Archive for June, 2010

Jason Cole of Yahoo!Sports ranks the NFL’s defensive line groups and the Bengals are at No. 12. His most interesting comments revolve around younger players Michael Johnson and Carlos Dunlap, two talented players whose work ethics or off-the-field behaviors pushed them down draft boards. “Perhaps no team in the league has collected more diamonds in the rough than Cincy, nabbing Michael Johnson last year and Carlos Dunlap(notes) this year. Those guys are good enough to force themselves into the lineup quickly, yet also so lacking in work ethic that they could end up out of the league in two years.” [...]

Maybe Vic Carucci wasn’t off the mark after all. Carucci wrote a story a few days ago and noted that the Bengals had some “questions at running back.” Either he knew about Cedric Benson’s issues or his incorrect assessment just added some weight. According to the Austin American Statesman, Benson was arrested and charged with assault for an incident last month. Here’s an exerpt from the article, written by Tony Plohetski and Kevin Robbins. “The affidavit said the May 30 incident began at 1:50 a.m. when a fight began between Benson and an unknown person inside the bar. Club staff [...]

Matt Williamson of ScoutsInc. takes a look at linebacking groups and once again the Bengals fall under the microscope. This, of course, is the same group that NFL.com’s Vic Carrucci believes is facing some questions. Williams, however, has a rather rosy outlook of the group. “I am predicting a huge year from the Bengals’ linebackers. Although Rey Maualuga should someday take over the middle linebacker spot, the threesome of Maualuga on the strong side, Keith Rivers on the weak side and Dhani Jones in the middle looks pretty set going into training camp. It is an excellent blend of youth, [...]

I usually try to give the so-called NFL experts a break. Sometimes. But Vic Carucci totally missed the mark in his early picks for the division winners. Carucci picked the Baltimore Ravens to win the AFC North and I can understand that. The Ravens did win a playoff game last season and have improved themselves in the offseason. But Carucci’s take on the Bengals – at least part of it - are about as accurate as a Ben Roethlisberger bar pee at last call (Yup, I really just wrote that. Wow.). Here’s the part that makes sense to me: “The Cincinnati [...]

Matt Williamson of ScoutsInc. takes a look at some cornerbacks and writes that the Bengals have the best duo in the entire league. I think he might be right and I hope Mike Brown and the rest of the front office are making an effort to re-sign both. With Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall locked up long-term, the Bengals have a chance to be an elite defense for years to come. But I fear that the team is already making some moves (signing Mr. Adam Jones, drafting Brandon Ghee) to prepare for letting one of them walk. Don’t do it. Don’t. [...]

ESPN takes a look at the 1988 Bengals, rated as the team’s best squad ever, a team that came one series away from winning Cincinnati’s only Super Bowl. It’s a team that brings back a lot of fond memories for Bengals fans, myself included. Let’s hope there’s an even better one waiting to take the field this fall.

One of the most annoying things about the so-called NFL “experts” is that the often regurgitate the same storyline over and over. And over. This year’s talking point appears to be the apparent “decline” of Carson Palmer. Those who aren’t really paying attention will cite Palmer’s declining passing stats and surmise that Carson himself is declining, as the NFL Network’s Marshall Faulk does in this video. However, those who really pay attention to the Bengals - myself included – will recognize the plethora of other factors contributing to the decline in passing performance. For starters, Cincinnati transitioned to a rushing offense, [...]

NFL.com put up a video about the charity efforts of Rey Maualuga, Jon Fanene, and Domata Peko in their native Samoa. Say what you want about this particular team, but they’re much more benevolent than some of the Corey Dillon/Carl Pickens squads from the past. And it’s nice to see the players getting involved. Here’s the video.

Former Bengal Willie Anderson is eyeing a return to the NFL after a year off, according to ESPN’s Len Pasquarelli. Anderson would be a valuable asset as a mentor, but it’s unlikely he could contribute as a player consistently. If I were a team that was thin at offensive tackle or if my starter was injury-prone, I’d give him a look. But the truth is, the Bengals don’t fall into that category. Andrew Whitworth, Andre Smith, Anthony Collins, and Dennis Roland give the Bengals some pretty good depth at offensive tackle. They don’t need Anderson. But for Willie’s sake, I hope [...]

Joe Reedy  passes along a Tweet from Brad Johansen that the Bengals and Cedric Benson have begun to discuss an extension. I think the team is wise to kick-start the process, but I’m not sure I’d break the ban for Ced. I love what he’s done for the Bengals, but with last season’s carries and that dreaded 30 approaching (trust me, I’m close myself, it hurts) Benson’s retainer should be reasonable. Jordan Shipley continues to generate buzz in Bengaldom. Geoff  “One Man Gang” Hobson had a nice feature on him today and James Walker listed him as an AFC North [...]