Camp Notes and observations 7-30-08- Picking off cheers - Bengals.com

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Bengals training camp notes[/b][/size]

July 30, 2008 2:00 PM


Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker

GEORGETOWN, Ky. -- The Cincinnati Bengals opened Day 3 of training camp Wednesday morning.
Here are some observations:

Now that Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski has a veteran unit that's been together for several years, he said this training camp is all about fine tuning an already high-powered group. Many of the offensive coaches this week have been harping on players in practice to focus on ball security.
"The big focal point is to eliminate turnovers, whether it's interceptions, fumbles or whatever it may be," Bratkowski said. "We need to change that if we want to win games, particularly with the schedule that we play."

Several veteran players were given the morning practice off. Receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, tackle Willie Anderson and running back Chris Perry were all rested by the coaching staff. Defensive end Antwan Odom (foot) and receiver Chad Johnson (ankle) were rehabbing ailments.

Relative unknown receiver Marcus Marcus Maxwell continues to make plays and had another solid practice Wednesday. He caught two nice balls from quarterback Carson Palmer -- one in-between a safety and corner for approximately a 20-yard gain, and another slant route that he turned up field for another good gain. Maxwell is competing for the No. 3 receiver spot and trying to avoid being cut for the fourth time in as many years.

"I take everyday in stride," Maxwell said. "I thank God that I'm just able to be out here and on a team."

In the replacements category, third-year player Frostee Rucker is getting work with the first team at defensive end in place of Odom. Third-year veteran Brandon Johnson also is working with the first unit at outside linebacker in place of rookie first-round pick Keith Rivers, who remains in a contract holdout.

Starting running back Rudi Johnson has a chip on his shoulder this year, and he's running like it. Johnson has looked sharp all week coming off a hamstring injury in 2007. He slimmed down last year in an effort to increase his quickness but he ended up getting injured. This year he packed on at least 15 pounds of muscle and looks like the Rudi Johnson of old in training camp.

"I'm feeling good," Johnson said with a smile. "I still got a six pack and all that, so I'm still in shape. The clothes fit good. They started fitting different a couple years ago, but now they fit fine."[/quote]



[url="http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcnorth/0-0-104/Bengals-training-camp-notes.html"]http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcnorth/0-0-10...camp-notes.html[/url]

[JC]

Sounds like we will have three running back that will compliment each other well with Rudi pounding the ball, Chris being elusive, and Kenny being a 3rd down back.


It would be a shame if Dede didn't make the team. It sounds like James Johnson may be a pretty good back as well. It's not a bad problem to have and just what we need to become a 10 win team again.

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Night practice 7.30 [/b][/size]
Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 06:50 PM EST [Bengals]

GEORGETOWN, Ky. -- Players are headed out to the field for the start of practice here in 15 minutes or so.

Worst haircut of camp has to go to Carl-Johan Bjork, but maybe it's because I'm not cool enough to realize that it's cool in Sweeden. In America, he just looks like a serial killer.

Cinedum Ndukwe's stretching routine looks like some kind of messed up dance.

Herana-Daze Jones looks like he's going to be out of practice. Looks like he's pointing to his hamstring to strength and conditioning coach Chip Morton.

Robert Geathers is also in street clothes.

Chris Perry is dressed and in pads.

No T.J. Houshmandzadeh

The OLine isn't out yet.

Eric Ghiaciuc also serial killer haircut. It's not just a European thing, I guess.

Ahmad Brooks, out late to stretch.

Glenn Holt and Chris Perry returning kicks. Now it's Antonio Chatman and Jerome Simpson. These are just general drills, not the full-on return drills.

Looks like Levi Jones and Kenny Watson also getting the night off.

No sign of Willie Anderson. Scratch that, he's dressed out.

Andre Caldwell returning kicks now.

Now we've got a full return, but no contact. It's hard to gauge much from this, not even Shayne Graham's kickoffs, since they're using a Juggs machine isntead of having Graham kick. He did just wave at Caldwell on the return, though.

How confident would you be if the Bengals had Frostee Rucker and Jonathan Fanene starting at DE? THat's what they've got tonight with Odom hurt and Geathers (presumably) getting the night off.

The scribes are enjoying watching Marvin Lewis' body language as Chad Johnson talks to him. Crossed arms, to say the least.

But the good news is Chad Johnson has receivers' gloves and taped ankles. He just took some kid out of the stands and they went off the practice field. I may report that mother to Scott County DFCS

Now we're to live football.

With Levi Jones out, you've got Willie Anderson at right tackle and Whitworth at elft tackle, moving Stacy Andrews to left guard. A flea flicker and Chatman can't catch up to the ball on the first pass following two runs.

James Johnson impressive on a screen.

Watching the Jason Shirley, Pat Sims D-Line against the second O-Line.

Doesn't amtter who runs that end around, doesn't seem to ever work.

James Johnson, again, breaking loose.

And that's it for now. Back to separating the offense and defense.

Some goal line work

And now back to live action...

Same line with Whitworth at left tackle and Andrews at left guard.

Rudi just breaks tackles and runs through folks.

The little kid is back. Looks like Chad gave him a pair of cleats. Chad's not using them, so there you go. And Chad has jumped back into the fray. He's talking trash with Marvin White.

Nice catch and run by Bradley Glatthaar.

No goalline o and d.

Perry over the top, looks like he was stopped.

Real nice play from Fitzpatrick to Utecht.

Nice play by Shirley on a stop, and he gets a hand from coaches and teammates.

That's the end of that drill.

Looks like we're gonna be back to special teams.

And now skeletons

Fitzgerald zips one to Maurice Purify, who makes a nice grab after dropping one earlier.

Nice catch by Simpson there.

I just like saying "Jeff Rowe."

Carson Palmer might make this club.

Watching Palmer throw is like watching Griffey swing. Just perfection.

Ethan Kilmer pops one away from Glenn Holt on a long pass.

Back to full squads

Rudi Johnson has not made me regret anything I've written so far. Dude looks good.

Perry stuffed.

Palmer avoids the rush, if Maxwell could have kept his footing, they may have had a 70-yard hookup. Looked like 65 yards or so in the air.

Big play by Brandon Johnson on the blitz, stripping the ball from Palmer.

OK, we're getting close. I'm going to head down toward the field.

* Geathers had his left big toe wrapped, for what it's worth.[/quote]



[url="http://www.thelotd.com/ctrent/blog/2008/07/30/night_practice_730"]http://www.thelotd.com/ctrent/blog/2008/07...ht_practice_730[/url]

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Wednesday Night update: Stands [/b][/size]
By GEOFF HOBSON
July 30, 2008


GEORGETOWN, Ky. - Both sides of the ball flexed their muscles in Wednesday night's five goal-line snaps that highlighted the Bengals' fifth practice of training camp.

The new and improved Rudi Johnson used his 18 pounds of new weight to bounce off linebackers Corey Mays and Ahmad Brooks for a touchdown before backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick flipped a play-action touchdown pass to new tight end Ben Utecht all alone in the corner.

But the defense won the war with three stops on the run, including rookie defensive tackle Jason Shirley's blowup of rookie running back James Johnson in the backfield.

The defense also did a nice job pursuing and cutting off the quickness of running back Chris Perry, stopping his dive over the middle on one snap.

But with the action coming late in practice, both units seemed to sag and head coach Marvin Lewis let them know he didn't like the sloppy finish on a night that ended with two sprints across the field.

"Sometimes you get so high during goal line or short yardage, you can't the let the rest of practice fade," said middle linebacker Dhani Jones . "You have to have the same kind of consistent pace for yourself so that you practice with the same level of aggression."

Wide receiver Chad Johnson (ankle) joined in the past-practice sprints and seemed to go at a decent pace. He was taped, but not in pads, when he gave the crowd of about 400 some excitement when he plucked five-year-old Bryce Short of Lexington, Ky., wearing a No. 85 jersey, and took him along for some rehab work on another field. When Bryce showed up back on the big field, he waved a pair of autographed CJ shoes.


[b]SLANTS AND SCREENS[/b]
In 86-degree temperatures the Bengals went at it in full pads without Keith Rivers, but with Perry and right tackle Willie Anderson after the duo didn't work in the morning practice.

Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh sat again with a tight muscle and safety Herana-Daze Jones sat out the night practice after apparently suffering a muscle problem in the morning.

Defensive ends Robert Geathers and Antwan Odom also weren't dressed. Odom has a sprained foot but he showed up without a boot and Geathers' absence was unexplained.

It looked like running back Kenny Watson and left tackle Levi Jones were simply getting a rest for their knees.

Chad Johnson showed no signs of a limp as he jogged through some warmup drills.

Rivers and the man drafted ahead of him in Jacksonville, defensive end Derrick Harvey at No. 8, are the only first-rounders unsigned. The $19.4 million in guarantees for No. 7 Sedrick Ellis marks a huge gap in the slot to the $13.8 million guaranteed at No. 10 for New England's Jerod Mayo.

The defense supplied the big play in the first series of 11-on-11 when safety Kyries Hebert ranged to cause a fumble on a sweep after fighting off blockers.[/quote]






[url="http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6910"]http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6910[/url]

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Houshmandzadeh gets a rest with leg soreness[/b] [/size]
By Chick Ludwig

Staff Writer

Thursday, July 31, 2008

GEORGETOWN, Ky. — After surviving his first practice in full pads since 2006, tailback Chris Perry took the morning workout off Wednesday, July 30, but went back to work Wednesday night. It was scheduled.

Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh's rest wasn't on the agenda.

"T.J. had a little soreness in one of his legs, and so we thought it would be best (to sit him out) because we're trying to prevent injuries," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. "This is the time in camp where you get the (pulled) hamstrings, and if someone like him starts to get a little sore, we're going to rest him and make sure it doesn't go into something that's long-term."

[b]'Doom' gets physical[/b]

Strong safety Chinedum Ndukwe's aggressiveness triggered a couple of temper tantrums — one by a coach, the other by a teammate.

As tailback Rudi Johnson motored into the secondary for a big gain, Ndukwe stripped Johnson by punching the ball loose.

"C'mon, Rudi! We can't have that happen!" screamed running backs coach Jim Anderson.

In 11-on-11 drills, Ndukwe knocked tailback James Johnson to the ground.

"Watch it, Chinedum," offensive lineman Scott Kooistra said.

[b]Who's No. 39?[/b]

James Johnson, a nondrafted rookie tailback from Kansas State, continues to flash speed and toughness through the line, quickness to the perimeter and smooth acceleration.

"I'm trying to do everything I can to make the team," he said. "It was very disappointing not to get drafted, but it just makes you more hungry."

[b]Rivers absent[/b]

As top draft pick Keith Rivers' holdout reached a fourth day, backup linebacker Brandon Johnson continued to benefit most from Rivers' absence.

Johnson, here on a one-year deal after Arizona chose not to tender him as a restricted free agent, is showing good speed, range and hands.

"I try to never make the same mistake twice," Johnson said. "The more reps you get, you tend to see things a lot quicker. I'm grateful for this opportunity."[/quote]



[url="http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/bengals/2008/07/30/ddn073108spbennotes.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=25"]http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/o...=7&cxcat=25[/url]

[claptonrocks]

How in the hell did James Johnson not get drafted???