SB Nation User Blog: Jay McDonnell

Article offers Insight into Lewis and Brown's Relationship

Jay McDonnell — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:15:37 -0000

The Washington Post published an article today on the relationship between Marvin Lewis and Mike Brown. It shows how the decision makers can disagree on how a team wins, but are able to come together to make decisions that has created an calming atmosphere and a winning attitude. If you have problems opening the link, let me know and I will post the entire article here. Enjoy.

Who is to Blame for the Bengals Offensive Struggles?

Jay McDonnell — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:29:50 -0000

The Cincinnati Bengals offense is considered by many to have the ability to explode for mass amounts of points at any given time. The teams' offensive weapons may have gone through some changes since lighting up NFL defenses during the 2005 playoff run with the departure of T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Rudi Johnson and the addition of Cedric Benson and Laveranues Coles. So why has the offense struggled to put up points at a rate that causes us fans to have angina?

The Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski came to Cincinnati in 2001 on the heels of leading the Seattle Seahawks offense to the third spot overall in 1997. The expectation of a high powered offense followed him and he provided that in 2005 when the Bengals finished 6^th overall. He did it by keeping the defenses off balance with imaginative play calling and not hesitating throwing the deep ball. His play calling has now come under fire from those who feel he has become predictable with a game plan that is stale and unimaginative. Against the Oakland Raiders, it would appear that he supported this theory with a pattern of conservativeness in the second half with a run on first and second down and then throwing a short pass on third down philosophy. This may be due to the confidence in the defense's ability to stop the opposition on a regular basis over the past several weeks, expecting a 14-7 lead to hold up. But this game became of tale of two halves with the Bengals dominating the first half and the Raiders dominating the second half.

So when you have the likes of Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, emerging rookie running back Bernard Scott and an offensive line that has been opening holes and protecting Palmer in a manner not seen since 2005, is it really all Bratkowski's fault for the offensive struggles? Should there not be some blame placed on the players for not executing the play called to the level it was designed? When a receiver fails to catch a pass that hits him in his hands, is that Bratkowski's fault? When the fullback fails to make a lead block on a linebacker or pick up a blitzing safety, is that Brakowski's fault? When Carson is sacked by only four rushing linemen, is that Bratkowski's fault?

When a play is called, a certain level of execution is expected from the coach who calls it. Each player is expected to perform a certain task during the execution of that play, whether it is making a block or running a certain route, in order for it to be successful. If the play is not executed as expected, the ability for the offense to progress is impaired. These plays are derived from a game plan that is based on the perceived weakness of the opposition. The Raiders for instance had one of the worst running defenses in the league, so the tendency is to call plays to expose this weakness with the expectation of making significant gains. But the failure for the offensive line to open holes for Scott to dash through helped the team's demise against the Raiders. Scott may have gained 119 yards on 21 carries, but that is a skewed by a 61 yard gain on one play. Subtract that play; it becomes 58 yards rushing on 20 carries for a 2.9 yard average. You can then make the argument that the offensive line did not execute the running plays properly.

Another aspect of the Bengals loss was they lost the turnover battle, which is a key indicator as to why underdogs such as the Raiders pull off the upset. Coaches preach every day that protection of the ball is a must and turnovers are not acceptable. When a play is called, the belief that the proper protection will be in effect to ensure that a loss of the football will not occur. But there are players that like to carry the ball as if it were a loaf of bread not wanting to smash it. So when the defense places the hit, the ball will squirt out and bound around with bodies flying all around it in hopes of landing on it. Another factor in this is the quarterback's decision making. An interception usually occurs when the QB decides to throw into double or triple coverage. So is this the fault of Bratkowski's play calling? I tend to think that this may fall on the player's ability of protecting the ball.

Defenses that face the Bengals know that they have a big play capability and look to take that away. By taking away the deep threat, this in turn leads to a short pass that may come up a few yards short of first down or the end zone. The play may have originally been designed to go much farther but the defense may have been able to make the correct adjustment preventing Palmer from going down field. He has acknowledged on a number occasions that the offensive struggles are also due to taking what the defense is giving.

So are the offensive struggles solely Bratkowski's fault? Should the players not take some of the brunt of criticism for not executing the play or failing to protect the ball properly? I am not saying Bratkowski's play calling is flawless as he should use a little imagination and creativity in certain situations to help keep the defenses off balance. He has the weapons as his disposal and he should try and use them to their utmost abilities.

Bratkowski was considered an offensive guru that was creative and imaginative in his play calling abilities. Since coming to the Bengals, the offense he guides puts fear in opposing defensive coordinators. They have to game plan around not just one or two weapons, but several that cause confusion as to what the defense should do. But when the players don't execute or mistakes are made, this can cause the offense to look anemic and ineffective. The obvious choice for the finger pointing is Bratkowski; but maybe that "fickle finger of fate" should be pointed in the direction of the players themselves who wound up ineffectively executing the play called or committing a drive killing mistake. If Bratkowski and the players make the commitment in correcting these concerns, the offense will score points at a clip that will cause the scoreboard to say "tilt".

Oh, and one more thing. After you chew me up and spit me out like turkey bones, my wife and I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Are the Bengals Super Bowl Contenders?

Jay McDonnell — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:44:01 -0000

Now hang on before you completely beat me to a bloody pulp questioning what kind of moron I am. I know and understand that it is week 10 of the season with 7 more games to go against some formidable opponents. Anything can happen, from a sudden rash of injuries to complacency. But there is aura in the air for us Bengals fans that can be as contagious as the Swine Flu. My wife, who knows football so well half of the men in her office won't hesitate to talk the game with her, proclaimed that if the Bengals beat the Steelers, "they are going to the Super Bowl!" Yes, that is a direct quote.

Now I don't want to start any unnecessary Super Bowl hype for the Bengals, but having swept the teams considered contenders for the division title, a certain level of expectation may be placed on this accomplishment. My wife and I both know that there are still seven games yet to be played and anything can happen to include a meltdown that might leave them out of the playoffs. Given past history of ineptitude, why should anyone even consider the Bengals a contender when they play in the same conference as the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots, who are considered the class of the league? But let's take last season for instance. Perennial NFL laughing stock Arizona Cardinals, a franchise considered by many the worst in Pro Sports history, not only won their division for the first time since forever, showed that even perennial losers can have a streak of good luck and get to the Super Bowl. As a team, there may have been areas of concern; they still made the title game and nearly won it.

Each year, the prognosticators and supposed experts say defense wins championships. And every year this theory is proven as the team playing good defense during the season goes on to play in the Super Bowl. There is no reason not to expect the same from this season's Super Bowl participants. This year's Bengals defense is probably the best that has been fielded since the Marvin Lewis era began. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, carrying a heavy heart with the sudden passing of his wife a few weeks ago, has the defense playing the best we have seen in a number of years as it is currently ranked 10^th in total defense. More importantly, the defense is second in scoring defense allowing 16.3 points per game. The Bengals rushing defense is also ranked 2^nd giving up 83.4 yards per game, making opposing offenses one dimensional giving the defense the ability pin their ears back and go after the quarterback. This has led to 25 sacks so far this season, placing them 4^th overall. Last season, the defense finished the season with a total of 17 sacks placing them near the bottom of the pack. Some may say the defense has rallied around Zim's tragedy; I say that is true and they are responding to just plain good coaching.

A number of nay sayers will point to the offensive struggles at scoring. The 2000 Baltimore Ravens had a five game streak which the offense failed to score a touchdown but went on to win their only Super Bowl appearance. The Bengals currently has one. In each of this seasons win, a different part of the Bengals team contributed with either an interception return for a touchdown or a kickoff return to help propel them to victory. Both of these instances occurred in a game against the defending Super Bowl Champion. Jonathon Joseph's 30 yard INT return help provide a spark to the Bengals by cutting the deficit from 13-3 to 13-9. The kickoff return for touchdown by Bernard Scott in the rematch helped provide the Bengals with the six point difference of the game. Without these touchdowns, an argument can be made that the Bengals would not be 7-2. One can say that the entire team is contributing and doing what it takes to win.

Seeding can also play a factor as to whether a team lands in the Super Bowl. If both the Colts and Bengals continue their winning ways, the Bengals would grab the second seed behind the Colts, securing a bye week at the start of the playoffs and hosting at least one playoff game. Peyton Manning has a reputation of struggling in the playoffs with only one Super Bowl appearance (and victory) in his 9 playoff appearances. His record is less then stellar at 7-8 with an 84.6 passer rating. So the possibility exists that the Colts could get eliminated early possibly setting up the AFC Championship in Cincy. But the other part of this equation is the New England Patriots. They have a reputation of rallying behind Bill Belichick when things get rough and making stunning runs through the playoffs. They have a quarterback in Tom Brady that set a record of 12 straight playoff wins at the start of career and is 14-2 in his playoff career. If they clinch the 3 seed, this could be the team they could face in the first playoff game.

It is obvious that the remaining schedule looks favorable for the Bengals to finish with their best record in franchise history. There are only two teams with winning records remaining on their schedule in the Minnesota Vikings and San Diego Chargers, and both are on the road. With the Bengals victory at Pittsburgh last week, they set a team record 5 straight road victories dating back to last season. The games against the Vikes and Bolts may not look good on paper, but the Bengals have done nothing short of surprising those who have doubted them all season.

Marvin Lewis has called this team a group of misfits and outcasts and it seems they are using this as a battle cry. He has them believing in themselves and thinking that they can achieve goals being placed in front of them. Although many people think what the Bengals are doing is a nice story, we believe that it can only get better when they contend for an appearance in the Super Bowl.

With the Bengals Flexing Their Muscle; Will NBC Flex Their Schedule?

Jay McDonnell — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:24:04 -0000

When the prime time football schedule was released months ago, it was easy to expect not to see the Bengals a part of it. With the season they had last year, why should NBC, ESPN and the NFL Network reward a team with only 4 wins by putting them on the schedule? Oh, wait; the Browns got 2 games on prime time this year with just 4 wins from last season. Oh, well. I wonder if ESPN and the NFL Network wish they could flex their schedule.

This season has been far different from last season. The Bengals have already won more games this season, which is not yet half over, then they did all of last year. Plus, those wins put them in the middle of the AFC North Division title race with the defending Super Bowl Chumps, I mean Champs Pittsburgh Steelers. The majority of those wins have had the kind of ending the networks love; close, hotly contested with a last minute scoring drive to win the game. This was all unexpected from a team that was unable to score points or keep the opposition from doing so.

When NBC re-signed with the NFL to show Sunday night prime time games, they agreed to do a flex schedule starting week 11 to provide the best possible match-up for primetime including those with playoff implication. With the Bengals playing at such a high level and playoff aspirations in hand, could one or more of their late season games get moved to primetime?

Of course that will depend on how they do over the next two games against divisional rivals Baltimore Ravens and the Steelers. If they do in fact do what is considered by many to be impossible, and the Bengals sweep them both, it will be a given that at least one game will get moved to primetime regardless what they do against the dysfunctional Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions. All three of these games should be considered winnable. But so was the Houston Texans and we know what happened there.

So now, if things go well and the Bengals don't do a sudden swan dive which has been a part of the franchises modes operandi, a game could be moved to primetime. But which game is most likely to be changed?

The first game that comes to mind is in week 14 against the Brett Farve lead Minnesota Vikings. Everybody, okay, the media, loves what Brett has been doing since un-retiring to play for the Vikings. He has defeated his old team, the Green Bay Packers twice and has the Twin Cities thinking Super Bowl with a current record of 7-1. With a favorable schedule as three of the next four games are at home and the only road game against the Arizona Cardinals, the Vikings could be coming into this game with a possible record of 10-2 or 11-1. If the Bengals do as expected, they could be coming into this game with a record of 9-3 or better at 10-2 making this game very attractive to NBC.

The next possible game that could be flexed is the following week against the San Diego Chargers in San Diego. But the problem with this team is they are not meeting expectations. Many prognosticators had the Chargers landing in the Super Bowl due to their high powered offense and supposed tough defense. Currently at 4-3, they have had a number of games that left you wondering just how good they are. The schedule leading up to the game is not easy as they face the powers of the NFC East and the Broncos. The other part of the equation is the Chargers head coach Norv Turner, who has more pedigree as an offensive coordinator then as a head coach. His teams have a reputation of not living up to the hype or falling over their feet after a good start and missing the playoffs. Unless this team is an aberration, they could be coming into this game with a record at best of 6-7 pending an upset or two against some tough foes.

Week 17 of the schedule is left wide open for NBC to choose the best possible matchup that will have direct impact on the playoffs. That is when the Bengals take a trip to New York against the J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets! This game initially looked good on paper after the first 3 weeks of the season as the Jets start 3-0. Now the Jets have fallen once again into a rut which he team is known for, that could leave them out of the playoffs again making this game less appealing. Rex Ryan came over from Baltimore to improve a team that Eric Mangini had left in a bit of a mess. With the drafting of Mark Sanchez and the fast start, Ryan looked like a genius. Now they have lost 4 of the last 5 with a schedule that does not look favorable as they have games against the Patriots in New England, the Falcons at home and travel to Indy to face the Colts. Games against Carolina, Jacksonville and the Buffalo Bills could go either way as no one really knows which team will show up. The game against the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay should be the most winnable game on the remaining schedule, but knowing the Jets, should not be taken lightly.

There will be a number of factors that go into NBC's selection for their impending flex schedule. They will take into consideration what game most people will want to watch along with how much of an impact it will have on the standings heading into the playoffs. If the Chargers and Jets get things together for a late season run, those games could play into the decision for their respective weeks. But if they fail to prove their worth, expect the game against the Vikings to be the only game selected for the flex schedule and the Bengals token appearance on prime time.

The Bengals Played a Perfect Game

Jay McDonnell — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:26:35 -0000

The Bengals had a rough drive to win 4 of the first 5 games this season, each time falling behind the opposition because of an interception being returned for a touchdown or numerous penalties that helped kill a drive or keep the oppositions alive, or see players that are expected to catch the ball suddenly forget how to catch it as it sails through their hands (Coles earlier this season, Coats to the present). After these problems, the Bengals somehow overcame these mistakes and found a way to win the game. Each win, not pretty or even remotely perfect, they were wins.

But something happened after the loss to the Texans. After the self acknowledged letdown, the Bengals found something that had been non-existent since 2005. They found a defense that was able to create turnovers and an offense that not only took advantage of them, but showed they have that big play ability while driving down field. The Bengals first offensive play of the game after receiving the opening kickoff went 19 yards and they never let up after that. Carson Palmer could not miss as he finished 20-24 for 233 yards and 5 touchdowns; Cedric Benson could not be stopped finishing with 189 yards and one touchdown; and the defense making self-proclaimed "I can throw farther than John Elway" Jay Cutler look like he should go back to camp and relearn the position.

Coming into the season, the offensive line was considered a question mark if the Bengals were to succeed. Against a Bears defense that was 6^th against the run, they opened holes so big that freight trains could steam through. Benson was that train making his former team look silly running through, around and over the much heralded defense. Late in the game, there was some speculation as to why he was still in the game when it was decided after the 3^rd quarter. I speculate they wanted to get Benson to hang a 200 yards rushing spot on the Bears despite the reported injuries to Bernard Scott and Jeremy Johnson. I might believe Johnson being dinged up, but I am not buying the Scott story yet.

That wasn't the only thing the offensive line did. They were not only able to prevent Carson from being sacked, they gave him the necessary time to allow Palmer to pick apart a pass defense ranked 14^th in the league coming into the game. All Carson had to do is drop back, look over the field, take out the picnic basket, open the bottle of wine, spread the table cloth, and throw to his favorite receiver, Chad Ochocinco who finished with 10 catches for 118 yards and 2 TD's. Not only did he hit Chad for two TD's, he spread the ball around to Laveranues Coles, Chris Henry, and J.P. Foschi for a touchdown each, ensuring every eligible receiver was involved.

One of the biggest problems the Bengals have had a hard time overcoming this season was inopportune penalties. Invariably, they would commit a penalty of some sort after getting a successful play only to have it called back. Or there would a defensive penalty that would occur after making an important stop allowing the opposition to continue their drive. In other words, if the situation was dire, a penalty would be committed only to make things more difficult. But not against the Bears as they only committed 3 penalties the entire game with little or no impact on either side of the ball.

One of my concerns when the Bengals had built the large 31-3 halftime lead would be whether or not they could keep it. I don't know how many times over the years they had a large insurmountable lead, or so we thought, only to see it whittled away and eventually lose the game. The game that quickly comes to mind is in 2006 against the San Diego Chargers when the Bengals had built up a 28-7 halftime lead only to see the Chargers score 42 second half points enroute to winning 49-41. That was my fear Sunday, but I was relieved to see that this season's defense is not the same as the 2006 defense.

The Bengals finally showed that they can dominate a game, which a number of critics felt was the reason why no one should believe the Bengals and their record. Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post and Pardon the Interruption publishes his picks each week in the Washington Post with a few comments supporting his picks. In those comments, he has called the Bengals the Bungels (original) and even stated for those who "were starting to like the Bengals; don't". He has never had a kind word about the Bengals and showed how much of a homer he is picking the Chicago Bears to beat the Bengals by 3. My wife and I read his column and watch PTI and have yet to hear him eat some crow after his team laid a lead balloon. Even Jay Mariotti of the Chicago Sun-Times and Around the Horn even called the Bengals "frauds" just a couple of weeks ago. We wonder what he thinks now after his beloved Bears were embarrassed looking more like a Koala bear then a grizzly. I highly doubt they will own up to their statements now.

This season is looking like it could be memorable. An unexpected 5-2 record heading into the bye week has us fans feeling great and actually walking around with a bounce in our step with other fans finally giving deserved respect. But coming out of the break, the Bengals will face the Ravens and Steelers that will have something to prove after losing to the Bengals earlier this season. It is going to get tough and how the Bengals respond will tell everyone just how far this team will go the rest of the season. A couple more perfect games against Ravens and Steelers would be just what the doctor ordered and build the confidence needed to make a run through the playoffs.

The Bengals Had a Letdown - Now They Must Get Up for da’ Bears

Jay McDonnell — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:09:53 -0000

Coming into the game last week against the Houston Texans, the thought of a letdown was at the forefront of my mind because of the grind they had just endured - winning four straight games against some of the top teams in the league. One aspect of the game is emotion, and the level of emotion the Bengals held during that win streak even left us fans emotionally drained.

The Cardiac Cats nickname seems to be taking hold as some of the media is using it to describe the late game comebacks. During the loss last week to the Texans as Carson Palmer was in late game attack mode working his magic driving the offense, play-by-play announcer Don Criquie couldn't help himself repeating it on a number of occasions. But right after Carson tried to force the ball between two defenders only to have it intercepted...the Cardiac Cats nickname may have taken a hit.

I noticed a trend lately that one could question Carson's decision making during a game. It seems on a number of occasions he has tried to force the ball through double, even triple coverage only to see the opposition catch the ball. And at times, it has cost the team the game, hence this past week. Don't get me wrong, Carson is a heck of a quarterback, but his current touchdown to interception ratio is something that would place other QB's into the back-up role. There may be any number of reasons this stat is not better, but I think it comes down coaching.

The defense probably showed the biggest letdown as they were able to consistently make important stops during the winning streak keeping games close, allowing the offense to make the late game charge to win it. Against the Texans, the only time the defense made consistent stops seemed to be late in the first half allowing the Bengals to take a shaky 17-14 lead. In the second half, they seemed unable to stop the Texans at any time allowing Matt Schaub to finish the game with nearly 400 yards passing for the day and the offense to amass 472 total yards, the most given up by the Bengals defense so far this season.

Now here come the Chicago Bears who just came off of a tough loss to the Atlanta Falcons this past Sunday. Although not the offensive juggernaut that the Texans are, they are averaging more points per game then the Bengals at 23.8 a game versus 19.7. The Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, is on pace to set the team record for touchdowns with 10 TD passes already. But he too is prone to the interception with 7 so far including 3 in the red zone, where his passer rating is 59.4.

The Bears defense is minus its star in Brian Urlacher who suffered a season ending injury in week 1 against the Green Bay Packers. How much of an impact his absence has made may not truly be felt as the Bears defense is currently 13^th overall in total yards, 6^th against the run and 14^th against the pass. Coming off the loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and facing a former teammate, da' Bears may be looking to reestablish themselves as a viable threat to the Minnesota Vikings strangle hold on the NFC North division. Plus facing Cedric Benson, who has stated he felt "blackballed" by the Bears, could add more motivation.

Prior to the game against the Texans, the Bengals were starting to garner the respect of everyone as a threat to knock-off the Pittsburgh Steelers as defending division title winner. After the loss to a team they were expected to defeat, the threat is now being rethought of by many who may start the chant again that the Bengals are a fraud which briefly occurred prior beating the Baltimore Ravens. But a victory against da' Bears could squelch this belief and bring back the respectability they had built up during the four game winning streak. In order for that to happen, the Bengals will have to get over the mental letdown from last week, figure out a way to make Jay Cutler's life miserable in the pocket and keep Devin Hester from doing the same thing that Josh Cribbs does for the Cleveland Browns.

The Bengals had a letdown last week and suffered a loss against a team they should have beaten. Now they have to get their moxie back as they face a foe that is looking to gain some respect themselves and maybe a token of revenge as well.

Is a 3-1 Record an Indicator of Good Things to come?

Jay McDonnell — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:43:14 -0000

The Cincinnati Bengals have hit the quarter season post with a record that many prognosticators didn't see coming. At 3-1, the Bengals have placed themselves in a tie, thanks to the Baltimore Ravens losing to New England, with the Ravens for the division lead. That leaves the game next week in Baltimore looking even larger than expected.

Through the years, the Bengals have started slow out of the gates and then finished with a flurry after their fate had been decided, usually winning the final 3 or 4 games of the season to gain some respectability. On a rare occasion, including this year, the Bengals have started out fast causing everyone to stand up and take notice. But how do they fare as the grind of the season continues? Do they carry the momentum from the quick start through the season, or do they falter and find themselves working on their golf game and planning their vacations in early January?

The more recent 3-1 start for the Bengals was the 2006 season. After setting the world on fire by winning the division and making the playoffs for the first time in 15 years the year before, they started out to meet the expectations to repeat as division champs and make the playoffs for the second consecutive year, which has never happened in franchise history. After winning the first 3 game of the season, they lost to New England in a Sunday night game, which sent them stumbling through the rest of way winning only 5 of the remaining 12 games finishing 8-8. However, injuries to several key people could be a contributor to the Bengals season falling short of expectations.

The 2005 season saw the fast start propel the team to good things. The Bengals won the first 4 games of the season before losing in week 5 to the Jaguars in Jacksonville. But that loss had no effect on the team as they continued on to an 11-5 record and the franchise's first division title since 1990. With two weeks to go in the season and the division title in hand with an 11-3 record, the Bengals decided to rest their starters for the final two games. This decision resulted in consecutive losses to end the regular season, preventing them from finishing with a franchise best 13-3 record. Of course we know the outcome of the playoff game so I won't go into that expect to say that over the past few years since that game, I have talked to a number of Pittsburgh Steeler fans who admitted to me that had Carson not gone down with the injury, the Bengals would have won the game. I digress.

Prior to the 2005 division championship, 1990 was the last time the Bengals started the season 3-1 or better winning the first three games of the season before losing to the Seattle Seahawks in week 4. The Bengals then cruised for the rest of the year to finish 9-7 and division title. They went on to win the Wild Card game against the Houston Oilers 41-14 but lost to the Los Angeles Raiders (when they were good) 20-10.

After suffering the franchises second loss in the Super Bowl to the San Francisco 49er's, the 1989 season had a belief that a fast start would be just what was needed to get the Bengals back to the Promised Land. After losing the first game of the 1989 season, they won the next 4 games to post a 4-1 record before losing the next two and then sputtering to a disappointing 8-8 record. This record is not indicative of how potent the offense was as they outscored the opposition 404-285. The Boomer Esiason lead offense scored 40 or more points 4 times that year including a 61-7 beating of the Houston Oilers. Despite the high powered offense, the defense was unable to keep the opposition from squeaking out victories against them preventing the Bengals from making the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

The 1988 season started off with the Bengals winning the first 6 games of the season before losing to New England in week seven. They went on to win the 6 of the final 9 games to finish 12-4, completing one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history after suffering through a 4-11 season in 1987. The fast start not only propelled them to a division title, but after beating Seattle and the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs, they made their second appearance in the Super Bowl against the 49'ers.

The 1981 season was the first year the loved/hated Bengals stripes were introduced on the uniform. You could draw the conclusion that the new uniforms could have provided the inspiration for the team that finished 6-10 the season before. The first four games of the season the Bengals started out 3-1 with team going on to win 9 of the next 12 games winning the division title. But unlike the other playoff appearances in the 1970's, this team led by Ken Anderson made the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance beating Buffalo and then the Dan Fouts led San Diego Chargers in what is considered the freezer bowl. Temperatures' were measured at -9 degrees with a wind chill factor of -59!!! I was in Columbus (my hometown) at the time, and that is when I grew a hatred for cold weather.

The 70's provided a number of seasons when the Bengals started fast either at 3-1 or 4-0 for the first 4 games, 1971 and 1973-76. Only twice did the Bengals make the playoffs which were the 1973 and 1975 seasons after finishing with a 10-4 record. The 1976 season produced a 10-4 record as well but the Bengals lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the division title due to a tie breaker and did not qualify for a wild card spot (there was only one at that time) as New England finished with an 11-3 record finishing ahead of the Bengals for that spot. After the fast start for the 1971 season, the team finished a disappointing 7-7.

So what does all this mean? Fast starts usually propel the Bengals into the playoffs, and on a couple of occasions, to the Super Bowl. Only two seasons since 1980 did the Bengals start fast and then not make the playoffs. Both of those seasons they started hot and faded down the road. The 2006 season was looking like a playoff repeat of 2005 as they carried an 8-5 record heading into the last three games of the year, which they lost due to injuries to key players. In 1989 after starting 4-1, the Bengals fell to 5-5 after week 10 and then split the final 6 games of the season at 3-3.

So what will this season's outcome be? Since the franchise has been around, they have never finished below .500 after making a fast start. Most of the fast starts have resulted in the Bengals qualifying for the playoffs at a minimum, and on occasion, landing in the Super Bowl. Couple the fast start with a favorable schedule, this could be a season that has been duplicated only twice in the 40 year existence of our beloved Bengals.

Bengals got Punched; and then Punched Back

Jay McDonnell — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:29:14 -0000

Rob Oller of the Columbus Dispatch finished up an article on Friday stating that if the Bengals want to "shed the image of being an organization that botches draft picks and trades is to trade body blows with Pittsburgh and come away bloodied but not bullied. It is decision time -- gulp -- in Cincinnati. Will the Bengals punch back?" After the heart stopping, nerve wrecking finish this past weekend against Pittsburgh, I think we can all say the Bengals Punched Back.

The Steelers threw the first punch jumping out to a 13-0 lead and holding the Bengals offense to -10 total yards for the first quarter. That kind of a blow would have been a knockout punch most teams, including the Bengals of recent past. But the Bengals never quit. Usually when the Bengals fall behind as they did, I have a tendency to toss in the towel. My wife and I have grown accustom to them falling behind early in the game and then falling even further behind by the end of the third quarter, becoming so disgusted that we had to change to another game. But we didn’t. We decided to stick with the game and see if the Bengals can counter punch.

Hope was kept alive with the interception return by Jonathon Joseph that brought the score closer at 13-9. But all hope was nearly dashed when the Steelers drove down and scored again to increase their lead to 20-9, with that,my wife and I felt the knockout punch had finally been delivered and the game was lost. I guess we were glutens for some more punishment to continue watching the Steelers continued domination of the Bengals in Paul Brown Stadium as we stuck with it. Something just felt right that the Bengals were going to do something that usually happens to them.

To start the 4^th quarter, Cedric Benson scored on a terrific 23 yard touchdown run around the end bringing the score to 20-15. I think the decision was correct on going for two, but I think a more creative play may have ended in a different result. But no matter, the Bengals had delivered a counter blow that seemed to rock the Steelers as momentum was wrestled away from the visitors and in the hands of the home team.

When the Bengals got the ball back with around 5 minutes to play, I screamed at the TV (I know, like they heard me) "score and don’t give them any time left". As the Bengals drove the field, I noticed that the team felt confident with the belief of something good was going to happen. Carson Palmer never got flustered and looked comfortable and poised, slicing the Steeler defense like he was carving a thanksgiving turkey.

But then they had to convert the first of two 4^th down plays. That is when the nerves started to kick in, my wife and I held our breath and we squinted when Carson dropped back to pass only to deliver a strike to Laveranues Coles converting the first down. Then things got really anxious as Carson spiked the ball on the ensuing play and threw two more incomplete passes to force 4^th down again, but this time it was 10 yards instead of the 2.

Step in Brian Leonard with a cape on his back and a big "S" on his chest, someone who I felt would not make the team, making the game saving catch and run, leaping across the 5 yard line to make the 1^st down conversion. Had the play not been converted, I am sure the play would have been heavily criticized because why throw a pass three yard short of the first down marker when you need 10 yards to convert. Since the conversion was made, anyone have any criticism to convey? Not from this writer.

With the history of the Bengals bungling a play to lose the game, my wife and I were fully expecting something to happen that will crush all of our hearts, as always. I expected the passes to be deflected or dropped, Palmer sacked, or an offensive penalty, making things as difficult as possible to win the game. With as much disappointment we have suffered through over the decades, this kind of expectation is sure to surface.

After Leonard made the catch to save the game, the sight of Andrew Caldwell standing in the end zone spiking the ball after making the catch just sent me and my wife into a delirious joy not felt in some time. When watching the replay from the end zone angle, I noticed Carson eyes were focused only on Caldwell and there was nothing going to stop him from sticking that pass into Andre’s chest.

This game should go down, if not in the Marvin Lewis era, but in team history, as one of best ever. I know Josh conducted a survey recently as to what game we thought was the best ever. But if this game had been played prior to the survey, it would have ranked at or near the top.

The Bengals showed a resilience not seen in some time, taking punch after punch from the Steelers. The confidence gained from this performance could propel this team to a height not experienced in some time. The team that is still learning to play together after only three games as the roster was renovated in the off season. This just maybe what the team needed to believe in itself that they can overcome adversity against anybody. The Bengals may have been bloodied in this slugfest with the defending Super Bowl champions, but they were not bullied. The Bengals had punched back!

Is Carson’s Struggles really the Bengals Offensive Line Fault?

Jay McDonnell — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:18:37 -0000

Shortly after the fluky loss to the Bronco's on a tipped pass that should have fallen to the ground harmlessly, stats came out showing Carson Palmers record not as good as once thought. Yes, the offense has struggled mightily and offensive line has taken the brunt of the criticism. But is this the true cause to the problem? Besides the injuries to such players such as Willie Anderson and Levi Jones over the past few years, I think another position that should come under fire is the quarterback coach. Since the QB backup/coach Jon Kitna left in 2006, Carson's numbers has steadily declined in one category or another.

The 2005 season set the standard for not only the Bengals, but for Carson himself. Since Kitna's departure after that season, Carson's record has been less than stellar at 15-22. In 2006, Palmer was sacked 36 times which was nearly twice as many from the 2005 season. Is this solely the fault of the offensive line, or could some of sacks been avoided with proper coaching? In 2007, he threw 26 touchdowns but threw a career high 20 interceptions with a passer rating of 86.7, far below the 2005 best 101.1. Last season, cut short by his elbow injury, he had 3 touchdowns with 4 interceptions after only 4 games, putting him on pace to finish with a career low 12 touchdowns and 16 interceptions and just over 2900 yards passing. These are not the stats we have come to know from Carson.

During this time frame, the defense has been known to be rather ineffective, giving up large leads and not doing what it takes to finish a winnable game. When Carson took over the offense, they quickly established themselves being able to overcome whatever situation the defense presented, whether it was a long field or an early 2 TD deficit. But since Kitna's departure, those situations have recently presented challenges the Bengals don't seem comfortable with.

Ken Zampese has done a good job getting the most out of Carson. Heck, he is every got pedigree being the son of Ernie Zampese, QB coach extraordinaire. But he does not have the instincts or tangibles that Kitna brings. Most notably, Kitna knows Bob Bratkowski offense better then Bratkowski himself. When Kitna was here, he would meet Carson first after a touchdown or an exchange of possession, either to congratulate him on a good play or to correct an error from the pervious play. Whenever the camera showed one on the sideline, the other was right there looking over the images of the previous plays or they were discussing what maybe more effective on the upcoming series. And even off field, they had built a chemistry that has not been seen since the departure.

Kitna left the Bengals because he felt he still could be a starter and landed squarely in purgatory, Detroit. He had some good games and of course he had his bad. Now he is with the Dallas Cowboys backing up Tony Romo, a situation I am sure he does not desire. Unless Romo suffers another injury, playing time will not be to Kitna's liking. If he still desires to be a starter, his current diminished role as backup and recent struggles in Detroit may make it difficult for a team to consider him a starter next season. So to stay active in football, I believe his talents can be better used in Cincinnati coaching his favorite pupil and our favorite quarterback.

Bengals Back-up Running Back Competition Heating Up

Jay McDonnell — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:32:02 -0000

I wrote an article a few weeks ago concerning the running back competition stating that the top two, Cedric Benson and Kenny Watson were set unless something unexpected happen. Well it did with the surprising release of Watson earlier this preseason leaving the backup spot wide open to the survivors. With one preseason game left, that spot does not look too be settled with 4 players looking to fill two to three spots.

The current depth chart shows Brian Leonard in the second spot with DeDe Dorsey third behind Benson. James Johnson and Bernard Scott are currently looking to knock both out of those spots. Currently, Scott has had a better preseason then everyone leading the team in rushing at 90 yards on 19 attempts averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Scott also has one catch for 12 yards. He has shown good speed to the outside and not afraid to stick his nose into the line. Dorsey, however, is just 3 yards behind Scott with 87 yards rushing on only 11 attempts but carries a whopping 7.9 yards per carry average including a 45 yard run. He has breakaway speed to the outside which should be a good compliment to Benson's inside running ability. His current yards per carry average are in line with his career average of 8.7 yards per carry.

Leonard, listed second on the depth chart, has a total of 50 yards rushing on 17 carries equaling a 2.9 yard average, lowest on the team. But unlike the other running backs, he has a touchdown. Leonard is known more for being able to catch the ball coming out of the back field for which he has 2 this preseason for 35 yards, equating to a 17.5 yard average per catch. However, one of his catches went for 25 yards which maybe inflating this stat. Johnson has not been fairing much better as he has 47 rushing yards on 12 attempts for a 3.9 yard average.

So where does this leave the Bengals running back situation? Thursday is the day that will determine who will be left standing. I am sure all will see a good amount of playing time as the coaches try to determine who will follow Benson. A dropped pass here, or a fumble there could spell the end of someone's career with the Bengals. So here is how I see it playing out.

If the Bengals decide to carry 3 running backs the ones who should, and I said should, be left standing are DeDe Dorsey and Bernard Scott. Both have shown speed that could lead to potential problems for defenses whether coming out of the back field to catch a pass or running the sweep. Now if the Bengals are solely looking to keep someone who can catch the ball out of the backfield and block, then expect to see Leonard take Dorsey's spot as Scott is younger and probably a little cheaper, which I feel would be a mistake since Leonard doesn't appear to have the speed necessary for additional yardage when taking the hand off. If the Bengals decide to carry 4 running backs, I would fully expect them to keep Leonard. Unfortunately, Johnson is the odd man out in both scenarios.

As you may see, the game against the Indianapolis Colts tomorrow will have big implications on the running back position. No one really knows what the coaching staff is thinking concerning roster spots and how many they may carry for the season at that position. If any of those vying for a spot as a running back think they have solidified their spot, Saturday will be the day to verify that feeling.