What to expect this weekend in the Bengals rematch against the Ravens. Division football is back this weekend and the Bengals have a huge game against the Ravens. While this is not a must win game, it sure does feel like it. The Ravens last week kicked the Bronco's tail and look to exact revenge on Cincinnati for beating them at home earlier this season. Many Ravens fans argue that it was a fluke win by the Bengals and the only reason they won was because the refs gave it to them. To those people I say two things:

1. I have never heard a fan base cry more about the officiating then the Ravens fans cry about it this year (although the Steelers are a close second). Seriously, the penalties at the end of the game were because the Bengals offense had been beating you all day and the Ravens defenders were tired and frustrated.  Ray Lewis made the dumbest play of the game and it cost you. Get over it.

2. By your statements it shows that most of you only tuned in for or remembered the last drive of the game.  The Bengals beat the Ravens, pretty bad actually. More than what the scoreboard showed. Yes you were up with 2 minutes to go but if there was any fluke it was that the Ravens actually had the lead at all during the game. Don't believe me? Still in denial? Lets look at the stats:

The Bengals had another half of football in stats compared to the Ravens. You rushed for 82 yds and passed for 175. You scream Ray Rice and Joe Flacco are the best players in the world yet they both were held pretty quiet all game.  You boast your defensive stats and then get housed for 403 yds. You don't allow a 100 yd rusher in like 900 seasons or some crap and then Cedric trots along for more than 120. If you look passed the fact that the Bengals needed to go the length of the field in the last two minutes to win the game (which they did). Then what really did the Ravens show that day? That a team that no one has confidence in comes into your stadium, gives you the ball twice on turnovers and is down at the end of the game can have their way with your well respected but less than stellar defense and leave with the victory and division lead.

What do you want to see from the Bengals this weekend?

I want to see the Bengals build momentum.  If they get the ball first a field goal or touchdown instantly puts the Ravens in a panic.  The Bengals D can pressure Flacco and force their coordinator to have a 2nd year QB try and beat the Bengal corners. If the Bengals are on defense a quick 3 and out would also build the same momentum. I have a feeling the Ravens are going to try and focus Ray Rice. They should, he is by far their best player on offense. Mason may make claims that no one can cover him but I think Leon is ready to let him have 0 catches against the Bengals this season.

On offense I think Cedric Benson has proven that he can carry the ball well in the AFC North. Give him the ball and let him pound it.  In the passing game I would like to see Henry on the field more.  He is a receiver that stretches the field and would demand some coverage from Ed Reed. If Reed is on Henry or Chad, Palmer could feel comfortable passing to the other guy knowing Reed is out of the play.

All in all I predict the Bengals sweep the Ravens. Last time I predicted a more than 10 point victory. Look at the stats above, it should have happened.  This time the Bengals are home and they win this game by 10 exactly. 27 - 17.

WhoDey

Last week the bandwagon was almost full. This week I look around and see plenty of seats. What can the Bengals do to right the ship?  Well in my opinion the ship is not sinking.  This is a Bengals team that just finished a stretch of three division games in probably the toughest division in football. They won all three of these games. While I was hoping they would not let down against the Texans part of me had a gut feeling that a letdown was coming. As hard as it may be for some people to get, this loss had nothing to do with Mike Brown. Mike Brown fumbled exactly 0 times. He never got beat deep and he was called for no penalties. He didn't even have 1 bad snap.

I am not stating that I agree with every decision Mike Brown makes or even half of the decisions he makes. However, this season, Mike has made some pretty good decisions. Some point at the fact that Mike did not draft a tight end last season. They reference the Jerome Simpson pick where the Bengals could have drafted a tight end. I took a look at the 4 tight ends drafted after Jerome Simpson. Here are their stats:

As you can see, none of the available tight ends are really putting up the kind of numbers that an elite or even average tight end would be putting up. It is easy to fault the Simpson pick but the kid has amazing talent and that sometimes never matures. Hindsight is always 20/20. Most of these people are also the ones that come up with statements like: "We should trade our 7th round compensation pick for Antonio Gates!" You can not have a logical debate with these people.

Reggie Kelley was not an elite tight end. However he was someone that was solid at blocking for the run and occasionally could catch a pass. Dan Coates came into this season as the 3rd tight end and may not have even made the team. Chase Coffman is not NFL ready. People screaming for this kid are going to be angry when he fails to read the defense and causes Cedric to get blown up in the backfield. Naysayers claim it is not that hard to learn how to block. I am sure it looks simple from the safety of your couch with a cold one in your hand.

The draft this year and free agent pickups have given the Bengals one heck of a defense. This is also what these band wagon jumpers were screaming for in the offseason. Some said the Bengals should pick all defensive players in the draft. When the offense struggles these people flip flop on those statements too.

Speaking of flip flops, many of these people were ready to trade Chad Ochocinco for a bag of popcorn. He had one bad season and because he is a kind of leader on this team he got a lot of the blame. I always thought Chad should stay and am glad that Mike Brown agreed with me.

Enough about the naysayers on the net. Let's look at what the Bengals have to work with going forward.  This Sunday the Bengals play a beatable Bears team. It has been announced that Peko is not lost and his injury may not be all that serious (which given the history of the Bengal trainers makes me very nervous). Now we get to see what rookie end Michael Johnson can do, I have a feeling he will make mistakes but also has the freakish ability to be disruptive in this defense. Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall will calm down and go back to playing the solid defense they have been playing all year.  I believe the breakdown we witnessed on Sunday was partially because the Bengals were struggling and guys were trying to do too much. This can cause over pursuit and mistakes by the D.

Cedric Benson should be focused more in this offense. Contrary to popular belief, the Bengals should not "throw it deep" every play. Toss one every now and then to Chris Henry? Yes. This past Sunday the Bengals got away from pounding the ball and I believe that was a mistake. The pieces are there, the players just need to execute.

Long story short, stay on the Bandwagon. I am not going to get back into the buying tickets debate, just do what you want. However, continue to support this first place team. The Steeler fans are riding high after beating the Cleveland Browns and love to think that all their problems are fixed. The Bengals are still ruling their own destiny and that is always the position you want your team to be in. Looking back at the Beginning of the season if I was to tell you the Bengals would beat the Steelers, Ravens in Baltimore and the Packers in Green Bay you would have been ecstatic.  Well, be ecstatic. This is still a fun ride.

WhoDey

It is common for coaches to find statements that the press or opposing players have made about their team to post on a message board to motivate their team in practice.  I thought I would extend that this week to the interesting comments I have found around the web from Steeler fans about the upcoming game against the Bengals. Please know, I have not edited these comments and some are fairly vulgar.  Enjoy:

So your trying to say to be a diehard fan you have to root for a basement dwelling NFL doormatt pathetic joke of a football team=i guess you guys count then
Where were all those die hard Bengal fans last year when you got booed in your own stadium,Steeler fans completely took over your stadium,you actually got cheered against in your won stadium,weakest fans in all of football


I dont believe I am the only one here that is so tired of sports writers who keep on the Calson Palmer for President band wagon. It seems that you all think he is the next Payton, Elway, Marino etc. He hasnt won a Superbowl the last I checked and in the big games he chokes. So explain to me "What is so great about him" I am 39 and been a Steelers fan from about 5. Ever since my grandfather introduced me to the steel curtain. Sure he is decent I will give him that, but great ? seriously? He has had the talent around him and still cant get it done. This year better than average defense. After this year, whats the excuse? QB's are suppose to be generals, leaders and when it comes down to it win the game or atleast put the team in position to win. So You keep riding that Palmer train. I love the cometition is this division. I say bring it ! Untill Palmer is gone the begals just wont be able to bring it to anyone in this division.

Hey Bengal fans cant take the truth im sorry 9-26 in last 35 vs Steelers and they still think they can beat the Steelers

Bengals are soft like their fans

Yea after the beatdown Pittsburg gives Cincy i cant wait for the crying and wehining from Bengal fans

Steelers better be ready. LOL For what, to play the St. Marys of the Mount Bungholes again? LOL LOL
Be ready for a CUNT team we've OWNED for the better part of 41 yrs? What a stupid fuckin Monkey you are. Be Like Mr. Rogers telling Mike Tyson back in 88, that he is going to kick his ass. Get Lost you JEALOUS fuck.
This fucking SISSY is STILL talking about what the Steelers did to Poor SISSY BOY Carson. Don't waste our time with this shit, you PANTYWAIST. LMFAO AT YOU!


1)The best thing about the Steelers is we always beat the Bungals.
2)The worst thing about the Bengals is they have to play a playoff team to show them there team still stinks
3)The winner of the game will be Steelers 28 to 14.
4) The quarterback who plays the best will be Big Ben with 3 TD's.
5) The MVP will be Lamar Woodley with three sacks while Carson is lying in his death bed.


Any guesses on which Bengals player the Steelers will injure for the year? Previous players have been Palmer and Rivers. I am guessing it will be a blindside hit by Hines Ward again.


you never hear anything from bengals fans unless they are winning, which is so rare in cinci. You are a joke of a franchise and a fanbase. You cant be the best until you beat the best. That wont happen on sunday.


Hines Ward and the Steelers return to PBS to blow up the lowly Bengals again. If Paul Brown were alive, I would think he would like to have his name removed from that stadium as long as the Bengals play there. Bengals are right on track for another 4-12 season. Buy those tickets Bengal fan!

1. The best thing about the Steelers is that we always knock bengals players the F-U-C-K out on completely legal hits, even though they #### about it cuz of course... once a bangal always a P00SEY!!.
2. The worst thing about the Bengals is the fact that they always wreak of semen from all so many years of consistantly sucking c*ck.
3. The winner of Sunday's game will be pitt by a score of 31-13.
4. The quarterback who plays best will be ben, carson wont have a chance because james harrison is going to bite his head off and swallow it whole on the first play.
5. The MVP of the game will be james harrison for hitting chad (comes in rod stewarts ####) johnson so hard that his monkey-with-down-syn drome looking head blows up in a bloody mess, shutting him up for ever and making the entire nation at least 40% happier since we no longer have to lisgten to his ####-####.

Breathing with your head up your butt or someone else’s must be talent acquired from the inbreeding at Elder. Only someone in that position would pick the Mikey Boys over the Men of Steel. Thankfully we only have week to put up with your inane drivel.


Chick, your the one who will be pulling his foot out of his mouth after the Steelers trash your Queen City Kitties on Sunday. Like most Bungal fans, your an idiot. Your 1-1 and you think your goin to the Super Bowl. You wont even sniff the playoffs. Ill kindly send you an email after the Bengals walk off their home field while thousands of yellow towels are waving in the Natti. Way to sell out your games bungal fans. Nice to see Kroger and Mike Brown bailing you out.


Silly Bungaloids. Will they ever learn? Weren’t these the same group of idiots that were on the verge of suicide after “yet another” 0-1 start? They win a game and now they’re the cream of the crop? You’re a doormat! Know your place.