Good news, we picked up a new running back, Cedric Benson. He should add some much needed depth while triple D is moved to the IR and Watson nurses his hamstring. If all goes as planned maybe he'll even give Perry a run for the starting position in a few games.

With the addition of Benson, I can already hear some fans getting ready to explode about the players we bring on board. It's only going to give them more fodder with the possibility of Henry starting back up this weekend. Personally, I can't wait. It did remind me of a little video...




For the people that aren't familiar with the name, here are some of his better plays.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There ain't nothing wrong with going to the scrip club..."

If you can get past all the talk about how the Bengals are going to get owned by the Cowboys, there are some serious events taking place on the field in Dallas this Sunday. The two biggest NFL bad boys will be making an appearance on the field at the same time.


On our left we have Mr. Jones who loves the scrip club. His claim to fame was taking 30,000 dollars to the club and "making it rain". Only to later demand his money back and get arrested.

On the right is Mr. Henry. He broke onto the scene by throwing a party at a Miami nightclub only to get into an altercation outside and pull a gun on the other individual and then point it at a cop. All while wearing his own Jersey.


Cowboy fans like Bengal fans have historically embraced the bad players knowing that sometimes they give you a chance to win. Jerry Jones, the owner of the Cowboys, is much smarter than Mike Brown. While we backfill our roster with solid players with no emotion, he fills with sensitive souls that cry and attempt suicide.

(It will be ok TO)

Cowboy fans are pretty easy to spot. They wear jeans, boots, large belt buckles and they love each other. Hollywood best captured the Cowboy fan in Mr. Showbiz's favorite movie BrokeBack mountain. So unless you are into a little tie down and wrangling, steer clear of the cowboy fan.




-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We all want a winning team, but it isn't everything. I would happily take a lose if it meant Carson was not in danger of sitting on the injured reserve list. The comments from Palmer after the game are stomach turning.
"Did the MRI show anything scary?"
Palmer: "I'm not going to comment on everything."
"Do you think it's long term?"
Palmer, after a pause: "I hope not."

The only official word we have is Bengals.com saying,
"All indications are it's not a structural problem with ligament or tendon damage." This is from the same organization that constantly give us half truths when it comes to players' health though. So can it even be believed?

It sounds like the injury was caused by a tackle from the Giants and not just normal aches and pains. So here are some common acute elbow injuries that we could be looking at:
* Bruises from a tear or rupture of small blood vessels under the skin.
* Injuries to ligaments, the rope-like fibres that connect bones to bones around joints.
* Injuries to tendons that connect muscles to bones.
* Injuries to joints (sprains) that stretch or tear the ligaments.
* Pulled muscles (strains) caused by overstretching muscles.
* Muscle tears or ruptures, such as your biceps or triceps in your upper arm.
* Broken bones (fractures) of the upper arm bone (humerus) or the forearm bones (ulna or radius) at the elbow joint.
* Dislocations of the elbow joint (out of its normal position).

I think we're safe from a Bruise which wouldn't be enough to keep him out of the game and I don't think they would keep a muscle tear or broken bone a secret.

If he has a stretched ligament recovery time is fairly short and the ligament can be tightened back up through therapy. A pulled muscle would call for ice and rest. Either of these could warrant him sitting out for a game to allow another week to reach 100%.
A dislocation could be possible. If it popped back in similar to Chad Ocho Cinco's injury the elongated resting would make sense. What doesn't make sense is that he stayed in through the entire Giants game, and I don't think that would have been possible.

I'm no Doctor and I only know as much as everyone else about the injury, but I feel like Carson will be back in the game in no time. They may decide to sit him for the Dallas game, but I know he wouldn't want them to do that. I expect to see him throwing the ball over a sea silver and blue and into the arms of some black and orange.

edit:
An article on ESPN has Palmer saying that he's already made up his mind and he'll be playing


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I love drinking during the day. I love hanging out with friends in the morning, grilling meat and watching football. All of these things are made possible because we have a professional football team in Cincinnati.

I agree that there have been some ridiculous moves made by this coaching staff: clock management, wasted timeouts, too many men on the field after a timeout, the 1990’s run/run/pass/punt offense, etc. But do you really think this is Marvin’s fault? I agree that he is the head coach and responsibility lies with him, but we had two assholes behind us at the game screaming that Marvin was responsible for every mistake, including the short punt in the 4th quarter.

Marvin is not the same guy that started with us, probably because of Mike Brown, but I’m pretty sure he still wants to win. To these two douchers: I recommend you stop buying your Bengal’s mesh shorts and jerseys, stop double fisting beers, and stop coming to the stadium. Nothing with this franchise will change until you stop giving Mike Brown your money.

What is the stupidest thing you can do?

It is spending a hundred dollars on a Sunday and then going to the stadium just to boo. Do me a favor and sell your tickets so I can enjoy the game with my friends, comfortably drunk and knowing that my hundred dollars was well spent. I’ll be the guy smiling and laughing at how upset you’re getting.

Mike Brown is probably laughing too…all the way to the bank.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

awwww, he looks so scared...


Writing this article for this season is getting tough. I was hoping I would not be this disappointed until at least week 13. The Bengals are 0-4. I think I kept optimism through the first 3 losses based on a couple of reasons.

• They lost to some pretty good teams. The Titans and the Giants look very good and the jury is still out on the undefeated Ravens.
• They were competitive with the Super Bowl champs in their own house.

And then we lose to the Browns. This team stinks.

What I didn't like:
The clock management of this team is terrible. How do you use all of your timeouts in the second half of a close game you are losing with 13 and a half minutes left? That is just moronic coaching. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a terrible QB. He was wildly inaccurate with his throws and several times forgot what team he played for and tossed it right to the Browns defenders. The O line could not open holes and even when they did, Perry couldn't hit them. Marvin Lewis is becoming a joke. I could go on and on, but like the Bengals, I am going to mail it in this week.



What I did like:
Believe it or not there are two bright spots that come from this game. Ndukwe had an outstanding defensive game. He was all over the field. Sacks, interceptions, passes defensed and tackles, he was outstanding. Second, now all of the idiot Bengal fans will stop saying how good Fitzpatrick looked in the pre-season and maybe he needs a shot. It was stupid then and stupid now. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.



It looked like so much fun tackling the Bengals the refs even joined in.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Usually we'll compare a few of our upcoming opponents Cheerleaders to our own Ben-gals, but the Cleveland Browns don't have cheerleaders. With no other alternative I have to go with a few of their mascots, which are giant dogs. In reality I guess their mascots are about as good looking as any girl that would cheer for their team.

First Up:
Lindsay VS TD the German Shepard(protector)

Lindsay attended Ohio University and in Cincinnati she enjoys dining at the locally-owned restaurants, visiting the art museums, and watching the Reds. She considers herself driven, passionate, and honest and keeps a Wheaten Terrier named, Scooter, as a pet. She is a down to earth, light hearted girl.



TD (The Protector), is a lonely man in a dog suit. As you can see from this picture he is protecting that poor kid from getting picked on by his peers. That is until he gets back to school and all of his peers see this picture on the internet. Good job TD, you just ruined this kids childhood.









Next Up:
Tiffany VS Chomps

Tiffany has been with the Ben-gals the past 4 years and her most memorable moment with the squad was going on the overseas tour to Italy and Egypt in 2007. She considers herself compassionate, caring, and outgoing. Her most memorable Bengals game is the home playoff game against Steelers in 2006.





Chomps is another lonely man, but this time disguised as a playful Labrador. His favorite school subject is Art and Band and favorite song is Bad to the Bone. His favorite quote is "Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to produce uncommon results." What an appropriate quote for a team that's out of fuel and made of common people.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You know I never
I never seen you look so good
You never act the way you should
But I like it
And I know you like it too
The way that I want you
I gotta have you
Oh yes, I do"


Well it looks like Brady Quinn will need to wait another week before he gets his opportunity to start a game for the Browns. I have a suspicion though that even though Brady is not going to start, if the Browns struggle early then he may see some playing time.

Plus it seems we have started a little rivalry with the site: http://dawgpounddaily.com

What you want to see on Sunday

The Bengals had a decent game on the road last week against the Giants. They were able to do some things this Bengal team historically has a hard time doing, make some in game adjustments and come back when the opponent answers. Hopefully some of that fire will carry over into this next game against Cleveland. The Browns do not have the defensive personnel like what we have seen in our first three games. Palmer should have time and can pick this Browns secondary apart. I expect a quick score at the beginning of the game and then a lot of rushing yards for Perry and Watson as the game progresses. Every now and then Bob will call a deeper pass play to keep the Browns off the line of scrimmage. As long as they avoid the turnovers the Bengals can control the pace of this game.

I also expect the Bengals to bring pressure on Anderson / Quinn. Our D line has been playing progressively better and I think this is a team that we can exploit some on their line. On paper they seem to have a great line but the product on the field has been sketchy.




What you don't want to see

Jamal Lewis with a lead. In an earlier article we mentioned how Jamal Lewis is a Bengal killer. He has averaged 154 yards a game in the last couple of times these teams met. Also, the Bengals have a hard time covering tight ends. Kellen Winslow has seen a ton of success against the Bengals. The last (and maybe biggest) threat the Browns have is Joshua Cribbs. It would be terrible to spot the Browns points if their offense never touches the field. Special teams for the Bengals is a must.

I am going to hope for some more QB woes for the Browns.

This blogger is going to predict a handy Bengals victory. I see the Bengals winning in comfortable fashion.
Bengals 31 Browns 17

Who Dey


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yeah I said it. Play Offs! Can we do it? Now is just as good a time as any to guess, and after seeing how some teams in our division are playing football I think we still have a chance.

We're currently 0-3, but looking at the teams we've bumped and grinded with coming home without the W doesn't look that bad. I could justify why we lost each game, but the fact is that it doesn't matter. We're in a hole and we need to know what that means for the future of our season.

The entire division is stacked with a hard schedule. It's almost like they singled out the AFC North for all of the play off teams to run a train on. It's going to be a painful season, but everyone has to deal with it. So it boils down to who will have the least mediocre season.

We're sitting at 0-3 and we've got the Browns, Cowboys, Jets, Steelers, and Texans to go. We have to beat the browns, it isn't an option at this point. The Cowboys are looking to take names for their ever growing list of ass kickings handed out this season so I see a defeat, with small possibility of win. The Jets and Steelers are good teams, but both can be taken down. See our secondaries picking off Farve, and our Defense teaching Big Ben what turf tastes like. I see the Texans as a team fighting for life, but can't turn it around because they flat out lack talent.
Half way through the season, we're looking at 4-4.

I really hope that everyone is done hyping up the Browns. The army of media and dog biscuit eating fans that thought this team was going to be able to walk on water has finally started to quiet down. After their team hits Cincinnati they are up against the Giants, Red Skins, Jaguars, and the Ravens again. The Cleveland pile could pull off a Win in Washington, and I expect an upset game against the Ravens or Jaguars.
This sets the Browns at 2-6. They will start going into a rebuilding offense mode before the 8th game, but I don't see Brady Q. turning into Payton M. anytime soon.

The Steelers are a team you can never turn your back on. They fight every single year and play hard. Let's face it, we hate them so much because they are a good team. I can't wait to see how they play against the Ravens this Monday. The Steelers just had their ego blimp deflated and I predict a re-enactment of the Hindenburg. Both the Ravens and Jaguars will continue to tear into season before their bye week. When they come back we'll see a hard fought game here in the Jungle, but the Bengals will come out on top because of Ben spending most of the game in his personal fantasy, on his back covered in men. Then the Giants will be the unexpected whipping boy for a pissed off Pittsburgh team.
They'll be sitting at 3-5 come mid season.

The Baltimore Ravens are the team I'm worried about. They've come out of no where playing strong. They're only two games out of the gate, and I can't wait to see how they actually stack up against the Steelers. With the Bengals and Browns behind them they'll eat up Pittsburgh next. Then they'll hit some road blocks. The Titans are going to feed them the football. The Colts should be back in the swing of things and even their solid defense can't keep Peyton down. The Dolphins are a coin toss, but I think the Ravens can pull it off; and Raiders and Browns will go down hard.
This makes the Ravens a 6-2 football team. Yeah I can't believe I just typed that either.


The second half of the season we'll see some switching it up. The Ravens' season gets harder, the Bengals' gets easier,then the Browns and Steelers see about the same.

At that point the season seems like a toss up. I don't think the Ravens can continue their success against stronger opponents and they won't beat the Bengals or Steelers a second time as age and injuries begin to set into their key players.
I see at least two 9-7 or 8-8 teams in the Bengals and Ravens, with the possibility of the Steelers showing up late in their season to have some upsets and end with similar rankings.

So don't discount an 0-3 start from a talented team in a mediocre division plagued by hard games. I have a feeling the AFC North is going to be a slugfest for every team involved. (The Browns really aren't a football team at this point)


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When looking to the game this Sunday I thought it would be interesting to compare some of the individuals who will be squaring off with each other. This could help determine what matchups we want to watch for on the field and will help to predict the outcome.

Head Coach:
If this was an eating competition then hands down Browns have it. Believe it or not Romeo has slimmed down from his college days. During his senior year he wore size 67" 30" pants and he weighed 320 pounds. However this is a football game and as such Romeo Crennel has not had much success with the mistake on the lake. Marvin has shown some marginal success with the Bengals and has beaten up on the Browns in his time here.
Edge: Bengals


Defense:
There may not be much defense on the field this Sunday. I happened to be at the shootout game in Cleveland last year and I have a feeling this week may be more of the same. However, the Bengals D has shown some life this year and I believe they hold the edge. Pictured below are Jonathan Joseph and Chinedum Ndukwe for the Bengals. Andra Davis (reading his favorite book) and Shaun Rogers (the only reason Romeo is not the biggest man on the sidelines)
Edge: Bengals


Quarterback:
Lets assume the Browns make the right decision and decide to start Brady Quinn this weekend. We all know that Quinn can not hold Carson Palmer's jock strap no matter how bad he would like to. Quinn's fairy like presence on the field should light a fire under the closet Cleveland fans that will be basing their presidential vote on which candidate will recognize their marriage.
Edge: Bengals


Wide Receiver (and Tight End):
The Bengals duo of Chad Ocho Cinco and Tj Houshmandzadeh are far superior to anyone the Browns are going to run out onto the field. I expect big numbers from these two. Chads offseason troubles showed the world how idiotic he can be. Next to Kellen Winslow Jr. he looks like a Rhodes Scholar. While Chad argues for more money, Kellen keeps it real on a motorcycle he does not know how to ride.


Braylon Edwards may have style but the Bengals have it times 2.
Edge: Bengals



Well there you have it, by my count this game should be owned by the Bengals. Can't wait to see how it plays out on the field.

WhoDey


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is no secret my hatred for the Cleveland Browns, mostly it is the Cleveland Browns fans.

I have chosen some of my favorite Browns pictures to let the average Bengal fan know what to expect to see this weekend as the shit trickles down from Cleveland. This may help you to be able to spot a Browns fan from far away and you wont have to listen to that annoying barking sound that radiates from groups of them.

The most obvious sign that you are encountering a Browns fan is the ugly dog mask they choose to wear. This is actually fairly clever and serves two purposes. The first is the masks are so ugly, that when taken off the Browns fans faces actually resemble a normal human beings face. And the second is that part of being a Browns fan is the fact that you constantly live with a lot of shame and embarrassment. The masks help to hide your face and keep you from being identified as a fan outside the stadium.


Which brings us to our next sign of a Browns fan. Shame. There is a lot of shame that you must endure to root for this team.


Another sign of being a Browns fan is the ability to throw a plastic beer bottle deep from the stands out onto the playing field. This is one area that Browns fans have excelled. They take littering the field to a new level. (Bonus points if you can tell me if the first idiot is a man or a woman)


Also, watch out for this woman. She calls herself "The Bone Lady" and rides around in the Bone Mobile. Seriously. This wife / mother thinks that this is a good idea. Be very sceptical of rides in the bone mobile. I think they only play cornhole in there if you know what I am saying.


I call these last two fans out individually. The first guy decides to dress up for his two favorite things. The Cleveland Browns, and large McDonald's French Fries. I mean I know you had a terrible quarterback at one time with the last name of Fry, but you are dressing up as food surrounded by some of the fatest and hungriest fans in the NFL. I would rethink it.


This last guy just creeps me out. I mean if dressing like this is not illegal it should be. I see the look he was going for but maybe he should have dressed as a poodle or something a little more manly.

But I guess when your future star QB likes to touch other men's junk, you try and get on his good side.



WhoDey


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last week WhoDeyFans wrote about the Bengals fans jumping ship. It will be interesting to see after yesterdays game whether or not the fans are going to start coming back or will ticket prices keep dropping? While the Bengals did suffer their third straight loss, they did so in a well played game that they were very close to winning. The good news is they face a terrible Browns team this weekend, the bad news is they follow up with a trip to Dallas to play the Cowboys. (more on that next week).

What I Liked:

I have been riding Carson Palmer pretty hard, I have even (inadvertently) insulted him in front of his wife at a local store. Yesterday however, he showed up, took his beating and delivered. He looked like the Carson Palmer of old. He even got chunks of yards on his feet. He was bruised and bloody but he almost willed his team to a victory. TJ also did his thing. He found gaps in the great Giants defense and was able to make catches in traffic. Most wide outs would not have held onto the ball in the end zone with a defender all over them but he was able to keep possession for the touchdown.

The defense. Each week they have been playing good enough to win the game. They faced their toughest task this past week in a great Giants offense with some very talented receivers. They were physical and even though injured they kept the Giants in check for most of the game.

What I didn't like:
Is Chad Johnson an elite receiver? He dropped a pass he should have easily had, and then was silent for almost the rest of the game. At some point his lack of production is going to boil over into "Some more Chad antics". Bob Bratkowski, you almost had me. You called a pretty good game. In overtime though, why get conservative? Palmer has been on fire the whole 4th quarter throwing the ball and you call back to back runs up the middle on first and second down. It seems you were playing not to lose. (take a hint from the Giants who lined up in Shotgun the entire overtime period).

Then I got to thinking, we accuse teams of looking forward to opponents and losing games they should have won. Has Bob been looking forward to the Giants this entire season? We run some of the worst "Vanilla" offensive play calling in the first two games against the Ravens and Titans. Then we blow up with screens, play action and the old school flea flicker against the Giants. Seems like two different worlds to me. Marvin better keep an eye on that.

Lets hope Bob looks to the Browns before the Cowboys, Jets or Steelers.

WhoDey


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I was right about one thing. All of the Bengals fans are jumping ship. One idiot in my section chanted at the top of his lungs "Here we go Steelers" the whole second half. (among many other stupid things he could shout between sips of his beer and making out with his huge girlfriend)

The early odds on this game at Sportsbook.com show the Giants as 13-point favorites and the total at 41.5

Lets look ahead to this weeks task. The Giants are a good football team. Super bowl champs good. Although they are missing some of their best defensive lineman (Strahan and OSI) they still bring QB pressure and harass the quarterback. They had 6 QB sacks last week against the Rams.


Eli Manning is a good qb also (even though he looks like an idiot).
Last year Eli moved out from under his brothers shadow and showed the world that he is a decent quarterback. However, Eli has been known to try and force the ball into tight spots and throw interceptions. in fact he had 20 interceptions in the regular season last year. An opportunistic defense could exploit this.

What you want to see on Sunday
It would be nice for Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski to get his head out of his ass. The Giants are the third team in a row the Bengals will face that has a great run D. We can still be committed to the run and throw the ball downfield every once and a while. While the Bengals O line is getting the most heat for this team you may be surprised to know we have given up the fewest amount of sacks in the league. (it is true, look it up) You will want to see Carson hooking up with his old friends Chad and TJ. It is important the Bengals play a close game or with a lead, falling behind to the Giants will make for another long Sunday.

The corners need to play up on the line against the Giants wide outs. You want to see some physical play from the corners to knock big receivers like Plaxico Burress off of his route. Manning will still try the throw and interceptions could be had by Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph (or Jones).

What you don't want to see
The Giants with a lead. The G-Men's running game is formidable and can control the clock and the tempo. If the Giants are milking a lead I don't have confidence the Bengals can stop the run.


Being the ultimate Homer that I am I predict the Bengals pull this one out on the way to turning their season around.

Bengals win 31-28

Who Dey



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Real Men of Genius, saluting die hard Cincinnati Bengals Fan.

http://home.ntelos.net/~blades/BudLightPresents.mp3




-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ahhh, Deja vu. The bungles are back baby, only with some new flavor. Any one who was a fan of the Bengals in the 90's are reminded of the torment every Sunday this fall. However, the Bengals of the 90's were famous for actually being in games and finding ways to lose. Occasionally you would see some fight from the team but ultimately the outcome was the same.

The new Bengals don't even know how to fight. I think the biggest issue right now is our offensive coordinator. Mr. Bratkowski has lost whatever touch he used to have. His play calling is terrible and there is no variation. He vows to stick to the run and this is going to run into a 3 and 13 season. Someone needs to remind him that it is ok to run outside the tackles every once and a while. Also, sometimes the run opens up play action, or a screen pass.

Another issue is Cincinnati's golden boy Carson Palmer.
(My favorite excuse this week is how terrible the winds were. Apparently they were not as terrible for Kerry Collins) He is scared and he can not throw a good pass. He was consistently behind his receivers and does not look off his primary. He never faked a throw or looked off a safety. These are the kinds of things he learned in High School and has since forgot. I know the O-Line does not give him a lot of time to throw the ball but when he does he is not doing it well. Every so often Carson sees something in the defense that causes him to audible at the line. Every single audible at the line this season has been a handoff to Chris Perry up the middle. If I can figure that out, I am pretty sure other defensive coordinators can also figure it out.

Marvin Lewis has no balls. 4th quarter roughly 13 minutes left in the game, we are down a couple of scores. 4th and 2 around mid field and we punt. Marvin Lewis basically says he has no faith in his team and wants to go home. "Grind Harder, Coach Harder, Play Harder"

One positive play I think merits mentioning. We have piled on Marvin White for looking for the big hit rather than the heads up play. On the long run by Tennessee right before the half Marvin caught up to the rookie running back and instead of knocking him out of bounds into the third row, he wrapped him up and pulled him in bounds to tackle him. This kept the clock running and was a very heads up play.


On a different note, the tailgate was awesome.
The good thing about the Bengals doing poorly is that tickets become cheaper. When tickets are cheaper then the bottom crust decides to spring for a game. When that happens, we all smile.

Quote of the game: "Next home game I am going to wear a bag over my head"
My response: "Make sure it is a plastic bag"

Who Dey


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comer Kai jumps into the early lead with 11 of 16 correct, ShakHak follows closely behind with 10 of 16. Terry LeDouche was 9 of 16, Pittmaca was 8 of 16.
The rest of us are 7 of 16.





-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Bengals are either going to rebound this week or Cincinnati fans might all jump off the ledge they are perched on. Cincinnati fans are very quick to turn on their team, almost as quick as they are to jump on the bandwagon when the Bengals string a couple of wins together.

The Titans defense has been tough for the last couple of years. This year is no exception they held the powerful Jaguars rushing game to 1.9 yds per carry in the 17 - 10 win over their rivals. On offense Vince Young struggled but the Titans running game helped him out with a 4.3 yds per carry average. Kerry Collins came in for the "Injured" Vince Young and completed two passes for 66 yds. One was a 44 yd pass to tight end Bo Scaife.

The Bengals struggled and had one of their worst games ever last week. They ended with 154 total yds.

If the Titans have done any film study then you can bet that they are going to be bringing pressure on Carson Palmer. The Bengals offensive line needs to give Palmer some time to set his feet and find his open receivers. In the last meeting between these two teams Carson and Ocho Cinco hooked up for 3 tds in a Bengals routing of the Titans 35 - 6.

What you want to see on Sunday:

Carson Palmer looking for the quick out routes or the screen to Chris Perry. This will relieve some of the pressure the Titans bring and allow the tight ends to not have to stay in and block every down. If this happens you will find some one on one match ups for either Chad Ocho Cinco or TJ and the talent of those wide receivers will allow them to get open. The Bengals need to score touchdowns and it will be their game to lose if they can build a lead and force the Titans to abandon their rushing attack and have Kerry Collins try to beat them with his geriatric arm.

What you don't want to see:

If the dynamic line of the Titans is able to get pressure and penetrate the O-Line of the Bengals it is going to be a long day.

To break it down for those that still don't get it:

If we see a lot of this:



We are probably going to see more of this:



This blogger thinks the Bengals pull it together and most of Chris Perry and Kenny Watson's yds are gained in the 4th quarter when the Bengals are milking the clock and looking forward to their first win.

Bengals: 27
Titans: 14

Who Dey


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First and foremost the Bengals want you to know that the police will be out in force looking for drunk drivers after the game. I think this is a notice less for the fans and more for the players, if you see Chris Henry, please give him a ride home.


If you aren't going to the game, you should. Tickets are pretty affordable right now.

Behind enemy lines

Apparently this guy did not watch the game. power rankings


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even the Canadians can see that something is wrong with the Bengals.

Bengals fans are mad at Willie Anderson, I was reading some of the forums yesterday and they were comparing it to spygate. Get a grip.

David Pollack is back in Atlanta and on the airwaves...

Apparently the Titans are still pissed about last years 35 - 6 spanking the Bengals handed them.

Bleacher report is disappointed in Ohio teams.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This article is courtesy of Mr. ShowBiz. He is currently unable to post but did send me a text message to let me know that Chris Hanson is much taller in real life...

Game:

• - The Bengals were playing against a head coach, starting QB and starting RB each in their first NFL game.

• - In the 1st quarter, the Bengals average drive start was on the Baltimore 40 yard line, the Ravens average drive start was on their own 16 yard line. Score at the end of the 1st quarter, Ravens 7, Bengals 0.

• - The Ravens scored on a 38 yard run by Joe Flacco, and a 42 yard run by Mark Clayton. The Bengals leading rusher, Chris Perry, had 37 yards rushing.

• - Bengals total first downs on Sunday; by run 1, by pass 5, by penalty 2.

• - Bengals drive summary by the number of first downs they got: 0, 1 by pass and 1 by run, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1 by pass, 2 by penalty and 1 by pass, 0, 1 by pass, 0, 1 by pass. That is 7 out of 12 drives without a first down.

• - When the team needed 2 yards or less to get a first down, the Bengals were 1 for 6, the Ravens were 6 for 6. Both lines were dominated.

• - The Bengals gave up 229 yards rushing and could not pressure the QB all day. Here is the number of starts up the middle for the Ravens offense:

1. - Adam Terry -- 11
2. - OG - Marshal Yanda -- 12
3. - C - Jason Brown -- 29
4. - OG - Ben Grubbs -- 2
5. - OT - Jared Gaither -- 2
6. - RB - Ray Rice -- 0
7. - RB - LeRon McClain -- 11
8. - QB - Joe Flacco -- 0
   

• - Keith Rivers led the Bengals with 9 tackles and may be the best player on the Bengals defense. If he were still on USC, he would be the 3rd best LB on the team behind Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing.

• - In his first 6 pass attempts, Palmer had 2 sacks, 6 yards rushing, one pass caught by the Ravens, and one pass caught by Ben Utecht for 8 yards.

• - The Bengals had the ball for 1:58 in the 4th quarter, and the game ended with the Ravens on the Bengals 10 yard line ready to score again. In crunchtime with the game on the line, the Bengals ran 5 plays and were stopped on downs. The Ravens ran the ball 19 times to 3 passes in the 4th quarter, and were not forced to punt.

Other:

• - Remember in 2006 when the Bengals line said it was time to put on their big boy pads? I think they lost them on their last visit to Candyland.

• - Willie Anderson, cut by the Bengals, signed for more money with the Ravens. The Bengals really know how to set market values. Cut players do not usually receive pay increases.

• - Deltha O’Neal had a TD saving tackle and a pass break up on the final play of the game to preserve the Patriots 17-10 win over the Chiefs.

Next Week:

• The Tennessee Titans had 7 QB sacks in week 1, get ready for some pressure on Sunday.

• Tennessee’s RBs ran for 130 yards against a very stout Jaguars defense, I wonder what they can do against swiss cheese.

• The Titans also held Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor to a combined 31 yards rushing, good luck Perry and Watson.

• Vince Young left the game with a knee injury and was replaced by Kerry Collins. Could another backup QB destroy the Bengals?

• Haynesworth vs Ghiacuic = Palmer and Perry have loads-o-fun on Sunday.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

www.firebobbratkowski.com is available for anyone who wants it.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Word on the street, (aka the internet VIA espn.com) is Vince Young is going to miss 2 - 4 weeks. While this might on the surface sound good for the struggling Cincinnati Bengals who face the Titans this Sunday. I think it could be devastating. I am sure the Titans front office is right now scouring the free agent lists for a rookie division 1 AA qb that could step in and slash this defense.

I hope we get to see Kerry Collins this Sunday.

Who Dey.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Ravens defense had its way with the offensive line. The Bengals had a worst offensive showing then when they rested their players for the 2005 playoffs.

Maybe it was because Carson was looking to throw the ball to Mr. Chad Javon Ocho Cinco but only saw this guy named Johnson.

At least the Bengals made the Ravens look "Awesome"

The sporting blog thinks Marvin Lewis should quit or get fired this month.

Hobson thinks the defense played ok.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Bungles are back baby. To be honest I was fairly excited for today's game. I envisioned a strong start like last season to at least build a little fan hype and some momentum to bring home against the Titans next week. But, this team stinks.


Carson Palmer played a horrible game, he is afraid and he panics. For a while I thought Kitna was back behind center again. 99yds and 1 int. Great stats for the face of the team. I loved when the announcers would praise him about how great he is at calling the play at the line. Everytime he audibled it was into a run up the gut. I knew it and the Ravens knew it.

Bratkowski calls a great game. He begins with the throwback to the 90's of the run up the middle twice then a pass 4 yds short of the first down, punt. Then he switches into full conservative mode with more runs up the middle. I hate when fans complain that we don't throw it deep enough (like in Madden 04) but I think once in a game would be safe.

The defense was ok, they got beat pretty bad on a trick play and then held for a while. They broke down again when the rookie and it looks like a future hall of famer (if he plays the Bengals every week) Flacco scrambled very slowly for a td. Then the Ravens were able to continue to move the chains when everyone on the planet knew they were going to run up the middle, over and over again.

Check back later in the week for WhoDeyFans player of the game, I will give you a hint, he is on D and his last name is not Joseph.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My first issue with DMo is that he referenced predictions made by Mr. Showbiz. However, DMo failed to notice that the predictions referenced were in fact made by Number 1 Fan. Not sure how he could confuse us. Number 1 Fan is a loser nerd whose only real knowledge comes through Magic: The Gathering Cards. Here is a picture of Number 1 Fan while writing his predictions post:

Obviously Number 1 Fan spends most of his tailgates picking wedgies in the port a potty. I do not know how DMo could confuse that dork with Mr. Showbiz. Here is my picture from yesterday gearing up to watch my 2008 National Champ Buckeyes take the field in Columbus:

I am badass. How could DMo confuse us? Clearly he's a moron.
As for my prediction, here goes. The Bengals have talent to win games, however their problems stem from lack of depth and coaching. The coaching issue is a combination of scheme and players not being able/willing to play the schemes. Just like the old days, the Bengals can beat anybody in a surprise game, but as a whole, this is going to be a bad season.
Offense: The Bengals starting 11 puts major pressure on defenses. They can score multiple ways at any time. However, the Bengals have not addressed a glaring problem at the most important line position. Eric Ghiacuic continuously gets driven off the ball and into Palmer's face. So while Palmer has not taken many sacks, he cannot step into throws because Ghiacuic stands in the way. That is why Palmer is high on many throws. Ghiacuic/Braham is the major difference between 2005 and 2007 on offense. Beyond that, the offense does not have any depth, one injury could derail the season. Daniel Coats, a converted TE will now start the whole season at fullback if he can stay healthy. Any O-line injury will cause a reshuffling of the whole line. And what happens if 2 or 3 linemen go down? This could be like last year's LBs where people off the street and other positions will have to fill in. Do not be surprised if Reggie Kelly sees some O-line time in a game this season. The same issue exists at receiver. And starting RB Chris Perry's career high of carries in a game is 9. He has 73 total carries in 17 games over 4 seasons, how is he the workhorse back?
Defense: The defense will be improved, but when you are consistently in the bottom 5 of the league, that may not mean much. For the first time, the D-line and LBs have solid depth. Depth does not mean strength though, even the best of starters would not start for more than 10 other teams in the NFL. Antwan Odom was only a starter 1 season in Tennessee, and most of his starts were due to injury. Dhani Jones is a solid LB, but he was cut last season and not picked up by any of the 32 NFL teams until the Bengals grabbed him in week 4 of the season. The DBs have a solid future, but they are young and will be prone to coverage errors. And perhaps the scariest position on the team is cornerback. The two young corners, Hall and Joseph, should come into their own this season. However, their backups are David Jones, who could replace Rod Jones as the new "Toast" in Bengal fans memories, and undrafted rookie Simeon Castille. Even in a regular game, Jones or Castille will see the field as a 3rd corner, imagine if Joseph or Hall go down. The Bengals could have Jones and Castille on the field at the same time. I thought it was bad when the Bengals had to field Ohalete and Kaesviharn at safety.
So raise a beer to the Bengals health, they desperately need it if they plan to be competitive in any way.
My Prediction: As much as I hate to say it, the Bengals will begin to revert to their old ways this season. They will be consistently ugly and all over the board once injuries start to hit. But like the good old days, the Bengals have talented players and could beat any NFL team at any time. I say 6-10 with one or maybe two surprise wins over playoff teams. The bad news will be next season when the Bengals lack of depth turns further south. As starters from this year move on, there will be nobody to step in and take their place. The offense, which has been the Bengals strength, will be in full scale rebuilding mode next season.
LONG LIVE MIKE BROWN!!


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I’ve been putting off writing my prediction for the upcoming Bengals season for a couple of weeks, now. The reason for that is I just can’t seem to find a middle ground between my reasons for hope and my underlying concerns about this team that I just can’t reason away.

Mr. Showbiz took the easy way out and wrote two posts on his prediction: one on why this Bengals season will be a success, one on why he's nervous.

But I’ve decided that I’m going to make an actual prediction. But before I do, let me explain what I think we’ll see. Be sure to remind me of everything I say here if it doesn’t come true. There’s a high likelyhood of that.

The defense will be improved. After a few games, we will all start to see that our defense is actually keeping us in games. The D-line will do a better job of pressuring the QB, and our secondary will open some eyes. But we’ll still struggle against the run. Keith Rivers will be a highlight, and Mike Zimmer will get a lot of credit for doing a great job.

The offensive line will struggle. I was surprised that last year we had the second fewest QB sacks in the NFL. Every game it seemed to me that Carson Palmer was throwing off his back foot as the defense was coming right at him. I admit that my eyes could be lying to me. But I didn’t see anything in the preseason that changed my mind about the line. And this was before we released Big Willie. (Not that I disagree with that decision.)

The offense as a whole will drive us nuts. This is really the same thing that happened last year. I think we will be amazed at times by the fireworks. I think bringing in Utecht will add a completely new dimension to the offense we haven’t seen before. RB Chris Perry will have some great games, breaking off long runs against weak D-Lines.

But there will be days that we won’t be able to get anything going. The string of scoreless drives in the preseason by the first team offense? Get ready for a lot more of that.

Which leads me to my next point. I think the reason for this frustrating offense will be because:

This is the year we find out about Carson Palmer. I think the jury is still out: is Carson Palmer a winner, or just a stats producer? I’m not saying that Palmer doesn’t want to win. But can he do something for the offense on those days when the Big 2 are consistently covered and Chris Perry can’t get yards? We know he can’t do anything with his feet, which we saw Ryan Fitzpatrick do in the preseason. He now has a pass catching tight end, can he use him?

Can anyone remember a game that Carson put the team on his back and carried them to a win? I don’t remember one, but I’d be glad if that’s my own poor memory. I think we’ll need to see that this year. If not, we’ll know that he’s not the winner we need him to be and start searching for who that person can be for the offense.

Chris Perry is more important than Chris Henry. I guess this is obvious. The starting RB is more important than the 3rd string WR. But I don’t think we’ll see much of Henry this year. Obviously, he’s out for 4 games. Then he’ll have to play himself onto the roster, and my guess is that Marvin will try to hold him back as long as he can. A sort of mini-protest. At the end of the season, I bet that Perry has more receptions than Henry.

All of that put together, and my unbounded optimism for all Cincinnati teams, leads me to this prediction. 9-7.

Who-Dey season starts tomorrow.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OUT: RB Jeremi Johnson (knee), S Nedu Ndukwe (knee), DT Pat Sims (toe). DNP: DE Jonathan Fanene (illness). LIMITED: WR Andre Caldwell (toe), LB Brandon Johnson (hamstring). FULL: WR Chad Johnson (shoulder), QB Carson Palmer (nose).

RAVENS - DNP: DT Kelly Gregg (knee), QB Troy Smith (illness). LIMITED: TE Todd Heap (knee), RB Willis McGahee (knee), S Ed Reed (neck).





-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeremi out, Maui'a in

TJ could become number 3

Ray Lewis advised Chad Ocho Cinco, I bet he told him not to let anyone use his phone.

Perry is not worried about injures, but everyone else is.

Optimism bleeds from the Blitz

Jerry Magee is a moron. The Bengals are all precinct? Why do they pay these people, no original thought.

How important are Chad and TJ?


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Each week we at whodeyfans will be picking the games. Feel free to let us know how dumb you think we are.





-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So yesterday you got a taste of why I think the Bengals are going to have a great season. Today I will tell you why I think the Bengals will go 6 and 10.

The main reason that the Bengals are not taken seriously is the defense. This could be a defense that struggles. The Bengals have proven time and again that they can not stop any offense attack. Baring a lucky turnover or a dropped pass the opposing teams offense finds a way to put points on the board. If the Bengals continue to not pressure the quarterback and give them all day to throw, most wide receivers in the NFL will find a way to get open. This forces the Bengals to focus the D on the pass and the running game of the opponent runs wild.

Also, the wide receivers are a hurt bunch this year. TJ and Ocho Cinco are both battling tough injuries. Chad is a hit away from missing the season and TJ can pull up at any moment and be gone. The talent drop off after these two guys is huge.

While the running backs should be great that only matters if they can stay healthy. It is no secret that Perry is a walking injury. He has had trouble staying on the field his entire time in the NFL. Watson is a good change of pace back but I don't think he can be an every down back.

It is not a difficult picture to paint that the Bengals suffer a losing season. However, the homer and extreme optimist that I am I tend to lean in the direction of my first prediction. All I know for sure is I can't wait for Sunday to get here and I can bask in the day filled with Bengals football.

Who Dey


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maybe Chad is just misunderstood

AFC north previews

Ginger wants to autograph his new deal soon

Why all teams will make the playoffs

5 Questions with TJ


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ahh football. The regular season NFL games start this Thursday. Fantasy drafts are over, easy week of practices this week and tailgating equipment is coming out of storage.

Today I will tell you why I am excited about the season this year and why I think the Bengals are going to go 10 and 6. Tomorrow I will tell you about why I am nervous and why the Bengals are going to go 6 and 10.

The Bengals this year are set to return to the 2005 form. (11-5, division champs). Carson Palmer is over a year removed from worrying about his knee and has taken the past off season to really focus on what he needs to do to stay a consistent passer and cut down on the interceptions. When this guy puts his mind to something great results always follow.

The wide receivers who many thought were a huge question mark this season are poised to breakout. Chad Ocho Cinco is setting the stage for a huge year to bring winning back to Cincinnati and to redeem himself in the eyes of the fans he has upset. I predict fans are buying some new CJ souvenir by the thousands before Halloween. TJ is healthy and is in a contract year. He is going to make a statement and demand the huge contract he thinks he deserves, the Bengals will benefit from the determination he will show. Jerome Simpson will live up to the hype for the first 4 weeks of the season until Slim 15 comes in and reminds fans what he can do in the red zone. Ben Utecht hauls in 3 - 5 passes a game for 60 yds and a TD.

The running game, what will we ever do without Rudi Johnson our bell cow? I remember how this story goes, we saw the pre-quel with one Mr. Corey Dillon. If I remember how that story went Rudi J in his first year came in and put up 1400+ yds and 12 tds. Chris Perry is a good running back. He is healthy and while I don't think he is set for a 1400 yd rushing season, I do see 1200 + another 600 receiving yds and 15 tds. Add on Watsons 3rd down ability and our backfield is just fine.

The O line is big and experienced. When you cut a guy like Willy Anderson because he can't crack the lineup you know you have something working. What we saw in the preseason was a group of veterans playing in the preseason. When the whistle blows to start the regular season these guys are going to step up and create holes for the running backs and give Palmer all day to throw.

Losing Odom on defense for any amount of time will hurt. Our DB's will look a whole lot better when we start closing pockets and rushing the passer. We are an opportunistic defense and we will create a lot of turnovers from the gambles we take. Much like the 05 D we will be looking for the loose footballs and the tips and will come away with bunches of turnovers this year. Sometimes this may cause us to give up a big play but I think the gamble will pay off often enough to keep us competitive.

Look for the Bengals to sit atop the division this year and be ready to shell out the big bucks for the home playoff game we will have. 10 and 6 is my prediction.

Who Dey.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chad Javon Ocho Cinco should be good to go for the opener.

Rudi J lands in Detroit.

The QB's are a family affair in Cincinnati

Bengals and Colts wrap up

Things are changing in the locker room

Bengals D will be facing a rookie in Baltimore.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coming into this season, Oline depth was a supposed strength for the Bengals. In true Bengal form, management just could not let that happen. Willie Anderson, signed to an affordable long term deal, gets cut in favor of Stacy Andrews and his 1 year deal. Goodbye leverage and goodbye depth. The Bengals kept only 8 offensive linemen Sunday and 3 tackles, Andrews, Levi and rookie Anthony Collins. If Levi or Stacy go down, Anthony Collins will be thrust into action in what would be his 12th lifetime game at offensive tackle. Or they could move Whitworth to Tackle, but that would put undrafted free agent Kyle Cook at guard, or Scoot Kooistra. Looking to next season, when Stacy Andrews does not sign, what do the Bengals have? They may have to replace both Tackles right when Carson is supposed to hit his prime. Great thinking Bengals, a strength has become a weakness and a major question for next season.

By cutting many veterans, Brooks, Oneal, Willie, Rudi, etc, the Bengals created a large amount of cap space. Does this mean they are setting the stage to move Chad? Will they make a splash in free agency? Doubt anything big will come. If Chad Ocho Cinco performs up to his standards, the extra money will go to his pockets. If not, the Bengals may overhaul the roster again next season. TJ is most likely gone in free agency, as is Stacy Andrews. Levi looks slowed by his leg injuries and may be in for a rough year. Ghiacuic cannot get the job done and Bobbie Williams sees the end of his career nearing. Meanwhile, the Bengals continually waste draft picks on projects that do not pan out and refuse to add legitimate depth through free agency. The result? The Bengals have an ugly stretch of rebuilding on the horizon. Anthony Collins, Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell, Chris Perry, Eric Ghiacuic, Kyle Cook, the Bengals cannot turn their offense over to these players. No depth exists behind today's offense, and today is almost over. True franchise quarterbacks rarely drop in your lap as Carson did with the Bengals. Yet the Bengals look on the verge of wasting another standout QBs career without offering help. Mikey's stamp is back on the Bengals, do not be surprised by a return to the sub 6 win team.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------