Repeated Glory: Why The Bengals Will Win Again

Here in the dregs of the NFL off-season there is very little to write about that isn't either overdone or premature. This time of year, we writers of football wander listlessly from topic to topic hoping to find just of sliver of something interesting worth expounding upon, but like the Okies in the Dust Bowl, most of us come up empty.

Yet at the same time, we're a competitive bunch, so when one writer moves ahead with something like Power Rankings in May, the others begrudgingly push themselves away from their cocktails and other interests, and chime in early as to not be lost in the upcoming surge of opinions. Therefore, like it or not, here comes the first of countless explanations of why the Bengals will once more win the AFC North.

The whole we-get-no-respect mantra seems a bit worn out for the Bengals these days. Anyone discrediting Cincinnati as something other than a Playoff contender is being unreasonably stubborn. That kind of thing isn't analysis, it's belief.

The facts are that the Bengals won the division last year thanks in large part to owning a dominant defense which returns every single player plus several noteworthy additions. The weak passing game has been completely revamped, the offensive line remains intact, and there are no major injury concerns at this time; based on plenty of hard evidence, there's a lot to get excited about in Cincinnati.

Still, there are those who refuse to believe that the Bengals will ever really do any postseason damage, and we'll all just have to live with that. Yet, when writers allow for sheer stubbornness to form their “professional” opinions which they are moved to print, it makes me wonder if the media influences public perception, or if it's the other way around.

Regardless, the Bengals look good to repeat as divisional champs to me at least.

Like a good Roman general, Mike Zimmer has the unquestionable loyalty of a fierce and talented legion of men. His power and reputation as a leader has even stirred the public to wonder if he will eventually take over as Caesar himself someday soon. The defense is young and still improving; the potential has yet to be fulfilled with this group, and that's encouraging.

Now that Zim has all of his guys healthy and even more familiar with his system, the sky is the limit.

Add Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins to a grizzly, versatile and fearsome front defensive line—not to mention the return of the promising Antwan Odom—and you have a good starting point already on defense. If we consider Dunlap and Atkins players who are likely to see action this season, then that would give Cincinnati 10 linemen in the expected rotation. That's a lot of beef.

But then consider the return of Mr. Maualuga, who has the most impact-play ability on the defense, and his mates, Keith Rivers and Dhani Jones, both consistent and solid in their roles. Sprinkle in the long-loped Brandon Johnson, who is excellent in coverage and had a terrific Wild Card showing in January, and the new flashy-named, Roddrick Muckelroy, to the linebacking depth, and that too seems like a team strength.

If that weren't enough, the Bengals boast perhaps the best corner tandem in the league with the technically sound Leon Hall, and the athletically gifted Johnathan Joseph—each had six picks a year ago—and are backed up by the serviceable Morgan Trent. The team also drafted Brandon Ghee, who Marvin Lewis compared to Joseph when Joseph was a rookie, and I remember hearing that they signed a person named Adam Jones as well. Injuries to either starter would be an immense setback and opposing offenses might then feel like they've found a weak-spot in the Death Star, but the development of Trent and Ghee, and the seized potential in He-Who-Mustn't-Be-Called-Pacman Jones, could not only soften such an injury blow, but also provide more coverage to the ever-popular, multiple wide-receiver sets. After all, the schedule does include Indianapolis, New Orleans, New England, San Diego, and so on.

What about safeties, you ask? Got any of them? Admittedly, this may be an area that is weaker than the other defensive tiers, but I feel the concern at the safety position has been greatly exaggerated. Nonetheless, someone not named Tom Nelson needed to be written into the safety depth chart and that person became the nomadic veteran, Gibril Wilson.

If anything, the group of safeties is indeed a veteran one. Old-school tacklers, Chinedum Ndukwe and Roy Williams, will once more battle it out for the starting strong-safety position in training camp. If Roy wins that battle but then smashes his bionic forearm again, there isn't much of a drop off once Ndukwe is installed.

Wilson should battle Chris Crocker for the free-safety spot. Each man has been around a good while and the biggest test for both of them might be how well they physically hold up in camp. There could be some issues regarding the range of these guys in coverage, but they can both tackle, and hopefully the improvement of the nickel-back position will ease some of those coverage concerns.

Either way, once more, these safeties—minus Wilson—played well in this system last year. Yes, they are a year older, and no, the Bengals didn't draft a safety of the future per se, but these guys they do have aren't bums. Plus, with a theoretically improved pass-rush, the entire secondary can operate under less pressure.

All in all, this defense hunts wild game with wolves in the offseason and sleeps uncovered in the rain. They are weather-beaten and rugged and are insistent to make the opposition's Sundays as difficult as possible. It remains the heart of the team and is the most convincing reason to pick the Bengals to win the division.

But if that didn't do it for you, let's look at the offense.

The transformation from a vertical-pass offense to a power-run offense was astonishingly successful, considering it happened within one season, and hadn't been attempted here before. Cedric Benson burst through holes and ran to stardom last year, becoming the offense's best player in the process. This year should be much of the same as Ced Ben is this year running for the mega-contract the Bengals aren't likely to cough up to him. Essentially, he is auditioning for other teams, but again has the makings to carry the ball 30 times a game and rush for 1,700 yards this season. Even if it is only for next season, I'll take it.

Backing him up is one of my personal favorites, Bernard Scott. The guy is a bouncy-ball runner with good vision. I felt Scott was underutilized in the offense late in the season once Benson returned from his injury. He can't be used like a traditional power runner; he needs time to see the defense and pick his route. Screens, pitch plays, misdirections, these are the kinds of plays that best use Scott's strengths.

Brian Leonard is the Pete Rose of the NFL; no one gives more effort. He has skills too. His jukes, hurdles and spin moves appear as if a PlayStation controller is moving him around. He's not fast, but he really, really wants to get the first down, and so he usually does. Carson loves him too, which helps any player's job security—unless that player is asking for too much dough—so I see Leonard back in there on third-down packages this fall.

As for the passing-game, you might not even recognize it. The biggest difference should be how open the receivers are this season. After Chris Henry broke his arm, average safeties blanketed starting Bengal receivers. At one desperate point in the playoffs against the Jets, Quan Cosby appeared to be the team's second-best receiving target, and the difficult became the impossible.

Gone is Laveranues Coles, and possibly demoted is Andre Caldwell. Here instead are Antonio Bryant, Jordan Shipley, and the curious Matt Jones. Also somewhere on board is Jerome Simpson, but it seems widely agreed that this training camp and preseason is his last chance to get his second-round shit together or else the experiment dies as a failure.

Also gone is J.P. Foschi, replaced by the studly Jermaine Gresham. Never before has offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski featured a tight end in the passing game all that heavily. Fans were excited about last year's rookie tight end, Chase Coffman, but had to put their enthusiasm on hold since he couldn't make the active roster and was eventually shelved with bone spurs in his ankle. This year, Carson gets a large target who can help him when he scrambles out of the pocket and needs to improvise. Gresham should help in the red-zone and on third down, areas where Cincinnati struggled last year.

Oh yeah, the Bengals also have that guy Ochocinco who you might have seen on television this summer. It seems that his status among the league's receivers has slipped, yet his skills don't appear to have waned all that dramatically. I think he is ready for another big season. With the improvement of those around him, defenses will not be able to key on him as vigorously as they did last season. Plus, he obviously needs more dance practice, and there's only one place on the football field worth dancing in and that's the end-zone.

There isn't much to write about the offensive line. They are the same as last season, only this time Andre Smith gets to participate throughout the entire offseason. I don't expect any of these guys to play worse than a year ago, with perhaps the exception of Bobbie Williams, who is aging and seemed to slip some last year. Reggie Kelly is back to assist the hogs in run blocking and perhaps can be used in this year's unbalanced-line formations.

The offense will operate similarly to last year, but it should run smoother. In style and function, I expect much of the same: large quantities of Benson, crossing stuff to the second and third receivers and sideline stuff to Chad. We should see more plays designed for Gresham who could run deep patterns in the middle of the field, and, if everything goes right, see a few jump balls to Matt Jones and/or Jerome Simpson.

The offense won't match the defense in general prowess, but it should eat up clock, wear out opposing defenses while keeping our own fresh on the sideline, and score enough to win.

This team is well-composed and improved from a playoff season ago. Even without mention of the other AFC North teams, and how well they match-up with Cincinnati, just examining this team on paper provides plenty of firepower to the argument of why the Bengals will succeed in 2010.

So, there it is, the early outline of the Bengals. It's a strong case, I think, and one that isn't too over the top with blatant favoritism and bias. But even if it is, it doesn't matter; the Bengals went 6-0 in their division last year and are better this year. Nuff said.


Mojokong—farming through the dust.

Business As Usual

I can't help but laugh at the reaction fans give to the Bengals signing troubled players. It's a very Pavlovian process to me. Player is arrested and disgraced, has trouble finding work, signs with the Bengals, and the public goes ape shit. Then, five months later, troubled player does well, public forgets about troubled past and are just pleased that games are won. Then, player gets in trouble again, public goes ape shit and degrades the Bengals for signing troubled player.

When will we accept that the Bengals business model is to buy damaged goods and make the best of it? You're either on board with this or you aren't. Remember Cedric Benson? Tank Johnson? These men were marked with the “trouble” stamp too, but now are invaluable to the Bengals' success and, by all appearances, have become upstanding citizens who most of us would call good guys.

Never was this fan hypocrisy more prevalent than with the late Chris Henry. This youngster seemed impossibly brainless off the field; constantly resurfacing in criminal activity. Each time it happened, the whole world—even Henry's coach—renounced him as a Grade-A dirt bag and wanted no part of him anymore. Yet the only man that mattered to Slim's fate was undeterred by No. 15's irresponsible decision-making and gave him countless opportunities; that of course is Mike Brown. Once Henry suited up on Sunday we loved him—needed him. Once he broke his arm, then tragically died, the team was faced with a sizable hole in its offense and went to work replacing him with not only a hot-headed receiver, Antonio Bryant, but also a cocaine-possessing receiver, Matt Jones.

The trend is here to stay, even if you, the fans, aren't. That being said, why should Pac-Man Jones be any different? Of course he would land in Cincinnati; it's the natural progression of this kind of thing.

I agree that Pac's rap sheet is fairly harrowing. He is drawn to strip-clubs, feels he needs guns around him, and is prone to violent outbursts. He is the link between matches and gasoline. Without much knowledge of the man personally, I'd venture to say that he is a person who feels disrespected easily. We've all known these guys; they take everything anyone says or does very, very personally. Typically, they experience multiple setbacks based on this trait. That is why I feel it is only a matter of time before Mr. Jones' dark side strikes again.

But until then, he will play football, and will do so with stripes on his helmet. From a football standpoint, there isn't that much to get excited about. Considering he has missed more games than he's played in his career, he has really only posted one good season way back in 2006. He hasn't played in two years, wasn't necessarily eye-popping with Dallas before he blew it again, and the Bengals have four corners who are both better than Pac-Man and far more vital to the team's long-term success at the position. I'm shocked to find myself agreeing with the crumudgeony Paul Daugherty on this issue, but I too would be surprised if he even makes the final cut. If that is to happen, Jones must wow the coaching staff in camp; it's certainly possible, but at this time, I'm calling it a long-shot.

The point is, if he does preform well this season, all the naysayers and grumblers who didn't like the idea will once more feel fine about the modus operandi the Bengals follow when filling out their roster. They are a small-market team maintained by an old miserly scrooge. He won't pay a lot for anything other than No. 9, so he takes his chances on high-risk investments and hopes for the best. I know it's a tough pill to swallow—we want good guys on our favorite team—but this hiring characters of dubious moral fiber is the way the Bengals stay competitive. It could be a case of the old saying “Nice guys finish last”, who knows?

Mojokong—easy rule to live by: never go to a strip club for lunch.

Andre Smith: Big As A House, Quiet As A Mouse

For such a large entity, it seems odd how effectively Andre Smith has remained under the radar this off-season. So much was written about the behemoth last year, that he must feel ignored to some degree. Worry not, Goo, I haven't forgotten.

This is a pivotal season for Smith. When he drives his presumably large automobile to Georgetown, Kentucky this August, he will encounter his first NFL training camp, and both Marvin Lewis and I agree that it alone will make him a better player—not that we talked about it or anything, it's just a shared opinion we have.

Last season was something of a red-shirt year for Smith. He played well in the last half of the schedule including a start in the Wild-Card game, but he was brought along slower than necessary thanks to his silly holdout which was caused by him juggling agents throughout the draft process. Now offensive line coach Paul Alexander—along with the great Dermontti Dawson—can push him around during Organized Team Activities and then training camp and tune him up for Week One. Much was made of Smith's excessive girth last season, but while he will always resemble a baby mastodon, the weight concerns now seem extinct. If he stays healthy up to the season opener, year two for Smith should be a big one.

Still, Andre the Giant's pass-protection will be the real measuring stick of how good this kid can be. We all know he can run block. He somehow maintains nimble qualities in his feet which, coupled with his size, make run-blocking a walk-in-the-park for a tackle like that. Road-grading was his labeled strength entering the draft last season. Yet, Carson Palmer was often hurried in the pocket late last season and the Jets pass-rush rattled the Golden Boy quarterback out of his comfort zone, forcing many errant throws in the playoff game. The entire Bengals offensive line can run block well, but the right side seemed to give up more sacks than the left in pass-protection, and Andre is the long-term anchor on that right side. If Palmer is to become more comfortable throwing it, Smith will have to prove he can consistently pass block too.

Another encouraging aspect with Smith's development, is that offensive linemen have been accurately projected by scouts as of late. The last real draft bust I can immediately think of was Robert Gallery and that was already a while ago. The high draft-pick tackles—Joe Thomas, Jake Long, Jason Smith—these guys have delivered right away. There is the same real potential in Andre Smith and experiencing a full-calander year with his teammates should allow more of it to bubble to the surface.

To project Smith into next year's Pro-Bowl may be a little presumptuous, but an improvement in him should be expected. If his sun-blocking presence alone can lift the o-line's play even a little from last season, that can only spell success for Cincinnati and especially Cedric Benson. Yet if he can help keep Carson more upright this year, it may translate into one of the league's best units and propel the offense to new heights. There's a lot riding on the tectonic plate-like shoulder pads of Big Andre in 2010; mediocrity simply will not do. He may have evaded the media eye during this off-season, but the cameras won't miss him for to much longer. How could they?


Mojokong—even on a cloudy day, the sun still exists.

Carson the Great

There was a time when most football fans acknowledged Carson Palmer as an elite quarterback. Not since Peyton Manning had a player seemed so destined for perpetual mega-stardom. He was a big, strong, intelligent guy who put up through-the-roof numbers in 2005 and 2006. Then he threw 20 interceptions in '07, his team went 7-9 and his legacy points were taken away.

The excuse most Bengals fans developed for Palmer's struggles was the anemic play-calling of Bob Bratkowski. The beleaguered offensive coordinator—who only two seasons earlier was hailed by the city as an offensive genius—found himself vilified for the rapid deterioration of the offense, particularly of the running game. It was believed that the predictability of his play-calling made it easy for defenses to shut down the run, and Palmer was forced to make up the difference which he was unable to effectively accomplish.

Things got even worse in 2008, when the team lost its first eight games, including four losses that Palmer participated in before hurting his elbow and missing the rest of the season. Calls for Bratkowski's job could be heard all over Cincinnati by the end of that year, but Palmer was once more let off the hook. This time, the porous offensive line was to blame. Carson was sacked 11 times those four games compared to 17 times in an entire season the year before.

Finally, Bratkowski promised to switch up his play-calling and the team transformed into a power-running team in '09. That transformation had an interesting effect on Carson. While his play and statistics were both solid yet modest, he seemed to operate comfortably within a run-first offense. Instead of shooting out with teams, the Bengals preferred to keep the score close and let Palmer close it out in the end—Carson was credited with three fourth-quarter comebacks and five game-winning drives that season. Even though he wasn't on pace to throw for 4,000 yards or 35 touchdowns, by mid-season it seemed he had gained back some of those legacy points.

Then Chris Henry broke his forearm and the passing game fell apart almost completely.

After the Jets beat the Bengals in the wild-card game last year, a new excuse for Palmer was born; Cincinnati simply didn't have the offensive firepower to compete in the Playoffs. To prove the point, the team sent the disappointing Laveranues Coles packing after only one season, and aggressively retooled the passing game throughout the offseason with new weapons. Of those, is a prototype new to Bratkowski and the Bengals: Jermaine Gresham. Never has Carson had a tight end of such talent and potential. Perhaps it will be the difference next January—only time will tell.

The point is that Carson Palmer is 30 years old, entering his eighth season and is effectively out of excuses to be great.

I am not dissatisfied with Palmer nor would I begin to argue for his replacement. He is a very good quarterback—perhaps within the top 10 at his position—but if he is to ever establish himself in the annals of NFL greatness, he will have to elevate his game a notch or two throughout the whole season and win in the Playoffs next season. The offensive line is fine, the running game is fierce, the new shipment of receivers is here, Bratkowski is still around but the new philosophy suits Palmer well; the time is now.

If Palmer remains in the very-good category for the rest of his career, then he should be proud of himself. Decent quarterbacks are hard to come by; it took many failed attempts before we came across one. To ask him to do more is easy from a guy with a laptop and a couch, but I still see the potential in him to be better. I still think that he can be great, but that window is closing; 2010 will cement my opinion either way.

Mojokong—People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like—Abraham Lincoln, in a book review.