Rudi's Out, Kenny's In, All Good?
Friday, September 28, 2007
As of Friday, Rudi is out for our Monday night game against the Patriots. At the risk of taking an unpopular position, I’m going to say that maybe this will turn out to be a good thing.
Before we go further, I’d like to go on the record and say that I have been, since 2004, a big Rudi Johnson fan. And I’ve also been known to call Kenny Watson, who is likely to fill-in for Rudi on Monday night, the Royce Clayton of running backs.
(For those who don’t know, Royce Clayton is a shortstop who’s played for about every team in Major League Baseball. He is not particularly good at anything, never has been, but he has this reputation of being a decent shortstop, so he keeps getting the opportunity to play. When he played for the Reds for part of last season, it was a disgrace to the memories of Davey Concepcion and Barry Larkin.)
But I changed my tune on Kenny Watson last year, when Comer Kai pointed out how well Watson performs whenever he gets the chance.
And this season I’ve started to worry about Rudi J. I used to love watching him consistently get at least three extra yards after first contact, but I haven’t seen that this year.
During last week’s game in Seattle, Rudi looked nothing like the punishing bruiser with a no-surrender mentality. He seemed to be dancing around a lot, trying to get position on the defense, instead of running into the line and breaking through holes. And when he got touched, he went down.
Anyway, here’s what I’m thinking:
1.) Having a new running back (one with a different running style) will give New England’s defense something else to think about.
2.) Without the familiarity of Rudi, everyone on offense will step up to try to compensate for his absence.
3.) We might try to work Jeremi Johnson into the game plan more, put the ball in his hands a few times. This is something I think we should be doing anyway.
4.) For some reason, I think that Watson will be able to handle 25 touches a game. He just seems like too much of a pro not to be prepared for it when the bell rings.
On the flip side, taking Kenny out of the special teams game is not going to help at all.
Lots of people today are talking about Rudi being out, including me (obviously). Still, the question is going to be how well our defense can contain their offense. But if we can continue to use our running game to control the clock when we have the ball, that could be a huge lift. What do you think?
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Thursday, September 27, 2007
Week 4 – Patriots
This Bengals team continues to find new ways to lose. This is not the old Bengals where they find different ways to reach all time lows, but this team just cannot make the transition to an elite team. They keep losing games they should win and keep losing control of manageable situations. Gingerballs Graham and his kickoff out of bounds followed by Glen Holt’s fumble is a tough one to take. It is a long season and you cannot let wins get away from you. The Bengals are still not in terrible shape as most people thought a 2-2 start would be good for the season. They are 1-2 going into the Patriots game which, if they lose, only puts them 1 game off pace. The Bengals are 7 point underdogs with the over/under being 52.5. Odds makers expect a high scoring game which could play into the Bengals favor.
Keys to the Game.
The Patriots are clearly the team to beat in the NFL right now. They are 3-0 with three blowouts. However, with San Diego’s loss to the Packers Sunday, the Patriots victories do not appear as strong as first seemed. The Jets have one win, a 3 point win over a bad Miami team, San Diego has one win, an opening week slugfest with Chicago, and the Bills have 3 bad losses. So while the Pats have been winning easily, they may not be the juggernaut the media portrays. And again this is the NFL, if you do not bring you’re A game, any team in the league can beat you. The Bengals lost to the Browns, and I would argue that there is a bigger difference in talent between the Bengals and Browns than the Bengals and Patriots. However, the main difference is the Patriots are an elite team that does not play down to the level of their competition, while the Bengals are a different team every week.
When the Bengals are on offense: Rudi Johnson looked to be running tentatively all game against the Seahawks. Holes were there, but Rudi was not able to hit them. We will never find out the full extent of his injuries, but he did not look good Sunday which does not bode well for the future. While Kenny Watson ran hard and had a successful day running the ball, he is not a 25 carry a game back. If the Bengals can get a competent rotation between Watson, Rudi, Jeremi Johnson and DeDe, they should be okay.
As for the Patriots, the Bengals match up well with the Patriots defense. The Pats philosophy on defense is to have a strong swarming front seven that can stop the run and apply pressure to the QB. Their DBs are not very strong, play zone, and keep everything in front of them. If you are going to beat the Pats D, you will have to take your time, work for it, and avoid mistakes. Last year, the Bengals had some success against the Pats, and it was only Carson’s 4th game back off his knee injury. The Bengals took an early lead on long drives that resulted in field goals not touchdowns. And still it was a one score game into the 4th quarter. The Bengals had their chances, but late turnovers and a tired Bengals defense allowed the Pats 2 late 4th quarter TDs that turned the game into a blowout. If the Bengals are to win, they must protect Palmer from the Pats front 7 and allow him to attack the Pats weak DBs and zones. This job is easier without Richard Seymour and Rodney Harrision running with the Pats defense. And the Bengals line has done a good job of protecting so far. As long as the Bengals take care of the football, they will put up points. The Bengals should give the Pats defense their first real test of the season.
When the Bengals are on defense: Lord help us. With the Pats versatility on offense, look for a strategy similar to the one the Bengals used last season against the Colts, very soft, limit the big plays, bend but don’t break, and we will win the shoot out. However, against the Colts last season, the defense did break and did not hold the Colts to any field goals. While they did limit the big play, they did not accomplish the next step of also limiting points. The Patriots offense is similar to the Colts in that their line is designed for pass blocking. They pass, run screens and run draws in order to open up the defense. Once the defense opens up, it is easier for smaller, quicker linemen to create the angles and seams needed for a strong running game. The Pats do not have any of the monster offensive linemen that the Bengals have, and will not line up for a power running game. They win with scheme, versatility, speed and thinking, not power. If the Bengals defense can limit the big play, control the line, make the Pats kick field goals instead of extra points, and grab a turnover, they can set up the Bengals offense with a chance to win the game.
What you do want to see: Laurence Maroney put the ball on the ground.
What you don’t want to see: The Squirrel……. Or Tom Brady get off the airplane.
Keys to the Game.
The Patriots are clearly the team to beat in the NFL right now. They are 3-0 with three blowouts. However, with San Diego’s loss to the Packers Sunday, the Patriots victories do not appear as strong as first seemed. The Jets have one win, a 3 point win over a bad Miami team, San Diego has one win, an opening week slugfest with Chicago, and the Bills have 3 bad losses. So while the Pats have been winning easily, they may not be the juggernaut the media portrays. And again this is the NFL, if you do not bring you’re A game, any team in the league can beat you. The Bengals lost to the Browns, and I would argue that there is a bigger difference in talent between the Bengals and Browns than the Bengals and Patriots. However, the main difference is the Patriots are an elite team that does not play down to the level of their competition, while the Bengals are a different team every week.
When the Bengals are on offense: Rudi Johnson looked to be running tentatively all game against the Seahawks. Holes were there, but Rudi was not able to hit them. We will never find out the full extent of his injuries, but he did not look good Sunday which does not bode well for the future. While Kenny Watson ran hard and had a successful day running the ball, he is not a 25 carry a game back. If the Bengals can get a competent rotation between Watson, Rudi, Jeremi Johnson and DeDe, they should be okay.
As for the Patriots, the Bengals match up well with the Patriots defense. The Pats philosophy on defense is to have a strong swarming front seven that can stop the run and apply pressure to the QB. Their DBs are not very strong, play zone, and keep everything in front of them. If you are going to beat the Pats D, you will have to take your time, work for it, and avoid mistakes. Last year, the Bengals had some success against the Pats, and it was only Carson’s 4th game back off his knee injury. The Bengals took an early lead on long drives that resulted in field goals not touchdowns. And still it was a one score game into the 4th quarter. The Bengals had their chances, but late turnovers and a tired Bengals defense allowed the Pats 2 late 4th quarter TDs that turned the game into a blowout. If the Bengals are to win, they must protect Palmer from the Pats front 7 and allow him to attack the Pats weak DBs and zones. This job is easier without Richard Seymour and Rodney Harrision running with the Pats defense. And the Bengals line has done a good job of protecting so far. As long as the Bengals take care of the football, they will put up points. The Bengals should give the Pats defense their first real test of the season.
When the Bengals are on defense: Lord help us. With the Pats versatility on offense, look for a strategy similar to the one the Bengals used last season against the Colts, very soft, limit the big plays, bend but don’t break, and we will win the shoot out. However, against the Colts last season, the defense did break and did not hold the Colts to any field goals. While they did limit the big play, they did not accomplish the next step of also limiting points. The Patriots offense is similar to the Colts in that their line is designed for pass blocking. They pass, run screens and run draws in order to open up the defense. Once the defense opens up, it is easier for smaller, quicker linemen to create the angles and seams needed for a strong running game. The Pats do not have any of the monster offensive linemen that the Bengals have, and will not line up for a power running game. They win with scheme, versatility, speed and thinking, not power. If the Bengals defense can limit the big play, control the line, make the Pats kick field goals instead of extra points, and grab a turnover, they can set up the Bengals offense with a chance to win the game.
What you do want to see: Laurence Maroney put the ball on the ground.
What you don’t want to see: The Squirrel……. Or Tom Brady get off the airplane.
Match up of mullets: TJ vs Randy Moss
Let’s see, his name is Randy, he is from West Virginia, he likes fishing, and he has a mullett. The profile checks out, but the picture just doesn’t seem to match. I think there was an identity theft here. BENGALS WIN
Match up of Moustaches: Kenny Watson vs Logan Mankins
Mankins moustache would be the runaway winner if he would clean up the rest of his face. Instead he loses points and Kenny Watson is the winner as cleanliness is next to godliness. Kenny will get the job done. BENGALS WIN
Duel of the uglies: Jeff Rowe vs. Strength Coach Mike Woicik
Normally coaches do not qualify for the ugly list, but this week there is an exception for Coach Woicik. He looks like Jeff Rowe and Scott Kooistra had a baby in the stoneage.
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PATS WIN
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PATS WINBattle of old men: Bryan Robinson(33) vs Junior Seau(38)
It’s amazing when you think that most LBs are considered old in their late 20s. Junior Seau was in the NFL when Lemar Marshall, the Bengals oldest LB, was in grade school. PATS WIN
Biggest loser fan: Stormtrooper vs Jon Kerry
When the stormtrooper walks the streets of Cincinnati, most people say, “Wow, look at that loser.” But that is just a local phenomenon. Jon Kerry lost an election for president of the United States, which is one of the most covered events in the world. Kerry could walk up to a group of Wopkaimin people in Tabubil, New Guinea, and they would say, “There’s Jon Kerry, he’s a loser.” PATS WIN
Trashiest looking cheerbabe: Tiffany vs Jessica
The Patriots made it too easy with some of the questions asked in the bio. For example:
What is your dream job? : Dance on tour for Justin Timberlake.
We all have dreams.
If you could be anyone in the world for a day, who would it be? : Jesus
I would also like to be Jon Kitna.
Community Service : I have performed in many benefit shows and at nursing homes.
What do you think a cheerleader dance performance at a nursing home would look like?
What do you think a cheerleader dance performance at a nursing home would look like?
If stuck on a deserted island, what three items would you want to have with you? :
My cell phone, my hair straightener, and my iPod.
My cell phone, my hair straightener, and my iPod.
Great answers! I think the point of 'stuck on a deserted island' means you cannot talk on the phone with your friends. A hair straightener would be a necessity though.
Do you have any hidden talents? : I am really good at hula hoop-ing and am a limbo champ!
YES!!
Little known Patriots fact: Sometimes people get lucky. The Patriots picked Tom Brady with the 199th pick of the 2000 draft. He was drafted to be the backup to Drew Bledsoe. If Bledsoe does not get hurt, Brady could have been a perennial backup and journeyman a la Jon Kitna.
Sometimes people are stupid. The Bengals had 6 picks before Brady went off the board, those picks were WR Peter Warrick, DB Mark Roman, WR Ron Dugans, RB Curtis Keaton, DB Robert Bean, and K Neil Rackers. None of them are with the Bengals, and only Roman(49ers) and Rackers(Cardinals) are still in the NFL. The following year, the Bengals took Justin Smith with the 4th overall pick. Two picks later, the Patriots took Richard Seymour who has made the Pro Bowl in 5 of his 6 seasons.
Little known Patriots fact: Sometimes people get lucky. The Patriots picked Tom Brady with the 199th pick of the 2000 draft. He was drafted to be the backup to Drew Bledsoe. If Bledsoe does not get hurt, Brady could have been a perennial backup and journeyman a la Jon Kitna.
Sometimes people are stupid. The Bengals had 6 picks before Brady went off the board, those picks were WR Peter Warrick, DB Mark Roman, WR Ron Dugans, RB Curtis Keaton, DB Robert Bean, and K Neil Rackers. None of them are with the Bengals, and only Roman(49ers) and Rackers(Cardinals) are still in the NFL. The following year, the Bengals took Justin Smith with the 4th overall pick. Two picks later, the Patriots took Richard Seymour who has made the Pro Bowl in 5 of his 6 seasons.
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Linebackers hurt. So is my head.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Brooks, is expected to go. And Lemar Marshal was not mentioned on the injury report. I think this is a good thing. This linebacker situation is too mind-boggling to know for sure. Marshal was hurt, then Miller gets hurt and Marshal is okay to play. Our biggest signing of the off-season was Ed Hartwell, who we cut. Then, as linebackers begin dropping like flies, instead of resigning Hartwell, we sign Marshal, Schlegel and Dhani Jones. We ignore guys who trained in the system all pre-season, like Matt Muncy and others in favor of guys who are… better? You would assume they are better otherwise why would they be there. But then, what the hell were these other guys doing in Georgetown taking up space and practicing special teams, which would never put into practice?
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This used to be what I liked...
Monday, September 24, 2007
Usually after the game I will do a little post about the things I liked and the things I didn't like. This week however I am changing it to a little rant.
While I agree that the Bengals have blown two games in a row for different reasons I am sick of hearing all the morons on the sports talk radio shows calling in and crying about the same old Bengals. These people have nothing better in their lives than to wake up extra early on Monday morning so they can get to a phone and sit on hold for an hour or two just so they can say "I told you so". Quit your crying. These same people call in whether or not then Bengals win or lose. It is amazing to me how some people just love to gripe.
Now to the game, what is the deal with everyones favorite kicker Ginger Graham? I am sick of hearing how accurate a kicker he is when we can't hold a team to their side of the field on kickoff. Apparently we have so little confidence in our special teams tackling ability that we have decide to squib kick every kickoff and give our opponents great field position. Nothing compliments a terrible defense like great starting filed position for the other team. Special teams cost us this game and with some tackiling and better kickoffs this would not have been down to the wire.
Lastly, thanks to Greg, Dee and Taylor Ann for the great grub and football setup to watch the miserable game.
Out.
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While I agree that the Bengals have blown two games in a row for different reasons I am sick of hearing all the morons on the sports talk radio shows calling in and crying about the same old Bengals. These people have nothing better in their lives than to wake up extra early on Monday morning so they can get to a phone and sit on hold for an hour or two just so they can say "I told you so". Quit your crying. These same people call in whether or not then Bengals win or lose. It is amazing to me how some people just love to gripe.
Now to the game, what is the deal with everyones favorite kicker Ginger Graham? I am sick of hearing how accurate a kicker he is when we can't hold a team to their side of the field on kickoff. Apparently we have so little confidence in our special teams tackling ability that we have decide to squib kick every kickoff and give our opponents great field position. Nothing compliments a terrible defense like great starting filed position for the other team. Special teams cost us this game and with some tackiling and better kickoffs this would not have been down to the wire.
Lastly, thanks to Greg, Dee and Taylor Ann for the great grub and football setup to watch the miserable game.
Out.
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Hey Chuck: We're All Looking
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
The headline on Bengals.com today is “Bresnahan Looking For Answers.” Well, I’m looking for answers too, and I’m looking right at Bresnahan. I think we should fire our defensive coordinator, if not solely as a wake-up call to the defensive players and the rest of the team, but also because I’m not completely sure he’s qualified to hold his position.
I’m not alone. Another Bengals fan site has even started a Fire Chuck Bresnahan petition.
I first trained a critical eye on Bresnahan before our Week 16 game with the Broncos last season (2006). I read the Sports Guy’s 2006 Week 16 NFL Picks, and he included a pretty damning quote about Bresnahan:
Someone In The Know once told me, "Bet against Chuck Bresnahan (Cincy's defensive coordinator) against any good coach. He stinks. Smart coaches and smart QBs always have a field day against him."
At the time, I tried to ignore this quote.
1) Sports columnists aren’t to be trusted too much because they’re always puffing themselves up.
2) I guessed the Someone In The Know was a low-level assistant, like a video-coordinator or some other guy who loves football and is willing to do anything just to be on a team. These guys are happy to give quotes and run down the performance of people who are far more accomplished and qualified than they are.
3) That Denver game wasn’t lost so much because of bad defense but because Kyle Larson couldn’t hold a football.
But I couldn’t completely get this quote out of my mind, and I’ve had the sneaking suspicion that the problem with our defense starts with the coordinator. Just look at the amount of emphasis we’ve put on defense in the last few drafts. We’re getting talented people in, but that’s not improving things yet. We’ve been waiting for the play of the defense on the field to match that of the offense, and that hasn’t happened.
Here are some money quotes from Bresnahan, I’ll let him make my argument for me:
"I didn't have them ready to play. Somehow we missed very simple adjustments we've made the entire offseason. There was nothing special in the game plan and I take (the mental mistakes) personally."Italics added by DMo.
“There's just no excuse," Bresnahan said. "It's very easily corrected, but until we do it consistently, we're going to have problems." This week "we're making it a point to be disciplined in everything you do. From the meeting room to walkthroughs to practice to getting it right."
Here’s an idea: Try stressing discipline and consistency from the beginning of training camp.
The thing is, I think we all realize that there’s only so wide a window of opportunity. In 2005, we all went into the playoffs thinking we had a chance, but we were young. Last year was the time to take the next step, but our defense held us back. If that happens again this year, then what? How big is that window of opportunity? We can’t wait around for the defense any more, and I say that the turnaround needs to start with a new coordinator, and that it needs to start now.
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Keys To The Game
Week 3 – Seahawks
Did I say last week that I thought this defense could be average, what was I smoking? I don’t think the Bengals defense is as bad as they looked Sunday for reasons I will explain later. However, the Brown’s game showed 2 of the biggest weaknesses of the Marvin Lewis era, inconsistency and poor game management. Marvin is a good coach and talent evaluator, but the Bengals always play to the level of their competition, and Marvin makes bad in-game decisions. The 2 plays that really stick out are the 3rd and 1 on the Browns’ 2 yard line in the 3rd quarter, and the pass to Braylon Edwards on the Brown’s final drive.
On the five running plays prior to the 3rd and 1, Rudi Johnson ran for 2, 9, 14, 8, and 1 yards. Clearly the Bengals did not have trouble running the ball. However, the Bengals decided on 3rd and 1 that they had to do a sneak attack no huddle and run quickly to the line to catch Cleveland off guard. Why do that when the Browns couldn’t stop Rudi from the regular set? So the Bengals pop to the line for an obvious QB sneak at 400 pound Ted Washington in which every Browns player crowded the line. A total waste. Then after wasting 3rd down, Marvin decided not to go for it on 4th down. If you are not going for it on 4th down, then run a real play on 3rd down and do not waste the down.
Braylon Edwards catch on the final drive seemed to have 2 bad calls by the officials, one, it appeared Edwards fumbled, and two, a very generous spot of the football. Contrary to the opinion of the announcers working the game, down by contact is a reviewable play. This rule was changed last season, and here is the NFL press release:
New Rules for 2006:
• Down by contact calls may be reviewed by instant replay. Previously, a fumble was not reviewable if the ball carrier was ruled down by contact. If the ruling of down by contact is changed, the ball belongs to the recovering player at the spot of the recovery of the fumble.
The Browns received a 1st down by just a few inches, but the spot and fumble were possible for review and Marvin did not challenge. Not only did he not challenge, Marvin called time out to stop the clock. Even if Marvin did not think he would win the challenge, he should have challenged anyway if he planned to use a timeout. Challenge that the sky is blue, or challenge Romeo’s moustache is crooked, or anything that could possibly gain a few inches given that you will be using the timeout anyway. The Bengals lost 2 minutes and 40 yards of field position due to letting the play stand.
Alright enough of last week.
Keys to the Game.
Seattle is much like the Bengals in that they are known more for their offense, and they underachieved in 2006. However, Seattle is more balanced in that their offense is not as good, and their defense is not as bad. Seattle has not looked too good so far in 2007, but a road trip to Seattle is one of the toughest to make in sports. The Bengals are again operating on a short week due to the extra day needed for travel to Seattle. They still must refocus and play a much stronger game if they want to get the season back on track. As of now, the Seahawks are favored by 3 points.
When the Seahawks have the ball: The Bengals defense is not as bad as their performance Sunday against the Browns. All preseason, the Bengals played base defense with very soft zones and the pundits went crazy on how bad the D was. I said wait until the regular season because it is obvious they aren’t scheming for anything. Then in week 1, the Bengals had a great scheme that brought pressure all game to the Ravens offense. Think of all the hits on Steve McNair, and the confusion caused that led to turnovers, it was a great day. Then in week 2, the Bengals appeared to have no game plan specific to the Browns. I think they believed they could beat the Browns with their base defense. The Bengals brought few blitzes and all were picked up cleanly by the Browns. The biggest issue with that is on the D-line. Justin Smith was matched up against a rookie and Robert Geathers was matched up against Shaffer the pancake taker. It’s easy to see why Bresnahan would believe the Bengals could go with a base defense. This should worry Bengals fans that both defensive ends were invisible on Sunday against the Browns tackles. Derek Anderson was not under pressure once all game. I still believe the Bengals defense can be average, but if at your best you are average, what happens at your worst? Well we saw that on Sunday. Remember, the Colts lost 44-17 to the Jaguars last December, a week before pasting the Bengals, and 6 games before they were in the Super Bowl. In the NFL, if you do not show up to play, you will be embarrassed, even if you are the Super Bowl champs. The Bengals coaches and players did not show up for defense on Sunday.
The Bengals defense will have a tougher task this week with the Seahawks, but not much. The Hawks offense is overrated based on past seasons in which they rolled through the weak NFC West. The NFC West is stronger now and Seattle has already lost a division game this season, last week to the Cardinals. If the Cardinals defense can hold Shaun Alexander to 70 yards rushing, the Bengals can also. Alexander is 30 years old which usually marks the decline of most RBs. Matt Hasselbeck is a much better QB than Derek Anderson, but the Bengals will not see weapons like Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow this week. All depends on which D shows up, the week 1 swarming D, or the week 2 return to preseason D.
When the Bengals have the ball: The Seahawks defensive line is average and led by Justin Smith clone Pat Kerney. They are backed by a strong LB core with underrated LB Lofa Tatupu and the versatile Julian Peterson. The defensive backfield is weak and highlighted by 2 free agent safeties. A few seasons ago, Seattle felt they had their safeties of the future in Michael Boulware and Marlon McCree. McCree left through free agency, and Boulware turned from sensation to disappointment and was traded away. So the Bengals have a definite weakness to exploit if given the opportunity. They must be careful though as Peterson and Tatupu are excellent in pass coverage and can drop much deeper than the average LB. If the Bengals can get Rudi going, they will force the Seattle LBs to hover closer to the line of scrimmage. Then it becomes a game of the Bengals picking the right times to exploit the weak Seattle safeties. The Bengals line, starters and subs, have done a good job in protecting Palmer so far this season. LB Peterson is a dangerous pass rusher and the Bengals will need to find him on every play. However, this week should be no different than previous weeks as the Seahawks D-line is equal to the Bengals D-line. And minus Tatupu and Peterson, the Seahawks defense is probably worse than the Bengals. This just shows what a difference 2 strong LBs can have on a defense.
Matchup of mullets: TJ vs Marcus Trufant
What is this guy trying to say? Is this some hippie west coast Greenpeace cheer for a football game? “Stop the Sea Fence, save the whales!!” From the looks of him, I would assume he is very pro-sea fence as long as everything caught in the fence lands in his refrigerator. SEAHAWKS WIN
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Did I say last week that I thought this defense could be average, what was I smoking? I don’t think the Bengals defense is as bad as they looked Sunday for reasons I will explain later. However, the Brown’s game showed 2 of the biggest weaknesses of the Marvin Lewis era, inconsistency and poor game management. Marvin is a good coach and talent evaluator, but the Bengals always play to the level of their competition, and Marvin makes bad in-game decisions. The 2 plays that really stick out are the 3rd and 1 on the Browns’ 2 yard line in the 3rd quarter, and the pass to Braylon Edwards on the Brown’s final drive.
On the five running plays prior to the 3rd and 1, Rudi Johnson ran for 2, 9, 14, 8, and 1 yards. Clearly the Bengals did not have trouble running the ball. However, the Bengals decided on 3rd and 1 that they had to do a sneak attack no huddle and run quickly to the line to catch Cleveland off guard. Why do that when the Browns couldn’t stop Rudi from the regular set? So the Bengals pop to the line for an obvious QB sneak at 400 pound Ted Washington in which every Browns player crowded the line. A total waste. Then after wasting 3rd down, Marvin decided not to go for it on 4th down. If you are not going for it on 4th down, then run a real play on 3rd down and do not waste the down.
Braylon Edwards catch on the final drive seemed to have 2 bad calls by the officials, one, it appeared Edwards fumbled, and two, a very generous spot of the football. Contrary to the opinion of the announcers working the game, down by contact is a reviewable play. This rule was changed last season, and here is the NFL press release:
New Rules for 2006:
• Down by contact calls may be reviewed by instant replay. Previously, a fumble was not reviewable if the ball carrier was ruled down by contact. If the ruling of down by contact is changed, the ball belongs to the recovering player at the spot of the recovery of the fumble.
The Browns received a 1st down by just a few inches, but the spot and fumble were possible for review and Marvin did not challenge. Not only did he not challenge, Marvin called time out to stop the clock. Even if Marvin did not think he would win the challenge, he should have challenged anyway if he planned to use a timeout. Challenge that the sky is blue, or challenge Romeo’s moustache is crooked, or anything that could possibly gain a few inches given that you will be using the timeout anyway. The Bengals lost 2 minutes and 40 yards of field position due to letting the play stand.
Alright enough of last week.
Keys to the Game.
Seattle is much like the Bengals in that they are known more for their offense, and they underachieved in 2006. However, Seattle is more balanced in that their offense is not as good, and their defense is not as bad. Seattle has not looked too good so far in 2007, but a road trip to Seattle is one of the toughest to make in sports. The Bengals are again operating on a short week due to the extra day needed for travel to Seattle. They still must refocus and play a much stronger game if they want to get the season back on track. As of now, the Seahawks are favored by 3 points.
When the Seahawks have the ball: The Bengals defense is not as bad as their performance Sunday against the Browns. All preseason, the Bengals played base defense with very soft zones and the pundits went crazy on how bad the D was. I said wait until the regular season because it is obvious they aren’t scheming for anything. Then in week 1, the Bengals had a great scheme that brought pressure all game to the Ravens offense. Think of all the hits on Steve McNair, and the confusion caused that led to turnovers, it was a great day. Then in week 2, the Bengals appeared to have no game plan specific to the Browns. I think they believed they could beat the Browns with their base defense. The Bengals brought few blitzes and all were picked up cleanly by the Browns. The biggest issue with that is on the D-line. Justin Smith was matched up against a rookie and Robert Geathers was matched up against Shaffer the pancake taker. It’s easy to see why Bresnahan would believe the Bengals could go with a base defense. This should worry Bengals fans that both defensive ends were invisible on Sunday against the Browns tackles. Derek Anderson was not under pressure once all game. I still believe the Bengals defense can be average, but if at your best you are average, what happens at your worst? Well we saw that on Sunday. Remember, the Colts lost 44-17 to the Jaguars last December, a week before pasting the Bengals, and 6 games before they were in the Super Bowl. In the NFL, if you do not show up to play, you will be embarrassed, even if you are the Super Bowl champs. The Bengals coaches and players did not show up for defense on Sunday.
The Bengals defense will have a tougher task this week with the Seahawks, but not much. The Hawks offense is overrated based on past seasons in which they rolled through the weak NFC West. The NFC West is stronger now and Seattle has already lost a division game this season, last week to the Cardinals. If the Cardinals defense can hold Shaun Alexander to 70 yards rushing, the Bengals can also. Alexander is 30 years old which usually marks the decline of most RBs. Matt Hasselbeck is a much better QB than Derek Anderson, but the Bengals will not see weapons like Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow this week. All depends on which D shows up, the week 1 swarming D, or the week 2 return to preseason D.
When the Bengals have the ball: The Seahawks defensive line is average and led by Justin Smith clone Pat Kerney. They are backed by a strong LB core with underrated LB Lofa Tatupu and the versatile Julian Peterson. The defensive backfield is weak and highlighted by 2 free agent safeties. A few seasons ago, Seattle felt they had their safeties of the future in Michael Boulware and Marlon McCree. McCree left through free agency, and Boulware turned from sensation to disappointment and was traded away. So the Bengals have a definite weakness to exploit if given the opportunity. They must be careful though as Peterson and Tatupu are excellent in pass coverage and can drop much deeper than the average LB. If the Bengals can get Rudi going, they will force the Seattle LBs to hover closer to the line of scrimmage. Then it becomes a game of the Bengals picking the right times to exploit the weak Seattle safeties. The Bengals line, starters and subs, have done a good job in protecting Palmer so far this season. LB Peterson is a dangerous pass rusher and the Bengals will need to find him on every play. However, this week should be no different than previous weeks as the Seahawks D-line is equal to the Bengals D-line. And minus Tatupu and Peterson, the Seahawks defense is probably worse than the Bengals. This just shows what a difference 2 strong LBs can have on a defense.
Matchup of mullets: TJ vs Marcus Trufant
What is it with DBs and mulletts? Do mullets make you run faster? I am going to do an experiment on 10 random people by timing them in the 40 yard dash with and without mullets. I will post the video and results on this site. The AAS (American Academy of Sciences) is very interested in the study. Again, TJ will get to win the mullet battle head to head on the field. BENGALS WIN
Matchup of Moustaches: TJ vs Mike Holmgren
Holmgren, Dungy, Cowher, Reid….Super Bowl coaches have moustaches, Marvin are you paying attention? SEAHAWKS WIN
Duel of the uglies: Jeff Rowe vs. CB Kelly Jennings
Jennings is going to have a tough day all around as he will be the ugliest looking on the field, and he will also be made to look the ugliest on the field. He will be the target on most of Palmer’s throws and probably will not get much help from the 2 new safeties. BENGALS WIN
Battle of old men: DE Bryan Robinson(33) vs OG Chris Gray(37)
For the first time, this battle could be decided on the field. It is doubtful they will see each other, but knowing what is at stake, my money is on Robinson finding this old man and putting him out of his misery. BENGALS WIN
Biggest loser fan: Stormtrooper vs Sea Fence?
What is this guy trying to say? Is this some hippie west coast Greenpeace cheer for a football game? “Stop the Sea Fence, save the whales!!” From the looks of him, I would assume he is very pro-sea fence as long as everything caught in the fence lands in his refrigerator. SEAHAWKS WIN
Trashiest looking cheerbabe: Tiffany vs Kristi
Someone really needs to help the cheerleaders give answers that make sense. In her bio, Kristi’s favorite vacation was “Vacationing in huts in the middle of the water in Bora Bora,” is that possible? Much better is her response to how she stays fit, “Eat healthy foods and working out with all my favorite Sea Gals!” YEA! Wouldn’t we all like to see that? SEAHAWKS WIN
Little known Seahawks fact: This isn’t really a little known Seattle fact, this is more of a forgotten story from the Bengals trip to Seattle in October 1990. This is the Bengals 5th visit to Seattle since a 1990 incident in which a Seattle woman identified in court records as Victoria C. alleged that she had consensual sex with one Bengals player, and then was raped at the team hotel in suburban Seattle. She accused 12 players in the rape while saying 8 others watched. Afterwards, she accepted a $30,000 payment from several players and signed a contract to keep quiet. Later, she said she did not understand that a waiver she signed meant that she would not get any more money.
The case was taken to a grand jury which deliberated and decided that she must abide by the contract. The "Release of All Claims" that they upheld freed all parties of liability and barred Victoria C. from pursuing a Federal lawsuit. No criminal charges were filed against any of the players. Several Bengals players filed a countersuit to have their names cleared in public.
The case was taken to a grand jury which deliberated and decided that she must abide by the contract. The "Release of All Claims" that they upheld freed all parties of liability and barred Victoria C. from pursuing a Federal lawsuit. No criminal charges were filed against any of the players. Several Bengals players filed a countersuit to have their names cleared in public.
DO NOT LET CHRIS HENRY OR ODELL THURMAN GO TO SEATTLE WITHOUT A LAWYER
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What I Didn't Like
Monday, September 17, 2007
First let me say there are new pictures up.
I decided to make the trip up to the asshole of Ohio and go see the Bengals take on the Browns in Cleveland. The day started off as I expected, we got up early, went to tailgate in the famous Muni Lot and were preparing for the Bengals to whoop up on the Browns.
First let me tell you about the tailgate experience. Some of the fans were great, there was some good natured ribbing and chants of "Asshole" as I walked by in my Palmer jersey. All of this was expected. What was not expected was being tripped, hit, kicked. Having beers thrown at me. Football to the face. Beers being stolen from the cooler. I mean c'mon, I used to stick up for Cleveland but man, you guys proved you have earned your reputation.
Then to the game, what can I say, the Bengals offense came, but the defense did not make the trip.
It was not all bad, I got to hang out with some good people. See god ole Gary who looked like he might die when I first saw him (happy belated Birthday). Most importantly, I learned a new tailgate game. The fans called it Louisville Chugger, and trust me this is one that is going to get a lot of play in Longworth parking lot.
The best part of the day was seeing the sign stating "You are now Leaving Cleveland, Ohio" and I smiled. Because while I get to go home far away from Cleveland, all of those idiots are stuck in one of the worst places on the planet.
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I decided to make the trip up to the asshole of Ohio and go see the Bengals take on the Browns in Cleveland. The day started off as I expected, we got up early, went to tailgate in the famous Muni Lot and were preparing for the Bengals to whoop up on the Browns.
First let me tell you about the tailgate experience. Some of the fans were great, there was some good natured ribbing and chants of "Asshole" as I walked by in my Palmer jersey. All of this was expected. What was not expected was being tripped, hit, kicked. Having beers thrown at me. Football to the face. Beers being stolen from the cooler. I mean c'mon, I used to stick up for Cleveland but man, you guys proved you have earned your reputation.
Then to the game, what can I say, the Bengals offense came, but the defense did not make the trip.
It was not all bad, I got to hang out with some good people. See god ole Gary who looked like he might die when I first saw him (happy belated Birthday). Most importantly, I learned a new tailgate game. The fans called it Louisville Chugger, and trust me this is one that is going to get a lot of play in Longworth parking lot.
The best part of the day was seeing the sign stating "You are now Leaving Cleveland, Ohio" and I smiled. Because while I get to go home far away from Cleveland, all of those idiots are stuck in one of the worst places on the planet.
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Geathers Player of the week.
Friday, September 14, 2007
BENGALS DE ROBERT GEATHERS VOTED GMC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
FROM CINCINNATI BENGALS PUBLIC RELATIONS
In a fan vote on NFL.com, Bengals DE Robert Geathers has been named GMC Defensive Player of the Week for games played on September 6-10.
In coaches’ statistics, Geathers had eight tackles in Monday’s win over Baltimore, including a sack, and he also had a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception. He contributed to three different Bengals takeaways.
More than 48,900 fans voted this week on NFL.com. Geathers was selected from among five finalists. The other finalists were linebacker Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots, defensive end DeWayne White of the Detroit Lions, defensive tackle Kevin Williams of the Minnesota Vikings and defensive end Mario Williams of the Houston Texans.
`Geathers received 46 percent of the fan votes, with Mario Williams second at 29 percent.
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FROM CINCINNATI BENGALS PUBLIC RELATIONS
In a fan vote on NFL.com, Bengals DE Robert Geathers has been named GMC Defensive Player of the Week for games played on September 6-10.
In coaches’ statistics, Geathers had eight tackles in Monday’s win over Baltimore, including a sack, and he also had a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception. He contributed to three different Bengals takeaways.
More than 48,900 fans voted this week on NFL.com. Geathers was selected from among five finalists. The other finalists were linebacker Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots, defensive end DeWayne White of the Detroit Lions, defensive tackle Kevin Williams of the Minnesota Vikings and defensive end Mario Williams of the Houston Texans.
`Geathers received 46 percent of the fan votes, with Mario Williams second at 29 percent.
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Keys To The Game
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Week 2 – Browns
I wish I could stomach sports talk radio for more than 2 minutes so I could hear the complete turnaround from the Bengals preseason woes to a huge week 1 division win. The defense that was supposed to be the worst ever (based on games that do not count) spent nearly the entire 2nd half on the field and only gave up 13 total points. Where is Jeremiah Trotter, desperately needed by the Bengals? He is a backup for Tampa Bay. And Lemar Marshall, a half rate free agent signing? He may end up being the Bengals best LB before the season is over. Do I think the Bengals defense is good? Not really. But if they stay healthy, they can play their way into the middle of the pack which would be good enough for a deep playoff run.
And now the Clowns.
The Bengals are favored in this game by 6.5, are you kidding me? I know it’s on the road, in the division, and on a short week, but 6.5? Not only is the Browns franchise a mess, but talent-wise, they only have a few players who could start for another team in the AFC North. And none of their current QBs would be higher than 3rd string for any team in the division. Carson Palmer was not named the Bengals #2 QB until half way through his rookie year, and Palmer did not have a lengthy contract hold out like Brady Quinn. The Browns are years away from being good, and it will not happen anytime soon. Romeo Crennel is probably not the problem, but he will get the blame if they royally suck this year. Once he is fired, they will be set back again by a new coach coming in and fighting with management over the large number of overpriced underperforming free agents that fill the Browns roster.
Keys to the Game.
When the Browns have the ball: There is a lot of pressure in Cleveland to play Brady Quinn, but that would be a huge mistake for them. In watching last Sunday’s game, I saw things I have never seen before in an NFL game. One of which is an NFL starting Tackle getting pancaked off the snap as the Defensive End blew through on his way to sack the QB. This happens in grade school, sometimes high school, rarely in college, and never in the NFL. But it did Sunday. The only good news for the Browns is that it wasn’t #1 pick Joe Thomas who played well for a rookie in his first game, it was Kevin Shaffer. Do you really want a rookie QB with only a few weeks of NFL practice starting behind that line with Jamal Lewis (Clearly not the same player) as the running back and Joe Jurevicius as the #2 receiver? Jurevicius is a journeyman who has never been a #2 receiver but is now a #2 for the first time at age 32. Besides having no help, Quinn has never seen an NFL defense live. In the preseason, Quinn had success against base coverages and players who are no longer on NFL rosters. He needs time to watch film of real games and learn how to succeed at the NFL level. Give Quinn a few more weeks to prepare while Derek Anderson gets his head beat in. Then, Quinn can come in ready to play without any pressure to win. What is the rush if he is the QB of the future? Meanwhile, the Cowboys are loving every minute as they watch the draft pick they traded for Quinn turn into the #1 overall pick next April.
When the Bengals have the ball: They score.
Kidding aside, the Browns do have some dangerous players on defense. The most dangerous for the Bengals is Kamerion Wimbley.With the Bengals line in constant rotation, one slip up could leave Palmer exposed to a fast hard hitting LB. Wimbley is the only one who poses a real threat to the Bengals. D’Qwell Jackson is a solid LB, but he will be nothing compared to what the Bengals saw with the Ravens. Safety Sean Jones is heralded as a budding star, but he really is just a headhunter that gets beat often. The Steelers showed this last week. Give Jones a chance and he can hurt you, but you can also take advantage of him and turn the game into a blowout. Let’s just hope the Bengals offense will open up playing against a much softer defense in Cleveland.
What you do want to see: Brady Quinn in the game.
What you don’t want to see: A drop in intensity after the huge Monday night game. While the Browns should be an easy win, the Bengals can get careless. A perfect example is last year allowing Chad Johnson to get a concussion when he should have been relaxing on the bench. A play like that could change the outcome of this game and the entire season.
Matchup of mullets: TJ vs Leigh Bodden
Again, this matchup will probably be decided head to head on the field. Even though Bodden’s drape is longer, TJ will show him the true power of a mullet. BENGALS WIN
Matchup of Moustaches: TJ vs Romeo Crennel
He is old, he is fat, his name is Romeo, and he has a nice full gray moustache. Does it get any stronger than that? Yes it does, he is also the head coach. BROWNS WIN
Duel of the uglies: Jeff Rowe vs. Dave Zastudil
Zastudil should probably hold himself responsible for last week’s debacle. If he did not miss the game due to injury, Paul Ernster is not in the game to drop the first punt snap. Dropped snap, Steelers ball on the 20, Steelers up 7-0, game unravels. At least Jeff Rowe has never done that. BROWNS WIN
Battle of old men: Bryan Robinson(33) vs Ted Washington(39)
It is unbelievable that Ted Washington can still play Nose Tackle in the NFL at age 39. Even more is that he is listed at 375 pounds. Usually they cap the weight they will list people at 350, just so the lard asses feel good. Ted must be so far over 400 they decided 375 is the new limit. BROWNS WIN
Biggest loser fan: Stormtrooper vs This A—hole
This idiot decided it would be a good idea to run on the field and taunt the Steelers during another Browns loss last season. All seemed fun until he was clotheslined and slammed by LB James Harrison. Even Browns fans are inept. At least Bengals fans know to disrupt the other team until security stops you. This clown jumped right in line with the Browns team to take his thumping from the Steelers. BROWNS WIN
Trashiest looking cheerbabe: Tiffany vs Bone Lady
The Browns may not have cheerleaders, but they do have this creature. I wish my mom wore a cheerleader outfit with the words ‘Bone It’ written on the front. At least the license plate is dedicated to Charlie Frye. Being traded 24 hours after starting the season opener, he may be the only man currently desperate enough to actually ‘Bone It.’ Tiffany doesn’t hold a candle to the tsunami of trashy. BROWNS WIN
Little known Browns fact: Brady Quinn grew up in a very strange family.
This isn’t a spontaneous “GOTCHA!!” picture, no. This is a planned “Why don’t you go ahead and grab each others crotches, it will be great” moment, probably taken by a weird uncle with a greasy comb-over. The only one who seems to be enjoying this moment is Brady Quinn. Nice pink shirt.
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I wish I could stomach sports talk radio for more than 2 minutes so I could hear the complete turnaround from the Bengals preseason woes to a huge week 1 division win. The defense that was supposed to be the worst ever (based on games that do not count) spent nearly the entire 2nd half on the field and only gave up 13 total points. Where is Jeremiah Trotter, desperately needed by the Bengals? He is a backup for Tampa Bay. And Lemar Marshall, a half rate free agent signing? He may end up being the Bengals best LB before the season is over. Do I think the Bengals defense is good? Not really. But if they stay healthy, they can play their way into the middle of the pack which would be good enough for a deep playoff run.
And now the Clowns.
The Bengals are favored in this game by 6.5, are you kidding me? I know it’s on the road, in the division, and on a short week, but 6.5? Not only is the Browns franchise a mess, but talent-wise, they only have a few players who could start for another team in the AFC North. And none of their current QBs would be higher than 3rd string for any team in the division. Carson Palmer was not named the Bengals #2 QB until half way through his rookie year, and Palmer did not have a lengthy contract hold out like Brady Quinn. The Browns are years away from being good, and it will not happen anytime soon. Romeo Crennel is probably not the problem, but he will get the blame if they royally suck this year. Once he is fired, they will be set back again by a new coach coming in and fighting with management over the large number of overpriced underperforming free agents that fill the Browns roster.
Keys to the Game.
When the Browns have the ball: There is a lot of pressure in Cleveland to play Brady Quinn, but that would be a huge mistake for them. In watching last Sunday’s game, I saw things I have never seen before in an NFL game. One of which is an NFL starting Tackle getting pancaked off the snap as the Defensive End blew through on his way to sack the QB. This happens in grade school, sometimes high school, rarely in college, and never in the NFL. But it did Sunday. The only good news for the Browns is that it wasn’t #1 pick Joe Thomas who played well for a rookie in his first game, it was Kevin Shaffer. Do you really want a rookie QB with only a few weeks of NFL practice starting behind that line with Jamal Lewis (Clearly not the same player) as the running back and Joe Jurevicius as the #2 receiver? Jurevicius is a journeyman who has never been a #2 receiver but is now a #2 for the first time at age 32. Besides having no help, Quinn has never seen an NFL defense live. In the preseason, Quinn had success against base coverages and players who are no longer on NFL rosters. He needs time to watch film of real games and learn how to succeed at the NFL level. Give Quinn a few more weeks to prepare while Derek Anderson gets his head beat in. Then, Quinn can come in ready to play without any pressure to win. What is the rush if he is the QB of the future? Meanwhile, the Cowboys are loving every minute as they watch the draft pick they traded for Quinn turn into the #1 overall pick next April.
When the Bengals have the ball: They score.
Kidding aside, the Browns do have some dangerous players on defense. The most dangerous for the Bengals is Kamerion Wimbley.With the Bengals line in constant rotation, one slip up could leave Palmer exposed to a fast hard hitting LB. Wimbley is the only one who poses a real threat to the Bengals. D’Qwell Jackson is a solid LB, but he will be nothing compared to what the Bengals saw with the Ravens. Safety Sean Jones is heralded as a budding star, but he really is just a headhunter that gets beat often. The Steelers showed this last week. Give Jones a chance and he can hurt you, but you can also take advantage of him and turn the game into a blowout. Let’s just hope the Bengals offense will open up playing against a much softer defense in Cleveland.
What you do want to see: Brady Quinn in the game.
What you don’t want to see: A drop in intensity after the huge Monday night game. While the Browns should be an easy win, the Bengals can get careless. A perfect example is last year allowing Chad Johnson to get a concussion when he should have been relaxing on the bench. A play like that could change the outcome of this game and the entire season.
Matchup of mullets: TJ vs Leigh Bodden
Again, this matchup will probably be decided head to head on the field. Even though Bodden’s drape is longer, TJ will show him the true power of a mullet. BENGALS WIN
Matchup of Moustaches: TJ vs Romeo Crennel
He is old, he is fat, his name is Romeo, and he has a nice full gray moustache. Does it get any stronger than that? Yes it does, he is also the head coach. BROWNS WIN
Duel of the uglies: Jeff Rowe vs. Dave Zastudil
Zastudil should probably hold himself responsible for last week’s debacle. If he did not miss the game due to injury, Paul Ernster is not in the game to drop the first punt snap. Dropped snap, Steelers ball on the 20, Steelers up 7-0, game unravels. At least Jeff Rowe has never done that. BROWNS WIN
Battle of old men: Bryan Robinson(33) vs Ted Washington(39)
It is unbelievable that Ted Washington can still play Nose Tackle in the NFL at age 39. Even more is that he is listed at 375 pounds. Usually they cap the weight they will list people at 350, just so the lard asses feel good. Ted must be so far over 400 they decided 375 is the new limit. BROWNS WIN
Biggest loser fan: Stormtrooper vs This A—hole
This idiot decided it would be a good idea to run on the field and taunt the Steelers during another Browns loss last season. All seemed fun until he was clotheslined and slammed by LB James Harrison. Even Browns fans are inept. At least Bengals fans know to disrupt the other team until security stops you. This clown jumped right in line with the Browns team to take his thumping from the Steelers. BROWNS WIN
Trashiest looking cheerbabe: Tiffany vs Bone Lady
The Browns may not have cheerleaders, but they do have this creature. I wish my mom wore a cheerleader outfit with the words ‘Bone It’ written on the front. At least the license plate is dedicated to Charlie Frye. Being traded 24 hours after starting the season opener, he may be the only man currently desperate enough to actually ‘Bone It.’ Tiffany doesn’t hold a candle to the tsunami of trashy. BROWNS WIN
Little known Browns fact: Brady Quinn grew up in a very strange family.
This isn’t a spontaneous “GOTCHA!!” picture, no. This is a planned “Why don’t you go ahead and grab each others crotches, it will be great” moment, probably taken by a weird uncle with a greasy comb-over. The only one who seems to be enjoying this moment is Brady Quinn. Nice pink shirt.
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What I liked and didn't like...
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
First off WHO DEY! 1-0 beating a team that went 13-3 last year.
What I Liked:
- Bengals D, smash mouth, hard hitting, Ball hawking, awesome.
- Leon Hall, Deltha and JJ. Way to step it up.
- Run D. we took away their bread and butter.
- TJ, Hanging on to the football while getting drilled. Bad ass.
What I Didn't Like:
- Run game.
- Dropped passes
- Special teams, Ed Reed on a punt return??
- Ginger, rub some dirt on it and man up.
Now lets go into Cleveland and bust em up.
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What I Liked:
- Bengals D, smash mouth, hard hitting, Ball hawking, awesome.
- Leon Hall, Deltha and JJ. Way to step it up.
- Run D. we took away their bread and butter.
- TJ, Hanging on to the football while getting drilled. Bad ass.
What I Didn't Like:
- Run game.
- Dropped passes
- Special teams, Ed Reed on a punt return??
- Ginger, rub some dirt on it and man up.
Now lets go into Cleveland and bust em up.
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Are you Ready?
Monday, September 10, 2007
Christmas morning.
It is a good site to see the tailgaters doing their thing. 7:30am and there are already tents lined up in Longworth hall. These are the Bengals fans.
I have heard a lot of talk about how good the Ravens are. Our good friend Peter King has the Ravens as the 4th best team in the league and the Bengals are not even listed. (He has both the Lions and Titans in the list though).
Forget Peter King here is my prediction Bengals win 27 - 13. I think the DB's step it up and show that we really were running a "Vanilla" defense in the preseason and the offense comes out firing on all cylinders.
Now, we have to go and get our tailgate on.
Who Dey!
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It is a good site to see the tailgaters doing their thing. 7:30am and there are already tents lined up in Longworth hall. These are the Bengals fans.
I have heard a lot of talk about how good the Ravens are. Our good friend Peter King has the Ravens as the 4th best team in the league and the Bengals are not even listed. (He has both the Lions and Titans in the list though).
Forget Peter King here is my prediction Bengals win 27 - 13. I think the DB's step it up and show that we really were running a "Vanilla" defense in the preseason and the offense comes out firing on all cylinders.
Now, we have to go and get our tailgate on.
Who Dey!
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Keys To The Game
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Opening Game Week 1 – Ravens
Keys to the Game.
FINALLY! FINALLY! FINALLY! A real game for us to talk about. And not just any real game, a home Monday night game against a division rival favored to make the playoffs. In a 16 game schedule, the first game isn’t always hugely important, but this is as big as an opening game can get. This game can be the head start the Bengals need on a playoff run, or put them in a hole in the division. Could this be why the Bengals have been so conservative in the preseason?
And for the morons freaking out over the Bengals performance in the preseason, here are a few team rankings from the meaningless games:
Overall Team Offense:
1. Jaguars
2. Cardinals
4. Lions
5. Titans
8. Bucs
10. Browns
Top Team Defenses:
2. Saints
5. Cowboys
6. Redskins
7. Colts
8. Falcons
10. Browns
And the Bengals were the #1 defense against the run. Does anyone still think we can make judgements based on the preseason? If so, then put all your money on the Browns. With a top 10 offense and top 10 defense, they are going places.
1. When the Bengals have the ball: No team in football can go toe to toe with the Bengals offense, not even the much heralded Ravens defense. They can try to exploit mismatches, but they can not go head up and stop the Bengals. The only way the Ravens can stop the Bengals is if the Bengals become one dimensional. This can happen through play calling or based on down and distance. If the Bengals can avoid 3rd and long, and have a constant mix of plays, the offense should be able to stay on the field and put up the points needed to win.
Now this is easier said than done. A good defensive call stops Rudi at the line on 1st down. A Carson misfire on 2nd down, and that’s all it takes for the Bengals to be in big trouble. It’s up to Soul Patch Bratkowski to keep the Ravens defense out of a rhythm. In the two games with Baltimore last year, 3rd down and distance could predict the Bengals success. On 3rd and 5 or less, the Bengals converted 3 of 4 attempts. On 3rd and 6 or more, the Bengals converted just 3 of 21 attempts, gave up 2 sacks, and had 1 interception that was returned for a TD. Mixing up the plays, directions, QB drops, snap count, etc, and utilizing all of the Bengals’ weapons on first and second down will be the key to keeping the Bengals in 3rd and short.
2. When the Ravens have the ball: The Ravens philosophy the past few years has been to pound the ball hard with a huge line, huge fullback, and huge running back. They figured their defense could keep the score low enough and give the offense the ball enough times that the opposing defense would eventually wear down. The Ravens are changing their philosophy this year and it is yet to be seen if it can work. Gone are power backs Jamal Lewis and FB Ovie Mughelli, and they are replaced by Willis McGahee. The Ravens supposedly believe that McGahee can be a stand alone running back allowing them to use 3 wide receivers and open up their offense. But how successful can this new philosophy be? Even when Steve McNair was in his prime as an MVP/Super Bowl caliber QB, he ran an offense with a power backfield of Eddie George and Lorenzo Neal, and his favorite target was TE Frank Wycheck followed by WR Derrick Mason. That was hardly a wide open offense. Today, TE Todd Heap is McNair’s favorite target followed by again, Derrick Mason plus 7 years. I don’t buy it, the Ravens offense does not scare anybody. They will try to win by allowing McNair to be the QB he is, taking care of the ball, hitting the TE and controlling the game with his arm and legs.
If the Ravens do go with a single back set, we will get to see exactly how much confidence the Bengals have in Ahmad Brooks. If Ahmad Brooks is the LB the Bengals say he will be, they will sit him in the middle of the field all game and let him shadow McGahee. If the Bengals trust Brooks’ knowledge and ability, they would expect him to be able to shut down McGahee as a single back, allowing the rest of the defense to focus on the 3 WR. I have a feeling we will see a lot of nickel coverage with Ahmad Brooks either out of the game or in some blitz package if the Ravens go single back. We will see.
What you do want to see: The Ravens try to open up their offense. The more open the Ravens offense, the more opportunity for the Bengals to capitalize on a Ravens mistake.
What you don’t want to see: Early turnovers or stagnant playcalling by the Bengals.
Matchup of mullets: TJ vs Quinn Sypniewski
Say it aint so TJ? Actually, TJ is just being a team player since Alan Reuber was cut. TJ decided to ditch the pony tail and go with the moustache and mullet look for his team photo. The Ravens do not have a true mullet, so TJ is matched against Quinn Sypniewski. Let’s hope Sypniewski adopted this look purely as a joke for team picture day. BENGALS WIN
Matchup of Moustaches: TJ vs DB Samari Rolle
The majority of these guys have the same interests on their bios, take Shea for example:
Interests: Lifting weights, Tang Su Do, watching Ultimate Fight League and hanging out
Hmmm, overcompensate much? Why didn’t he also add that he likes weapons training, racing motorcycles, and having lots and lots of heterosexual sex. He probably also drives a $200,000 yellow sports car……not that we should read anything into that. BENGALS WIN
After comprehending this piece of information, losing to a franchise that has male cheerleaders is completely unacceptable for the Bengals.
Most likely to be in a boy band: Ginger Graham vs. Cheermale Jonathan
Ginger Graham likes to be seen around town with local boybander Nick Lachey. Even though Lachey is trying to blow it up solo, I wouldn’t be surprised if Graham makes an appearance on his new album. In his bio, Jon’s interests are “Personal training and emceeing competitions.” No idea what that means, but I bet he would call out Gingerballs as a sucka MC. JON MOST LIKELY TO GROW A CHINSTRAP BEARD
Little known Ravens fact: The Baltimore stadium deal which prompted Art Modell to take the Browns out of Cleveland is the same stadium deal offered to Mike Brown of the Bengals. In response, Cincinnati voted to build 2 new sports stadiums while Cleveland voted only to build Jacob’s field for baseball. Modell was the landlord of Cleveland Municipal stadium which housed both the Browns and Indians at the time. Once the Indians left for Jacob’s Field, Modell secretly decided to move the Browns out of Cleveland for the new stadium in Baltimore. The city of Cleveland sued Modell and the NFL for breach of contract. After negotiations from the lawsuit, it was determined that Modell could take his players to Baltimore, but could not take Browns logo or history. The NFL then set out to create a new expansion Browns.
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Keys to the Game.
FINALLY! FINALLY! FINALLY! A real game for us to talk about. And not just any real game, a home Monday night game against a division rival favored to make the playoffs. In a 16 game schedule, the first game isn’t always hugely important, but this is as big as an opening game can get. This game can be the head start the Bengals need on a playoff run, or put them in a hole in the division. Could this be why the Bengals have been so conservative in the preseason?
And for the morons freaking out over the Bengals performance in the preseason, here are a few team rankings from the meaningless games:
Overall Team Offense:
1. Jaguars
2. Cardinals
4. Lions
5. Titans
8. Bucs
10. Browns
Top Team Defenses:
2. Saints
5. Cowboys
6. Redskins
7. Colts
8. Falcons
10. Browns
And the Bengals were the #1 defense against the run. Does anyone still think we can make judgements based on the preseason? If so, then put all your money on the Browns. With a top 10 offense and top 10 defense, they are going places.
1. When the Bengals have the ball: No team in football can go toe to toe with the Bengals offense, not even the much heralded Ravens defense. They can try to exploit mismatches, but they can not go head up and stop the Bengals. The only way the Ravens can stop the Bengals is if the Bengals become one dimensional. This can happen through play calling or based on down and distance. If the Bengals can avoid 3rd and long, and have a constant mix of plays, the offense should be able to stay on the field and put up the points needed to win.
Now this is easier said than done. A good defensive call stops Rudi at the line on 1st down. A Carson misfire on 2nd down, and that’s all it takes for the Bengals to be in big trouble. It’s up to Soul Patch Bratkowski to keep the Ravens defense out of a rhythm. In the two games with Baltimore last year, 3rd down and distance could predict the Bengals success. On 3rd and 5 or less, the Bengals converted 3 of 4 attempts. On 3rd and 6 or more, the Bengals converted just 3 of 21 attempts, gave up 2 sacks, and had 1 interception that was returned for a TD. Mixing up the plays, directions, QB drops, snap count, etc, and utilizing all of the Bengals’ weapons on first and second down will be the key to keeping the Bengals in 3rd and short.
2. When the Ravens have the ball: The Ravens philosophy the past few years has been to pound the ball hard with a huge line, huge fullback, and huge running back. They figured their defense could keep the score low enough and give the offense the ball enough times that the opposing defense would eventually wear down. The Ravens are changing their philosophy this year and it is yet to be seen if it can work. Gone are power backs Jamal Lewis and FB Ovie Mughelli, and they are replaced by Willis McGahee. The Ravens supposedly believe that McGahee can be a stand alone running back allowing them to use 3 wide receivers and open up their offense. But how successful can this new philosophy be? Even when Steve McNair was in his prime as an MVP/Super Bowl caliber QB, he ran an offense with a power backfield of Eddie George and Lorenzo Neal, and his favorite target was TE Frank Wycheck followed by WR Derrick Mason. That was hardly a wide open offense. Today, TE Todd Heap is McNair’s favorite target followed by again, Derrick Mason plus 7 years. I don’t buy it, the Ravens offense does not scare anybody. They will try to win by allowing McNair to be the QB he is, taking care of the ball, hitting the TE and controlling the game with his arm and legs.
If the Ravens do go with a single back set, we will get to see exactly how much confidence the Bengals have in Ahmad Brooks. If Ahmad Brooks is the LB the Bengals say he will be, they will sit him in the middle of the field all game and let him shadow McGahee. If the Bengals trust Brooks’ knowledge and ability, they would expect him to be able to shut down McGahee as a single back, allowing the rest of the defense to focus on the 3 WR. I have a feeling we will see a lot of nickel coverage with Ahmad Brooks either out of the game or in some blitz package if the Ravens go single back. We will see.
What you do want to see: The Ravens try to open up their offense. The more open the Ravens offense, the more opportunity for the Bengals to capitalize on a Ravens mistake.
What you don’t want to see: Early turnovers or stagnant playcalling by the Bengals.
Matchup of mullets: TJ vs Quinn Sypniewski
Say it aint so TJ? Actually, TJ is just being a team player since Alan Reuber was cut. TJ decided to ditch the pony tail and go with the moustache and mullet look for his team photo. The Ravens do not have a true mullet, so TJ is matched against Quinn Sypniewski. Let’s hope Sypniewski adopted this look purely as a joke for team picture day. BENGALS WIN
Matchup of Moustaches: TJ vs DB Samari Rolle
These 2 will probably see a lot of each other in the game. TJ will win this matchup on the field and in the mirror. BENGALS WIN
Duel of the uglies: Jeff Rowe vs. Adam Terry
Add the fact that Adam Terry is 6-8 330pounds, I would say a real life encounter would be frightening. However, Terry spends his off time speaking to middle school students as part of Baltimore’s DARE program, so he really is just a teddy bear. BENGALS WIN
Battle of old men: Bryan Robinson(33) vs Matt Stover(39)
Another kicker that is the oldest member of the team, seems like the position to have in the NFL. Since Stover is a kicker, BENGALS WIN
Biggest loser fan: Stormtrooper vs Maniac Hall of Fame
No idea what look this guy is going for, perhaps that is why he is in the hallowed Maniac Hall of Fame class of 2003. The best part is the empty QB wristband he is wearing. At least he could put his personal information in there so he can be identified when found in the dumpster behind the stadium after the game. The stormtrooper is still a bigger loser. BENGALS WIN
Trashiest looking cheerbabe: Tiffany vs …Uuhhhhhhhh, WHAT!?!?!!
THE RAVENS HAVE MALE CHEERLEADERS!!!!! Male cheerleaders represent all that is wrong with modern society, and are probably the main reason why Al Qaeda hates us. The Ravens entire cheer squad is disqualified due to his most horrible of developments. I can just imagine how psyched up Ray Lewis gets when he sees a wicked fierce back handspring from a pumped up hair gelled cheerdude.
Ray Lewis: Are my dogs in the house?!?!?!
Cheerbiff Henry: Yes, I have a Boxer named Daisy (Literally taken from his bio).
Henry 
Shea
Ray Lewis: Are my dogs in the house?!?!?!
Cheerbiff Henry: Yes, I have a Boxer named Daisy (Literally taken from his bio).
Henry 
Shea The majority of these guys have the same interests on their bios, take Shea for example:
Interests: Lifting weights, Tang Su Do, watching Ultimate Fight League and hanging out
Hmmm, overcompensate much? Why didn’t he also add that he likes weapons training, racing motorcycles, and having lots and lots of heterosexual sex. He probably also drives a $200,000 yellow sports car……not that we should read anything into that. BENGALS WIN
After comprehending this piece of information, losing to a franchise that has male cheerleaders is completely unacceptable for the Bengals.
Most likely to be in a boy band: Ginger Graham vs. Cheermale Jonathan
Ginger Graham likes to be seen around town with local boybander Nick Lachey. Even though Lachey is trying to blow it up solo, I wouldn’t be surprised if Graham makes an appearance on his new album. In his bio, Jon’s interests are “Personal training and emceeing competitions.” No idea what that means, but I bet he would call out Gingerballs as a sucka MC. JON MOST LIKELY TO GROW A CHINSTRAP BEARD
Little known Ravens fact: The Baltimore stadium deal which prompted Art Modell to take the Browns out of Cleveland is the same stadium deal offered to Mike Brown of the Bengals. In response, Cincinnati voted to build 2 new sports stadiums while Cleveland voted only to build Jacob’s field for baseball. Modell was the landlord of Cleveland Municipal stadium which housed both the Browns and Indians at the time. Once the Indians left for Jacob’s Field, Modell secretly decided to move the Browns out of Cleveland for the new stadium in Baltimore. The city of Cleveland sued Modell and the NFL for breach of contract. After negotiations from the lawsuit, it was determined that Modell could take his players to Baltimore, but could not take Browns logo or history. The NFL then set out to create a new expansion Browns.
Labels: Male Cheeleaders, overcompensate, yellow sports cars
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Site Update
Monday, September 3, 2007
We have pictures:
The pictures from the pre-season are posted here. Take a look.
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Who Stays and Who Goes?
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Today is the day for cuts. And the questions are all over the board. Both as to who will go and why the Bengals are the iron curtain of information. Like this sudden Jeanty surgery yesterday on his "lower leg." With no word as to how long he will be out. Levi doesn't play in practice and is stuck in with the scrubs at the end of pre-season game 4. Again no word as to the why and the ifs behind it.
Just when I was worried that we were going to have to carry two kickers, Elling goes and injures his knee on his first play as a Bengal, thus opening the door for new kicker Kyle Larson. Larson made the extra point. Makes you wonder. No, not if Larson is our answer at the kicker position. But is Grahm worth keeping around. He's injured, folded under pressure last year and is awful at kick offs. With so many other injuries on this team, carrying two kickers would not be good. And if a punter can knock in an extra point, how hard can it be to find another kicker?
More on cut day.
Corner backs always seem to be a major focus on cut day. It looks like we have plenty of talent here. Unfortunately most of that talent is injured. Maybe. The more I watch these guys the more I wonder how injured everyone is and how much of it is just giving younger guys more looks and older guys more rest. Did anyone see the quote from Keiwan? He would rather be released than be the #4 receiver. Seriously, who is this guy? If you can't crack top three on this defense, where you going to go?
The only other spot where there seems to be room to play with the roster is linebacker. Special teams play usually seals everyone's fate at this position, but what does the surgery to Jeanty do to the depth chart? It looks like it means Caleb Miller cracks the starting lineup. Which is really not a good thing for us. This guys role is special teams and pass coverage. And yes I saw him play last night... against the scrubs. Lets just hope Miller can slow someone down so that Ahmad can make the tackle.
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Just when I was worried that we were going to have to carry two kickers, Elling goes and injures his knee on his first play as a Bengal, thus opening the door for new kicker Kyle Larson. Larson made the extra point. Makes you wonder. No, not if Larson is our answer at the kicker position. But is Grahm worth keeping around. He's injured, folded under pressure last year and is awful at kick offs. With so many other injuries on this team, carrying two kickers would not be good. And if a punter can knock in an extra point, how hard can it be to find another kicker?
More on cut day.
Corner backs always seem to be a major focus on cut day. It looks like we have plenty of talent here. Unfortunately most of that talent is injured. Maybe. The more I watch these guys the more I wonder how injured everyone is and how much of it is just giving younger guys more looks and older guys more rest. Did anyone see the quote from Keiwan? He would rather be released than be the #4 receiver. Seriously, who is this guy? If you can't crack top three on this defense, where you going to go?
The only other spot where there seems to be room to play with the roster is linebacker. Special teams play usually seals everyone's fate at this position, but what does the surgery to Jeanty do to the depth chart? It looks like it means Caleb Miller cracks the starting lineup. Which is really not a good thing for us. This guys role is special teams and pass coverage. And yes I saw him play last night... against the scrubs. Lets just hope Miller can slow someone down so that Ahmad can make the tackle.
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