MajorVirus Posted June 11, 2005 Report Share Posted June 11, 2005 Something I found on SportingNews.com [b]Bengals Support Group [/b] June 7, 2005 Print it By Chick Ludwig For Sporting News Bob Leverone/TSN David Pollack A first critical look at the 2005 Bengals: [b]BURNING QUESTION [/b] Has the defense improved enough to support the high-powered offense and help the team land a playoff berth? Rookie linebackers David Pollack and Odell Thurman bring talent and spirit to the defense, which has a veteran line. The defense is better equipped to contain the run, pressure the quarterback and create more interceptions. It has more skill and versatility than it had a year ago, which should make the playoffs a reachable goal. [b]WHAT'S NEW [/b] For some players, Cincinnati used to be the NFL equivalent of Siberia. It was the place quarterbacks went to die, draft picks sought to avoid and free agents used for leverage to get bigger deals elsewhere. Not anymore. Not with third-year coach and sheriff Marvin Lewis running the town. He made franchise quarterback Carson Palmer his first draft pick in 2003, setting in motion a massive rebuilding process that is nearly complete. Under Lewis, the Bengals are 16-16. In the 32 games before him, the club was 8-24. With a powerful offense led by Palmer, running back Rudi Johnson and wide receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh and a defense improved ostensibly by Pollack and Thurman, Lewis has goals that go well beyond a .500 record. "(Team president) Mike Brown and I both have expectations, and they're as high as they can get," Lewis says. "We want to be Super Bowl champions." Before the Bengals can dream of the Super Bowl, they must first put together a winning season. They haven't done that since 1990, when they last reached the playoffs. One key is a fast start. Now that Palmer has a year of experience, the hope is the team can avoid a third consecutive 1-4 start. [b]GAME PLAN [/b] For a defensive guru, Lewis sure likes to go on the offensive. His idea of fun is building a lead by fast-breaking down the field with a vertical passing assault, then squeezing opponents lifeless in the fourth quarter with ball-control, clock-killing efficiency. For that strategy to work, the defense must put the offense in better position to score. By signing free-agent defensive tackle Bryan Robinson and drafting Georgia's Pollack and Thurman, the club took major steps toward fixing the run defense. The faster, more physical unit should generate turnovers. Motivated. Organized. Intense. That's Lewis, who pays attention to detail and is driven to have his team better prepared than its opponent. He comes to life in 3-D -- dedication, discipline and desire -- and demands the same from his assistants. He occasionally displays a temper. Unable to stomach his defense finishing in the bottom fourth of the league against the run during his first two seasons, Lewis fired coordinator Leslie Frazier and promoted Chuck Bresnahan, a former coordinator for the Raiders, to that role. A graduate of the Naval Academy, Bresnahan has been described as "an officer and an SOB." He guarantees his players will show energy and enthusiasm. Lewis called Bresnahan's promotion "a big moment for us and a defining moment for myself." Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski and offensive line coach Paul Alexander are no-nonsense teachers. Lewis and his staff did a better job in '04 than in '03, somehow keeping the squad together in the face of numerous injuries. Now, they must make the next and biggest step -- to the playoffs. [b]SPOTLIGHT PLAYERS [/b] [u][b]QB Carson Palmer:[/b][/u] Palmer's right arm will rule the Queen City through at least the 2008 season. Chad Johnson and Rudi Johnson are under contract through 2009, and Houshmandzadeh is signed through 2008. With the primary skill players on board for the long term, the offense appears to be in good shape. Palmer, cagey backup Jon Kitna and capable No. 3 Casey Bramlet have settled into their roles. Palmer spent his rookie season wearing a ball cap and soaking up Kitna's knowledge. Taking over as the starter in 2004, Palmer was inconsistent early, throwing some interceptions with forced passes. And then the light went on. In the last six games Palmer played (Games 8-13) before he suffered a knee sprain, the club went 4-2. The comparisons to Troy Aikman were renewed, especially after he rallied the team to a 27-26 victory at Baltimore with three fourth quarter TD passes. In addition to his fine arm, poise and leadership, Palmer has the mobility to avoid the rush and make accurate throws on the run. He also knows when to add zip and when to take his velocity down a notch. [u][b]RB Rudi Johnson:[/b][/u] Assistant coach Jim Anderson trusted his eyes when he scouted Chris Perry, so the club made him a first-round pick in 2004. Instead of getting a versatile inside-outside threat to complement the bruising Johnson, the Bengals got the draft's biggest bust. Slowed by a hamstring pull, then stopped by a hernia that required offseason surgery, Perry faces a future as muddy as the Ohio River. Luckily for the Bengals, they don't need him. Johnson stepped out of the shadow of Corey Dillon, who was traded to New England, and ran for a club-record 1,454 yards last season. Johnson's running style is far from elegant. With his low center of gravity, thickness through the hips and ability to keep his feet churning on contact, he's a sledgehammer who won't go down without a crowd of tacklers. He also is durable and has vision. He's fun to watch -- the fans chant, "Ru-di! Ru-di! -- partly because he can slam into the line and suddenly pop out. He doesn't have great speed, but he can bounce outside and break long runs. [u][b]WRs Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh:[/b][/u] Johnson talks the talk and, on most Sundays, walks the walk. The only time he was MIA last season was at Cleveland. After he sent the Browns' defensive backs bottles of Pepto-Bismol, he turned in a Pepto-Abysmal performance. Nobody else shut him down. Despite constant double- and triple-teams, Johnson caught 95 passes for 1,274 yards and nine touchdowns. He combines skills -- good burst, great hands and special concentration -- with unbridled enthusiasm. Once he catches a pass, he squares his shoulders and darts downfield. He also works the sideline well. To complete his game and become the league's top wideout, he needs to be a more aggressive, consistent blocker. Big things are expected from Houshmandzadeh now that he's firmly entrenched as the No. 2 receiver behind Johnson. He lacks top-end speed but is a smooth, fluid route runner with good hands, quickness and body control. He has a knack for finding openings in the secondary and making leaping catches in traffic. He piles up yards after the catch because of his strength and determination. The fact that he'll never be double-teamed as long as Johnson is on the field makes him a dangerous possession receiver. [b]DAN POMPEI'S TAKE [/b] Look for Palmer to deliver in his second season as a starter. If the Bengals "D" can pick it up, this team can make a lot of noise. Prediction: 9-7 (1st/AFC North). [b]FANTASY SOURCE SPIN [/b] [u][b]Stud: WR Chad Johnson.[/b][/u] He hasn't missed a game the past three years and has put up at least 90 catches, 1,274 yards and nine touchdowns in each of the past two seasons. At 27, he should be in his prime. [u][b]Sleeper: Palmer.[/b][/u] The third year often is the breakout season for receivers. What about quarterbacks? Palmer is one of this year's most intriguing middle-round draft options. [u][b]Stumbler: WR Peter Warrick.[/b][/u] This elusive possession receiver is not a good fit with Palmer, a strong-armed quarterback, and he has lost his starting job to Houshmandzadeh. [b]FALL FORECAST [/b] The Bengals have the NFL's longest current streak of playoff-less seasons at 14, so it's insane to think they have a chance to dethrone the Patriots as AFC champions. The offense is loaded with firepower, but the defense must be fixed -- and it's going to take more personnel work. But the unit should be improved enough under Bresnahan to help deliver a 9-7 record that will be good enough to put the team in the playoffs. Finally. However, dreams of a Super Bowl berth are unrealistic for now. Chick Ludwig covers the Bengals for the Dayton Daily News and Sporting News. WHO DEY!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mongoloido Posted June 11, 2005 Report Share Posted June 11, 2005 10-6 or 11-5. They've improved too much for only a one game difference from last season. The Bengals simply don't face the caliber of defense this season that they went up against last year... We also don't face the same brutal cast running backs that we did last year either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwing Posted June 11, 2005 Report Share Posted June 11, 2005 [quote name='mongoloido' date='Jun 11 2005, 03:43 PM']10-6 or 11-5. They've improved too much for only a one game difference from last season. The Bengals simply don't face the caliber of defense this season that they went up against last year... We also don't face the same brutal cast running backs that we did last year either. [right][post="101974"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote] Not actually disagreeing with you but-------------No one knows what we are facing this year. In todays game, teams go from first to last and back to first again in 3 seasons. With injuries, FA and other misc things going on, NO ONE can predict who is and is not going to be the team (s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Claptonrocks Posted June 11, 2005 Report Share Posted June 11, 2005 I have to keep going back to the fact that although the Bengals seemed to have improved the defense somewhat with the rook backers and Robinson and the offense should generate points the other teams in our division have and will continure to upgrade their teams as well.. Can the Bengals make the playoffs? It comes down to winning the big games in our division and it wont be easy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bengal_Smoov Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 I wonder why he said that Warrick isn't a good fit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chad7elevenjohnson Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 [quote name='Bengal_Smoov' date='Jun 11 2005, 09:34 PM']I wonder why he said that Warrick isn't a good fit? [right][post="102038"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote] I know, carson palmer always talks about how important warrick is in interviews and warrick caught 7 or 8 passes week 1 which was the only full game he was really healthy. plus pdub fuckin rocks. i think he's gonna have a big comeback year this season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oldschooler Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 [quote]Assistant coach Jim Anderson trusted his eyes when he scouted Chris Perry, so the club made him a first-round pick in 2004. Instead of getting a versatile inside-outside threat to complement the bruising Johnson, [b]the Bengals got the draft's biggest bust. [/b] Slowed by a hamstring pull, then stopped by a hernia that required offseason surgery, Perry faces a future as muddy as the Ohio River.[b] Luckily for the Bengals, they don't need him. [/b][/quote] Wow ! [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/13.gif[/img] Those are some VERY strong words...I wouldn`t call Perry a bust yet...but Ludwig sure didn`t have a problem calling him 1. [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/17.gif[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OzBengal Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 [quote name='oldschooler' date='Jun 12 2005, 09:11 AM']Wow ! [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/13.gif[/img] Those are some VERY strong words...I wouldn`t call Perry a bust yet...but Ludwig sure didn`t have a problem calling him 1. [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/17.gif[/img] [right][post="102123"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote] Its far too early to call him the biggest bust of the draft but its only a matter of time before Blackjesus is busting out the ki-jana photoshops. Unfortunately, Matthias Askew also looks like he is heading down the same path, and we need him alot more than we need Perry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BengalBacker Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 Ludwig's columns for The Sporting News never even sound like him. He's The Dayton Daily News beat writer for the Bengals. I don't know if he goes out of his way not to sound like a homer for the national audience so he looks objective or what. Some might argue he goes out of his way to be a homer for the local readers. I wouldn't have a problem with what he said about Perry if he qualified it somehow. Something like, [b]judging by first year production, the Bengals may have got the draft's biggest bust, but there's still hope that he'll come back from injury and be the player they thought they were drafting.[/b] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 [quote]RB Rudi Johnson: Assistant coach Jim Anderson trusted his eyes when he scouted Chris Perry, so the club made him a first-round pick in 2004. Instead of getting a versatile inside-outside threat to complement the bruising Johnson, the Bengals got the draft's biggest bust.[/quote] Oldschooler you beat me to it. I can't believe he called Perry the biggest bust! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Dan_Bengals_FL- Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 Thus far Perry has been one of the biggest busts. However, he still has a chance to prove everyone wrong. All we need Perry to be is a good compliment to Rudi Johnson. If he can't even be that, then he is a huge bust. I don't think that will happen, but with his injuries still lingering, he is gonna draw negative press. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mongoloido Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 [quote name='oldschooler' date='Jun 12 2005, 10:11 AM']Wow ! [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/13.gif[/img] Those are some VERY strong words...I wouldn`t call Perry a bust yet...but Ludwig sure didn`t have a problem calling him 1. [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/17.gif[/img] [right][post="102123"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote] Funny, I'd have thought Winslow had those honors wrapped up since he got tackled by the shrub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted June 12, 2005 Report Share Posted June 12, 2005 [quote name='mongoloido' date='Jun 12 2005, 03:03 PM']Funny, I'd have thought Winslow had those honors wrapped up since he got tackled by the shrub. [right][post="102189"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/24.gif[/img] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/24.gif[/img] [img]http://forum.go-bengals.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/24.gif[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ29 Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Did anyone else notice that he predicted us at 9 - 7 and WINNING the division? I don't think tht a 9 -7 record would even come close to winning the division. Ludwig must be on crack, (turns around) , Right kids? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BengalsOwn Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 [quote name='NJ29' date='Jun 14 2005, 09:57 AM']Did anyone else notice that he predicted us at 9 - 7 and WINNING the division? I don't think tht a 9 -7 record would even come close to winning the division. Ludwig must be on crack, (turns around) , Right kids? [right][post="102935"][/post][/right][/quote] [quote]DAN POMPEI'S TAKE Look for Palmer to deliver in his second season as a starter. If the Bengals "D" can pick it up, this team can make a lot of noise. Prediction: 9-7 (1st/AFC North).[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calibengalfan Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 [quote name='NJ29' date='Jun 14 2005, 06:57 AM']Did anyone else notice that he predicted us at 9 - 7 and WINNING the division? I don't think tht a 9 -7 record would even come close to winning the division. [right][post="102935"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote] That's what I was thinking too. 9-7 won't even get you a wildcard game, let alone a division title. At least, not unless the AFC takes a dramatic turn for the worse. Now, the NFC...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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