SB Nation - Cedric Benson

Cincinnati tries to overcome adversity for an encore as the Cardiac Cats

Kirkendall — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:29:39 -0000

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

1 day ago: Cincinnati Bengals players, wearing a number 15 decal on their helmets, clasps hands just before the opening kickoff of the NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers Sunday Dec. 20, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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You have to acknowledge, even appreciate, how the Bengals played their guts out after Chris Henry's death, who was a friend and a teammate, just days before. Nevertheless, you don't have to like the result. During the final series, the Bengals secondary left the sidelines undefended, saying to San Diego's offense that it's open for you to stop the clock... after catching the pass, of course. A defensive unit that's largely been the strength of this football team, uncharacteristically faltered during the game's final, and very critical, drive. With 12 seconds left during a tie game, Chargers wide receiver Malcolm Floyd ran a 15-yard out route. Right there, the sidelines, wide open, run out to stop the clock. Please, take it. Philip Rivers hit Floyd in stride, stopping the clock and picking up enough yardage so Nate Kaeding could kick the game-winning 52-yard field goal.

But as much as much as I want to criticize the Bengals for losing their second straight game, their third loss in their past five games and inching closer to a Baltimore Ravens team that's won exactly one game less than Cincinnati, I can't. I simply can't. Cincinnati gave it their all. They faced enormous adversity throughout the day. Hell, throughout the week. With 6:21 left in the third quarter, the Bengals offense committed three consecutive presnap fouls, penalizing themselves into a first-and-25 scenario on their own seven-yard line. Cincinnati then called a timeout. A timeout? Now? What else could you do but laugh hysterically? They couldn't recover and went three and out. After Nate Kaeding kicked a 33-yard field goal to give the Chargers an 11-point lead, Cincinnati made their run, right? No. After back-to-back runs by Cedric Benson to gain four yards rushing, Carson Palmer throws an incomplete third down pass. Punt.

At this point it appeared like Cincinnati was drained. I'm not saying that they were giving up. Just drained. Emotionally. Physically. Everything. Like no matter how hard you ran, you couldn't pick up speed. A dream, where you keep falling while being chased by an evil witch. Or my ex-girlfriend. We've all been there when we've had days at work in which we're exhausted, having lost all patience and motivations. Then Keith Rivers intercepts a pass intended for Antonio Gates. Then Chad hauls in a backwards pass out of the backfield and picks up 26 yards. Then Carson Palmer found and nailed Laveranues Coles in the endzone for a touchdown. Then Carson Palmer converted the two points on a called quarterback sneak.

Suddenly Cincinnati scored a game-tying field goal with 57 seconds left in the game after driving from their own three-yard line. But in the end, it wasn't meant to be. They're still the cardiac cats and they played the tune they've played all year. So acknowledge and appreciate your Bengals for their efforts. As for the result, that's another matter.

It didn't start like it was supposed to start. Darren Sproles returns the game opening kickoff 45 yards to the Chargers 45-yard line. Why is this important aside for field position? Quite simply, we had no idea how the Bengals would react Sunday after Henry's death. San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson was left uncovered out of the backfield through the first drive, catching two passes for 19 yards without a defender in the area. Tomlinson picked up another 15 yards on the ground on a drive that went 55 yards on 11 plays, ending with a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Antonio Gates. That was the first touchdown allowed by the Bengals on an opening drive since October 19, 2008 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The age of passing is back, Bengals score their first points of the game. Carson Palmer and the Bengals responded by converting two third downs longer than eight yards to go; a 12-yard pass to Andre Caldwell, a 14-yard pass to Chad Ochocinco. Palmer and the Bengals passing game looked vastly improved, very much in synch and evidently comfortable. However, their inability to score touchdowns in the red zone continued, leaving four points on the field after Shayne Graham converted a 26-yard field goal.

Bengals take a 10-7 lead with an emotional 49-yard touchdown by Chad Ochocinco. Cincinnati's offense returns to the field, after scoring a field goal on their first possession, followed by an outstanding defensive effort allowing only one first down. After Cedric Benson picked up seven yards behind the hulking body of Andrew Whitworth, Palmer was sacked by Kevin Ellison, who blitzed off the right edge. A millisecond before a delay of game was called, Marvin Lewis called a timeout to prevent a third-and-18. Instead, Palmer, on third-and-13, found an uncovered J.P. Foschi over the middle who conquered all and picked up 14 yards and a first down. How does did Foschi look? Benson picked up five yards on the ground on back-to-back runs, which set up third-and-five at the Bengals 39-yard line. Brian Leonard, lined up in the slot on the left, ran a short out, caught the pass and thanks to his godlike field awareness, dove for the first down. On second-and-four at the San Diego 49-yard line, Chad Ochocinco lines up wide left, scorches the defense with a that-looks-really-easy sprint down the left sidelines, hauling in a perfectly placed pass by Carson Palmer for a 49-yard touchdown reception.

Johnathan Joseph gives the Bengals their first turnover of the game. On third-and-nine at the Chargers 46-yard line with 10:42 left in the first half, the Bengals defense brings seven rushers, one of whom is Chinedum Ndukwe. Breaking free, Ndukwe drills Rivers just as the quarterback made a deep throw. Johnathan Joseph located the rainbow pass before Chargers receiver Malcolm Floyd and intercepted the pass. Cincinnati would go on to give up a sack, run on second-21 at their own 15-yard line, then later punt.

Vincent Jackson and the Chargers take the lead with a 21-yard touchdown pass. With 7:25 left in the second quarter, Antonio Gates catches a dinky short pass. With nimble stalwarts tasked with challenging Gates, the tight end changed directions forcing Jonathan Fanene, who sat in zone coverage, and Rey Maualuga to overshoot, picking 13 yards and the first down. On the next play, Gates ran a crossing pattern from left to right, caught the pass, shifted, spun, juked and nimbly forced Morgan Trent to miss another tackle, picking up 12 yards and another first down. Several plays later, Vincent Jackson got separation from Leon Hall, faked a post, which caused Hall to break in. Instead Jackson broke out and ran towards the left side of the endzone, catching a touchdown pass on a dive.

Redzone issues continue; Bengals score a field goal to reduce Charger's lead before half time.With three minutes left in the first half, the Bengals called Larry Johnson's number three times on four plays, picking up 38 yards rushing in the process. Palmer threw a needle to Laveranues Coles with 1:14 left in the half over the middle on a slant, picking up another 21 yards. Cincinnati's offense picked up 67 yards on seven plays in two and a half minutes. After that, it was the same story we've seen in the second half of the season. The inability to score touchdowns in the redzone. After spiking the football to stop the clock, Palmer threw back-to-back incomplete passes to J.P. Foschi forcing Shayne Graham to convert a 25-yard field goal.

A bit of advice: Stop going into the redzone!

Mental mistakes on offense returns to start the second half. Thanks to Shawne Merriman's jump offsides, the Bengals were left with a third-and-one at their own 34-yard line with 13:14 left in the third quarter. Benson pounded the point of attack, picking up the first down. However, Cincinnati's offense broke down with mental mistakes after Laveranues Coles made caught a 17-yard pass. Illegal formation. Pass deflected at the line of scrimmage. Delay of game. Bengals are forced with a third-and-21 at their own 46-yard line. Palmer finds Foschi over the middle for an 11 yard gain. Bengals punt.

Big defensive stand; preventing Rivers from picking up the first down. After two runs picking up nine yards midway through the third quarter, the Chargers line up big formation at their own 29-yard line. Philip Rivers takes the snap and sneaks up the middle. Cincinnati's defense stacked the line, expecting the trickery of a sneaky quarterback, holding Rivers from converting the first. Chargers punt.

Bengals: Momentum.
Josh: Is a bitch.

Palmer's interception and blown coverage by the Bengals secondary leads to a 34-yard touchdown by Vincent Jackson. Chad Ochocinco lined up on the right, ran 10 yards and broke in. Chargers cornerback Quentin Jammer anticipated the route, stretched his arms and picked off the pass. On second down, Rivers found Vincent Jackson running free down the left sidelines. The Bengals secondary blew the coverage, with Leon Hall allowing Jackson to release upfield without safety help. Jackson easily scored the touchdown, taking a 21-13 lead.

Bengals offense has an epic breakdown -- before their first snap. Here is a list of items by the Bengals with 6:21 left in the third quarter.

False start by Dennis Roland
Illegal substitution
Delay of Game

Then the Bengals take a timeout. The epitome of how this team loses focus is showcased here in a way we haven't seen before. Before their first snap on their third offensive possession in the second half leads to 15 lost yards before taking their first snap.

Cedric Benson misses the handoff when Palmer decides to check down to a draw in shotgun formation.

Palmer dumped off a surrender-pass to J.P. Foschi on third-and-19. Bengals punt. Mercifully.

Tomlinson picks up 36 yards on a screen; Chargers take a 24-13 lead. With 4:27 left in the third quarter at their own 27-yard line, Rivers fakes the handoff to Tomlinson who sits to the left waiting for the screen pass. After the catch, Tomlinson sprints. And sprints. He's still sprinting. Hell, I'm parched with all of the sprinting. He's still running. Finally Tomlinson is tackled at the Cincinnati 37-yard line, picking up 36 yards. After a no-gain by Sproles, Rivers finds Jackson over the middle, catching his first non-touchdown reception of the game. On third-and-six at the Bengals 15-yard line, Rivers throws a rainbow pass to Vincent Jackson near the front left pylon. Leon Hall jumped with Jackson, separating the ball from the receiver causing an incomplete pass. The Chargers' Nate Kaeding converts the 33-yard field goal and the Chargers take a 24-13 lead. Leon Hall may have struggled throughout most of the game, but he made a play that saved four points; a deficit that makes the Bengals comeback all but impossible later.

And then the Bengals write the story about how comebacks after epic breakdowns happen. With 14:11 left in the game, Rivers lobs a pass to Antonio Gates. The football bounced around a jiffy and Keith Rivers hauls down the pass for the interception. On the first play, Palmer fakes the end around to Chad Ochocinco and then flips the pass to Chad out of the backfield, who runs left, right, forward, backward, diagonally, and picks up 26 yards down the left sidelines. Bengals at the Chargers seven-yard line. Oh, no. Redzone. After a five-yard pass to Jeremi Johnson, Palmer throws the football to Laveranues Coles towards the right side of the endzone. Coles catches the touchdown and the Bengals cut the score to 24-19. Bengals elect to go for the two-point conversion. Quarterback draw. Palmer scores. Just as we expected. Bengals down by three points.

The bookend of the Dhani. After Dhani Jones dropped Tomlinson for a one-yard loss with 12:32 left in the game, Rivers finds Jackson for a 15-yard gain on second down. After Keith Rivers sacked Rivers for an eight-yard loss, Chinedum Ndukwe was called for illegal contact and an automatic first down. After Maualuga stopped Tomlinson for a three-yard gain, Philip Rivers finds Malcolm Floyd running down the middle for a 20-yard gain. After Rivers completes two dinky two-yard passes for four yards, Dhani Jones slams into Floyd, who caught the pass out of bounds. Chargers punt. Dhani. The man that a lot of people want to run out of town so Rey Maualuga can start at middle linebacker.

And this time the game wasn't decided by another Andre Caldwell fumble... somewhat. Benson picks up ten yards down the left sidelines. J.P. Foschi is called for holding, bringing the Bengals back to their own three-yard line with 6:49 left in the game. Foschi says, "my bad boys, I'll make it up." On first-and-12, Palmer hits Foschi over the middle picking up 21 yards. On third-and-four at their own 30-yard line, Palmer hits Quan Cosby for five yards and the first down. Bengals moving. They're motivated again. They're the cardiac cats again. Palmer hits Foschi on a first down pass at their own 35-yard line, running across the field, picking up 15 yards. First down. Palmer is forced to rollout to the right with 4:39 left in the game, finds Cedric Benson, who picks up another 11 yards. He finds Benson on the next down for another eight yards.

Bengals driving... awesomely. The AFC North and possibly the second seed on the line. Benson gets the hand off and picks up 12 yards on second-and-two with 3:14 left in the game. Man, oh man. I can feel it. They're going to take it.

Then...

False start on Foschi. Palmer throws a quick pass to Andre Caldwell on the left. Tim Dobbins nails Caldwell, who losses the football. No, not just loses the football. The football shoots out of a canon about 20 yards backwards. Palmer dove on the fumble.

Cincinnati is stuck with second-and-36 at the Chargers 45-yard line. Palmer takes the shotgun snap, looks deep. Finds no one and hits Foschi on the left sidelines for a limited six-yard gain, leaving third-and-30. Cosby, lined up third wide receiver in from the right, crosses the field and picks up 22 yards, setting up game-tying field goal by Shayne Graham. I opened my eyes after the attempted kick and the field goal was made.

Bengals tied the game on a 12-play, 79 yard field goal drive. Granted, the Bengals tied the game. But how much easier would it have been to sustain the drive and picked up the first down if not for Caldwell's fumble? We still like the guy. But c'mon.

But Rivers and the Chargers offense set up Nate Kaeding's 52-yard game winner. With :54 seconds left in the game, starting at their own 20-yard line, the Bengals defense played soft coverage, especially considering the edges. Rivers completed four of five passes (the fifth being a spike) for 46 yards setting up a Nate Kaeding 52-yard field goal, that he nailed.

If you were not a fan of either team, this football game was very entertaining. If you're a fan of the Bengals, you have to appreciate how tough they played. But the same things bit Cincinnati as they have all year. Penalties. Turnovers. Lack of redzone production. Mistakes. Mistakes. Mistakes.

Cincinnati takes on the Kansas City Chiefs next week, who gave up 351 yards rushing to the Cleveland Browns.

Bue'em NFL Week 15 picks

Niko Houllis — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:51:22 -0000

via www.mkrob.com

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Paul

Dallas at NewOrleans - The Cowboys need this game more, but the Saints likely want it more after saying they're not holding back and they're going to go for the undefeated record. They get No. 14 here. Saints 34, Cowboys 27.

Cleveland at KC - There's not much to say about this one. Both teams stink, it's just a question of who will self-destruct first. Josh Cribbs is turning out to be a reliable weapon, but not enough to carry the whole team two weeks in a row. Chiefs 17, Browns 9.

BucsFanDave

Cincinnati at SanDiego- Yes, the Chargers are extremely hot, led by Phillip Rivers. However, the Bengals match up very well. Their soon-to-be All Pro cornerbacks, Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph will nuetralize the Chargers deep passing attack. Then, they will hammer the 20th ranked run defense with Cedric Benson. Carson Palmer will bounce back and do just enough for a road victory. Bengals 17-13.

Green Bay at Pittsburgh- The Packers are hitting their stride, while Pittsburgh's injuries on the defensive side of the ball have been too big to overcome. Without Polamalu and Aaron Smith, the Pittsburgh defense has become just above average, instead of elite. That small difference puts them on the short end of the stick in all the close games they won last year. With Brandon Jones replacing Aaron Kampman in the 3-4 alignment, the Packer defense has improved. Plus, Charles Woodson has been a true difference maker. Packers 20-13.

UNF Nole

Atlanta at NY Jets - The Jets will continue to pound the ball against the Falcons. The Falcons still have way too much uncertainty with their health on offense, and their defense just isn't getting the job done. Warrick Dunn became a minority owner over the Falcons this week, but the Falcons would need him in his 2005 shape and on the field to win this game.

Oakland at Denver - Can anyone accurately predict what either of these teams are going to do from week to week? I can't. While both teams have vastly different records (8-4, 4-9) both have lost and won games they shouldn't. Denver is clearly the better team, but Oakland has had a nack for pulling the upset this season. Keep an eye on this one as it will be closer than the 23-3 game we saw last time.

HOUSTON at St Louis - Not much analysis here. St Louis is playing their 3rd string QB when their first stringer wasn't all that good. They may be without Steven Jackson and the Rams just aren't generally a good team. Houston looks to roll towards a playoff berth and should have no trouble here.

PATRIOTS at Buffalo - The Panthers may have woken a sleeping giant with their comments on Moss. The Patriot players and coaches have come to his defense and they may now be more focused. I expect Brady and company to throw it around against Buffalo who just doesnt have the firepower to compete.

Niko

Miami at Titans- Miami will try to keep up with their incredible playoff chances that are still alive. Tennessee is hanging onto a thread, but considering they were 0-6, that is saying something for this team and Vince Young.

San Francisco at Eagles- Phily has a half game lead on Dallas, and a win keeps them up by one. San Francisco on the heals of their upset over the Cards have kept their chances alive.....for now.

Craig T- (Sorry I missed the email)

ARIZONA @ Detroit. Like this one needs much explanation... ARI potent passing attack will demolish putrid DET secondary. Cards win comfortably.

Chicago @ BALTIMORE. Ray Rice and B-more still have something to play for and will pound the Bears into submission. Baltimore wins by running well and shutting down Forte.

LeeCaz

Tampa Bay at Seattle: Two franchises in disarray will face off in Seattle this Sunday. Look for the Bucs' offense to look much improved vs. a defense that was absolutely annihilated by a streaky Houston team last week. Antonio Bryant has even been named a solid fantasy start this week! Unfortunately for us though, we also have to bring along our defense to Seattle. In what should be a close game I will have to give the edge to Seattle because of home field advantage if nothing else. 17-13

Minnesota at Carolina: The Vikings looked very impressive last week against a strong Bengals squad. Look for them to give Carolina a taste of their own medicine and simply cram the ball down their throats for four quarters. Minnesota wins easily 24-10

NYG at Washington: Monday night brings us an NFC East matchup that is likely to put us to sleep. Washington has shown flashes lately, but is still no match for the G-men, who looked much improved in their loss to Philly last week. G-Men win it handily 35-20.

Game Preview: Bengals at Chargers

John (obviousman) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:44:16 -0000

Before I get to the game preview, let me take a minute to mourn Chris Henry. From everything I've read and seen since his accident, Chris had turned his life around and was a model citizen for the Bengals this season. As a football player, Chris was always a threat to make a big play. He was Malcom Floyd, possibly with more speed. As long as he kept his head on straight, he had a successful career and life ahead of him.

Even when Chris wasn't able to stay out of trouble, the one thing that I always noticed was that his teammates were behind him 100%. They loved him, and didn't consider him a trouble-maker in the least. They seemed to think of him as more of a wide-eyed kid who had his heart in the right place and would eventually learn who and what to stay away from.

So this isn't a Cincinnati team that's lost a player who was signed this year, or one that nobody particularly liked until this season. Chris Henry was a part of the Bengals family, and how the players are able to react on Sunday will be the true determining factor of who wins the game. Everything below is stats and info about how the team performed without this emotional burden. It says nothing about the team that will take the field against the Chargers.

When the Bengals Have the Ball

Overall Offense

Contrary to what you may think, this is not the explosive offense the Bengals had with Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh a few seasons ago. The Bengals rank 20th in offensive yards per game and 19th in points scored per game.
Being 23rd in yards per play means the Chargers have to worry less about giving up the big play against the Bengals than if they were playing the 49ers, Redskins or Jaguars.
The stats above are no big surprise for a team that focuses it's energy on running the football. The proof that they do it well is in their 13th ranked 3rd down conversion percentage. Cedric Benson has helped Cincy get a lot more 3rd and shorts than 3rd and longs.
As many of us saw in their game against the Vikings, the Bengals have a penchant for shooting themselves in the foot. They have racked up the 9th most penalty yardage in the league, and their turnover margin is a fairly mediocre +1. This is exactly why they lost to Oakland, and why they haven't been able to get sound victories over the Browns (twice) or Lions.

Passing Offense

The Bengals, who throw about 1 less pass per game than the Chargers, rank 23rd in passing yards per game. Being 18th in yards per play means that, despite having a big-armed QB in Palmer, the Bengals' passing game does not get many big plays.
Carson Palmer has been less careful with the ball this season as had Philip Rivers, throwing 17 TDs against 10 interceptions. His QB rating for the season is 84.8, or just about average.
Confirming my suspicions, the Bengals rank 23rd in pass plays of 20+ yards and 24th in pass plays of 40+ yards.
One thing the Bengals' passing offense does well is protect Palmer. He has been sacked just 23 times this season, making the Bengals the 7th best in that category.

Rushing Offense

The Bengals rushing attack, mostly carried by Cedric Benson, is averaging 132.8 yards per game. That's good for 6th in the league.
Being 19th in the league for rushing TDs shows that the Bengals struggle to pound the ball the ball into the endzone to finish drives. That fits right in with the Bolts' "bend but don't break" run defense.
The Cowboys are tied for 8th in the league in running play of 20+ yards. With Eric Weddle coming back this week, I'm much less concerned about big plays out of the Bengals' run game. Also, the Bengals are more of an inside running team, whereas the Chargers have struggled the most with runs to the outside.

via i.a.cnn.net

Overall Defense

The Chargers allow the 12th least yards per game, and rank 12th in lowest yards allowed per play. They are ranked 14th in least points allowed per game.
The Bolts' problem on D continue to stopping 3rd down conversions, but they did a very good job against Dallas and have moved up to 22nd best in the league.

Passing Defense

The Chargers rank 10th in terms of passing yards allowed per game, and are tied for 10th in yards allowed per pass attempt.
The Bolts' 11 interceptions ties them for 18th best in the league. Their 31 sacks ties them for 11th.
TThe Chargers are tied for 3rd in the least amount of passing plays of 20+ yards allowed. All season this has been a defense that does not give up big plays, and that has been the key in victories against the Cowboys and Eagles.

Rushing Defense

In terms of rushing yards allowed per game, the Chargers are 21st in the league. Their 4.3 Yards Per Carry allowed ties them with the Falcons for 18th in the league for that stat as well.
The 8 rushing touchdowns allowed by the Bolts ties them with the Bengals for 9th best in the league.
The Chargers are tied for 4th best in the league at stopping/preventing running plays of 20+ yards. They have allowed only 5 against them all season. They still have not given up a run of 40+ yards.
Those stats above are amazing. Even though the Chargers are very poor at stopping 5 yard runs, they are one of the league's best in preventing big runs and are really good at preventing rushing TDs as well. No wonder the lack of run D hasn't killed San Diego.

When the Chargers Have the Ball

via prod.static.chargers.clubs.nfl.com

Overall Offense

The Bolts are 13th in the league in offensive yards per game, but are still very efficient. They are 6th in terms of yards per play and 3rd in terms of points per game.
The Chargers' offense has gotten steadily better at converting 3rd downs all season. They've worked themselves up the ranks and are now the 9th best team in the league on 3rd down.
The Chargers are still the least penalized team in the league. Their turnover margin is +8, after forcing zero turnovers against the Cowboys. This team's identity continues to be one that does not shoot themselves in the foot, and takes advantage of the mistakes of their opponents.

Passing Offense

After throwing for one touchdown and one (dumb) interception in Dallas, Rivers now has 22 TD throws against 7 picks. That's a 3-to-1 TD/INT ratio, which is impressive when you see that Carson Palmer isn't even at 2-to-1 this season.
The Chargers rank 3rd in pass plays of 20+ yards, having 3 less than the undefeated Saints.
We've seen the offensive line get better at protecting Philip, and at the same time we've seen #17 get even better at avoiding defenders in the pocket. He did a lot of it against the Cowboys, and was only sacked once. Currently, the Chargers are 5th best in the league at protecting their QB.

Rushing Offense

The Chargers ground game, which was stifled for 3.5 quarters in Dallas, is averaging just 87.5 yards per game. That's good for 30th best in the league, or two slots better than the undefeated Colts. Their 3.2 Yards Per Carry makes them the least efficient running team in the league (two slots below Indy).
Being ineffective over the course of a game does not mean the Chargers aren't able to punch it in when they need to. Their "league worst" rushing attack is tied for 11th with 13 TDs.
The Chargers are tied for 24th in the league in running play of 20+ yards, and it still surprises me that they're that not worst in the league.

Overall Defense

The Bengals allow the 5th least yards per game, and rank 6th in lowest yards allowed per play. They are ranked 2nd in least points allowed per game. I think we just found out why they're a playoff team.
The Bengals are one of the best defenses on 3rd down, where they have the 7th lowest 3rd down conversion percentage against them.

Passing Defense

Cincy ranks 12th in terms of passing yards allowed per game, but are 6th in yards allowed per pass attempt.
The Bengals 15 interceptions ties them for 9th best in the league. Their 31 sacks ties them for 11th. So this team gets to the QB with the same frequency the Chargers do, but they get more picks and allow less TDs.
Although their defense is sound, there should be some opportunities downfield for Philip Rivers, Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd. The Bengals rank 11th in 20+ yard pass plays allowed, and their Safeties aren't great.

Rushing Defense

In terms of rushing yards allowed per game, the Bengals are 3rd in the league. Their 3.7 Yards Per Carry allowed ties them with the Eagles for 5th in the league. This is one of the strongest run defenses in the league, so don't expect a big game from LaDainian Tomlinson.
The 8 rushing touchdowns allowed by Cincinnati ties them with San Diego for 9th best in that category.
The Bengals are tied with the Colts for best in the league at stopping big running plays. They have allowed only 3 runs for 20+ yards all season.

Conclusion

This is a game of strength versus weakness. A strong Cincinnati running game against a weak San Diego run defense. A weak SD run offense against a strong Cincy run defense. This game will come down to a few things. One, as usual Philip Rivers will have to play at an MVP level. Luckily, that never seems to be a problem for him. Two, the Bengals will have to make mistakes with playcalling, penalties or turnovers. Three, the Bengals' adrenaline (and how long it can last) will determine what they can and cannot do on offense.

I'd say I'm not picking a winner for this game because there's too many unknown variables, but at this point I'd feel stupid betting against the team who never loses in December and is at home trying to clinch a playoff spot. Chargers win.

I Am Freaking Out Man

PSTIM1 — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:01:13 -0000

Tristan Cockroft - I just wanted to say his name somewhere in this post.

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So the fantasy playoffs have officially begun and I am going against Dallass Clark so I am already getting killed. I am already down 21 points, and as it stands today I am not sure if my QB is actually gonna play (Brady) and I am starting Maurice "who the fuck?" Morris due to Kevin Smith's exploded knee. I have had a good fantasy year (10-4) and I have never won a ring, and at this point I'd trade my first born child for a taste of fantasy glory. I have provided my fantasy matchup for ya'll to look at - please tell me I have a chance! And should I actually start Maurice Morris or should I go with Rim Thighpower (Tim Hightower)? Detroit fan's have you heard about how they are gonna use Morris and Aaron Brown? Please guys I need this...I need this.

Me: Team Name: PenisCopter (dont ask)

Tom Brady

Larry Fitzgerald

Chad Ochocinco

Frank Gore

Maurice Morris

Vernon Davis

Jets D

Nick Folk

My Opponent: Team Name: Cock Poon Moan

Matt 'Slob a Knob" Schaub

Randy "I give boss" Moss

Anquan Blowin Dudes (Boldin)

LT "licks taint"

Cedric Bendoverson (Benson - that one's not funny)

Dal "takes it up the" ass Clark

Cardinals D (I got nothing)

"Nasty" Nate Kaeding (he looks like such a pussy)

PS my scoring is rb's/wr's/te's get a point every ten yards rushing and receiving and 6 points for a td. QB's get 1 point for every 20 yards passing and 5 points for passing td's. Kickers get a point for fg's 2 points for fg's over 50 yds - nothing for xp's.

Poll

Will I Win or Lose?

Chris Henry - Rest In Peace

PSTIM1 — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:12:29 -0000

We at Project Franchise are saddened to learn of the death of Chris Henry, from everything we've heard he had been working hard in the last couple of years to make positive changes in his life. Does anybody have the inside scoop on what actually happened - was he pushed out of the truck? Did he jump or slip? We all know this story is far from over, however or whatever happened we wish his family, friends and Bengal Nation the best at this tragic time.

Six-Pack of Hu-Dey: Manageable third downs and cutting out penalties and this offense will flourish

Kirkendall — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:46:29 -0000

I rode into work Wednesday on the butchered stretch of I-75 when it hit me, I haven't started this week's Six-Pack of Hu-Dey. Actually, I didn't even conjure up topics. So I busted chops, caused synovial fluid cavitation in my fingers, drank a cappuccino and did what I do best. Wing it. This week we take a look at the Bengals offense. No, no, we're not ripping them. We looked at penalties against the Vikings that stalled the offense, long third down situations, Laveranues Coles (lack of) contributions, the offensive line, Jerome Simpson's chance to play, and why it might be a good idea to open up the passing offense against the Chargers.

So, you know. Read on.

Bengals can't put themselves in third and long against the Chargers. Cincinnati's biggest struggle wasn't necessarily the passing game against the Minnesota Vikings. It was the penalties. It was the 57% third down conversions by the Vikings. It was a lot of things. But consider this for a minute.

Of the 14 third downs that the Bengals faced, seven of them were with nine yards or more to go. The Bengals converted one.

During the Cincinnati's ~~first~~ only touchdown drive, the Bengals moved the ball largely because of the successes on first and second down. With 7:58 left in the first half, Cedric Benson took a second-and-ten hand off and picked up seven yards off the left edge setting up an easy third-down conversion that was picked up after Andre Caldwell's seven-yard reception. With 5:30 left, Benson picked up another seven yards on first-and-ten, eventually setting up third-and-three that was converted after a five-yard reception by Caldwell. On the next play, Palmer hit Chad on a 15-yard pass for a touchdown.

This offensive line isn't designed to give Palmer a pocket for too long. And when you face third and long, you need good protection for deeper routes to develop.

Have to reduce drive-stalling penalties on offense. The biggest culprit to the offense's showing against the Vikings were penalties, penalties, penalties. On third-and-ten at their own 37-yard line in the first quarter, Bobbie Williams was flagged for a false start, pushing the offense back to third-and-15. Palmer was sacked and the Bengals punted. Still in the first quarter, third-and-nine at their own 31-yard line, Chad Ochocinco false starts putting the offense in third-and-14. Dump off pass to Brian Leonard for no-gain. Punt.

With 11:05 left in the game, Evan Mathis is called for holding which eventually set up a third-and-18 scenario. Palmer completed a 10-yard pass to J.P. Foschi and the Bengals punt. During the J.T. O'Sullivan led offense, the Bengals were called for 12-men on the field. No first downs. Punt. On possessions the Bengals didn't commit a penalty, the offense picked up third downs and moved the football -- even scoring points.

If the Bengals can stop committing penalties termed "mental mistakes", this offense can sustain drives, putting themselves into position to score. Also consider, the Bengals most complete game of the season against Chicago saw Cincinnati committing three penalties for 20 yards lost -- only one flag on offense.

Side-by-side comparison of penalties committed per game by the Bengals and teams they've faced. In parenthesis are yards lost to penalty.
Week	Opponent	Result	Bengals	Opponent
1	Denver	L, 7-12	4 (27)	6 (39)
2	Green Bay	W 31-24	13 (100)	11 (76)
3	Pittsburgh	W, 23-20	4 (30)	5 (51)
4	Cleveland	W, 23-20	6 (46)	5 (44)
5	Baltimore	W, 17-14	7 (39)	10 (76)
6	Houston	L, 17-28	4 (45)	7 (60)
7	Chicago	W, 45-10	3 (20)	6 (44)
9	Baltimore	W, 17-7	6 (40)	7 (80)
10	Pittsburgh	W, 18-12	7 (87)	5 (50)
11	Oakland	L, 17-20	8 (59)	3 (13)
12	Cleveland	W, 16-7	10 (75)	4 (30)
13	Detroit	W, 23-13	9 (75)	7 (45)
14	Minnesota	L, 10-30	11 (85)	9 (69)

Bengals should consider replacing Laveranues Coles in the starting lineup. Bengals starting wide receiver Laveranues Coles committed an offensive pass interference with 13:00 left in the first quarter (it was declined) against the Minnesota Vikings. Then he disappeared. NFL's Gamebook lists the number of times Palmer target Coles as "0". At first, it seemed that Coles was getting into the groove of things; between November 8 (Baltimore) and November 22 (Oakland), Coles caught 13 passes for 200 yards receiving -- by far, his best three-game stretch of the season. In his past three games, he's caught four passes for 49 yards receiving.

Week	Opponent	Target	Catches	Yards	Touchdowns
14	Minnesota	0	0	0	0
13	Detroit	4	2	25	0
12	Cleveland	9	2	24	0

For the season, Coles has caught 50.8% of the passes thrown to him with two games in which he was completely shutout (Baltimore part 1 and Minnesota).

Would it be a stretch to say that perhaps the Bengals should consider replacing Coles in the starting line up?

Bengals should consider opening the passing game up early against the Chargers. There's rumblings that the Bengals might try to open the passing game against the San Diego Chargers this week. If there's a week that the Cincinnati Bengals wanted to prove that they have a potent passing attack, why not this week? We're not too opposed to experimenting with new things during ultra-critical games or anything. It changes the pace. Breaks routine and predictability. Furthermore, the Chargers sport the league's 21st rushing defense and their rushing offense is 31st in the league. Both are ideal matchups for what the Bengals have done all season.

So if the Bengals elect to go happy-pass offense, they could do that early, reverting to what's worked all season if happy-passing offense falls flat on its back and still have a chance to win.

But there is one concern when conjecturing this possibility. San Diego scores a lot of points and they generate big passing plays. If the Bengals defense can't stall the Chargers offense early this Sunday, then the Bengals may have no choice but to open up the passing game -- this time, not by choice. What's the old phrase? Force them to play your game?

Will Jerome Simpson finally make his season debut against the Chargers? There's more than a good chance that Jerome Simpson will get on the field Sunday, apparently. Geoff Hobson writes very matter of fact:

With the Bengals now down to five receivers, it should mean that Jerome Simpson is going to be active for the first time this season Sunday in San Diego.

Simpson hasn't been active through the first 13 games this season. He was active in eight games in 2008, playing in six , catching one pass for two yards. And if I recall correctly, that reception was made against Pittsburgh and he was hurt on that play. The debate between Simpson and DeSean Jackson has been of the rage from some; Jackson was still available when the Bengals drafted Simpson. I hope Simpson absolutely blows us away so that debate will shut down -- oh, and plus it would be awesome if he did anyway.

Below is a maddening fiery of Tweets by Lance McAlister (note that the world of tweets forces one to use unorthodox abbreviations).

From Marvin Lewis "he's got a chance to give us a shot in arm" | "he's got to contribute on sp teams and blocking" | "he's had an urgency of details in his practice habits...with us trying to rest chad and l.c." | "his athletisim and seed is limitless"."it all must be channeled in right direction"

From Carson Palmer: "i'm not sure of timeline to get him on field, hopefully its sun. He's a vertical threat like andre" | "he's come along way, didn't know a ton of fb when he got here, he'd just played" (translated: He's come a long way, didn't know a ton of football when he got here).

However, Joe Reedy tweets that the coaches "want to see how Jerome Simpson does in practice this week before making the final decision to make him active on game day".

Based on performance, this offensive line is better than league average... sometimes. So I had a really tough time coming up with a sixth topic. Trust me, this stuff isn't easy (note: if you have a subject for the Six-Pack of Hu-Dey email me). But I really wanted to focus on the offensive line for an offensive-only (or is it only offensive?) Six-Pack. Instead of coming up with a topic and ranting, I decided to do something else. Throw something against the wall and hope that something sticks.

Cincinnati's offensive line is ranked 9th in the league, allowing 23 quarterback sacks. Furthermore, Palmer has only been hit 50 times this year, which is also within the top ten of least amount of times the quarterback has been hit. Cincinnati's offensive line -- notably Andrew Whitworth and the flavor of the week at left guard -- has opened up enough room for running backs to pick up 10 yards or more on the left side, 26 times (second in the league). All of this incorporating one of the league's most inexperienced offensive lines this year -- combined, the Bengals have 201 career starts on the line -- 26 teams have more combined starts.

However, as good as they've performed -- and let's face facts, their body of work over the course of the season has been tremendous -- they've also struggled. On 430 rushing plays, 41 have gone for negative yards -- only three teams have more negative yardage rushing plays. On the other hand, the Bengals are one of the best teams on short-yardage to-go distances, converting 78% of their runs to the left, 70% up the middle and 79% to the right -- all three are inside the top ten in the NFL.

Football Outsiders ranks the offensive line as the league's 10th best, with an adjusted sack rate of 5.6%. Since I don't automatically assume you know what Adjusted Sack Rate means, here's the explanation from Football Outsiders. And another if you're quest for knowledge is epic.

Teams are ranked according to adjusted sack rate, which gives sacks (plus intentional grounding penalties) per pass attempt adjusted for down, distance, and opponent. Pass blocking stats are explained further here. Our sack totals may differ slightly from official NFL totals depending on the league's retroactive statistical adjustments.

What's more surprising is the team's Adjust Line Yards of 4.04, which is ranked 18th. So technically, Football Outsiders ranks the Bengals pass protection better than their run blocking. I'll let that sink in for a moment while you guys think to yourself, "BULL CRAP."

I agree that the offensive line has appeared to struggle in recent weeks. But they only allowed one sack to the league's best pass rushing defense (Minnesota) and are still the league's sixth best rushing offense. They still deserve a huge bulk of the credit for this season's successes.

Primer: Cincinnati Bengals (9-4) at San Diego Chargers (10-3)

Kirkendall — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:03:09 -0000

More photos » by Denis Poroy - AP

22 days ago: San Diego Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson, left, and Antonio Gates celebrate after Gates' 19-yard touchdown-reception during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday Nov. 29, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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Game: Cincinnati Bengals (9-4) at San Diego Chargers (10-3)
Series Leader: Chargers, 18-10
Streak: Chargers have won four of the past five
Coaches vs. Opponent: Lewis: 1-1. Turner: 0-0
Broadcast: CBS (1:05 PM PT): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms. SIRIUS: 158 (Cin.), 123 (SD). XM: 112 (SD).
SB Nation: Bolts from the Blue
NFL.com: Game Center
Weather: Partly cloud with a high of 67 degrees [Weather.com]
Uniform: White
Television Coverage: Parts of Ohio, Arizona, California, Nevada, Pennsylvania and different spots around the nation. [506]

Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati, 4-2 on the road in 2009, can clinch the AFC North with a win.
With a win, Marvin Lewis will surpass Paul Brown for second-most wins in franchise history.
In his only meeting against the San Diego Chargers, Carson Palmer completed 31 of 42 passes for 440 yards passing, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 131.1 passer rating.
Cedric Benson has over 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career.
On the road, Benson averages 90.6 yards rushing per game.
In his past two games, Chad Ochocinco has 21 receptions for 367 yards receiving and five touchdowns.
Chad needs 63 yards to record his seventh 1,000-yard season in his career.
Jonathan Fanene has a career-best six sacks in 2009.
Leon Hall needs one interception to surpass a career-high five picks in 2007.
Hall and Johnathan Joseph are tied for second in the NFL with 19 passes defensed.

San Diego Chargers

Chargers are looking to record their ninth straight win and look to extend an NFL record 16 straight wins in the month of December.
Quarterback Phillip Rivers is 16-0 as a starter in December with 3,498 yards passing, 28 touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 99.3 passer rating.
In his only meeting against the Bengals, Rivers recorded 338 yards passing, three touchdowns, no interceptions and 124.5 passer rating.
During the eight-game winning streak, Rivers has 15 touchdowns, four interceptions and a 113.5 passer rating.
Since 2000, running back LaDainian Tomlinson leads the NFL with 3,938 yards rushing and 37 rushing touchdowns.
Tomlinson (136) needs one rushing touchdown to surpass Emmitt Smith for most rushing touchdowns in a single decade.
In four games against the Bengals, Tomlinson has recorded 100 yards rushing or more in three games; averages 105 yards rushing against Cincinnati.
Antonio Gates (1,038) needs 64 yards receiving to surpass a career-high of 1,101 yards in 2005.
Vincent Jackson recorded his fifth 100-yard receiving game last week and needs only 11 yards to become first Chargers receiver since Tony Martin (1995-1996) to reach 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
Linebacker Stephen Cooper leads the Chargers with 90 tackles.

TEAM RANKINGS

Offense	Bengals	Chargers
Total	322.5 (20th)	354.3 (13th)
Scoring	20.3 (19th)	27.8 (4th)
Third Downs	42% (13th)	42% (9th)
Rushing	132.8 (6th)	87.5 (31st)
Rushing TDs	9 (19th)	13 (t-11th)
Passing	189.8 (23rd)	266.8 (5th)
Passing TDs	17 (t-17th)	22 (t-10th)
Sacks Allowed	23 (t-7th)	22 (t-5th)
20-yard Passes	31 (t-23rd)	52 (2nd)

Defense	Bengals	Chargers
Total	295.5 (5th)	324.2 (12th)
Scoring	16.7 (t-2nd)	19.9 (14th)
3rd Downs Allowed	35 (7th)	40 (22nd)
Rushing	86.4 (3rd)	117.1 (21nd)
Rushing TDs	8 (t-9th)	8 (t-9th)
Passing	209.1 (12th)	207.1 (10th)
Passing TDs	14 (t-8th)	19 (t-18th)
Sacks	31 (t-10th)	31 (t-10th)
QB Rating	73.7 (6th)	84.9 (t-17th)
20-Yard Passes Allowed	35 (t-11th)	29 (t-3rd)
Interceptions	15 (t-8th)	11 (t-18th)

Special Teams	Bengals	Chargers
Kickoff Return	21.3 (26th)	23.2 (12th)
Punt Return	11.3 (5th)	8.2 (17th)
Punting (Net)	36.9 (23rd)	39.9 (t-7th)
Punts Inside the 20	20 (t-16th)	20 (t-16th)

2009 STATISTICAL INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Carson Palmer	Stat	Ranking
Quarterback Rating	84.8	18th
Yards Passing	2,641	18th
Touchdowns	17	t-14th
First Downs	136	15th
Average Yards/Att	6.8	19th
Completions	237	17th
Interceptions	10	t-15th
Times Sacked	23	t-17th

Cedric Benson	Stat	Ranking
Yards Rushing	1,065	8th
Attempts / Game	23.4	1st
Touchdowns	6	t-17th
First Downs	48	8th

Chad Ochocinco	Stat	Ranking
Receptions	65	t-19th
Yards Receiving	937	15th
Touchdowns	7	t-13th
20-yard receptions	14	t-10th
First Downs	50	t-7th

CAREER AGAINST THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Carson Palmer

Date	Result	Comp.	Att.	Yards	TDs	Int
11.12.2006	L, 41-49	31	42	440	3	0

Chad Johnson

Date	Result	Rec	Yards	TDs
11.12.2006	L, 41-49	11	260	2
11.23.2003	W, 34-27	10	107	3
9.30.2001	L, 14-28	2	28	1

Cedric Benson

Date	Rushes	Yards	TDs
9.9.2007	19	42	0

Bengals lose to Vikings 30-10, but do a great impression of a UFL team in the process.

A Pragmatic Bengals Fan — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 04:36:27 -0000

More photos » by Andy King - AP

Yep, that's about the expression I had on my face most of the afternoon too, Carson. (AP Photo/Andy King)

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I said it weeks ago. Many of us said it. The words were received in some circles and less so in others, arguments were made. There were folk who said that ugly games are the team's bread and butter in 2009, that our defense was good enough to stop any offense in the league. The Kool-Aid was flowing freely in Bengal Nation.

I even took a sip here and there; I even took a healthy swig on a few occasions.

I tried to emphasize three or four weeks ago however that unless the passing game got on track, the Bengals were going to find themselves on the short end of the stick. I was concerned.

I am now alarmingly concerned. Is there any among us who thought today at four o'clock that this team was still going to make a Super Bowl run? I mean is there anyone out there who really seriously thinks that?

DISCLAIMER: I won't be talking much if at all about the defense, because as usual I find myself very satisfied with the way they performed today. Some missed tackles hurt them and they gave up a lot of points at the end of the game when they were physically exhausted. Being on the field for nearly the entire second half will do that to a defense. Jonathan Joseph and Hall played lights out yet again and for the majority of the game the Favres were held largely in check. Consider that my pat on the back for the Bengals today.

The game started pretty well, if by started you mean "Quan Cosby did a good job catching the kickoff." There was a penalty on the kickoff return. Then Dennis Roland promptly false started, sending the team back another five yards.

Before Carson Palmer even had a chance to hand the ball off or pick a receiver to whom to throw, he had walked fifteen yards backward. The team (primarily the offense) gave up yet another near football field's worth of penalty yards. At the conclusion of the first quarter they had more yards in penalties (25) than they had yards on offense (15).

The defense was able to keep up with a Percy Harvin-less Vikings Offense for two quarters. Going into halftime the score was 16-7 after one masterful drive by the Bengals offense drew within three of the Vikings only to give up successive field goals to end the half. The score should have been even closer than that, which typically falls right into the wheelhouse of the 2009 Bengals. Well, it fell into the wheelhouse of the early 2009 Bengals who scored all of their points in the second half. It doesn't suit the latter 2009 Bengals who have gone six straight second halves of games without an offensive touchdown.

I said it weeks ago and I'll say it once more. Something drastic needs to change, or these Bengals will be a one-and-done story in the 2009 NFL Playoffs. Once again, if you watched today's game it's going to be awfully hard for you to argue with that. As a matter of fact, unless the Chicago Bears beat the Baltimore Ravens next week it'll take until week sixteen for our guys to clinch the AFC North. If the team that played today comes out in a similar manner (and how could you expect any different at this point), there's absolutely no way they travel to San Diego next week and return to Cincinnati with a win.

They absolutely need to find a way to put points on the board. It's fantastic that they can run Cedric Benson all over any team. Really, they can. Had they not gotten themselves down by three scores late I'm certain that Benson would have carried once or twice more and gotten his 100 on the Vikings' defense today. As opposed to the 36 carries he took to get to 110 yards last week, he had 96 on 16 carries today for a nice little YPC average of 6. Yes, that 42-yarder helped.

All of that is completely irrelevant however if they can't put the ball into the painted area known as the "end zone." Whereas the Bengals held the ball for sig-ni-fic-ant-ly longer than their opponents the past three weeks, today the Bengals' defense was on the field for five minutes longer than their offense. Boy, did it show. By the end of the game our boys were completely gassed. Do you know what would help that?

More drives like that thing of beauty that happened in the second quarter.

Thing is, I no longer have any modicum of confidence that those drives are likely to happen more than once every game or two. Unless the Bengals can show me something next weekend (which I am loath to anticipate), I don't expect to see any of those Cardiac Cats-type drives in the fourth quarter to win a game for us, folks.

The procedural penalties keep piling up. Seriously, are they getting close to record territory yet? It seems like it's every bit as bad each week as it was the week previous.

There is nobody on the field that Carson Palmer trusts at this point to catch the football or run the correct route but Chad Ochocinco. Therefore he is seeing near-constant double and triple coverage. How bad are the other receivers on the field that they can't get open enough that we're still throwing the ball to Dan Coats? Oh, hey Dan. Good job making a couple of catches today. You made me smile. For a second.

Okay, I think I'm done ranting for now. Maybe I'll finish up later.

The good news? Our favorite football team is 9-4. I fully expect an 11-5 record at the conclusion of week 17, I really do. I'm not so concerned about getting to the playoffs at this point.

This team will make the playoffs for the second time since 1990. You can pretty much take that to the bank. You know what? I'm damn proud of them for that. I really am. For a team to go from 4-11-1 to 9-4 in a year (I can't remember the specifics, but our Bengals matched the greatest turnaround in the history of the NFL this year in regards to record through the first ten or twelve games).

I am very proud to call myself a Bengals fan, for the second time since I was nine years old.

The only problem? It's not enough anymore. I'm not a Bengals homer that is happy with the fact that we'll make an appearance on a football field the second Sunday in January.

I'm concerned because I'm pretty sure at this point that our boys will be able to make their vacation plans after that.

Listen, I could be wrong and I really, really hope that I am. I really do. All I'm saying is that unless some very serious issues (no deep threat other than Ocho who can't stretch the field like he did four years ago, Carson's accuracy and happy feet, pass protection issues, ALL THE FREAKING PENALTIES, etc, etc etc.) are resolved and soon, this is a one-and-done playoff team again.

I should be happy with that, I know. But I'm not.

Be a better team against elite competition next week and prove me wrong, boys. I'm proud of you, but you've got me wanting more. Really it's your fault for looking so good most of the year.

In the words of someone who knows an awful lot more about football than I would ever pretend to know, fix it. Reach down inside and be a ***ing pro.

A Pragmatic Bengals Fan

Vikings Bounce Back Nicely, Cruise to Win Over Bengals

Anthony21 — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:24:44 -0000

More photos » by Andy King - AP

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After last week's debacle, I wrote:

Plenty of problems were exposed tonight, and plenty of challenges have emerged -- now we get to see just how resilient this team is.

Answer: Pretty dang resilient.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Vikings jumped out to a two-score lead over the Bengals by halftime, extended that lead by a touchdown in the third quarter, and iced the game in the fourth quarter. Between missteps by a sloppy Bengals club, an impressive defensive effort headlined by the return of Antoine Winfield, a productive afternoon for Adrian Peterson, and a solid special teams performance, the Vikings looked darn good today.

And of all the factors that lifted the Vikings to a 20-point win over Cincinnati, the defense deserves a huge amount of the credit. One unforgettable scene from today's game: Antoine Winfield dropping what should have been an intercepted pass, and proceeding to do several push-ups between his drop and the next play. Good to have you back, Toine. The man's presence was felt in a big way, as Carson Palmer only managed 94 yards on 25 pass attempts. Chad Ochocinco got into the endzone in the second quarter to bring the Bengals within a field goal, but as far as offensive highlights go, there weren't many for Cincy beyond Ocho's 15-yard score.

Sure, Cedric Benson put up some impressive numbers -- 16 carries for 96 yards -- but nearly half of those yards came on a single carry, and for the most part, the rush defense was solid. All told, the Bengals could only manage 210 yards of total offense, while getting flagged 11 times for 85 yards. The Vikings made their share of unforced errors (nine penalties for 69 yards), but the Purple didn't make any mistakes that were too costly.

On the offensive side, Adrian Peterson rebounded nicely from a rough night in Arizona, finishing the game with a combined 137 yards through the air and on the ground. He also scored twice, including a dive into the endzone for a touchdown in the third quarter that would clinch the victory for the Vikings.

Brett Favre continued to struggle a bit, completing just over 50% of his passes while tossing a touchdown and an interception. The absence of Percy Harvin couldn't have helped matters for Brett, who never targeted his other favorite receivers -- Shank and Rice -- with any sort of consistency this afternoon (though it should be noted that one of Sid's four receptions was a nine-yard touchdown in the first quarter that lifted the Vikings to a 10-0 lead). It was a shame that Brett couldn't get into a rhythm for the second game in a row, but then again, that doesn't matter a whole lot when everything else is going right for the Vikings. And that was the case today.

Jasper Brinkley made three tackles today in relief of E.J. Henderson, but the real story was the emotional lift provided to this defense through the return of Antoine Winfield. After nine tackles and a few push-ups, Antoine had given everyone a reminder -- as if we needed it -- of just how valuable he is to this defense. You would have never guessed this guy had been sidelined for as long as he was, since he didn't miss a beat out there.

By the way, something that will probably go under the radar but deserves mention is the performance from the special teams. Aside from a penalty or two, it was near-perfect. Longwell went 3/3, Cincy averaged three yards per punt return and under 20 yards per kickoff return, and Kluwe was kicking the ball nicely out there. For a group that has sometimes struggled to rebound from a tough 2008 season, the special teams looked good today.

But Antoine Winfield and Adrian Peterson will headline this game, and rightfully so. Winfield was simply tremendous, and Peterson's pair of touchdowns helped him break a single-season team record for rushing touchdowns. This week was about rebounding from a setback, and both of those guys did just that.

Looking Forward to the Bengals

Gonzo — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:56:08 -0000

There have been a couple of interesting developments over the course of the past couple of days leading up to the matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Minnesota Vikings. The first was the revelation from a Cardinals' "insider" the day after the Vikings' 30-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The rumor has been circulating that the Cardinals knew whether the Vikings would be passing or running the football based on the stance of left tackle Bryant McKinnie. If McKinnie put his left foot farther back, the Cardinals anticipated pass. . .if it was farther up, they looked for the run.

While this might have something to do with some of the success the Cardinals had against Minnesota, I still think it's quite a bit of hand-wringing over nothing. Honestly, are we to believe that if there was such an obvious tell from the Vikings' offense, it took professional football coaches until Week 13 of the season to exploit it? I doubt it. . .the Vikings' offense would have been getting overrun since September if that were the case. I think what we saw on Sunday night doesn't have anything to do with stances or anything else. It had to do with the Cardinals putting together their best game of the season, the Vikings playing their worst game of the year, and those two events coinciding on the same Sunday night. Do I think the Vikings would get whipped that badly if they had to face the Cardinals again? Not at all. Arizona still might win the game, mind you, but I don't think they'd dominate the Vikings the way they did on Sunday night. Obviously, I'm a bit biased, and your mileage may vary on such matters, but that's my view of things.

Second, as Anthony pointed out in a FanShot yesterday, Chad Ochocinco is already at it, telling Adam Schefter via Twitter that when he scores against the Vikings. . .and you'll note his usage of the word "when" as opposed to "if". . .he was going to take the horn away from the Vikings' mascot and use it himself.

(Do we tell him that the horn sound that plays after first downs is pre-recorded, or do we just let him look for the horn for about half an hour or so? If. . .not when. . .it happens, mind you.)

The problem with Ochenta y Cinco telling us what's going to happen "when" he scores is a bit of a laugh, given the recent inconsistencies of the Cincinnati offense. Back in Week 7 of the season, the Bengals hosted the Chicago Bears. . .and scored on their first seven offensive possessions (6 touchdowns and a field goal) on their way to a 45-10 victory. Then they went on their bye, which was apparently badly timed. Why? Because in their five games since coming back from their bye week, the Bengals offense has put up the following results:

vs. Baltimore - 17 points
@ Pittsburgh - 18 points (4 FG and a touchdown on a 96-yard kickoff return)
@ Oakland - 17 points (and a loss)
vs. Cleveland - 16 points
vs. Detroit - 23 points

Those last three games were against teams that are in the bottom quarter of the NFL in scoring offense. The Vikings had a few easy games prior to their trip to Arizona, don't get me wrong. . .but they won those games rather convincingly, while Cincy has struggled a little bit.

That's not to say that the Bengals offense doesn't have talent, because it does. In their past three games, they've had three different running backs rush for over 100 yards. . .former Bear Cedric Benson, Chiefs refugee Larry Johnson, and rookie Bernard Scott (he of the 96-yard kickoff return mentioned above). But Carson Palmer has had a bit of trouble finding his rhythm since throwing for five touchdowns in the rout of the Bears, and the Cincinnati offense is only 21st in the NFL in passing in terms of yardage. The Bengals predicate everything they do offensively on their ability to run the football. . .which is good for the Vikings, who have moved up to #3 in the NFL in rush defense after getting off to a slow start earlier in the year.

The Bengals are one of the two teams that has been better against the run than the Vikings have, as they currently sit at #2 in the league in that category, allowing 81.8 yards/game on the ground (Minnesota allows 84.2 ypg). The Vikings really, really got away from the run in their last game against Arizona, and definitely need to get back to it. Domata Peko, the Bengals big run-stopping force, will miss this Sunday's game after having arthroscopic knee surgery, so the Vikings might find the sledding a bit easier, but the Bengals' defense has been fierce all season long, and have currently allowed the fewest points in the National Football League. Getting Adrian Peterson established early, with a nice dose of Chester Taylor thrown in, would certainly make the Vikings' efforts easier. I'd look for a lot of Visanthe Shiancoe in this game as well.

The Bengals game could serve as a tipping point in either direction for the Vikings' season. If they can come out and get a victory over the team that has all but sewn up the AFC North, it can serve to put the Arizona game out of mind and put it down as an isolated bad performance by the Vikings. If they lose, however, it could be the start of a spiral that the Vikings don't want to be on heading into the post-season. It should be an outstanding game in any case, and we'll have more on it as the game approaches.