Bengals prepare for the worst

[The Entertainer]

[quote][size=3][b]Bengals prepare for the worst[/b]
Splattery Heinz Field awaits[/size]
BY MARK CURNUTTE


Now it's the Steelers' turn.

The beating the pissburgh organization is taking over the condition of the natural grass playing surface at Heinz Field is reminiscent of the heat the Bengals took before they installed FieldTurf at Paul Brown Stadium.

The Steelers defeated the Miami Dolphins 3-0 in a driving rain Monday night on sod that had been laid the day before over the existing field.

The field had been beaten down by four high school games during the Thanksgiving holiday and Pitt's final home game Saturday.

Because of the rain - 1.31 inches fell Monday at pissburgh International Airport, and there is a 30 percent chance of precipitation today - the sod didn't take.

"When they put the new sod over the old field, it just made it a deep mush; it was a deep pile of mush," Steelers linebacker James Farrior said Wednesday. "You couldn't really get your feet set in the ground."

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin on Wednesday - following Farrior's conference call with Cincinnati media - offered little hope that the field would be in any better condition for the Bengals game Sunday night. The Steelers, after consulting with the NFL, have decided not to replace the field before the game at a cost of an estimated $150,000.

Steelers officials said Tuesday that they would consider after the season the possibility of installing an artificial surface but that the field would have to stay the same for the duration of the schedule.

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis knows what to expect.

"You don't have to test it. You know what it's going to be. It's not going to change from what you saw on Monday night," he said. "If it rains again, as it's supposed to, it's going to be what you saw on Monday night."

Lewis and his players said they would be prepared - physically and mentally.

"Guys will be in the proper shoes and ready to go," Lewis said.

Players can wear a maximum three-quarter-inch cleat. Other cleat lengths are one-half and five-eighths of an inch.

Lewis downplayed the sloppy conditions. "Guys just have to be conscious of it," he said. "We spoke about it. I don't want it to be the overriding factor."

For Bengals veterans such as left tackle Levi Jones, the thought of playing on a muddy field with difficult footing reminds them of the old Paul Brown Stadium grass and the condition of their practice fields adjacent to the stadium.

Former Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin was angry about the field - a sandbox, he called it - after the Bengals upset his team 17-14 on Dec. 17, 2000.

"We get that look every day out here on our practice field. Some days it can be (as bad as what he saw on television Monday night from pissburgh)," Jones said. "We all remember how this stadium used to be before it went to FieldTurf."

The test is for offensive linemen. "It's easier for a defensive lineman to sell out to try to get to the quarterback and fall on his face," Jones said. "If the offensive lineman slips, he gets hit for (giving up) a sack."

Quarterback Carson Palmer said he has played on some rough fields in pissburgh before.

"I played in pissburgh a number of times when it was pretty bad; they have a tough time growing grass there," Palmer said. "But the field that we practice on every day is as slippery. The turf comes up just as bad on our grass field as it does anywhere else I've ever played. So we're used to it."

Palmer anticipated no alteration in the offensive game plan, including the potential for deep passes.

"If it's hard to run a deep route," he said, "it's hard to cover a deep route."

The conversation Wednesday had a lot to do with which players had an advantage on a sloppy field. Would it be easier for a wide receiver to run a route, knowing where he was going, than a cornerback trying to cover him? What about a running back vs. a linebacker trying to read and react to a play?

Tomlin said talk of such possible advantages "was overblown."

One thing's for sure: Bengals tailback Rudi Johnson will get the ball a lot and Steelers featured back Willie Parker will handle the ball frequently on rush plays. Parker ran 24 times for 81 yards Monday night.

Johnson said he is not concerned about the possibility of re-injuring a hamstring that forced him to miss three games earlier this season. Besides, Johnson has a reputation - with a low center of gravity - for running well on bad fields.

"I saw it. I'm used to it. We have to play in it. They have to play in it," he said. "You can't use it as an excuse. You have to use it as an advantage if you can."[/quote]




[url="http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071129/SPT02/711290340/1066/SPT"]Enquirer.com[/url]

[Bengals1181]

IMO, I think Monday night gave us a glimpse of what Sunday night's game will be like.


I expect both team's running games to be mostly ineffective, as the middle of the field is in shambles.


Miami showed that they could pass on pissburgh when Beck got time. Keeping Carson clean will be key, as it always should be.


I think its to our advantage to attack the edges of the field. Its going to be the most intact, and have the best footing where we can utilize our WR's speed. I think that 2-3 WR Screens would be great for the gameplan, as the d-line and LB's will have trouble getting out of the middle of the field. Go trips left or right, and use the sidelines to our advantage. also run quick outs, which our WR's run to perfection.

Another good idea are plays that are going to force the defense to change directions, without necessarily having our skill players change directions. Fake a stretch run to one side, and have Carson swing around and throw a pass to a WR in the flats on the other sideline. Its going to be very difficult for anyone to try and change directions. Use that to our advantage.

The key is going to be which team has the more physical passing game. Your skill players aren't going to get much separation, so they are going to have to out-tough and out-jump the defense for balls.

Finally, I think its really important for our defense to come out and play man-defense. No one's getting beat deep this week. Get up in the WR's face, jam their routes, and stay on them. Not only will it help break up passes, but it will help the pass rush imensely, as Ben's not going to be able to scramble around. The longer he has to hold on to the ball, the better.

[Bengals1181]

[quote]Q: Heinz Field obviously played a major role in Monday night's game. It looks like there is a chance of showers in pissburgh on Sunday. What factors do you see it playing in Sunday's game? How will it hurt the Bengals? How will it help the Bengals?
--Brad, Atlanta, GA

Brad: Just showers? How about a hurricane? How about a monsoon? How about a tsunami?

The brutal field has to help the Bengals because it negates Fast Willie Parker's speed and explosiveness on the perimeter. He's nowhere near the mudder that running back Rudi Johnson is for the Bengals.

And it should help the Bengals passing game. Defenders have a miserable time covering receivers in slippery, soggy conditions because the receivers know where they're going and the defenders don't. The split second you have to react on a good surface is wiped away in a slipped second.

How about snow and rain?

It would begin to look a lot like Christmas.[/quote]


[url="http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6482"]http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6482[/url]

[rudi32]

carsons quote about our practice field.

I played in pissburgh a number of times when it was pretty bad; they have a tough time growing grass there," Palmer said. "But the field that we practice on every day is as slippery. The turf comes up just as bad on our grass field as it does anywhere else I've ever played. So we're used to it."


man we need an indoor facility for our boys

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='rudi32' post='601258' date='Nov 29 2007, 06:59 PM']carsons quote about our practice field.

I played in pissburgh a number of times when it was pretty bad; they have a tough time growing grass there," Palmer said. "But the field that we practice on every day is as slippery. The turf comes up just as bad on our grass field as it does anywhere else I've ever played. So we're used to it."


[b]man we need an indoor facility for our boys[/b][/quote]

whether that's true or not, it doesn't make sense for the argument you are making. You can't grow a grass field in doors and the whole purpose of the grass field is to prepare for outdoor games on grass fields. So whether they have an indoor facility or not, they'd still need the grass field to help simulate the field conditions.


I actually think its a positive that we're practicing on a similiar field this week.

[BigDawg]

all of a sudden NFL live went to three dumbos sitting around talking. So this is them trying to get us to switch to dish, make us fight the cable company. Followed by pay per view to watch your team. Call your congres people

[-GoBengals-]

[quote name='Bengals1181' post='601259' date='Nov 29 2007, 07:02 PM']whether that's true or not, it doesn't make sense for the argument you are making. You can't grow a grass field in doors and the whole purpose of the grass field is to prepare for outdoor games on grass fields. So whether they have an indoor facility or not, they'd still need the grass field to help simulate the field conditions.


I actually think its a positive that we're practicing on a similiar field this week.[/quote]



good point... tho for the HEAT months we do need an indoor facility and snow weeks where we travel to domes, etc... but people bitch that bussing them elsewhere is stupid build a dome practice field.. but hte county owns ALL of that land, so it would have to be remote... and if they move to a remote location the practice facilities here go to waste, and i msure the bengals have rights to them so the city and bengals would have wasted fields... they should build a parking garage there, 3-4 levels, upgrade all season ticket holders who park further away...




like me.

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='GoBengals' post='601397' date='Nov 30 2007, 12:25 AM']good point... tho for the HEAT months we do need an indoor facility and snow weeks where we travel to domes, etc... but people bitch that bussing them elsewhere is stupid build a dome practice field.. but hte county owns ALL of that land, so it would have to be remote... and if they move to a remote location the practice facilities here go to waste, and i msure the bengals have rights to them so the city and bengals would have wasted fields... they should build a parking garage there, 3-4 levels, upgrade all season ticket holders who park further away...




like me.[/quote]



You would know better than me as you're down there more, but how hard would it be to cover the two field turf fields, but not the grass? Take down the silly black fence and replace it with a 12-20ft wall, and a dome on top of the walls.

Here's pics that CTBengals fan posted awhile back. I'd think that you can slip one of those over the existing fields. The walls aren't that thick.


[img]http://www.uconnhuskies.com/MainLinks/Burton-Shenkman/shenkman/inside1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.uconnhuskies.com/MainLinks/Burton-Shenkman/shenkman/inside3.jpg[/img]

[-GoBengals-]

[quote name='Bengals1181' post='601461' date='Nov 30 2007, 08:34 AM']You would know better than me as you're down there more, but how hard would it be to cover the two field turf fields, but not the grass? Take down the silly black fence and replace it with a 12-20ft wall, and a dome on top of the walls.

Here's pics that CTBengals fan posted awhile back. I'd think that you can slip one of those over the existing fields. The walls aren't that thick.[/quote]


it would be CAKE.. the field turf field is far off the road, with plenty of space surrounding it.


HOWEVER, the county owns all of it, and mike would be a fool to spend his money on land he doesnt own hell land the county keeps sueing him over. so a remote location is about the only option... i think he should build it over the river, and move the front offices over there, making KY the place of operation. tho im sure the lease forces the "company" to stay in hamilton co as well.

[img]http://images.go-bengals.com/pbsfield.jpg[/img]