The Road To The Super Bowl

The road to the Super Bowl is a long and arduous path. It begins in the blazing summer sunshine of August and ends in the frigid northern winds of February. Along it, players, coaches, their families and their fans, will experience a multitude of feelings that range across the entire emotional spectrum and culminate into a blissful apex of accomplishment. I would think a sweeter nectar cannot exist for the football minded.

That is, of course, only if your team is the one on such a journey—otherwise it's all bitterness and sour grapes. For our team—the Cincinnati Bengals—to reach that mountain top, lots must fall into place in just the right ways.

Obviously, every Super Bowl run is made possible by the universe unfolding itself in a specific way to allow such a thing to happen. There are multiple events that occur which we collectively dismiss as luck, but really, it is intersecting paths of reality randomly crossing over one another. Okay, I admit that is nonsense and that you need some luck to win the Super Bowl, and there isn't much that I, or anyone else, can do about that, so let's just leave it be.

That being said, there are some things the Bengals can have an effect on to keep this train on its track.

The most important of these, is keeping Carson Palmer upright and healthy. As hard as we try to block out the entire 2008 season from our minds, it happened nonetheless. Palmer went down with a bum elbow, the Bengals promoted Ryan Fitzpatrick, and the team won four games that year. If that happens again, it could turn even uglier with a steady dose of J.T. O'Sullivan each week (does anyone else notice the leprechaun-like surnames of the Bengals backup quarterbacks? It's weird.). Last year, the line played well, but Carson still appeared too hurried late in the season. Hopefully with man-cow Andre Smith eventually participating in training camp, he can boost the line to new pass-protection heights, and allow Palmer to work his craft in peace.

Assuming Palmer does feel comfy in the pocket, he must tighten up his game some on his own. Since the golden days of '05, when the offense hummed along undeterred, Palmer's accuracy has suffered. Last year, he regularly overthrew receivers when he missed, either on sideline throws, crossing-pattern throws, or deep throws. As Laveranues Coles left town, he told the media that Carson preferred bigger receivers, and I don't doubt that is true. This season, the team stockpiled bigger receivers in Antonio Bryant, Matt Jones, and Terrell Owens—not to mention, the new large and dynamic tight end, Jermaine Gresham. Palmer's preferred tools are in place, the line should be improved, and the excuses for any lack of success are minimal. It seems most agree that he has the pedigree to be great, and that he has always been very good, but there are higher plateaus within reach for No. 9—it's up to him to get there.

In addition to Palmer, the man upstairs—no, a little lower than that—Bob Bratkowski, has much to do with how well the Bengals new offense operates. Typically, Brat ranks at a close second behind Mike Brown as the most disliked man in town. Perhaps much of this ire is unfair, but his unpopularity remains as high as ever. The most consistent gripe surrounding Bratkowski is his predictability with his play-calling. Last season, the Bengals were strapped with a lack of talent in the passing game and many felt that Bratkowski did not make the adjustments necessary to succeed once Chris Henry broke his forearm. This year, Brat has more viable weaponry at his disposal than he's arguably ever had in Cincinnati, and can take a variety of approaches when attacking defenses with his new toys.

With the new horses, Bratkowski and Palmer can confidently throw in the middle of the field. This would naturally draw safeties in some, and that opens up areas deep along the sidelines. Chad Ochocinco never felt like much of a deep threat last season, and that's just wrong. If the others can become the classic large possession-receivers that I think they can be, the offense could then run the ball better, convert more manageable third-downs, use more clock, and take more shots down field. It's what every good offensive coordinator dreams of, and hopefully Brat too.

As for the running game, why mess with success? The Bengals transformed themselves into a power-running team last year that was difficult to stop despite its predictability. The offensive line looked comfortable manhandling opposing lines, and Cedric Benson displayed the complete repertoire of power-back skills. The one new gnarl in the rushing attack I would like to see transpire, is incorporating more of the bouncy and elusive Bernard Scott. The second-year pro is an exciting player that grew into his role well last season. It appeared that Scott needed some time to adjust to the pro game, but once he found his sea legs, he became an interesting counter to the bruising Benson. Scott is a hesitation runner—a patient guy who seeks out holes before plowing forward—and is best suited for delays, sweeps, draws and screens. Mixing in Scott, as well as Brian Leonard's unique skill set of nifty moves and extra effort, and the Bengals have a nice stable of runners again this year.

On the other side of the ball, lives a pack of collected yet ruthless mongrels who labor in the mud and never rest. They are the silent types; the ones who allow their actions to speak for them. They do not stop to consider pain or fatigue and they are unquestionably loyal to their leader, Mike Zimmer. In short, the Bengals defense is not a flashy bunch but will leave the unsuspecting foe in their wake. They're nasty; don't sleep on them.

Yet, that isn't to say that there isn't room for improvement, or new challenges afoot. While the unit as a whole is made of what seems like unmovable granite, it lacks a certain visceral predatory blood lust for the quarterback. Zimmer has said he wants more of a pass-rush this year and that will indeed be crucial to the success of the team.

Cincinnati plays a lot of pass-happy teams with great quarterbacks in 2010. It's true that the Bengals employ maybe the best cornerback tandem in the league, and that certainly helps their cause, but in today's spread-offenses of the NFL, there are a lot more weapons to worry about than just wide receivers. The tight end position hurt the Bengals noticeably last year—Owen Daniels and Dustin Keller come to mind—and they face some of the best this year including Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow, and Heath Miller—yikes. The safety spot is an aged one for the Bengals and fans and pundits alike point to that spot as a defensive weak link. An increased pass rush would alleviate some of the pressure on the safeties when they are forced to cover these dynamic players. With a healthy return of Antwan Odom, and the acquiring of rookies Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins, Cincinnati is suddenly very deep along the defensive line which can keep fresh bodies in the game for all four quarters and become a nuisance for opposing quarterbacks.

The same goes for the third and fourth cornerbacks. These days, teams will use two sometimes three extra receivers in their schemes. Reserves Morgan Trent and Adam Jones, plus rookie Brandon Ghee, will be huge factors against teams like the Colts and Patriots who often use multiple-receiver sets. Once again a pass rush will make their jobs easier, but usually when a quarterback is pressured he looks to the interior receivers as safety valves, so the cornerbacks guarding those men will have to react quickly and make open-field tackles.

Stopping the run became the calling card to this defense last season and there is no reason to think that will change. Cincinnati returns nearly every single player from last year's pleasant surprise, so the emphasis this season will be against the pass.

Lastly, for the Bengals to taste the Big Enchilada they must consistently execute on special teams. This was a nightmarish facet of the team last year and I, for one, am surprised that there was not more public backlash against special-teams coach, Darren Simmons, but that is all in the past now.

Gone is the scape-goated and weak-legged Shayne Graham, as well as Brad St. Louis since he effectively lost his mind, and in their places are the dueling nomadic kickers and long-snapper Clark Harris—a man who arguably saved our playoff hopes last year. Graham was chased with pitchforks and torches out of town after blowing it in the wild-card loss to the Jets, and now it looks as if the kicking will be done by either Dave Rayner or Mike "Stranglehold" Nugent.

The thing about random kickers off the street is that they are available for a reason: they've proven to be inconsistent. Good kickers are paid handsomely these days—Janikowski 4 years/$16 million—and are a real weapon to a team. Any knucklehead that argues field position is unimportant isn't paying very close attention to the game. For a run-first team with a good defense, who bases its offense around ball-control and clock management, a worthwhile field-goal kicker is nearly priceless. That's why the training camp battle among the little guys with one small shoe scares me. In the fourth quarter of a close game do you really want to see Dave Rayner come trotting out to seal the game for the Bengals? Graham struggled in a lot of categories but was a pretty sure thing from inside the 40. I'm not so sure about the two kickers the Bengals have now. If a Super Bowl run is to take place here in Cincinnati, the kicker can't be a problem.

For the Bengals, this season is not necessarily a beginning of something new, but a continuation from one moment almost two years ago. That moment took place in the visitors locker room at Lucas Oil Field where the Colts had just finished dismantling Cincinnati, 35-3. In that locker room, a seed was planted, and immediately began to sprout roots. Before that moment, the Bengals were 1-11-1, but are 13-7 since. The seed was the remaking of a team; a total philosophical overhaul orchestrated by Marvin Lewis and his staff. What we see today are bright green leaves with small pods on the ends ready to burst into flowers. Everything is in place. With a little luck, and a lot of maximum effort, this could be the year the Bengals finally smell the roses.

Mojokong—will be waiting at the finish line.

Fullbacks Are People Too

Perhaps more than any other position, the fullback has morphed and evolved its role on the field. Gone are the days of the rushing fullback who would get the most carries on his team—like one of Paul Brown's favorite players, the great Marion Motley. Also gone—at least for now—is the pass-catching fullback like Bill Walsh's Tom Rathman (the elusively defined h-back is currently in vogue, but these prototypes are more more of a tight end than a fullback). In fact, many teams ignore the fullback altogether these days, employing one on the roster but only using him for goal-line and short-yardage plays, if even then, and very rarely giving him the ball.

The Bengals, under Marvin Lewis, have always kept a fullback in their offense a good amount of the time. For years, Jeremi Johnson was that man, repeatedly slugging linebackers out of the way for Bengal ball-carriers and occasionally catching a pass or two. Then he injured his knee in the 2008 training camp and battled weight issues in the '09 camp. This offseason, no interest was shown by either side in having him come back for 2010, and he is now out of the game.

Here instead is Fui Vakapuna.

Fui is a stocky, yet athletic guy who the Bengals drafted in the seventh-round in 2009. At BYU, he rushed for 1,181 yards and for 14 touchdowns, and was MVP on his national championship rugby team in high school. He didn't make the cut last training camp with the Bengals, but returned to Cincinnati for the second half of last season after spending the first half with Arizona. He has not played in a regular-season NFL game.

But have no fear, fellow Bengal fan. Jeremi Johnson was a fearless blocker who played hard, but he reached the end of his rope. The Bengals saw potential in Fui from day one and remain interested in that potential. Cincinnati running backs coach, Jim Anderson, has brought along other modern fullbacks like Nick Luchey and JJ himself, so there is no reason to think he can't do the same with Vakapuna. Fui's first priority is blocking, of course, but if he should squirt out into the flat and find himself alone, it seems likely that he would become a more viable receiver than Johnson ever was. Vakapuna is almost certainly this year's fullback with little competition in camp, so the fans can all get used to saying "Fooooooweeeee" whenever his name is called, which shouldn't be often.

As for that limited competition, there is person named Joe Tronzo listed on the roster as a fullback. Tronzo is a Louisville native who played his college ball there, and is described as a "durable blocker" by Bengals.com. The only interesting thing of note about Joe is that he was a four-time power lifting national champion in high-school, which could mean he's strong, I dunno. It doesn't matter really because once the games start to count, I think Tronzo will be gonzo.

If the Bengals stick with the power-run philosophy as their offensive persona, then an effective blocking fullback becomes a necessary ingredient to that mix. They have the big receivers, a quality line, and the king of all blocking tight ends, Reggie Kelly, already in place. Fui is line to become the last piece to the machine that is the Bengals power offense. Even if they are a dying breed elsewhere around the league, there is still a home for the fullback in Cincinnati.

Mojokong—I wonder if fullbacks have lots more bones in their neck and skull for extra impact support—like big-horn rams have.

Ships Don't Sink Until They're Out to Sea

I think it's a little crazy that there is already talk that Antonio Bryant is in jeopardy of being cut when he hasn't had one training camp practice yet.

All of this swirls around the comments that unnamed assistant coaches have told select media members that they are lukewarm on Bryant's performance in OTAs and other drills thus far. That led some to speculate that his knee was an ongoing issue, but Marvin Lewis has gone on record to say that is false and that Bryant is expected to be in on the field tomorrow when camp opens.

I get that bringing in Terrell Owens could indicate that the team is worried about Bryant, but I see it as more of a sign that Cincinnati wants to beef up its offensive talent and is doing so by bringing in veteran receivers. The reports have speculated that out of Bryant, Owens and Chad Ochocinco, one of these men will be disappointed with a lack of catches, but I'm not so sure about that. These people aren't teenagers—they are longtime professionals who should know what championship teams look like. Typically, when stars are forced to relinquish their own stats for the good of the team, it's an indicator that “the team” is a damned good one. Like Chad has already astutely pointed out in his Twitter feeds, Cedric Benson is the one who should benefit the most from all this receiver attention in Cincinnati.

Bryant has been very good on very bad teams. He has never been surrounded with the talent around him now. No one knows how that will translate into his own personal success, but to panic about him now is foolish. If by September, Bryant is still receiving negative attention, I will start to worry too, but for now, I just want to see him play and make up my own mind.

Mojokong—like sands of the hourglass....

Battle of the Bulge

Somewhat lost in the hype which surrounds the Bengals defense is the play of the tackles. Writers love to chit-chat about the super cornerback tandem and the flashy-named linebackers, or, when criticized, it's usually about the aged safeties and the perceived lackluster defensive ends that are brought to the conversation. Yet the run-plugging, trench-eating defensive tackle rotation is literally a huge part of Mike Zimmer's success, and is quietly one of the more interesting training camp battles to take place this week.

When we say “training camp battle”, it becomes a bit misleading when referring to the defensive tackle position. More than perhaps any other spot on the field, tackles are rotated because they are big and they get winded easily. Therefore, just because two men line up with the other starters on the game's first play, does not mean that they will end up with more snaps than the other defensive tackles on the sideline. Also, all three contributing tackles for the Bengals last year missed some time with injuries, so depth at the position appears more valuable than two clear-cut starters. Luckily, the Bengals have exactly that.

The most high profile of the tackles is the giant American Samoan who resembles a wooly mammoth in pads: Domata Peko. It impossible to dislike this guy. Not only does he display maximum effort on every play—clearly evidenced by his fluffy main flopping around all the time—but he is always smiling. During the offseason, Peko, Rey Maualuga, and Johnathan Fanene, returned to American Samoa to donate football gear to the youngsters there, and, he gave my brother his game jersey and four tickets to the game, just for being nice to him. How can you not like this guy?

Aside from being a cool person, the behemoth can play too. His forte is getting low and clogging running lanes on first and second-downs. Last season, he was often subbed out on passing downs to allow a better pass-rusher to get after the quarterback, and recorded zero sacks last season in the process, but many times, simply being large caused running backs to bounce to the outside for minimal gains. While only getting credited with 23 tackles, Peko played a major role in stopping the run for the Bengals defense with his size and aggression up the middle.

The concern with Peko, however, is that he missed five games last season with a knee injury. He underwent surgery but returned after the operation and he is presumably expected to be fine coming into camp. Nonetheless, 300-pounders with knee problems is not a good equation for long and productive careers, but for now he is still a beast against the run and I don't expect anything different this year.

For more of a pass-rushing tackle, I give you the indefatigable Tank Johnson. Tough, gritty and impervious to rust, Tank trudged along and produced well last season despite dealing with the nagging plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Tank only recorded two sack , but he was the best on the team at jumping the snap and flushing quarterbacks out of the pocket (and occasionally being called for offsides as a result). He is still very strong, doesn't complain and is another one of “Zimmer's Boys” brought in from the outside to rejoin his old coordinator. He has earned his veteran status in the league and is another gruff character opposing offensive lines grow tired of dealing with by the fourth quarter. As long as Tank rolls along on two good wheels, he can be a disruptive pass-rusher on throwing downs.

The most stealthy of the herd, yet still extremely large, is Pat Sims. Many Bengal fans may not realize that Sims finished with more tackles than Peko or Tank last season with 34. He broke his forearm during the Week 17 blowout loss to the Jets and missed the wild-card game, but broken bones are easier to heal than problematic knee ligaments or plantar fasciitis. Sims, in my opinion, was the best player in last year's preseason, and I allowed my expectations of him to swell a bit because of the excellent showing, but just because he wasn't a pro-bowler doesn't mean he wasn't an effective player. With his forearm mended, he should jump back into the rotation at full-force and improve both individually and the group as a whole.

Then there is the new beef, rookie Geno Atkins. I admittedly haven't seen Big Geno in action much, but his scouting report lists that he has an explosive first step and that he plays with low-pad level—an attribute that Marvin Lewis holds close to his heart. Assuming these reports are even somewhat accurate, the squat and round Atkins can be a fourth set of trunk-like legs to mix in once the others begin to tire. mploying handfuls of defensive linemen and working each one into the game is a trend the Bengals seem to follow with the addition of Atkins and others. I'm excited to see Geno go to work.

Finally, the last name listed in the defensive tackle spot is Orien Harris. I will always remember Orien as the man we traded away to obtain Brian Leonard, only to pick him up again later in the season. Say what you will about the Bengal front-office deals, but the one involving Harris and Leonard was a stroke of brilliance. Harris simply adds more fresh meat to the position should a crop of injuries spring up there again this season. He has never really done anything all that noteworthy on the field, but he does have some game experience and isn't bad for a scrap-heap pick up.

As you can see, the defensive tackle position's strength is its quantity. Four out of the five listed here are likely to make the final cut and each should certainly see action on Sundays, while the fifth seems destined for the practice squad. An improved pass rush from this position is what both Zimmer and Lewis would like to see unfold beginning this camp, but even if they match last year's production, the entire defense will continue to be a force.


Mojokong—when feeding the defensive tackles, always maintain a safe distance away from them.

The Bigger Picture: AFC Playoff Predictions

Believe it or not, there are teams outside of the AFC North. In fact, there is a whole other conference called the NFC, but that's still too far out there to discuss in any great detail. However, the rest of the AFC means a great deal to the future of our Bengals and is worth examining.

The best team, the crème de la crème, the crown jewel of the conference, is still the Indianapolis Colts. As long as Peyton Manning can lift his arm above his head and move a football through the air, I will not bet against his team. Yes, that philosophy hurt me somewhat during last year’s Super Bowl, but apparently Manning is of mortal material and is subject to fallibility—shocking, I know. Nonetheless, he is of high-grade football pedigree and works his craft with unquestionable mastery. In a time of parity and cut-throat competition, Manning stands far and above anyone else in shoulder pads.

Yet, all is not roses in Indy. Unfortunately, there is a force that drives the NFL even further than great quarterbacks, a force that stays out of sight on the field, but is forever nearby: money. There are contract questions popping up in Colts Country. Mr. Everything himself is set to become a free-agent after this season, and any dumbbell could figure that he'll receive a record-setting contract. Regardless, he is so good, that no matter the asking price, he will be well worth resigning and is guaranteed to do so once the new Collective Bargaining Agreement is agreed upon.

Then there is Manning's ace target, Reggie Wayne, who is two years from another payday and demands to move that event up to the present. Wayne is following a number of players league-wide who are dissatisfied with their contracts and threatening holdouts. With the impending labor doom approaching the NFL, it makes sense that so many players would like to secure their futures before the uncertainty hits home. It also makes sense why owners are weary of whipping out their check books and payinf players the big bucks.

Wayne is a proven commodity recording six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons; the question in a Wayne-less offense is how much can Manning make a lesser receiver produce like his best weapon? Two years ago, when Marvin Harrison's criminal allegations picked up steam and his overall health depreciated, the Colts cut him. The offense purred along undeterred in his absence. When Anthony Gonzalez went down with sprained knee ligaments last season, no-names like Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon stepped in like veterans who had played in the system for years. If Reggie Wayne wants to maximize his money-making potential before he retires, he would be better suited on another team; Indianapolis will have to make cuts elsewhere to pay Manning his expected silly-big contract and it doesn't seem that they’ll need Wayne with the backups playing so well.

Robert Mathis, another unhappy Indianapolis Colt, is a smallish, but very quick lineman who registered 63 sacks in seven years. His downside is that he is 29-years old and plays opposite of sack-master, Dwight Freeney. His upside is that he hasn't been as frequently injured, playing in at least 13 games every season. Indianapolis may need to pay him big to maintain the pass rush that has been so important to that defense for so long. With the concern surrounding safety Bob Sanders and the possible inability to continue his career, the Colts should retain as many stars as possible. It seems Indianapolis is always rebuilding their defense, and therefore, should value the important pieces already in place to prevent a perpetual band-aid approach to the problem. I see Mathis staying put with a nice new contract soon.

Still, even with the contract gripes, the Colts are top-shelf and remain the team to beat.

Once you cast your eyes down to the second-shelf or below, however, the picture becomes murkier and is wide open for interpretation.

The next best, in my mind, are the men in stripes. There's no need to delve into why I think so, because one can read the many, many blogs written this offseason on that very subject for themselves. But I will summarize the many points here: Cincinnati's biggest weakness last season was their passing game, which they aggressively addressed this offseason in free-agency and the draft. They return a formidable and still improving defense to couple with the team's powerful rushing attack in the mold of their new smash-mouth style, and their sterling cornerback tandem give them the advantage in the ultra-competitive AFC North.

Moving on.

After that, I like the Ravens—well, perhaps not like, but rank them next in the AFC. Baltimore General Manager, Ozzie Newsome, simply knows what he's doing. Drafting Sergio Kindle and Terrence Cody this year makes a perennially dominant defense even better. Joe Flacco should continue improving, Ray Rice remains a dynamic threat (especially in the passing game), and Anquan Bolden is a huge talent injection into a maturing offense.

The Ravens do have questions though. Legendary safety, and pirate-bearded lurker, Ed Reed, has what sounds like a new robotic hip and is likely to miss the season's first six games as a result. Ed Reed is a gambler who can read Carson Palmer's mind and he will not be missed in Week two. Ray Lewis is, in theory, aging too, but the physical toll on this superhuman is invisible thus far. Still, one wonders when Ray might slow down, if ever; we could see it this season, but I wouldn't count on it.

And, of course, Baltimore acquired Shuga Shayne Graham. Good luck with the short kick-offs, the clutch misses, and the uncertainty to hit from 40-yards or longer. While the Bengals kicking situation looks dubious at best, Graham was simply run out of town after missing two short, and critical, conversions during last year’s Wild Card game. Let's hope he makes himself at home and misses a key field goal; preferably during Week two in Cincinnati.

For more Baltimore analysis, click here.

The surprise this year will be the Miami Dolphins winning the East. In order to make that statement, however, I must explain the demise of the New England Patriots.

Since the Patriots rent an apartment in the AFC Playoff picture, they are there every year. One season, Tom Brady went down, and they let Miami crash instead (they still almost ended up there anyway with Matt Cassell), but have been there every other year for what seems forever. Sadly for the Patriots, however, I think they should start hunting for a new apartment because they won't be there come this January.

As for Mr. Brady, well, he's still great. To me, all the Joe Montana comparisons are true enough. His favorite target, Randy Moss, is also still great. In the last three seasons, Moss has recorded 3,500 yards and 47 touchdowns. Their offensive line isn't what it once was and the next generation of Patriots linemen haven't proven to gel with the dinosaurs of the past. Then there are questions about a backfield with several injury problems last year. Baltimore feasted on Brady early in last year's wild card game because they were not concerned with a Patriots rushing attack.

But it's the defense that worries me most with the Patriots. As more and more veterans leave this unit, the consistency becomes an issue, and their secondary—especially the corners—seem suspect. Bill Belichick is a sour-faced wizard who sees NFL games like Neo sees the Matrix and will probably prove me wrong once again. For now, I say the Patriots can be thrown on with a limited pass rush and suspect corners giving them roughly eight wins this season.

Now as for the Dolphins, the biggest reason I think they will win this season is because Bill Parcells is in the third year with the franchise. Like Belichick, and Newsome, Parcells has an unprecedented track record that includes Super Bowl championships and turning around struggling franchises. The calling card of a Parcells team is that they are usually oversized. The Dolphins roster is one of the beefiest in the league that will help the grind inside a tough division. Ronnie Brown gets hurt a lot, but Ricky Williams still appears to have plenty in the tank and one, or both, will power run over much of their schedule this year. Their quarterback, Chad Henne, doesn't blow many away with his play, but he too is a big guy with a strong arm who looked better as the season went on last year. Their defense lacks star-power but is a deep and physical unit that reminds me very much of the Bengals defense, only in 3-4 form.

In the West, San Diego continues to enjoy a cream-puff division. The Chargers shouldn’t be challenged much by its rivals—I expect Denver to be worse—but they too are not without concerns. Drafting Ryan Mathews with their first pick demonstrates their worry about employing an every-down back. After letting LaDainian Tomlinson go to the Jets and franchise-tagging Darren Sproles, the Chargers were left without a running back with the size to "carry the load". Mathews has the right ingredients, but every rookie must prove themselves before expectations can fairly be applied to them.

Also gone from San Diego is cornerback Antonio Cromartie, leaving the Chargers secondary with the veteran Quentin Jammer to lead an inexperienced defensive backfield. The Bolts had a hard time stopping the run last year too, finishing 20th in the league against the rush,and hotheaded linebacker Shawn Merriman wants more money as well . A team once considered the most talented in the league seems a bit lopsided on offense these days, and the defense has some questions to answer.

Finally, the New York Jets. On paper, this team appears awfully impressive. Their defense is led by head coach Rex Ryan, who continues to bring in veterans from across the league. This year, that includes the new acquisitions of Jason Taylor and Cromartie. They are solid across the board and appear firmly seated within the NFL's elite defenses.

The Jets also added to their offense by bringing in Tomlinson and Santonio Holmes. They employ a rugged offensive line, an up-and-coming running back in Shawn Greene with whom I consider the best offensive coordinator in the league, Brian Schottenheimer. Quarterback Mark Sanchez started off well last year, hit a mid-season rut but bounced back nicely late in the year and in the playoffs. While I don't expect Sanchez to end up in the Pro Bowl this season, I do think he will continue to improve into a nice game manager for the Jets.

So with all this praise showered upon New York, why don't I have them ending up farther in the playoffs? First, there’s some dissent in the Jets camp regarding contract squabbles. Center Nick Mangold wants more money, Darrelle Revis wants more money, David Harris wants more money. The team recently inked D'Brickashaw Ferguson to a $60 million contract extension. While the Jets cant pay all of these guys in the same year, this will mean someone will have to play this year at what they likely consider a discount rate, and some feelings will be hurt.

But aside from hurt feelings, I think the Jets are too limited in their passing game. Castaways like Holmes and Braylon Edwards don't scare me much—Jericho Cotchery is their best receiver. Tight end Dustin Keller killed the Bengals last season, but early in the year he was considered something of a disappointment. Greene has yet to prove he can carry the load for a whole season, and LT is wearing down fast. Schottenheimer calls a great game, but he can't make the throws and catch passes himself. I see this offense struggling at the wrong times to make a deep push into the playoffs.

So there you have it. The AFC will once more be ruled by Indianapolis, followed by Cincinnati, Baltimore, Miami, San Diego and the New York Jets. Obviously all of this analysis is based off of names on paper and something will not transpire as predicted, but it's nice to get a rough outline of what to expect this season. We're only six weeks away from the real deal; time to lose our composure and freak out with excitement!


Mojokong—chomping at the bit.

If It Ain't Broke: 2010 Bengals Defense

To those who think that last year's Bengals defense was an anomaly that will suffer a letdown this season, think again. In Mike Zimmer's third year with Cincinnati, this group is ready to reach new heights as they collectively enter their prime. That said, it will nonetheless be a new defense in many ways, as the wisest men in football know that to remain static is to be left behind. So then, the question becomes, in what ways will it be different?

The most logical place to start would be the new guys on defense; the best part being that there aren’t many. Even though scheme and style should always evolve, keeping the same personnel is vital to group dynamics and trust amongst the team. Looking from the outside in, one could tell that not only had the players bought into Zimmer, they bought into each other. A good example of that is how well the backups played last season. We hear Marvin Lewis tell his players to “do your job”, and that is easier done when they trust that their teammates will do the same.

Yet, like every year, there are some new rookies. The first and most exciting prospect on defense is, of course, Carlos Dunlap. This is a player who once had first-round pick written all over him. Then questions arose concerning his work ethic and enthusiasm for the game and his stock dropped. This formula typically equates to landing with the Bengals since they are always on the hunt for a bargain. So here is Dunlap; a long defensive end who is expected to arrive to camp weighing upwards of 290 pounds. Unless he amazes his coaches this July and August, he isn't likely to start over Antwan Odom or Robert Geathers ,but if his pass-rushing potential shows itself even a little, we should see plenty of Dunlap on passing downs.

Then there is Geno Atkins—a squat defensive tackle who is said to have an explosive first step and is often disruptive in the backfield. Atkins joins an already quality tackle rotation, and the more fat guys a defensive line has, the better.

Lastly are the two new corners, Brandon Ghee and Adam Jones. Both men will be involved in an interesting nickel-back competition that also should include Morgan Trent. Ghee is a bigger corner and the idea of someday moving him to free safety has been bantered around. But like most rookies, he has much to learn before he can be relied upon. Jones, while not a rookie, is something close to it; crawling back to the game, relegated to the cheap contract of a nomadic and out-of-work player. He too needs to prove to the world, but more importantly to the team, that he can be trusted on the field and off.

Aside from the new acquisitions, the most interesting fresh develop of note is Zimmer's decision to move former defensive end, Michael Johnson, to outside linebacker. To the casual fan, this seems vaguely interesting at best, but to the keen observer, this is a move that could transform this defense into a 3-4, but I don't see it happening in the short-term.

If you look around the league, you might notice how rare the 4-3 defense has become. Every year there seems to be more and more converts to the 3-4, as teams try and imitate the Pittsburghs and Baltimores of the world. Zimmer and the Bengals have rejected the trend, sticking with the old-fashioned four linemen and three linebacker defensive set, but Johnson is the quintessential outside linebacker for the 3-4, so why not take the thought further and build that kind of defense for the Bengals?

If MJ is pushed to the outside, that moves Rey Maualuga to the middle where many fans—including myself—would like to see him end up anyway. That leaves Dhani Jones as the other middle linebacker and Keith Rivers as the weakside linebacker. Johnson can rush the passer and running back on the strong side, Rey and Dhani can shoot gaps and stuff the run up the middle, and Rivers can clean up on the weak-side once plays are forced into that direction. That all sounds pretty exciting to me.

Still, if you're going to run a 3-4, you need more than the right linebackers, you need the right linemen too, and this is where the theory breaks down in my opinion.

A 3-4 line should be composed of three men close to, or over, 300 pounds, whose primary objective is to stop the run and free up rushing lanes for the linebackers. They should also have pass-rush ability themselves, but their girth is more important than their moves to the quarterback.

The middle man of these three should be the largest and anything below, say, 320 pounds, probably won't do. The optimal nose-tackle should be of silver-back gorilla stature and athleticism—though tree-climbing isn't necessary. While Domata Peko certainly appears as something enormous and wild, Pat Sims, Geno Atkins and Tank Johnson are more standard 4-3 tackles, and it takes more than one gorilla to make a band.

As for the ends, the girth doesn't seem there either. Odom added weight last year and listed at 280, but that isn't big enough to take on interior linemen on a regular basis, nor is the similarly weighted Geathers. Dunlap may become big enough to pull it off, and Jonathan Fanene seems like a good fit in a 3-4, but the starters make too much money to not play to their strengths.

Perhaps Zimmer could mix in some 3-4 looks on passing downs to utilize Johnson more effectively and to see if the other guys can hold up in that formation, but I wouldn't expect any radical change.

I do think the Bengals will blitz more in 2010 though. Accumulating more sacks was mentioned by both Zimmer and Marvin a number of times this offseason. Employing many pass-rushers and rotating them in as the game progresses can be a relentless weapon against fatigued offensive lines; Steve Spagnulo's front four with the New York Giants a few years back comes to mind as an example of how devastating a deep line can be. Cincinnati certainly has the corners to leave alone in space which allows safety and linebacker blitzes to unfold more easily.

They also have players who have demonstrated an ability to rack up sacks. If Odom can return to last year's form after coming back from an Achilles injury, Geathers would benefit from the attention Odom would then command. If Rey doesn't have to cover as often, he can blow up quarterbacks like we saw early last season.
If the pass-rush gets stouter, the secondary should get more picks. If the team generates more turnovers, they should win more games. It's one big equation that is undoubtedly scribbled within Zimmer's office somewhere.

Yet the biggest factor in the equation, once more, is trust. Blitzing is risky business, and everyone has to trust it will work or the whole thing is doomed from the start. The Bengals return every single starter on defense, plus every worthwhile backup from last year's impressive squad. They proved to themselves they could dominate, and they shocked many people in the process (I'm looking at you AFC North).

So while the defense will at times “feel” different and, in all likelihood, will be even better this season, it's still the same guys doing what they do: buying into the system.


Mojokong—save the polar bears.

The Striped Surprise: The New Playbook

As of now, the vast majority of the NFL are is on vacation. It's practically a year-round season these days and what good is making boatloads of money if one can't pop off to someplace quiet and tropical for a few weeks?

Yet when they return, they face arguably the most crucial month of them all: training camp. Obviously the stretch of 16 games on a team's schedule is of paramount importance, but it's at training camp that schemes are hatched and player roles are defined. Some adjustments are made on the fly once the season-opening kickoff gets underway, but for the most part, all the schematics, all the hammering home of fundamentals, the general approach to the game, is sorted out during this time.

I listened to the venerable Rod Woodson speak about how divisions are won differently each year, and the logic of such a philosophy rang out to me. The Bengals ran roughshod over the AFC North last year with a bruising method of power running and containment defense. They had a different feel than we Bengal fans had grown accustomed, and I believe the shift in style surprised teams enough—especially early on—to land Cincinnati in the playoffs.

The problem with such a rudimentary approach, of course, is that it's easily learned by the opposition. As much as we all may like to think that our team is the physically superior one that needs no disguise in its attack, NFL players are separated by the smallest of measurements—almost mass produced, like robots—and the Bengals are just another legion within those ranks. Once the league did master the Cincinnati game plan, the adjustments were minimal, and the results, poor. It wasn't the element of strength that aided them in their playoff run, it was the element of surprise, and it's up to the coaching staff to unearth that element again, but this time in a different way.

Before we allow our inventive right-brain to begin concocting wild offensive formations and play-calling that is laden with flea-flickers and statue-of-liberty plays, let's scale ourselves back with the forced levity that the mere mention of Bob Bratkowski's name invokes.

Brat, as we know, is a man of the script. He has ideas of how the offense should operate, he writes his ideas down on paper, he gets into his little booth on Sundays, he reads his ideas into a microphone in the booth which transmits them into Carson Palmer's helmet, and the ideas come to life. When we as fans watch this last stage unfold we think, “Ah, I know these ideas,” and you can bet the opposition does too. Yet it doesn't matter to Bratkowski. He gets paid to write a script, and to gogoing off script is to admit the failure of his ideas, and that's not in his interest, even if it's in the team's.

In some fairness, we don't really know the pressures that Brat faces as an offensive coordinator. Perhaps Marvin limits the scope of Brat's play-calling, perhaps Mike Brown threatens him regularly to keep him on his toes, or, perhaps some players are just difficult to coach sometimes. The reality, though, is none of that should matter—it's productivity or else—yet he has grown so comfortable in his office chair despite his up and down tenure in Cincinnati, the seat has conformed to his ass.

Therefore, since he is here and is still carrying around the same script from last year, the most we can hope for are additional scribblings on those wrinkled and coffee-stained notes.

If he runs the same offense as last year with no change to adapt to the new personnel, I will lose my mind. I like the power-run game, and there is no reason not to pound teams with it, but the model used last year was a yellow, plastic kids toy version of a running offense. It needed to be elaborated and expanded during the second half of last season, but remained in it'sits playschool form to the bitter end. What I'm not doing is calling for a spread out, high-flying vertical-pass offense. Instead, I want a beefed up playbook that stays true to the Bengals' strengths but has major variations of styles within it; like; like a chicken cookbook.

To play an effective power-run offense, a team needs some unique characters.

We know they have a complimentary backfield that can be used in a wide range of ways, and an offensive line that looks comfortable mauling and road-grading and all the other big-guy adjectives that spring to mind when considering offensive linemen and their ability to run block. We also widely agree that Carson Palmer is not a source of major concern and, with good health, should do just fine.

The exciting bit, then, is the blue-chip tight end, Jermaine Gresham. Here is a mismatch to nearly any defense when thrown to, and with Kelly's tutelage on the finer points of blocking, it is hopeful that he will ease any concerns shared on that front as well. Other teams, including both Super Bowl teams, have demonstrated how back-breaking a dangerous tight end can be, and the Bengals haven't employed such an athlete as Gresham within the Marvin Lewis era.

Brat must use this thoroughbred not only on shorter crossing patterns and even screens, but especially on deeper routes down field. I expect Gresham to become a key safety valve when Palmer is flushed from the pocket, and he also has all the makings for a terrific red-zone target. He is large, can jump, has quality hands and can separate from defenders on routes. Although he is unproven, and there is plenty of talent elsewhere along amongst the ranks of receivers for on this team, I think Gresham has the potential to become the focus of the offense this year. If his vast upside materializes, the other receivers will find their jobs easier and the whole offense is then happyhappier. One can only hope.

Another nice compliment to a good tight end within the run offense, is the big possession receiver. Let's bring in Antonio Bryant. Mr. Bryant has a muscular frame, has caught a lot of passes, and plays with a temper—which can be good (see: Houshmandzedah, T.J.). Without seeing much of him these past few years, I can't speak much of his hands, but I do know that he is a difficult receiver to tackle and a possession-offense loves them some YACYards After Catch.

After the Laveranues Coles experiment blew up their face, the Bengals looked at the other end of the receiver spectrum and picked out a guy with lead-pipe arms and a snarl; the extra size and the attitude should help on crossing routes and keep him from fumbling—a big problem for Bengal receivers last season. If Bryant finds himself covered by a paticularlyparticularly smallish corner, Brat would be wise to take a shot on a deep throw to him in hopes of Antonio overpowering the defender. He can also be effectively used on receiver bubble screens, and should be a decent blocker on the outside too.

The new faces create new opportunities for Brat. The beleaguered offensive coordinator has been well insulated with excuses over the years—not having enough firepower was last season's—but he has all the materials at his disposal this time around. During this year’s training camp, the hope is that the offense, including Bratkowski himself, is ready to take on more information and to push the playbook further. There is no need to remove the shovel pass to Brian Leonard, or all the magical footwork of Chad Ochocinco around along the sidelines and or inside the end-zones, or the screen-pass to Bernard Scott, or the off-tackle power run with Benson, but we need to see more than that this season.

No matter how a team surprises the league, the league will always eventually figure it out and stop whatever surprised them the first time. The same old recipe as last year simply won't do. Coaches are too smart to remain stagnant. One must constantly evolve or become another forgotten casualty of natural selection. What mutation the Bengals will experience this training camp weighs heavily on the minds of the team's followers. As always, stay tuned.


Mojokong—again with those damned finches! Who cares about finches?

Low-Water Mark: Depth Concerns

During the offseason, when games and seasons are played out on paper, the roster of teams seem as concrete as the stadiums they play in. Yet when a player blows out his Achilles, or arrested for assault, suddenly we realize that rosters are made up of mortal men and that anything can happen to them. When these nasty lightning bolts do strike, depth suddenly springs to the top of the list of concerns.

In the Bengals case, if most of you are like me, when you heard of Cedric Benson's recent troubles, you began calculating the number of games that he would likely therefore miss due to suspension. As information surrounding the case trickles in, it now seems less likely he'll miss much time if any, but that doesn't change the fact that I felt a creeping uneasiness at the thought of Bernard Scott as the featured workhorse for four games. This worry sparked my imagination to wonder of other positions that could create further anxiety to the already fragile Bengal-fan psyche.

As for the Benson situation, as noted, there doesn't seem to be that proverbial bell-cow waiting in the wings should he be forced to miss time. I am a big Bernard Scott fan, and desperately want to see him featured more in the offense this season. But I also think he showed in Oakland his propensity to lose yards on many carries. While Scott also showed his explosiveness on a 61-yard run in that game and finished over the century mark, the Raiders stopped Bengal ball-carriers behind the line 10 times that day, and the offense's rhythm was disturbed as a result. Scott is not a straight-ahead runner that can give you at least three yards every carry. Instead, he is a patient back who needs a moment to see the field before plowing forward. He is best at slower developing plays like screens and draws that allow him a more thorough evaluation of where to run.

Brian Leonard has more of the physical make-up to be a bruiser back, but he never showed much productivity on first and second-down hand-offs last season. As a third-down specialist he is remarkably effective, and the extra effort he regularly displays makes the heart of a fan swell, but he should be limited to his specialist role, otherwise he is average at best.

There is also Cedric Peerman somewhere on the roster. Having never seen Peerman run, I know very little about the guy, but I know he is fast (4.45 in the 40-yard dash), never fumbled in college, and was a dangerous kick-returner at Virginia. He also jumped 40 inches vertically at the combine. As impressive as it is, I'm not sure what that's good for in a running back other than slamming the ball through the uprights after a touchdown. Peerman's scouting report from college mentions his low center of gravity, and that, mixed with his straight-line speed, not to mention decent size (220 lbs.), makes him the best candidate to replace Benson should the need arise.

With all due respect to all three men mentioned, that makes me nervous.

Obviously, if anything serious happens to Carson Palmer between now and February, panic would become the proper mind-sate in regard to the team, and honestly, the Bengals have showed little interest to this cataclysmic possibility. Most would agree that while J.T. O'Sullivan always looks good in the preseason, no one really believes in him if it ever became serious. We all labored through a painful season of Ryan Fitzpatrick learning the vigors of the game, and placing O'Sullivan in the same predicament seems almost, dare I say, an even worse-case scenario. And while I want Jordan Palmer to be a capable NFL quarterback, the road there seems infinitely out of reach for him; it takes more than good genes to rise to the top.

The other position that would become of baby-pool depths should someone go down is at linebacker. Rookie and projected backup Roddrick Muckleroy has already broken his hand, Rey Maualuga is coming back from a broken ankle and an apparent drinking problem, Dhani Jones continues to tour the world undergoing dangerous physical tasks that can only wear down his aging body, and Keith Rivers has yet to prove that he can play an entire NFL schedule. Brandon Johnson is an excellent backup who often times looks like a starter, but beyond him, the bench looks bleak. Abdul Hodge is best left to special teams, and Rashad Jeanty is an overachiever whose chances of making a final roster spot seem to be circling the drain.

Moving defensive end, Michael Johnson, to an outside linebacker spot, shows that team management is concerned about linebacker depth as well. This move is an intriguing one as The Giraffe has the athleticism and speed to play the position and there is plenty of depth along the defensive line to spare, but the question remains, does he have the instincts to play in space? Until now, we only knew him as a pass-rusher whose best trait was to bat passes into the air. He can still speed rush from the outside linebacker spot, and it allows Zimmer to show off some 3-4 schemes from time to time, but if injuries mount at linebacker, will Johnson be asked to do more than rush the passer?

Every team has worrisome spots on its roster, and some will be snake-bitten in those very areas, but when that happens, it falls on the coaches to prepare the next man standing to do the job well enough. I've written about the quality of the Bengals coaching staff, and my esteem in them remains as high as ever, but at the quarterback, the running back, and the linebacker positions, good coaching may not be sufficient. The Bengals would be wise to keep an eye on the waiver wire to add more bodies to these thin ranks.

So here is to a shot of good luck and a dose of smart-decision making; keep your bones intact and your noses clean, boys, we need as much help as we can get this year.


Mojokong—one who needs no backup...yet.