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Bengals show improvement, not failure (Enquirer)


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[quote][size=5][b]Bengals show improvement, not failure[/b][/size]
[size=3][b]Third-quarter grades of 4-8 team[/b][/size]
BY MARK CURNUTTE | MCURNUTTE@ENQUIRER.COM

The major statistics that the Bengals compiled are so positive that, in the end, they should have added up to more than a 2-2 record in the season's third quarter.

In winning games at Baltimore and at home against Tennessee, but losing to Arizona at home and at pissburgh, the Bengals reached 4-8.

The third quarter should have been better. The Arizona game will be remembered as the one that got away. The Cardinals intercepted four Carson Palmer passes and returned two for touchdowns. Otherwise the Bengals would be 3-1 in the stretch and head into a weak final quarter of the season with a legitimate chance at 9-7.


In the previous four games, the Bengals:

Outscored opponents 93-72, with 14 of those points being scored by the Cardinals defense;

Were plus-5 in turnover differential (12 takeaways, seven giveaways);

Posted the best four-game numbers of a Bengals defense since Games 8-11 of 2001, in holding opponents to an average of 277.3 yards a game; and

Had average possession time of 33:03 a game.


Third-quarter report card:

[b]Pass offense: C[/b]

Great Carson, Bad Carson was the tale of the past four. He posted his best career single-game passing percentage against Tennessee (.842) but followed it with his worst at pissburgh (.385). He had five touchdowns, three to the awakened Chad Johnson, but also threw five interceptions. The Bengals were 37-for-68 on third down, 65 percent.

[b]Run offense: C[/b]

The Rudi Johnson of old showed up against Tennessee in the Bengals' most complete performance of the season. He ran for 88 yards on 25 attempts, and Johnson has scored a rushing touchdown in each of the past two. But overall he appears sometimes indecisive and slow getting to the hole. Steady Kenny Watson is again the backup, and DeDe Dorsey makes good things happen whenever he is on the field.

[b]Pass defense: B[/b]

They applied a tourniquet in the past four games in giving up just four touchdown passes - two more to wines hard last week in pissburgh. The Bengals allowed 20 touchdown passes in their first eight games, so the average is down from 2.5 a game to 1.0 a game. The future has arrived with the steady play of young cornerbacks Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall in the starting lineup.

[b]Run defense: B[/b]

The health and stability at linebacker have allowed Robert Geathers to return to end. The trio of linebackers Dhani Jones, Landon Johnson and Rashad Jeanty has started the last four and helped the defense allow an average of just 69.5 rushing yards a game. Credit goes to the entire defense for a stronger showing on third down, too. Offenses were just 15-of-45 in converting third downs in the past four games.

[b]Special teams: B[/b]

Solid play all around, an excellent job from position coach Darrin Simmons to fit the right players in the right spots. Again, health has helped.

[b]Coaching: C[/b]

The bottom-line measurement is wins and losses. To his credit, Marvin Lewis has players who continue to play hard.[/quote]



[url="http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20071209/SPT02/712090376/"]http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...PT02/712090376/[/url]
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When a student has all Bs and Cs, that means they are doing a pretty good job. With that said, I don't agree with the grades for the Bengals. All Bs and Cs would be a winning record, not a losing record.

I disagree. I think the overall grades should be Cs, Ds, and Fs.
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[quote name='Rick' post='606023' date='Dec 9 2007, 08:58 AM']When a student has all Bs and Cs, that means they are doing a pretty good job. With that said, I don't agree with the grades for the Bengals. All Bs and Cs would be a winning record, not a losing record.

I disagree. I think the overall grades should be Cs, Ds, and Fs.[/quote]

i think he was just grading the last 4 games
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