sign of how the Bengals have the Ravens numbers. Much like last season, Cincy found itself 0-1 heading into a tough match up in week 2, but they once again prevailed and showed they are ready to make another push for another AFC North crown.
The Bengals are now 1-1 and tied with the Ravens for second in the division behind Pittsburgh. This game was very important to prevent going 0-2 and down 2 games in the division. The game also is big as it means the Bengals are one win vs. Baltimore away from being a tie breaker in the division.
Steelers: 2-0
Bengals: 1-1
Ravens: 1-1
Browns: 0-2
Ravens vs. Bengals Inactives and Breakdown
The Bengals are facing their division rivals in what might already be a must win game for the home team. Cincy cannot afford to go down 2 games to the Ravens this early in the season. The Bengals will be without Brian Leonard once again which puts more pressure on the Benson and Scott who are injured as well. The Bengals D will be the thin due to the injuries of Keith Rivers and Carlos Dunlap. The Bengals will need to find a way to generate pass rush without them.
The Ravens are suffering as well with their O line being in flux this week and their defense very nicked up. The Ravens will be without their talented defensive tackle Cody and will be even thinner at corner with Miller missing. Offensive tackle Jared Gaither will not play again and it will cause the Ravens to have to switch up their lineup.
The Bengals QB Carson Palmer is 8-3 against the Ravens and when he is in lineup the Bengals seem to always find away to beat Baltimore. The Ravens D will look to set the tempo and shut down Cincinnati’s offense through a heavy pass rush. The Ravens will need to pressure Palmer or he may pick apart their extremely weak secondary. For the Bengals the rode to their first win once again lies on the defensive line. If they can get after Joe Flacco they can shut down the offense as a whole and control the clock. The Bengals are coming off a terrible game vs. New England and Baltimore is coming off a short week and an extremely physical game which may leave them vulnerable. It all comes down to who wants it more, with Pittsburgh playing a tough Tennessee team today, the Bengals could possibly cause a three-way tie for first in the division today with a win. However, if the Bengals where to drop the ball for a second straight week and lose to Baltimore, they will find themselves in the cellar of the AFC North looking up from a hole that may be too deep to climb out of.
Bengals: CB Ghee, HB Leonard, LB Rivers, C Stephens, DE Fanene, WR Simpson, DE Dunlap.
Ravens: WR Stallworth, CB Miller, LB Phillips, DT Jones, NT Cody, OT Gaither, DT Divens, DE Kruger.
These inactives courtesy of Joe Reedy’s personal twitter account.
The 2010 Bengals Chase For A Championship
With the playoffs approaching, Cincinnati is buzzing with the success of their beloved Reds, and they are remembering the great championships in Reds history and dreaming of possibly adding another. However, there is another team just beginning their season still looking for their first ever world title. The Bengals have long been a bad football team in a baseball city. But things are changing, and the Bengals struggles are becoming forgotten memories as the Bengals have been to the playoffs twice in the last four years.
With a new season comes new challenges and this team is no different. QB Carson Palmer is facing the critics saying he is no longer elite and that he is washed up. T.O. and Chad are facing the critics as they say they are aging and will not get along. The Defense has been shrugged off and their top ten performance is being overlooked as “getting lucky”. AP Coach of the year, Marvin Lewis, is apparently on the hot seat as many state he cannot lead this team to the promised land. “The Bengals wont be able to keep up with their difficult schedule.” These are just a few of the issues Cincy is facing and even when I am typing this I heard a commentator on ESPN saying the Bengals are nothing more than a “fluke”.
Even after all of the negative talk around the Bengals this year the team has remained quite, focused, and motivated. This team is not like the bad teams of the 90’s and they will not give up their throne as AFC North champs easily. This team has playoff penitential and even has Super Bowl talent. If the Bengals can overcome their history and doubters, the sky is the limit for them. They are arguably closer than ever to a championship and the players can smell it. The Bengals begin their chase for a championship today and look to bring the first Lombardi trophy to Cincinnati for their fans who have suffered through so many years of disappointment. As the Reds look for another World Series title it is hard to keep an eye on the Bengals, but do not forget, the Bengals are in a hunt themselves and could be closing in on a world championship of their own. The Bengals kick off their season vs. a team that has been to 4 Super Bowls this decade alone. Enjoy the game today as it may just very well be the first step on the road to a Super Bowl victory. Whodey Bengals.
Bengals Vs. Patriots: Game Day Inactives
Both teams have some serious concerns with injuries but the Patriots look to be the team that has the most talent missing. These are the players not playing in today’s kick off game.
Bengals: QB D. LeFevour, CB B. Ghee, WR A. Caldwell, RB B. Leonard, DE C. Dunlap; C R. Stephens, DT P. Sims, LB R. Muckelroy
Patriots: WR Julian Edelman, Price, Wheatley, Maroney, Fletcher, Maneri, Deaderick & Kaczur
***These inactives per the teams official Twitter accounts.
Bengals Update: Odom’s Pending Suspension And Try Outs
News is coming in from numerous sites stating that Antwan Odom has been suspended 4 games from the Commissioner for use of a banned substance (performance enhancing drug). The banned substance in Odom’s case is allegedly a P.E.D. which is steroid like substance and is commonly used by athletes to heal quicker coming off of an injury. This could be possible in Odom’s case as he missed much of last year after tearing his Achilles tendon. Odom apparently believes he has a strong argument for why these P.E.D.s have been found in his system, and currently is challenging the leagues ruling. The appeal process is already under way and the league is already taking a look at the case. As for his status for this weekends game vs. the Patriots, look for him to be on the field and in the starting lineup, as suspensions do not commonly go into effect the week of the leagues ruling.
Meanwhile, the Bengals are preparing to start their season and they are looking to make some moves to patch some holes on their roster. The center Justin Hartwig, who has previously played for the Steelers, is looking to make a visit to Cincy next week in hopes of joining the Bengals roster. They are very thin at the center position so it would be a nice pick up for the Bengals.
The Bengals have also scheduled a try out next Tuesday for the ex West Virgin fullback, Owen Schmitt. After losing their starting fullback for the season the Bengals need someone to step in and fill the void and Schmitt might be the guy they look to. Schmitt was known for his love for the game and all out play on the field in college and played in Seattle before being recently released.
I will update you all as soon as more news comes in on all these topics.
Bengals/NFL News Catch Up, Housh Returns To AFC North
With all the flurry of news that has been around the league as of the last few days it has been hard to keep up with it all. Here is all you should need to know as we are 6 days away from the Bengals kicking off their season.
- Bengals major cuts include JT. O Sullivan, Dez Briscoe, Matt Jones, and Chase Coffman.
- Coffman was cut and moved onto the practice squad as the Bengals elected to keep Coats instead (for blocking reasons).
- Dan LeFevour was picked up by Cincy after he was released by the Bears. The rookie QB has had a solid preseason and he has enormous potential as a future starter. This is a great pickup for Cincinnati and LeFevour as well. LeFevour gets to learn under the probowl QB, Carson Palmer. For the Bengals this means they may have a developmental QB and they may not have to snag one in next years draft.
- The Bengals did something over the past weekend that they never do, they made a trade. Jacksonville and Cincinnati hooked up on a deal that sent back up cornerback David Jones to the Jags and Reggie Nelson to the Bengals. The deal for Cincy means they now have 4 first round picks in their secondary alone.
- WR T.J. Houshmandzedeh, a former Bengal super star, was released after playing for Seattle for only a year. He found his way back into the AFC North today as he joined the Bengals division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. Housh left on bad blood with the Bengals and spent the better part of last year jawing them out publicly every chance he got. This makes week 2, Bengals vs. Ravens, that much more intriguing.
- Albert Haynesworth will play some in the Redskins opener but does not look to play a major role in the defense in the near future.
Update: Matt Jones, Dez Briscoe Cut While Nugent Wins The Kicking Battle
Matt Jones and Briscoe have officially lost their spots on the 53. Not surprising for Jones who looked much too slow, but for Briscoe it is a little surprising as he is a rookie draft pick now thrown away. Looks like Briscoe and Matt Jones will be offered spots on the practice squad, but it is possible neither will make it there as they might be claimed through waivers. Look for the Rams to take a serious look at both of them as they are first on the waiver list and will have their choice at both of them. No word on Jerome Simpson yet as he looks to be cut if the Bengals only carry 5 wide receivers into the regular season, but for now it looks like he found his way onto the roster yet again.
Mike Nugent’s 52 and 54 yard field goals helped him win the starting kicker spot, a position in which he was trailing the favorite Dave Rayner for much of camp.
More roster cuts will be coming in throughout the day so stay tuned.
Dez Briscoe Explodes Into Heated WR Race
Welcome to the NFL Briscoe (finally). The rookie made the first big play of his professional career tonight as he hauled in a 5o yard bomb on a perfect double move route. Jordan Palmer hit the rookie in stride and the connection could very well boost the chances of both Palmer and Briscoe making the team. The talented receiver is still a long shot to make the squad and probably would not clear waivers which makes the Bengals decision that much harder. Do you keep Briscoe as he is younger and hasn’t had a shot to develop like Jerome Simpson has? Or could you cut Cosby in order to make room for him? The latter seems to be the most likely scenario in which he makes the 53 man roster, because both Adam Jones and Jordan Shipley have proven to more than serviceable in the return game.
Whether his touchdown catch tonight helps him steal a roster spot or not, (which I for one hope it does-Jerome has had his chance and Cosby is very good but not necessary) it is unfortunate that it took him so long to make a play at all. He had 4 games to put something on tape and tonight he finally did. This weekend he will find out if his play just came a little to late. Stay tuned.
Jerome Simspon, Jordan Palmer, and Cedric Peerman Earing Jobs Tonight
Jerome Simpson, the former second round pick, has had arguably the best game of his professional career. So far he has 5 catches for 61 yards and a nice touchdown. Quan Cosby and Simpson now look to have locked in a position on this team.
As for the backup running back, Cedric Peerman has stepped up tonight as he tries to earn the roster vacancy left by Brian Leonard. He had an explosive 93 yard run for a touchdown and has 100 yards on just six carries.
Jordan Palmer has played the part so far tonight as he has completed four of his seven passes and has thrown for 33 yards and a score.
The Bengals have had awesome kick returns today even with the absence of Adam Jones.
Game Update: Bengals Drive Stalls, Nugent Connects.
Mike Nugent got the first kick of the night when the Bengal’s first drive stalled. Nugent then converted a 52 yard field goal to go along with his 54 yarder from a week ago.
Nugent may have just kicked himself into a job.
Things To Watch For In Preseason Finale
Starters rarely get any more playing time than a series or two in the fourth and final preseason game, and this year is no different. The starters are rumored to only play a series and some are saying they make take the Indy approach and rest all their starters. The question for many fans then becomes “why watch?”
It’s hard to reason with those fans who would much rather watch Ohio State kick off their season than watch unknown players play a seemingly meaningless game, but this match-up actually has huge ramifications. With the final countdown to the 53 man roster looming, Marvin Lewis and the staff will be watching closer than ever to those bubble players. Often these unspoken players, those 2nd 3rd and 4th stringers, are the ones who are vying for playing time or even for a spot on the team at all. When it comes to injuries or starters not playing well these unsung players will need to be the ones to step in and play well. Of course there are a few roster battles more intriguing and important than the others. Here are the ones fans should keep a close eye on.
- The battle for the final receiver spots is still up in the air. It’s not even close to being decided yet, but the favorites as of right now look to be Quan Cosby and Jerome Simpson. Dez Briscoe has struggled this preseason and looks like the most likely receiver to actually make it to the practice squad so he looks to be a long shot. Matt Jones, Simpson and Cosby all look to be fighting for one or two possible spots and the battle can be won tonight with a good game.
- Andre Smith, last years top ten pick, has seen more action on the field as of late. He needs to prove he is ready to step in with the starters tonight and the best way to do this is give him a boat load of reps. Watch him closely tonight as his performance will directly affect his playing time in any of the regular season games in the near future.
- The defensive line is a strong point on this team, but with the amount of talent they have, there could very well be a surprise cut. Watch closely as people like Rucker and even Geathers could be close to the chopping block.
- The backup QB’s will need to stand out and play well as rumors are stating one of them could be cut as soon as Saturday. I believe Jordan Palmer is the favorite because of his big arm and age. Tonight his spot on this team could be his to lose.
- The kicker job is also a very import part on this team, and they still have not yet filled this major question mark. Dave Rayner and Mike Nugent have been battling all off-season for the job and Rayner has led the whole way due to injuries to Nugent. However, it has been said that Nugent has more long distance range on his kicks, and the kick he made from 54 yards out last week has put him in position to steal the spot in the final game.
So Long Antonio Bryant, We Hardly Got To Know You.
Well, as I posted earlier in the week, the decision for Antonio Bryant’s future on the team was coming and it didn’t look good. Today it was confirmed that Bryant was released from the team after having never even taken a single game snap. The release comes as a major disappointment for a player who came in with a lot of potential.
The third round rookie from Texas, Jordan Shipley, now looks to have all but locked up the starting slot receiver job (which was Bryant’s spot) and he has been successful there thus far. The Bengals are lucky they drafted him as insurance because now they need him more than ever.
The Bengals have eaten about $8 million dollars of Bryant’s guaranteed salary. They would have owed him another 3 million if we would have been on the roster at the start of week one. Bengals insiders have stated that he was too risky to keep and the team will now pursue an injury settlement with Bryant. Obviously Bryant will defend against it and claim he could not be cut fairly because he was injured. Antonio has a very good case for himself as he clearly would have made the team if he was even remotely healthy. The Bengals may end up losing a lot more than a talented player and 8 million dollars. Stay Tuned.
Bengal’s Starters Win The Battle, But Buffalo Wins The War
Game 4 of the Bengals 5 game preseason had its ups and downs. I’ll break down both the “goods and bads” of tonight’s game.
- The Good
- Carson Palmer and the starters looked very sharp and everyone played a part in the success. Palmer went 9-11 (1 dropped by Benson) and hit Jermaine Gresham and Chad Ochocinco for touchdowns on the Bengals two scoring drives. Palmer showed the zip on his passes that lacked at the end of 09.
- It didn’t hurt that the Bengals O-line finally protected their QB long enough for him to find his offensive weapons.
- The starters where pulled fairly early and took no serious injuries in their dress rehearsal game.
- T.O. and Palmer continue to show an amazing connection as they hooked up on a few nice plays including a nice toe tapping sideline pass and catch.
- The O-line played much better and this should be a good confidence booster going into the final preseason game and into the regular season. The key to this teams success this year lies on the performance of the O-line and tonight they played the part well.
- Adam Jones has proved he can be a major contributor on this team and he has lit a fuse under the Bengals return game. He has been nothing but a model citizen so far in Cincy and Mike Brown is once again looking like a genius with what looked to be a risky pickup.
- The rookies continue to shine.
- The Bengals rolled out the no huddle offense and ran it pretty effectively. Hopefully now with all this offensive talent they have on the roster they can run more no huddle like in 2005.
- Andre Smith continued to get reps with the second team.
- Jermaine Gresham hauled in his first ever pro touchdown.
- The starters won the battle 14-7
- The Bad
- Leon Hall and the secondary as a whole has struggled mightily this preseason and it didn’t get better tonight. Hall was beat on a play and got called for an early pass interference call.
- Way to many penalties.
- The starting defense got beat badly once again and could not muster any pressure on the QB.
- The back up QB’s and WR’s still are not playing well and no one is jumping to grab the open spots on this team.
- Kicker battle still unresolved.
- Injuries to Ghee and Jones have put a damper on the night as both have played well thus far.
- Dunlap and was also nicked up.
- The injury bug is biting and biting hard. The secondary and offensive line seem to be the thinnest positions due to the injuries right now.
- The Bengals lose 35-20 as their backups couldn’t stop the Buffalo reserves.
Brandon Ghee “Im Good”
Great news out of Bengal nation tonight. Its looks like corner back Brandon Ghee, who suffered a devastating hit to his helmet during the game tonight, looks to be OK. It was a scary scene as the Bengal rookie laid on the field unresponsive for a long period and only got up just in time to reject being taken off the field in the ambulance waiting for him. However, after the game Ghee cleared up his condition and thanked his Twitter followers for their prayers and support. Ghee posted on his Twitter account “I want to thank everybody for all the support. I’m Good.” Afterwords Ghee laughed the hit off saying “Was it a good hit though ha ha?”
More to come on the game itself later, but the good news is the promising young corner looks to be OK.
Whats next for Antonio Bryant?
Earlier this off-season the Bengals made a big splash in free agency when they targeted the young Tampa Bay WR Antonio Bryant, and turned down the older Terrell Owens. Now that both are in Cincy, fans are starting to wonder what it means for Bryant. He has not practiced since the first day of camp and has missed all of the on field work this preseason. With T.O. now supplanting Bryant in the starting slot position at wide receiver, Bryant may not only be out of a starting role, he could be out of a spot on the team all together.
With his injury lingering throughout all of camp and the fact that he is ineligible to be placed on the PUP list the Bengals find themselves faced with a tough call to make before next week regarding Bryant’s future with the club. Bryant has already made nearly $8 million dollars without ever playing a down for Cincinnati. If Antonio is on the roster when the season starts he makes another $3 million guaranteed. So do the Bengals risk the money and try to ride out their investment, or do they place him on IR and possibly cut him? The inclination is they want to try to ride this injury out because they could have a scary good wide receiving core with Bryant healthy, but if it comes to next week and he is still weeks off of a return do not be surprised to see Bryants name placed on IR or even cut from Cincy’s squad.
Another thing to remember is if he is cut or placed on injured reserve (which would end his season) the Bengals would have another roster spot to offer to the battling bubble receivers. This could be good news for Matt Jones and Jerome Simpson as well as Quan Cosby and possibly the long shot rookie Dez Briscoe.
Stay Tuned.
What To Watch For: Pre Season Week 4
The Bengals have made great strides on all sides of the ball since they kicked off their preseason in Canton. However, much like in 2009, the Bengals are struggling in some key areas. The players to watch are bolded.
* The issues along the offensive line are a major cause for concern, and Cincinnati hopes the patchwork group can rally around themselves and succeed when the season starts. Much like in 2009 the offensive line will need to play above their capabilities and play way above expectations. The group has little depth and struggles mightily in pass protection. The O-line is very talented in the run blocking department but in order for the offense to succeed they need to be able to give Carson Palmer enough time to find his new talented weapons. The key to the success for the whole offensive line (like it or not) just might be through the giant, Andre Smith. The 6th overall pick in last years draft has struggled finding the field in 2010 but has recently began practicing and he even received some reps in last weeks game vs. the Eagles. He struggled in pass protection and looked very rusty, but he showed flashes of the overpowering skill he posses that made him a top 10 draft pick. If the Bengals can get him in shape and ready for the 2010 opener he could play a major role in protecting Palmer and anchoring the line for a group that desperately needs a star.
* Carson Palmer has showed signs of brilliance so far this preseason, but some interceptions and missed throws are starting to raise questions about the once top 3 QB. Palmer has been under a heavy pass rush all preseason and has been getting pressured nearly every time he drops back to throw. If this offense wants to rebound from a down season in 2009, they will need Carson to have time to throw. So far he has not been able to throw with accuracy as he has avoided pressure in the pocket, but he will see a lot of the same poor protection all season so he needs to be able to find a way to make it work. He has more talent around him now than at any point in his career so he needs to make it work so he can return to the upper echelon of NFL QB’s.
* The WR’s Dez Briscoe, Matt Jones, Quan Cosby, and Jerome Simpson all have struggled throughout the preseason and the battle for the last WR spot is as wide open as ever. Watch this group closely, a good game by one of these receivers could result in them ultimately winning the final receiver spot on the 53 man roster.
* Marvin White has returned to the Bengals in the spot of the Gibril Wilson who will miss the entire 2010 campaign with a torn ACL. It will be interesting to see if he can steal a spot as a backup before the season begins in just a few weeks.
Preseason Game 3: Bengals vs. Eagles
Just a quick run through on all the big moments from tonight’s game. Complete game highlights can be found right here.
- Bengals win 22-9 and they won the battle of the starters 7-6. The starters played the entire first half as if it where the dress rehearsal game.
- Morgen Trent had the football equivalent of a hat trick when he picked off Eagles quarterbacks 3 times throughout the night.
- Chad Ochocinco got rocked and walked off the field gingerly but would be OK. The video is here.
- Gibril Wilson is rumored to be out for the year as whispers around the team are saying he suffered a torn ACL and MCL vs. the Eagles. The injury opens the door for Rico Murray to have a shot to make this years 53 man roster, however the position will most likely be awarded to last years special teams captain, Kyries Hebert.
- Carson and T.O. continued to look sharp and on the same page and even connected on a beautiful deep ball that set up the Bengals first touchdown. On the other side, Carson and Ocho seem to be having issues connecting through the air thus far. The two have looked sloppy all around and the timing looks off, hopefully a few more reps will rectify the situation.
- Michael Johnson, Geno Atkins, and Carlos Dunlap all showed flashes of brilliance, and they are shining examples of how good the scouting has been for the Bengals on the defensive line over the last few years. These 3 have the ability to be the future starters across the board on the d-line.
- Jermaine Gresham looks as good as I could have ever hoped. The player I was praying for the Bengals to draft has shown all the critics that he deserved to be selected as high as he was. The TE looked fast and physical and moved the chains on a few occasions as Palmer continually looked for him on nearly all of their third down attempts.
- The D looked much improved and played with a lot of energy.
- Adam Jones is proving everyone wrong and looks to be a lock for the starting kick returner job and probably the third corner back spot (and yes that may just be the nail in the coffin for Cosby to be cut from the final 53 man roster).
- Dez Briscoe and Matt Jones did not stand out and Jerome Simpson fumbled after making a nice catch and run play. This receiver battle is still wide open and no one is stepping up to take the job.
What to watch for
OK so I have spent the better part of the week travailing up and down the coast of California and haven’t had much time to catch everyone up on all the news that has been swirling around all week. Football is officially back! So lets begin!
Albert Haynesworth still has not joined his teammates in practice and is blaming a bum knee for his conditioning issues. This story just isn’t going away and I don’t expect the relationship between Haynesworth and the Redskins it to get any better.
Brett Favre has said he is still unsure if he will retire or not and it depends on his ankle’s health. Basically we still wont know for a while and honestly who cares to still ride the “Favre’s decision” rollercoster that comes around every August?
The Bengals have suffered an enormous amount of minor injuries in the early going in this years camp. Joseph, Hall, Maualuga, Peko, Odom, Pacman, Bryant, T.O., Fui, Smith, and Benson have all missed time due to injuries. Wow and I probably missed a few. Depth and health is a huge concern for them right now and they need to get it straightened out quickly and some wont play come Sundays “Hall of Fame Game.”
Players/Positions to watch during Sundays preseason opener-
Jermaine Gresham has had a bad week of practice so far and looks to receive a whole lot of reps in an attempt to help him learn quicker. This is your chance to watch a young kid, who has the talent to become a “Gates” type player, step onto an NFL field for his first ever professional game.
Dezmon Briscoe vs. Quan Cosby vs. Jerome Simpson. This game is the start of a camp long battle for the final WR spot on the Bengals 2010 roster. Jerome Simpson, on the verge of being labeled a “bust”, always looks good in camp and this year is no different. However, the team needs to see him do it with pads on and in a live game situation, before they give the job to their former second round pick. Dezmon Briscoe has struggled so far and needs to have a big game in hopes to keep his chances at a roster spot alive. Quan Cosby has always played well in the preseason as well as the regular season, but he needs to show something extra to beat out the young kids who may have more potential. This is the start of what should be an amazing battle. Enjoy.
Jordan Shipley has played well as of late and he has been catching the eye of the coaches. Watch this young rookie play his home-state team.
Carson Palmer has looked like the Carson of old in camp so far and has shown flashes of the cannon arm and precision accuracy. He has a bunch of new weapons so don’t expect it to look perfect, but watch to see how he has recovered since last season.
Breaking News: Jermaine Gresham Signs Five Year Deal with Bengals
Wow awesome work by the Bengals front office on this one. No details on the money involved yet but it is good to know he will be in camp and is under contract for the next five years. The Bengals and Gresham both where on the record indicating that they wanted the deal done as soon as possible, but it is shocking they got it finished with Gresham only missing eight practices especially since the word was that talks between the first pick and the Bengals where not going well. Jermaine Gresham will be on the field for tomorrow afternoons practice and looks to begin the transition into the starting TE spot on this offensively gifted Bengals team. Welcome 84, now if Bryant can get healthy the party will truly start.
Update: The Bengals first rounder will make about 9.5 million in guaranteed money. He has a max contract around 18 million dollars if he hits all the incentives and escalators in the deal.
Bengals Position by Position Breakdown: Day #13 Guard
Pretty simple. Evan Mathis/Nate Livings and Bobbie Williams will return to their rightful spots at the starting guard positions in 2010. They may not get all the credit, but this is a very strong spot on the O-Line because they play with a lot of intensity and passion. With Jason Shirley being placed on IR it is obvious the Bengals are not looking to keep any more than four guards and possibly only three . Isaac Sowells and rookie Otis Hudson do not figure to make much noise let alone make the team. Now that this matter is settled I can move on to the final day as the WR’s (who I strategically placed last just in case of a T.O. signing) are now on center stage. Sorry for the delay I was hoping to get this done before camp started, but too much happened in Bengal land in to little time.
Cincinnati Bengal & Breaking Sports News 