Week 9 – Bills
Was that the most boring game in years? The Steelers scheme was so vanilla they could have put Graeter’s out of business, and yet the Bengals were never a serious threat. The Bengals did not force the Steelers to use any second options, whether it meant changing up their running game, or even forcing Roethlisberger to look for a second receiver. Big Ben completed 19 passes, and on at least 16 of them he only looked at one receiver. Meanwhile, the Bengals became panicked once the Steelers took the lead and never looked like they truly thought they could win. One series summed up the whole game, and that was right before half time. The Bengals had a 10 play 50 yard drive to the Steelers 2 yard line where they faced 4th and 1. Any normal professional team would have been ready for this situation, instead the flustered Bengals called time out with 2:20 left. Let’s see, you are on the opponents 2 yard line, will you need 2:20 to finish the drive? No. Whether you kick the field goal, go for it, call time out, pay for another fly over, or rush to beat the beer line, you do not need 2:20. So Marvin could have calmly let the clock run as far as he could and made his decision. After the Bengals called the frantic time out, they decided to trot out the field goal unit to a smattering of boos from the crowd. Then, following another long kickoff return to the Steelers 33, the Steelers marched down and scored a TD with 4 seconds left in the half. And to top that off, the Steelers first play of the drive was a draw to Willie Parker, usually a sign that you are not going to run the 2 minute drill looking for a score. However, the draw went for 32 yards to the Bengals 35. At that point the Steelers had to go for the score and had no trouble doing it. The Steelers were content to stick with the mere basics, and that was enough for an easy win.

Keys to the Game.
The Bills are a bad team, they have 3 wins and 2 of them have come against the hapless Jets. They have the 31st ranked offense in the NFL and the 30th ranked defense. Their defense is just barely better than the Bengals 31st stanked defense. With that being said, the Bengals were 2 point favorites but the line has dropped to 1 due to betting on the Bills. I have to agree with the betters that the Bengals have not proven themselves to be a consistent or dependable team so far this season, and Buffalo is still one of the toughest road games in the NFL. Perhaps the Bengals could get back on track with a win, but they have officially entered the no man’s land where fans are not sure if we want them to win. There are 6 “should win” games in the remaining 9, so the Bengals could put themselves in position for the playoffs. But chances are the Bengals are not going to fight their way into the playoffs, so winning now only disguises their weaknesses and worsens their draft picks. Every year there are teams that finish on a winning streak that do not make the playoffs, and the team thinks they are primed for the next season(Rams 2006, Dolphins 2005, Bengals all 90s). They forget why they lost 8 or 9 games and that they need major changes in order to improve. Instead they think the streak will continue into the next season and the same problems that doomed previous seasons arise again. Win or lose, this Bengals team needs major changes in order to become a top tier team in the NFL. The only real bonus to this game is that it is the last game without Chris Henry, so some real entertainment should return next week.

When the Bills have the ball: The Bengals defense needs to be completely blown up from top to bottom. The coaching is awful and there are no more excuses to be made. First it was the LB injuries, then the run fits, then the Dline broke down, and against the Steelers it was the DBs turn to blow the game. A poorly coached team has different breakdowns each weak, while a team with injuries or bad players will continue to have breakdowns in the same area. The Dline and LBs played a fairly decent game this week against the Steelers, it was the DBs that allowed the back breaking plays this time. The Roethlisberger heave up for grabs that turned into a 40 yard completion, Hines Ward given a 10 yard cushion, Willie Parker getting to the outside on numerous big runs, and Heath Miller’s 23 yard run after a quick hitter all fall on the DBs. Again, Dexter Jackson made sure everyone knew he wasn’t happy with the people around him. It would be nice if he acted that way when he gets beat by a TE, or when he misses a tackle on a RB bounced out to him. Other than a handful of players: Geathers, Landon Johnson, Peko, the rookies, maybe Ahmad Brooks and Jonathan Joseph, everyone else needs to go, coaches included. When a simple junior high style offense makes you look that bad, everyone’s job should be on the line. The most exciting part about the Bengals defense is watching the different ways they can breakdown each week. I think this week it will be the line’s turn again.

When the Bengals have the ball: While the Bengals offense is not playing at their top level, they are not the reason the Bengals are losing. The offense scored on 3 of 6 drives on Sunday, with one of the failed drives being Kenny Watson’s questionable fumble in the redzone. Scoring on 50% of your drives will usually win games, unless your defense let’s the other team control the clock and score on 4 of 6 drives(Not including the Steelers 7th drive kneeling out the clock). Getting six possessions is very low for an NFL game, but happens when teams successfully run the football and the clock. Against the Jets, the Bengals scored on 5 of 9 possessions which gave them 31 offensive points. Going from playing the #1 defense in the NFL to the 30th defense of the Bills, the Bengals should do fine if they keep their current scoring ratio.
The bad news is it looks like Chad Johnson could become a problem. Since his arrival in Cincinnati, Chad has always been the same player; exceptional athlete able to beat defenders, but not sharp enough to be dependable when the Bengals need him. When things are going well, Chad is free to use his athleticism, everyone loves him and he is the star. But when times are tough, Chad disappears and the team depends on TJ/Chris Henry/Peter Warrick/etc. That has been the case for multiple seasons and it has worked for the Bengals offense. What has changed this season are the rumors about Chad being traded and his actions on the field. Chances are the trade rumors did not come from the Bengals, but from Chad’s agent Drew Rosenhaus who has not been happy with Chad’s contract for years. Chad has received some bad press lately, and its looking more and more like Rosenhaus is going to angle for a way to get Chad off the Bengals. In Sunday’s game, Chad looked uninterested in the game on multiple occasions. On some run plays, Chad was not even looking at the play or lined up in any way resembling a football player. He seemed distracted, dropped a key 3rd down pass, and it looked like he dropped the 4th down pass that was reviewed by the Steelers(The refs did not seem notice clear evidence to overturn multiple challenges on Sunday). Let’s hope this is just a bad game resulting from the pressure of being in a bad run, but if Rosenhaus has his way, the bad times will continue until Chad can be shipped out and negotiate a new contract. Rosenhaus excels at using team press to build a case and get his players new contracts, whether it be positive extensions, or negative cuts/trades. The Bengals need wins and Chad needs to score a few times for order to be restored before the team killing agent has his way. NEXT QUESTION!!

What you do want to see: Chad score and do a TD dance that involves an OJ Simpson or a Buffalo Bill theme.



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"Fire Marvin Lewis." That is what I am hearing the most on the radio and in some chat rooms. What people don't seem to understand is that if you fire a coach mid season you have given up. I for one have not given up. I remember the 2 and 14 years. Marvin Lewis has yet to have a losing season. Lets not forget he has turned this team around. Years ago we were screaming for 8 and 8 and now if that is our record, we are very disappointed.

So slow your roll, sit back, we should have a winnable game this week against the Bills and then we get a huge weapon back in Chris Henry and possibly Chris Perry. Our defense might still stink but we will be tough to outscore.

Here is what I didn't like:
-Bengals fans selling their tickets.
-All the Boo's.
-Leon Hall and his coverage
-Deltha celebrating like we won the game when Ben threw the pick.
-The crazy guy with crazy teeth sitting behind me:
-Marvin Lewis chicken call on 4th and 1 (if you have no confidence in the offense, do you really think the D can stop anyone)

and this line:

"You know what I hate the most about Steeler week? All the lines at the Golden Corral are huge."

Pictures are up here

Go Bengals


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Leave it to Steelers fans to say they are going to answer some questions and then totally cut us down by the knees. Luckily, I was prepared for just such a “Kimo type” occasion and took the liberty of answering for them. If Behindthesteelcurtain ever replies, I’ll post their answers. Here is what I think they will say:

What scares you about the Bengals?
Steel Curtain: The fans. The Jungle is rocking when the Steelers come to town and it scares me worse than a whole flock of beat-down nasty Pittsburgh women. It is scary to think how flustered Ben will get when Cincinnati brings the noise.

What scares us about the Steelers?
Comer Kai: Dick’s system. No matter how much the Bengals practice, 30% of the snaps will feature defensive match-ups the Cincy offense has never seen before. They get the question mark of how do we attack this? Can we adjust? They defeated a 3-4 team last week in the Jets, which is a good sign, but the Steelers are a different beast. To beat Dick, you have to match-up against the scheme. Last week the Bengals didn’t face a nose guard like Casey Hampton or a safety like Polamalu.

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What makes us feel confident in the Steelers?
Steel Curtain: Nothing. We’re terrified.

What makes us feel confident in the Bengals?
Comer Kai: Carson Palmer. The Steelers defense has been solid, but they haven’t really been tested by a high powered offense yet. Browns, Bills, 49ers, Cards, Hawks and Broncos. Provided Carson gets a little time, and no one crawls forward and blasts his knee, he has the arm and the head to get the ball to receivers that are better than the Burgh’s corners. Carson will have his eye on Polamalu and will throw wherever he is not, forcing Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend to make the play.

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Who is the best (current) player Bengals fans never heard of?
Steel Curtain: As most Steelers fans. I am fairly fair weather. I know we have Big Ben, Hines Ward and Jerome Bettis. We call him, “The Bus.”

Watch out. He's real good.



Who is the best (current) player Steelers fans never heard of?
Comer Kai: No one knows fullbacks and the only reason his name may look familiar is because he shares the same last name as Chad, Landon and Rudi. Jeremy Johnson has been a solid player since coming out of Western Kentucky in 2003. But last week he was an absolute force. The whole game he was blasting through the line and moving linebackers, clearing the way for Watson’s three touchdowns. He will be a pivotal player Sunday; unlike when Rudi is running in a straight line behind him, Steelers will have to guess which side of his 260 pound body Kenny Watson will cut from.

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Who wins and what is the score?
Steel Curtain: Bengals win in a landslide. Ben cries in post-game press conference.

Comer Kai: It’s all about offense in Cincinnati and the Bengals finally remembered how to score. Sure it was against the Jets, but scoring is scoring, and winning is contagious. Keeping the offense on the field makes our defense more successful and forces Ben to throw the ball to catch up. I see the Bengals pushing to score touchdowns and winning with their backs against the wall. 31-27.

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If there was a steel cage match instead of a football game featuring one current player, who do you nominate?

Steel Curtain: Jeff Reed He’s gonna bring the leg. And his frosted tips… bitch.

Comer Kai: Justin Smith. You do not want to enter the steel cage with J. Smith. He has an Anheuser Busch Tattoo on his arm and he wants to tattoo it into your forehead. Look up “big country hillbilly who would love to stab you with beer bottle.” and you’ll see J. Smith. Put him in a steel cage and he’ll drop into a 4-point stance and come at you with a motor that never quits. Two men enter, one man leaves pointing to the Anheuser tattoo on his arm screaming, “Iron City’s got nothing.”


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Week 8 – Steelers
Bengals Win!!! Bengals Win!!! It’s hard to be optimistic after thinking about the whole game. While the Bengals finished with a flurry that was as good as they have played all season, people must remember that they were down to the lowly Jets 23-10 in the 3rd quarter. Once the Bengals turnaround began, the defense made stops when they were needed, grabbed turnovers, and the offense finally woke up. Did somebody sneak Bob Bratkowski out of the locker room during halftime and lock him in a 5/3 Bank vault? The Bengals ran the ball 27 times in the second half of the game, even though they were down by 13 points when they first got the ball. The Bengals came into the Jets game averaging 23 runs per game. With the 41 total rush attempts against the Jets, the Bengals have gone from 30th in the league to 22nd in rush attempts per game. Next up is the Steelers who boast the top defense in the NFL and are currently 2nd in rush attempts per game.

Keys to the Game.
The Steelers lost last week which is good for the Bengals overall. However, the way the Steelers lost is very bad for the Bengals. For some unknown reason, the Steelers decided to throw the ball 35 times which is the most they have thrown the ball going back to November of last season. And as the Steelers learned last season, when they throw the ball, bad things happen. In the Steelers Super Bowl Championship season in 2005, they threw the ball an NFL low 23 times per game. They threw the ball 30 times in only 3 games that season for a 1-2 record and did not reach 30 in any playoff games or the Super Bowl. Last season, the Steelers threw the ball 30 times in 8 games; their record in those 8 games was 1-7. In games when they threw the ball less than 30 times, the Steelers record was 7-1. Contrast that with the Bengals who have thrown the ball an average of 34 times per game in the last 3 seasons with Carson Palmer and are going at a 37.3 per game pace this season. The Steelers bread and butter for 40 years has been to play tough defense and pound the running game. The Steelers will not repeat the mistakes made last week in Denver, so expect an extra heavy dose of power running to test the Bengals weak run defense. The Steelers are currently favored by 3.5.

When the Steelers have the ball: In the Steelers game against Denver, Ben Roethlisberger threw 2 INTs which led to a Denver TD, and he also lost a fumble which was returned for a TD. This week, expect Mike Tomlin to put the offense on strict orders that Roethlisberger is not to throw a pass beyond the line of scrimmage. Expect the Steelers to try for 50 rush attempts and just a few play action or screen passes mixed in to throw the Bengals off. With the Steelers defense being so strong, their offense does not have to worry about going 3 and out and letting the defense play. The Bengals do not have this luxury and the offense has to press for first downs. The Steelers could go 3 and out for three straight quarters and probably only be down by 10 points. They will have no problem running the ball and punting in order to keep the game out of Roethlisberger’s hands. The Bengals defense will rely heavily on the Bengals offense to score and force the Steelers to pick up their passing game. If the Bengals offense does not score, the Steelers will keep the ball on the ground all day and the Bengals defense will wear down. If this happens, we will see Willie Parker running at 15 yards a pop all 4th quarter.



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I for one was worried that the NFL would find more reasons to keep Chris Henry suspended for more than 8 games this season. The Bengals released a press release today that Chris Henry has been cleared to practice today.

Awesome. This should help us in a couple weeks.


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Chad Johnson's name has apparently been floated as possible trade fodder for after the season. Geoff Hobson doesn't think it's likely. Marvin has kind of denied it, citing that he's the only one in the organization with the ability to speak. Chad hasn't confirmed or denied it, making sure the story will last another day.

Hobson makes two good points: the salary cap hit doesn't make sense this offseason. And possibly the most likely source for this is Drew Rosenhaus. Read Hobson's article to hear his reasons, he makes a good point.

Let's have a little fun, though. Who could we get? The first trade that I can think of that may be comparable is the trade of Clinton Portis for Champ Bailey. What's notable about that trade was that Mike Shanahan, who's never had trouble creating running backs, bilked Joe Gibbs, who misunderstood the two players' relative value in the NFL he had just returned to after years out of the game.

But, besides that last point, maybe we can get a great defensive player for a great offensive player. Like Demeco Ryans from Houston. Doubt the Texans would make that trade, but the idea is exciting.

Maybe a more likely trade would be for a first and a third round pick. I don't know, might be worth it. I don't put any trust in Chris Henry, but it's fun thinking about how great it would be if we could depend on him.

One last, really interesting piece of information from Hobson's article:

This team's chemistry hasn't really been right since his blowup in the locker room at halftime of the Wild Card game two years ago and for that everyone has to take the blame:

Chad for losing his cool. Lewis for apparently not addressing it decisively enough because it still lingers. His teammates for letting him get away with it.

(At least the pundits believe it hasn't been right, but so does the record, 10-12 since.)

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Ah it's Steeler week. That is a special time in Cincinnati when the energy in the air is thick and all the fair weather fans come out of the woodwork. I actually heard this on the radio today:


and the icing on the cake. While this guy is not a player, he is a mayor. And this happened at the Steelers home stadium.

The mayor of suburban Forest Hills was arrested outside the Pittsburgh Steelers game on Sunday. Raymond J. Heller Jr. was charged with public drunkenness and defiant trespass, authorities said. Police said Heinz Field security refused to let Heller into the stadium because he was drunk and arrested him when he refused to leave the property. Heller could not immediately be reached for comment Monday and it was not clear if he had an attorney.

Awesome.


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One in a row. You could say the Bengals have snapped the losing streak and begun the winning streak. A win over Pittsburgh could be a season changing swing. More on that this week however.


What I Liked:
- We made adjustments in the second half and put together some solid football.
- We ran the ball 41 times and controlled that part of the game.
- Kenny Watson is a stud
- Pass D showed up

What I didn't like:
- Cincinnati fans... You shouldn't boo your own team. I know you love it when Carson throws a bomb, but sometimes the run for 2-3yds is a good play too.




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This week we trade questions with the guys from www.thejetsblog.com. Check out their site. They do a pretty amazing job.

What scares you about the Bengals?
Thejetsblog: The Holy Trinity of Palmer, Johnson and Houshmandzadeh. The Jets' ability to stop the pass is suspect, and I think these three could have a very big day. If it turns into a 'track meet,' the Jets don't stand a chance.


What scares us about the Jets?
Comer Kai: Thomas Jones. Typically success stopping the run does not fall on just the defensive line. The entire front 7 should work together to create one line. D-line does their job and then linebackers fill the holes. The Bengals linebackers are very slow to react. Chalk it up to inexperience or simply drop in talent from starter-to backup-to the guy “picked up off someone else’s practice squad”. Regardless of the reason, when the linebackers don’t clog the holes, the running lanes are wide open. Thomas Jones has the potential run all over the Bengals. He’s got mad game on and off the field.

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What match up makes you feel confident in the Jets?
Thejetsblog: Sadly, kick returns. Backup RB Leon Washington who is filling in for injured Pro Bowl returner Justin Miller already has two TDs already on the season. The Bengals have struggled on covering kicks, so I expect Washington to put the Jets in good field position during the game ... something the Jets are going to need badly.

What match up makes us feel confident in the Bengals?
Comer Kai: Okay, so last week we felt confident in our much bigger o-line imposing their will upon the smaller Chiefs d-line. Then Levi melted down and we stopped running. Therefore I’ll search out another bright spot. Jonathan Joseph is back on the field at corner splitting the field with Deltha O’Neil. With Pennington’s arm strength in question, these two former #1 picks should be able to jump some routes and cause the turnovers that make this defense work.

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Who is the best (current) Jet's player, Bengal's fans have never heard of?
Thejetsblog: Kerry Rhodes, got a lot of hype leading up to the season. The Jets' Safety has quickly become a difference-maker for the defense. In his rookie year, 2005 he put up similar numbers to Troy Polamalu, but didn't have the hair to get the hype. Last year was his break out season where he had 5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 4 interceptions. Although the team has had trouble this season defensively, Rhodes is still doing his best to make plays for the team. So far in 2007, he has an interception, a forced fumble with recovery for TD, as well as a sack on McNabb last week where he almost had a safety. He's a guy that can be dangerous when pressuring the QB or roaming in center field. (Plus he has a sweet diamond belt).

Who is the best (current) Bengal's player, Jet's fans have never heard of?
Comer Kai: Linebacker Robert Geathers. Maybe you have heard of Geathers, the defensive end, but chances are you have not heard of Robert Geathers the linebacker. Due to the decimated linebacking core, he ended up getting the start in a position that at one point saw a mix of two guys with a couple weeks of Bengal’s experience and a rookie safety. Geathers is big and extremely athletic and could create problems for a defense. This is a guy who is used to going against O-Tackles, and this Sunday, could find himself with only a running back between him and Pennington. And when Geathers hits Quarterbacks. It is not pretty.

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Who wins the game and what's the score?

Thejetsblog: I think that the Bengals win 31 - 24.

Comer Kai: Got to go with the Bengals. Because if they don’t win, we won’t even have the slimmest of hopes of the playoffs no matter how easy the rest of our schedule is. Lets say the Bengals offense wakes and converts a couple third downs. Suddenly a few sustained drives keep the defense off the field and Thomas Jones from eating up the clock. Bengals get a few key turnovers and pull out a slim victory 24-17.

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If there was a steel cage match instead of a football game featuring one current player, who do you nominate?

Thejetsblog: If it was a bar brawl, I think I would nominate RT Anthony Clement (6'8" 320), but sight unseen, I would have to say rookie ILB David Harris (6'2" 243). Harris played his college ball at Michigan and is as smart as he is tough. Watching Harris early on during training camp, he can hit pretty hard. I wouldn't want to be stuck in a cage with him.

Comer Kai: This week we bring American Samoan Damato Peko. According to an ESPN article in 2002, a Samoan male is 40 times more likely to play in the NFL than a non-Samoan American. Why? Because are enormous and warriors by birth. Peko is no exception. At 319, he’s a mountain of a man and that huge mop of hair is a sign that he is a warrior and ready for battle. Of course, in the Steel Cage we’ll tie it up in a nice little bun to make sure Harris doesn’t use it against him.



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Week 7 – Jets
We tried to justify the Bengals slow start by talking about injuries and the tough schedule, but now there is no other conclusion to make other than this is just a bad team. The talent is there to win games, but this is a bad team. The Bengals had 2 weeks to prepare for the Chiefs, they said it was a must win game, yet they came out unprepared, unfocused, and flat. The Bengals gave up 30 yards in penalties on the opening drive of the game to a team that had not scored in the first quarter all year. They followed that up by allowing 20 first half points to a Chiefs team that had scored 16 first half points combined in 6 previous games going back to last season. Even after their offensive explosion against the Bengals, the Chiefs offense is still in the bottom 5 in the league. The Chiefs have a good defensive line, but they are in no way dominating. The Chiefs D-linemen have made exactly zero pro bowls, but the Bengals made them look like the ’65 Rams “Fearsome Foursome” as every snap was a jailbreak. And when needed, the Bengals went backwards in every short yardage situation. Levi Jones had previously stated that he didn’t sign his contract to be a backup, then did he sign it to be embarrassed on the field? While the score was 27-20, the game was not that close, and the Bengals were dominated by a team that is average at best. With the Bengals talent, their problems can only be attributed to coaching or a lack of acceptance of coaching. Either way, there needs to be major changes. Either Marvin needs to overhaul the roster with people willing to accept his coaching, or Marvin needs to go in favor of someone who can get the team under control.

The point of every season is to get to the playoffs, that is every team’s initial goal. Can the Bengals still make the playoffs? In a tremendously optimistic world, like the movie Joe Dirt where mulleted David Spade scores multiple scorching hot ladies, the Bengals can still do it. How you might ask? First, the Bengals started 1-4 in Marvin’s first two seasons as coach. Both of those teams got hot and had shots at the playoffs going into the last weeks of the season. However, those teams were not good and overachieved as Marvin was trying to turn the franchise around. This year’s team is good, yet is in a freefall, but we’ll forget that point for a second. Next, the Bengals schedule is supposedly easy enough to produce wins. The Bengals should be able to beat the 6 teams left in the AFC East (NYJ, @BUF, @MIA) and the NFC West (ARI, STL, @SF). That would give them 7 wins, then depending on what is needed for the wild card, the Bengals may only need to win 2 of the remaining games, @PIT, PIT, @BAL, CLE, TEN. This would be possible if the Bengals could beat teams that they should beat. So far this season, the Bengals have been favored to win in 3 games, their record in those games is 1-2. So don’t bet on the Bengals getting their act together enough for 9 wins. By the way, the Bengals somehow are favored by 6 this week against the Jets.

Keys to the Game.
With a record of 1-5, the Jets are one of three teams in the NFL that are currently in worse shape than the 1-4 Bengals. The Jets offense is about the same as the Chiefs, yet a little worse. Does it really matter though? The good news is that the Jets have an equally bad defense. In fact, the Jets defense is so bad that they are nearing the Bengals defense. The Jets lone win was a 3 point struggle at home against the winless Dolphins. This is the Bengals rock bottom game, either they start the uphill climb back to respectability, or just sink to rock bottom.

When the Jets have the ball: Bad news, the Jets have a strong running back in Thomas Jones. Jones was battling injuries early in the season and got off to a slow start. However, he is healthy now and ran for 130 yards last week against a usually tough Philly defense. The good news, the well documented weak arm of QB Chad Pennington should allow the Bengals defense to crowd the line. Much has been said about Pennington not being able to throw the deep ball, but with that said, his accuracy has been good so far at 68%. He has been prone to interceptions though. Aside from Tom Brady, the Bengals have played a “struggling” QB every week and except for Steve McNair, every QB has had no problem with the Bengals defense. With Pennington supposedly not being able to throw deep, the Bengals weak pass rush should not matter as the Jets will not be running deep routes. The passing game will test the Bengals DBs as the Jets do a lot of quick hits, crossing patterns, and short cuts. The Bengals DBs will have to play tight and break quickly on the ball which they did not do at all last week against the Chiefs. If Thomas Jones can get going, he will draw the Bengals DBs more into the running game. Once that happens, look for a long and frustrating day of 5 yard runs and quick 6 yards passes up and down the field. My favorite part of every Bengals game is watching Dexter Jackson break late on a play or miss a tackle, and then after the play is over, turn and yell at teammates or the refs. The poor guy is surrounded by incompetence and he is just letting everyone know it. And something to spotlight, we did have a Frostee Rucker sighting on Sunday. After being a 3rd round draft choice in 2005, he has now played in 2 games, has 1 assisted tackle, and 1 fumble recovery.

When the Bengals have the ball: The Jets do not have a strong frontline pass rusher like the Bengals have faced in most games this season. However, they do run a 3-4 defense which can give an offensive line fits if they do not communicate. The Bengals seemed to get their act together in the 2nd half against the Chiefs, but they cannot afford any breakdowns this week against the Jets. As long as the Bengals can pick up the blitzes run by the Jets, the Jets do not have any players good enough to beat the Bengals linemen one on one.
A glaring problem with the Bengals offense is their 3rd down efficiency. But the problem of extending drives goes beyond just 3rd down. Not every drive has to be scoring in order to be successful. Sometimes getting a few first downs, running the ball to keep the clock going, and getting a good punt for field position can be the most important drive in the game. Running the ball not only helps the passing game, but it also shortens the game and can help keep a bad defense off the field. Any way you look at it, Kenny Watson has been very productive as a running back. In the past 3 games, he has carried the ball 35 times for 183 yards for a 5.3 yard avg. per carry. Against KC, he had 68 yards on 13 carries(5.2 avg), why is he only getting the ball 13 times? Watson had 24 yards on his first 2 carries, and then proceeded to get the ball 4 times in the Bengals next 21 plays until halftime. Meanwhile, the Chiefs pass rush was killing the Bengals passing game for 3 sacks, 1 lost fumble, 1 INT, and countless Carson pressures. Sacks and turnovers kill drives, field position, and put a lot of pressure on the defense. On the Chiefs first TD drive, they started on the Bengals 44 following a sack, punt and good punt return. The next drive started on the Bengals 45 following a Jared Allen sack/fumble. Luckily, Larry Johnson fumbled out of the endzone to save another TD set up by bad offense. The next Chiefs drive began on the Bengals 46 following a Palmer INT on 3rd and 14. This time Larry Johnson held onto the ball and scored a TD for the Chiefs. Seeing a theme here? The Bengals offense gets too cute in all situations instead of taking the easy way to first downs. Twice on 3rd and short, the Bengals came to the line and the Chiefs had nobody over the center. Both DTs were over or outside the Bengals Guards. With at least a 6 foot gap between DTs, the Bengals having 3 linemen to the Chiefs 2, and Palmer being 6 foot 5, why couldn’t the Bengals do a quick snap to get the yard? All Palmer would have to do is take the snap, take one step forward, and fall down to get a first down. It may be a chincy grade school move, but it will get you the first down. Instead, the Bengals try to run a toss sweep having 350 pound men moving sideways, or having a WR run a 2 yard route in traffic. It seems the Bengals only like to run a QB sneak when the defense is crowded all over the center.
This week, the Jets are sure to follow the same formula and bring everything to disrupt Palmer and the passing game. I only hope The Soul Patch gives the ball to Watson enough to help Palmer and the defense.
[Bratkowski]

Labels: Strength Coaches, Tom Cruise, Xenu

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With the Bengals playing the Jets this weekend, I thought I'd let the Bengals fans in NYC know about Phebe's, the Bengals bar in the East Village.

I'd been looking for a bar to watch Bengals games in New York, where I moved to a month ago. Of course, I could find a bar that has the DirecTV package to watch the games, but then I'd be surrounded by fans of every team playing. The ESPN Zone in Times Square was an option, but I needed a place that would help me forget the great WhoDeyFans tailgates I was missing.

Phebe's is the place. It may not be the only Bengals bar in town, it's the one I've found though, and I'm quite happy. For the Monday night Patriots Game, almost everyone in the place was in Bengals jerseys. During the pregame show, everyone loudly booed as Stuart Scott and the other idiots on the ESPN show picked the Patriots to win. (Okay, they weren't idiots that night) And when the Bengals scored their one touchdown, one fan got up, loudly screamed "1, 2, 3" and then the whole place started singing the Bengals fight song.

From what I know of Phebe's, a couple of Bengals fans just decided that it was going to be the Bengals bar, and told every Bengals fan they knew about it. It grew from there.

Watching the game at Phebe's didn't make up for not being at the game, or the Longworth lot before the game, but it was the next best thing--an awesome experience.




There must be Bengals bars all over the country. Do you know of one in your town? Please let us know in the comments section. We're going to create a master list of all the Bengals bars across the country, but we'll need your help. And if there isn't a Bengals bar in your town that you know of, this is also the place to recommend a place.

So help us create the list of Bengals bars by adding the ones you know of in the comments section.


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The kicker, who could not get the ball past the 20 on kick-offs, suddenly booted 5 deep during the Kansas City game. In other news, the Bengals release Josh Huston from the practice squad. So lets get this straight: the Bengals get Josh Huston on the practice squad and all the sudden Shayne “Ginger” Graham can kick the ball. So all this bad field position was because... what... Ginger didn't feel inspired? Suddenly, this proven un-clutch player now proves that he also untrustworthy. Here's a guy who does not have to tackle, or hit or do anything more than kick a ball a few times on Sunday. Since when do kickers need incentive to play hard?

Labels: clutchless, Ginger, Hip Pointer

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I don't know if this is the right time of the season to share this, maybe I should wait until we play the Dolphins. But you knew a video of the fight in a Las Vegas casino between Levi Jones and Joey Porter existed and it was going to eventually come out. I've been waiting to watch this since I heard about the fight.



It's hard to really tell what's going on, but a few things:

4 guys against one, nice class Porter.

The way these guys are playing, we'll see if either is on the field for Bengals at Dolphins, Dec. 30.

Either Levi doesn't travel with an entourage (refreshing) or his boys didn't back him up (depressing).

What do you think about this video? Is it a good metaphor for our season?


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The Bengals are finding ways to lose. Our defense did not lose this game. They were terrible, they made a guy that failed to gain more than 12 yards on the ground last week into a century rusher in the first half. They made an 11 year journeyman look like Montana for a few quarters. They allowed wide receivers about an 11 yd cushion.

But they are not the reason we lost.

I don't want to hear about TJ's record pace this season, or Chads leading the league in yds, these are the kind of stats that are put up when you are behind the whole game. I want to talk about 1 for 18 on third downs the past 2 games. 1 for 18.

Ask anyone around the league and they will tell you what an offensive powerhouse the Bengals are. Against the Chiefs (whose defense is terrible) we could not convert on third down.

Ask Levi Jones if he is still ready to play. He had no problems complaining when he wasn't on the field, but when he was, Jarred Allen owned him.


If it isn't the defense, it's the offense. If the offense is good special teams is terrible. What will be the excuse next week?


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A new segment to Whodeyfans begins. We will be talking to an opposing fan-site each week, trading questions, thoughts and predictions. This week, we talk with www.arrowheadpride.com. Check out their site, especially their preview of the Bengal’s game. http://www.arrowheadpride.com/story/2007/10/11/03

What scares you about the Bengals?
ArrowheadPride: Quite frankly, a big pass play for a touchdown. I see Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh and think big play. When you're a fan of one of the lowest scoring teams in the National Football League, having any lead is great but having that lead dashed by a 75 yard touchdown pass is absolutely crushing. The Chiefs do not have the offense to make a large comeback in the second half. A couple big plays from the Bengals could quite easily shut the Chiefs down for the entire game.

What scares us about the Chiefs?
Comer Kai: The best way to beat Cincinnati is to keep Carson Palmer off the field. Larry Johnson going against our beat-up linebacking core could do just that. Against the Patriots we had so many injuries, a rookie drafted in the 7th round as a safety was playing middle linebacker. Sammy Morris ate us up. If they didn’t get healthy through the bye week, Larry Johnson has the potential to run for 200 yards and keep Carson on the sidelines.

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What match-up makes you feel confident in the Chiefs?
ArrowheadPride: I'm going to use “confidently,” pretty loosely here. The Bengals currently rank 29th in rushing defense. One year ago, I would have said that's a recipe for Larry Johnson putting up 150 yards and three touchdowns. This year, as I'm sure you've heard throughout the fantasy football world, Larry's numbers are down. Offensive line issues among others plague the Chiefs' running game. I'm hoping that this week LJ can finally get some sort of rhythm going with the running game because we haven't seen it all year. The Chiefs passing game has been its lone bright spot. Well, a glimmer really.

Another general matchup I like is the Chiefs defensive line v. the Bengals offensive line. Judging by some stats I just looked up right now, Cincy's o-line doesn't look they can handle a good defense. Our defensive line is fantastic. I'd call it a mismatch.


What match-up makes us feel confident in the Bengals?
Comer Kai: The Chiefs have great rushing ends but they are a little light up front. The Bengal’s O-line is massive and healthy (Minus Big Willie). They should be able to pound the ball. Kenny Watson running the ball in place of Rudy could be a benefit as he can cut more to the holes that will open up on the edge as the defensive ends go for the sack and slip out of position.

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Who is the best (current) Chief's player, Bengal's fans have never heard of?
ArrowheadPride: Probably our 3rd year linebacker out of Texas Derrick Johnson. He's been having a great year so far (30 tackles, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble) but I'm sure he's overshadowed by the likes of Jared Allen and Donnie Edwards in the national media. Johnson is coming into his own this year. Expect to hear and see his name a lot. He's fast, smart and learning everyday from the veterans Donnie Edwards and Napoleon Harris.



Who is the best (current) Bengal's player, Chief's fans have never heard of?
Comer Kai: Madieu Williams is a third year safety with some big play ability. He’s a hard hitter, but fast enough to play corner and will play nickel versus the Chiefs. Word on the street is that Larry Johnson plays a little soft when it is his turn to block. Watch for a big hit on the quarterback when Madieu comes in on a blitz.


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Who wins the game and what's the score?
ArrowheadPride: You realize I have to pick the Chiefs, right? It will be low scoring because thats the only the style the Chiefs can play. 13 to 10. The Bengals' offense turns over the ball four times and the Chiefs pull it out late.

Comer Kai: A strong running game pulls the DBs too close and Chad and TJ burn up the sidelines. Our limping defense will lead to Larry Johnson finally finding the end zone, but a balanced offense keeps putting points up on the board at a pace KC can’t match.
28. 21- Bengals win.

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If there was a steel cage match instead of a football game featuring one current player, who do you nominate?
ArrowheadPride: Damn. Great question. I may have to add that to my repertoire of questions. If we're going by submission to win, I'll probably go with DE Tamba Hali. He's young (24), incredibly fast and is trained in Gracie Jiu Jitsu, which I think has something to do with Ultimate Fighting. If were going by escaping the cage to win, I'll go with fan favorite FB Boomer Grigsby. The guy strikes me as a dude who would do anything, anything it took to get out of that cage. He's crazy. Plus, he was a national champion in trampoline jumping. That has to factor in somewhere.

Comer Kai: Since they’re bringing a defensive end, we’ll match up with an o-lineman. Stacy Andrews. At 6-7 342 pounds, this guy is massive and yet still is one of the best athletes on the team. He never even played football until 2002. He basically played one year of College Ball and now is a player in the NFL. How do you even start fighting this guy? Plus, if this steel cage is like the Thunder Dome, you better hope there isn’t a hammer on the side. Dude can throw one 201' 7," an Ole Miss track and field record. Two men enter. One Gargantuan leaves.
VS


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Odell Thurman is suing the NFL, claiming that their refusla to reinstate him is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. His disabiliity is alcoholism, not a lack of common sense, as some of you may be thinking.

Can anyone make heads or tails of this?

No one in the article seems to be able to.

About the only thing that I can gather from this is that this really isn't going to help get Odell back on the field this year. And it's not going to help him as much as following the program and applying for reinstatement would.

So why's he doing this?

If you're trying to get your career back on track, would you keep your head down and do what is being asked, or complain that you're not getting a fair shake? I know that I'd do what was asked of me, but hey that's just me.

The good news from this article is that Odell has passed all of his drug and alcohol tests for over a year. If he'll ever play again for the Bengals, that's something that I have my doubts about.


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Week 6 – Chiefs
The Bengals did not get any help on the playoff front during the bye week. The main competition for the playoffs- Steelers, Titans, Jaguars, and Texans, all won over the weekend. Even the Ravens, who I think are in for a major collapse, won this weekend. What the Bengals want to happen each week is for the Colts, Pats, and Chargers to win, the Steelers to lose, and for AFC South teams to lose. That way the Bengals can take advantage of the Steelers in the division, or a weak group of possible wild card teams. The Bengals have a string of win-able games coming up that will make or break the season, starting with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals are currently 3 point favorites.

Labels: DUIs, Gay Pirate, Posterboard

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So Jonathan Joseph is suspended for a game. I have read and heard both sides of the issue:

- he got what he deserved, he broke the law and he must pay the fine.

- Goodell is out to get the Bengals and he is not fair.

My thoughts? There is some truth to both of these scenarios.

The 9 (or whatever number we are up to) Bengals players that have been arrested have all deserved some sort of punishment. While I don't think ole Rodg is out to get the Bengals, I do think when he hears or reads about us he has a certain feeling. It is the same feeling we as Bengal fans have when we read about or hear that another Bengal was arrested. "Not Again".

It should come as no surprise that the Bengals are the talk of the NFL because of the amount of arrests we have endured. That said, how would you attempt to curb this sort of behavior. Me personally, I would impose harsher punishments, shorter leashes and stricter fines.

I think we should stop pointing the finger at the commissioner and start pointing at the law breakers.


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Is it possible that Marvin simply has too much on his plate? He’s expected to coach the team, build a coaching staff, police the players, get the team ready for each game, remain an active member of the community etc. At what point is he supposed to be immersing himself in scout’s analysis of college players or looking over the free agent market? Maybe it’s time for someone who focuses on building the teams so Marvin can stick to running the team.

Over the years, the guys scouting for the Bengals have proven that they know football and often times get it right. Look at the 2001 draft, probably the best in the NFL that year: J Smith, Chad, Rudi and TJ. It would have been nice to have taken Ladainian Tomlinson who was the pick right after J Smith, but we had Dillon then. Plus, Rudi was the last pro-bowler taken that year and it was a smart time to grab a back up running back.

But then, we followed that up in 2002 with the absolute worst draft—ever. In fact, the only player on the team worth taking was Levi Jones. Wonder what ever happened to Lamont Thompson, Travis Dorsch, Marquand Manuel and Joey Evans. Also, this is the year we traded up in the draft to score Matt Schobel in the third round.



Marvin’s draft era has been descent. They get it right on occasion with guys like Joseph, Whitworth and Peko (Carson was a no-brainer). But they get it very wrong on occasion too… See “steals of the draft”: Kelly Washington, Langston Moore, Frostee Rucker, Odell Thurman and Chris Henry. Plenty of talent, but bad attitudes and judgment, which led to none of them on the field helping us, win.

It’s time to get consistent. We need someone who knows the scouting reports inside and out. Someone who, by the time draft time nears is focused on who he’s going to draft in round seven because he already knows the first six picks. If Marvin had someone at his side that understood the team he was building and was able to go out and get people to fit the system, then Marvin could simply run the team. We would have someone who knew the ability of guys outside Marvin’s comfort zone of ex Redskins and Ravens. We could realize sooner when to let some guys go, and which free agents to go after. Having someone solely focused on building the team in tandem with someone focused on running it, makes too much sense. Look at the teams of Bill Belichick/ Scott Pioli and Ted Sundquist/Mike Shanahan. Consistent winning teams that are built upon strong drafts and consistently solid free agent pick-ups. These are guys who choose players to fit the system, and always seem to have guys waiting in the wings as veteran players age.

It’s good to hear that Marvin is asking for a GM. Marvin already steered the team out of the basement, now he just needs someone to help him accelerate to the Super Bowl.

Labels: Dorsch, Draft, GM

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Here's an interesting tidbit from the Internet rumor mill, courtesy of ProFootballTalk.com.

MARVIN WANTS A G.M.

Plagued for years by the inadequate devotion of resources to the personnel department, the Cincinnati Bengals have no G.M. and not enough scouts.

A league source now tells us that coach Marvin Lewis is lobbying internally for the hiring of a General Manager who would assume responsibility for shaping the team's personnel. Though we assume that Lewis would want to maintain final say over the 53-man roster, Lewis apparently realizes that not enough time, money, and/or effort has been devoted to ensuring that the right players are added to the team.

The Bengals have developed a reputation for drafting guys whom other teams take off of their boards. The problem, as it's been explained to us, is that when players like Frostee Rucker and Chris Henry and A.J. Nicholson are available in lower rounds than their talent might otherwise dictate, the Bengals go for the talent not because they don't care about bad character, but because they lack the confidence to identify the best of the players who haven't slid down the board.

When I saw this, my first thought was that we need a GM to allow our coaches more time to get our team ready. It didn't occur to me that we had no gems from lower rounds, other than character issue guys, because we didn't have a capable guy out there looking under the rocks.

If Marvin thinks we need it, I say let's get a GM. With the Bengals, we know it can be worse than it is now, but we also know it can be better.


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BYE WEEK RECAP
Well, the Patriots just came to town and showed the Bengals how to be a professional football team, and not just a bunch of pro athletes playing football. The Bengals had their chances as there were fourteen 3rd or 4th and short opportunities for both teams throughout the night. Those are the plays that decide a game, and of those 14 plays, the Patriots won 12 of them including a stop by the Bengals which was negated by a 12 men on the field penalty. Also, the Patriots scored two of their TDs on 3rd down and one on 4th down when the Bengals could have limited points. The Bengals were beaten when they needed a big stop or big conversion, and the Patriots showed how an elite team dominates a lesser opponent on the plays that matter. The Bengals LB situation went from weak to abysmal as Lemar Marshall and Landon Johnson had to leave the game putting Anthony Schlegel and Dhani Jones as the only Bengals LBs. Rookie safety Chinedum Ndukwe was pressed into emergency LB service and actually was not the worst LB on the field. In ranking the LBs the Bengals have played, or expected to have, I see the list going as follows:

Thurman
Johnson
Pollack
Jeanty
Brooks
Marshall
Jones
Miller
Frazier
Ndukwe
Schlegel (Playing hurt)
As you can see, the Bengals were playing with their 7th, 10th and 11th LBs on the field most of Monday night. But the LB core was not the most appalling part of the Bengals performance as they could be expected to underperform with Schlegel (Hurt toe), Jones (10 day Bengal) and Ndukwe playing. The defensive line was dominated by the Patriots. The Patriots usually run a lot of shifting runs with pulling linemen to use speed and confusion on the defense. As the game went on, the Patriots started running straight ahead at the Bengals as the Patriots line controlled the line of scrimmage. How is Ndukwe supposed to play LB at 215 pounds with his own linemen being driven back into him? If the Bengals Dline cannot hold their ground, it would not matter if you had Ray Lewis, Hannibal Lector and a Bulldozer playing LB, they could not make plays with fat losers in their way.

The offense continues to play musical chairs with the line and to look for a third option. The offense did not play too bad, but they got off to a slow start which always hurts. Even so, they had a perfect chance right before the half to change the game. Then the much documented miscommunication between Carson and Chad derailed their chances. This has been going on for years, but since it was Monday night and Carson and Chad argued on tv, this is the first time it’s a story. Once the Bengals get in striking range, Chad incessantly mis-runs routes trying to stretch his way into the endzone. It does not always result in an interception, but can be seen in Palmer misfires. Chad will see the endzone, and instead of cutting in front of the defender at the 10 or 5 yard line, will run deep. Carson will throw to the opening in the defense which usually has a safety waiting for a potential INT. Football at every level wants receivers to cut in front of the defender to create a target for the QB. In cutting behind the defender, the receiver is taking himself out of the play and eliminating any opening for the QB. Chad sees endzone, tries to get behind the defense, and this is an example of the selfishness that hurt the Bengals on Monday night. Once the Patriots built on their lead, the Bengals offense had to become one dimensional and play right into the Patriots hands.

Now for the good news and season outlook
The Bengals are not in terrible shape if the team does not implode from this embarrassing loss. Most people’s minds are clouded by the loss to the Browns. Imagine the Bengals showed up for the Browns like they should have. The Bengals would be sitting at 2-2 having lost to the best team in the AFC and the 2nd best team in the NFC. Not a bad place to be after the most difficult part of the schedule. However, being inconsistent and unprofessional has put the Bengals in a position where they must win and get back to .500. The good news is the Bengals have the bye week to hopefully get healthy, and then face @KC, Jets, Steelers, and @BUF. The Bengals should be able to go 3-1 in those games and be 4-4 when Chris Henry returns.
As for the playoff picture, the Bengals are fine. They still have a shot at the division, and the wild card is wide open. The north division will come down to the Bengals and Steelers. The Ravens 2nd half schedule is murder as they face @PIT, CIN, CLE, @SD, NE, IND, @MIA, @SEA, PIT. Three straight division games followed by the three AFC division winners in 2006, followed by the 2 longest road trips they make, and topped with the Steelers. Currently at 2-2 and 0-2 in the division, the Ravens will not survive to the end of the year. The Browns just do not count, and if the Bengals are battling the Browns for a playoff spot, the Bengals do not deserve to go to the playoffs. The Steelers, on the other hand, are in the driver’s seat. However, the Steelers lost to the Cardinals last Sunday in a game they should have won. So the Bengals and Steelers both have given one game away, too bad the Bengal’s was a division loss. The Bengals and Steelers have pretty much the same schedule for the rest of the season. All the Bengals have to do is match the Steelers, and beat the Steelers head to head, and the North Division comes back to Cincinnati.
The wild card is wide open. As it is right now, the AFC East stinks like New Jersey, so no wild card worries there. The AFC West is a crapshoot with an emphasis on the crap. San Diego would appear to be the only team with the talent to win 10 games, but they are currently 1-3 and sitting behind the Oakland Raiders. The division leader in the West, the Broncos, are 2-2 and have been outscored by their opponents 95-72. The Raiders are one strategic timeout from leading the division. So the wild card competition looks to be coming from the AFC South with the Titans at 2-1, the Jags at 2-1 and the Texans at 2-2. All three teams are playing well, but none of them strike fear into the NFL. Also, each of these teams has 2 games with the Colts, and then 2 games with each other, and then they play the AFC West. That is a much tougher road than the Bengals who get the Jets, Bills, and Dolphins of the AFC East. The Bengals are still in good shape for the playoffs as long as they can shake off the early season problems, get healthy, and not unravel with infighting. Now is the time where we will see if Marvin is truly a good coach or not. The team has faced a lot of adversity, but the schedule is set with win-able games for the Bengals to get right back on track. If Marvin can keep the team focused, the season can be saved. If not, the writing is on the wall for what kind of a coach Marvin Lewis will be for the Bengals. He has pulled the franchise out of the cellar, but the transition period is over and this is now his team. All responsibility will fall on his shoulders if he can create a winning team, or merely an average team. He is not in danger of being fired because the team is selling tickets and Mike Brown needs to lose money or have 4 or 5 losing seasons before he will make a change.

Evaluation Time

Most consistent performer: Jeff Rowe

Jeff Rowe has dominated all contenders like the ’27 Yankees. His only setback was to the always professional Patriots who had an absolute mutant on their coaching staff.

Most inconsistent performer: Robert Geathers

Geathers put together one of the best defensive performances in recent memory for the Bengals against the Ravens. However, since that game he has been non-existent. In fairness to him, he has been asked to play LB and perform many other tasks to help out the sagging defense. Still, his disappearing act is startling. He is young and has room to improve unlike many other underperforming veterans on the Bengals defense.

Biggest positive surprise: Chinedum Ndukwe

Marvin White was drafted to provide safety help while Ndukwe was drafted in the 7th round merely as a special teams performer. In a positive surprise, Ndukwe has played very well with the first team defense and even played LB in a pinch on Monday. He is displaying the type of versatility that Madieu Williams showed his rookie year as a 2nd round pick.

Biggest negative surprise: Special Teams

The Bengals special teams have been an afterthought the past few years as they were consistently above average. No one really paid attention to them other than hoping to find an upgrade at punt returner. With injuries and the roster constantly changing, the Bengals special teams have fallen to the bottom of the league. Now everyone holds their breath every time the Bengals special teams take the field.
Honorable Mention: More star wars gear. I saw 2 storm troopers and a darth vader on Monday night, who are these people?


Biggest story to follow: I would say the Chad/Carson story because the media may not let that one go. However, Chad going for the endzone and not breaking off routes has been going on for years, and after the bye I think things will go back to business as usual. It is not something that happens every week, and if Chad and Carson have success against the Chiefs, it will never be heard again. So the big story has to be the Dline and the health of the LBs. If Jeanty, Brooks, Johnson, Miller, and Jones are healthy after the bye, that is a capable group of LBs. The emphasis then shifts to the Dline to uphold their responsibility of not being dominated at the line of scrimmage.

In the past 10 years, the Bengals have drafted a total of 3 defensive linemen on the first day of the draft, Reinard Wilson, Justin Smith, and Frostee Rucker. Wilson was an obvious bust, Smith has been average, and nobody even knows what Rucker’s jersey number is because he has not been on the field. It’s pretty clear why the defense has been an issue for the last 5 years. Under Marvin, the Bengals have drafted 5 LBs and 4 DBs on the first day of the draft, but only 3 of the 9 were on the field Monday night due to injuries, suspensions, and talent. Those three were Madieu Williams, Jonathan Joseph, and Leon Hall. The missing LBs: Johnson, Miller, Pollack, Thurman, and Brooks. The missing DB: Ratliff. With no Dline talent drafted, followed by zero first day drafted LBs playing, it does not matter who is in the secondary. The Bengals defense needs serious help, and the biggest issues are up front.

Biggest non-story: Marvin and the media.

The media tried to make a story about Marvin being condescending to them following the Browns loss when he said it’s not worth explaining the mistakes to the media because they would not understand. It’s true, most of the media are idiots and it is a waste of time for Marvin to get detailed. Most media think they are much more important than they are, and create stories over nothing because they feel slighted. Marvin is not talking to the media because they are important, he is required to do press conferences by the NFL, and the best coaches reveal nothing in these press conferences. Belichick, Billick, Parcells, Cowher, Reid, and all of the successful coaches in recent memory have terrible relationships with reporters and say nothing substantial in interviews. Why? Because it does not benefit them to talk to the media, but they are required to do so by the NFL. Anyone who expects a detailed commentary on a game from an NFL head coach is a moron. End of non-story.

Proof that no position with the Bengals is safe: The Ben-gals have posted new photo albums on their website. Tiffany who had a strong showing in the early season is now being replaced in her position as trashiest cheerbabe. Rhonee is showing post season effort in week 4 as she showed up to a grade school for community service.

I can just picture the conversation leading up to Rhonee’s visit:

Ben-gals Director: I need someone to go to a Kindergarten for a community service visit. Is anyone available?
Rhonee: I’m available, what is it?
Ben-gals Director: Just spend the day speaking with 5 year olds in their classroom.
Rhonee: Great, I’m in. Hmmmm, a class room full of 5 year olds, do you think hot pants and cropped and tied jersey would be appropriate?
Ben-gals Director: Gee I don’t know, do you have a top that is see through?
Rhonee: Oh no, my see through top is at the laundry, I wore it last week for the special olympics.
Ben-gals Director: If you have to wear a tied crop top, then you’ll just have to do it. I just hope the kids aren’t disappointed.


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