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August 2009
Bengals sign top pick Smith
The Cincinnati Bengals announced today the signing of rookie offensive tackle Andre Smith of Alabama, the team’s first-round choice (sixth overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft. Smith is expected to practice with the team this afternoon. According to head coach Marvin Lewis, Smith’s playing status for this Thursday’s preseason finale vs. Indianapolis will be evaluated throughout the week leading up to game day.
“We’re excited to have Andre with us now,” Lewis said in a release to the media. “He has a lot of work to do, but he knows the challenge ahead of him to make an impact on our team as soon as possible. Our vision of him is simply as a physically dominating player on our offensive line, and we know that this guy wants to be very, very good.”
The 6-foot-4, 335-pound Smith is the recipient of the 2008 Outland Trophy Award, given annually to the nation’s top offensive or interior defensive lineman. Smith displayed excellent quickness as a pass blocker and became known as one of the most devastating run-blockers in Southeastern Conference history.
TweetBengals fall short to Rams
CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals’ much anticipated preseason home game against St. Louis was somewhat of a letdown for the 52,312 fans in attendance. Fans were hoping to see the improved Bengals squad featured on the HBO Series ‘Hard Knocks’ and saw anything but. The team was victimized by turnovers, penalties, sacks, rookie mistakes and missed opportunities resulting in a 24-21 loss to the Rams.
The live game was blacked out on TV locally, but did air at a later time. If you stayed up late watching the replay of the team’s lackluster performance, you’re probably kicking yourself right about now.
The Bengals got off to a quick start when rookie receiver Quan Cosby returned a punt 49 yards for a touchdown after a three-and-out by St. Louis on the opening drive. It was an uphill battle from that point with St. Louis scoring touchdowns on their next two possessions. The Bengals fought their way back into the game, but never overcame the early deficit.
In the locker room after the game, veteran linebacker Dhani Jones talked about what went wrong out on the field during the loss.
“I think it was timing, securing the football and making the necessary plays when the ball was in our hands,” Jones said. “Special teams did a great job in terms of getting us great field position. We have to end up on the better side of the give and the take.
“On defense, we have some guys playing different positions and it’s about understanding where each person is going to be. It’s a process and something that is going to take time. Sometimes a guy will come in as a rookie or free agent and he won’t really understand until the middle of the season, but we have to get on the same page… We have to gain as much knowledge about one another as we possibly can. It’s about hunkering down and learning your assignments and making plays.”
Henry continues to shine
When it came time to make a play, it was wide receiver Chris Henry who answered the call. He torched cornerback Bradley Fletcher on a 54-yard touchdown reception. The touchdown pass from quarterback Jordan Palmer to Henry came in the fourth quarter to bring the team within three.
Henry played the game with a heavy heart. The receiver’s uncle passed away earlier in the day. Henry paid tribute to his uncle by taking a knee and saying a prayer in the back of the endzone after scoring the touchdown. Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski was seen in the locker room consoling his young receiver.
Henry has caught a touchdown pass in all three of the Bengals’ preseason games. He finished Thursday night’s contest with two receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown.
Note: Safety Chinedum Ndukwe injured his shoulder in the third quarter and did not return to the game after being listed as questionable.
Read more about the game later today…
TweetPreview: Bengals vs. Patriots
The Cincinnati Bengals will travel to Foxborough, Mass., for a Thursday night preseason match up with New England. The Bengals will be looking to rebound from a 17-7 defeat at the hands of the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 of the preseason.
The Bengals will be without starting quarterback Carson Palmer, who suffered a high left ankle sprain during Friday’s game at New Orleans. That means backup quarterbacks J.T. O’Sullivan and Jordan Palmer will seek significant playing time against the Patriots.
O’Sullivan had a good showing in the team’s first preseason game, completing nine out of 11 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. O’Sullivan is expected to get the nod as starter for Thursday’s game.
That being said, I anticipate a slight change in the Bengals offense with O’Sullivan under center. The offense will be run more to the quarterback’s strength, which is with quick, short-to-intermediate passes, letting the receivers do the work. I do expect O’Sullivan to take some shots down the field to his favorite target, Chris Henry. Henry was on the tail end of three long touchdown passes on the final day of practice in training camp.
I also look for wide receiver Andre Caldwell to see a fair share of passes thrown his way. Caldwell has the ability to be creative with the underneath routes.
Continuity among O-line
I’ll let center Kyle Cook address what needs to take place with the offensive line:
“One of our lower points last season is that we didn’t run the ball well and we want to step that up this year,” Cook said after practice Monday. “Communication is key and we have to make sure that all five guys are doing the same things. If half the line is doing one thing and the other half is doing another, we’re not going to succeed. From day one since OTA that was our biggest thing to commit to and we have be on a roll so far. Things are developing well for this unit.”
Expect to see a lot of Cedric Benson and rookie sixth-round pick Bernard Scott running the ball. Big C’s O-Meter will be on.
Note: The-O-Meter is used to rate the offensive line’s performance throughout the season.
Safety net
Safeties Roy Williams and Chris Crocker complement one another very well in the deep secondary. Williams is best known for his ability to support the run and being a thunderous hitter. The safety actually demonstrated in camp the ability to play well in coverage, which many had questioned. Williams further solidified that ability on the last day of camp when he intercepted a pass and took it back the other way.
Crocker has proven to be one tough hombre himself. Not only can he cover, but will come up and lay a lick on you as well.
The real test for the starting safeties will be trying to contain quarterback Tom Brady and the Pats’ potent passing game.
Things get rather dicey behind Williams and Crocker. Chinedum Ndukwe started off well in camp but his play leveled off. Marvin White continues to struggle in pass coverage but will knock you into the middle of next week running the ball. It’s too bad the Bengals can’t combine the two safeties into one. I guess then they would have Ronnie Lott. Ndukwe, who intercepted passes with regularity during camp, can cover but has trouble supporting the run. White, who is a tackling machine, is not a very good pass defender.
Behind Ndukwe and White, you have Corey Lynch, Kyries Hebert and Tom Nelson.
Brady could light up this secondary like a Christmas tree if the play of the Bengals safeties isn’t up to snuff.
Team news: The Bengals announced today that center Dan Santucci has reverted to the team’s reserve/injured list after clearing waivers. Santucci, who suffered a foot injury in practice on August 5, was waived/injured on Monday of this week.
TweetFormer Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter tells all in latest book
Busted: The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter;
New Book from Orange Frazer Press on Sale Nationwide September 1st;
Autobiography Details How Gambling Wrecked Family, Pro-Football Career
In 1978, Art Schlichter was one of the most actively recruited high school quarterbacks in America, chased by some of the legendary college coaches of the game, Bo Schembechler, Woody Hayes and Joe Paterno among them. But after a record-breaking four years at Ohio State, Schlichter’s bid at a pro-football career nosedived in a dramatic and public way.
In a new book from Orange Frazer Press, Schlichter and co-author Jeff Snook describe how Schlichter, a first round NFL draft pick in 1982, would fall more than $1 million in debt, become one of the biggest NFL flops of all-time and a full-fledged gambler and con man committing dozens of crimes that would send him to prison for more than a decade.
Busted, the Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter, tells the compelling story of how someone with fame, fortune and matinee idol looks was driven by the demons of a gripping addiction to steal from family and friends to support his gambling habit. The book is scheduled to go on sale nationwide on September 1.
An All-America collegiate player and top 10 Heisman trophy contender, Schlichter reveals his father’s burning desire to mold him into an idolized athlete who would win championships and make millions. Schlichter describes how a fateful interception led to Woody Hayes resignation and his frustration and anger with Earle Bruce’s conservative offense.
Drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1982, Schlichter also reveals the causes behind his complete failure as an NFL quarterback and his suspension from the league in 1983. Schlichter also details how he used gambling to numb his self-inflicted pain until he contemplated suicide, and how he gambled away more than $120,000 in two days.
The father of two daughters, Schlichter’s compulsive gambling wrecked his marriage. Now living in Ohio in his boyhood hometown, Schlichter has been out of prison since 2006 and works as a sports commentator and helps others whose lives have been ruined by addiction.
TweetScouting Bengals vs. Saints
O-line showing cohesion
The Bengals offensive line receives an A-minus for a job well done manhandling the stout defensive front of the Saints in their first preseason outing. The unit kept the quarterbacks upright and clean for the most part allowing only one sack. Pass protection was outstanding and starting quarterback Carson Palmer had all day to throw the ball.
Right tackle Anthony Collins did a fine job against defensive end Charles Grant, but did have a penalty called against him during the team’s opening drive. Collins settled down after that and performed well throughout the game. The coaching staff will be faced with a tough decision if Collins continues to play well and Andre Smith decides to sign.
On the downside, run blocking in the middle of the line was rather subdued. Too many times did I see runs designed to go inside bounce outside by the runner after seeing no inside running lanes. I thought the team had limited success running the ball up the middle.
The other thing that smeared the offensive line’s near perfect performance were a few penalties.
Note: The-O-Meter will be used to rate the offensive line’s performance throughout the season.
Red zone efficiency
I posted this before the game on Friday, August 14, at 12:47 p.m.: “Starting quarterback Carson Palmer is coming back after missing 12 games last season due to an elbow injury and has looked pretty good in camp. However, I do have some concerns with his efficiency in the red zone. I watched Palmer throw a few picks and a number of incomplete passes in the red zone during my time in Bengals camp. I attribute the interceptions to bad reads and miscommunication between quarterback and receiver. As for the incompletions, Palmer knocking off some rust and dropped passes, Chris Henry and Jerome Simpson.
At some point this team needs to capitalize on long sustaining drives by putting six points on the board rather than settling for three. The offense must give the defense a chance. That’s what separates the contenders from the pretenders.”
Although Palmer threw a pick in the game against New Orleans it wasn’t in the redzone, it was at the Saints’ 30-yard-line instead. I ask you, is this a developing trend or no cause for concern?
Henry could be a force
Chris Henry is a big talented receiver who is expected to see a lot a passes thrown his way, especially in the redzone. It will be tough for opposing defenses to match up against him due his size and speed. Henry led all Bengal receivers with seven catches for 100 yards and a touchdown.
There’s no denying that Henry has all the physical tools and ability to become one of the league’s elite receivers. The question is how bad does he want it?
Henry must first focus on becoming a complete receiver. There are two areas in which I feel there is room for improvement where the receiver is concerned. That is being more physical in general and blocking downfield. Henry tries too hard to absorb initial contact after the catch rather than powering through a would-be tackle. I would also like to see him be more aggressive and make plays on the field when the ball is not in his hands.
Henry worked hard over the course of the offseason to improve his upper and lower-body strength. Now is the time to show it. However, I do look for Henry to elevate his game as the season progress and love his big league swagger.
Draft day gem
Rookie sixth-round pick running back Bernard Scott was very impressive in his preseason debut. He carried the ball six times for 30 yards and was pretty electrifying doing so. Scott has a rather unique running style being able to maneuver and find holes while maintaining his speed, as he so demonstrated during the game.
Here’s what I learned about Scott from talking to coaches and scouts. Scott is a fierce competitor, hard worker, coachable, quiet guy in the locker room but boisterous on the field and team player. I had one of Scott’s college coaches tell me that when the lights come on and the ball is in his hands it’s definitely show time.
I will be joining 1410 WING ESPN Radio Host Mark Neal on the highest rated sports talk show in Dayton and Dayton Sports Scene, Monday, August 17, at 5:40 p.m. to discuss the latest from Bengals training camp. We will also look ahead to the Bengals 2009 season. I will be joining Mark periodically throughout the season, so stay tuned for that.
When you think sports talk radio think 1410 ESPN.
TweetBengals preseason game: Take 1
The Bengals will be prime time Friday, August 14, for their preseason opener in New Orleans. The game versus the Saints will air tonight at 8 p.m. on WKEF Dayton Channel 22. After their stay in the Big Easy, the Bengals will travel back to Georgetown College this weekend and hold its final practice on Monday, August 17. The team will break camp the following day.
Now let’s get right down to the nitty-gritty of some things to keep an eye on in tonight’s matchup.
If you think the Bengals are missing rookie first-round pick OT Andre Smith being in training camp, think again.
Right offensive tackle Anthony Collins is having an exceptional camp and is improving each day. He brings a lot of energy to the offensive line and the other players seem to feed off him. Collins is very athletic and shows good work ethic and versatility. He filled in very well when he started the last six games at left tackle as a rookie in 2008. If Collins fares well tonight going up against defensive end Charles Grant, Smith’s count total of days being absent could increase. Bengal fans could be looking at a JaMarcus Russell situation here. Russell held out on the Oakland Raiders through training camp and the first weeks of the 2007 NFL season.
Here’s the thing that I’m really glad about. Fans can’t point the finger at Mike Brown and the Bengals organization for Smith not being signed.
The way I hear it, Smith not being signed has everything to do with his agent Alvin Keels. I guess what it boils down to is that the agent wants left tackle compensation for his client who played the position in college but will now lineup at right tackle for the Bengals. Well, maybe. It sounds like to me that someone is trying to put the squeeze on old Mike Brown’s wallet.
A phone call was placed to Keels’ office but of course he couldn’t be reached for comment.
The determining factor in this soap opera could hinge on how well Collins plays during the preseason. Right now, the Bengals have the upper hand in negotiations. Good for them.
Put up or shut up
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Bengals put the deep freeze on defensive end Frostee Frostee during final cut downs. His performance in training camp has left much to be desired so tonight’s game had better be an epiphany for the pass-rusher.
Rucker appears to have fallen on the team’s depth chart behind Robert Geathers, Antwan Odom, Jonathan Fanene, rookie third-round pick Michael Johnson and situational pass-rusher Darryl Blackstock, making him expendable.
Rucker is in the final year of his contract which carries a base salary of roughly $535K for the season. Granted, releasing him would be a minimal savings for the club, but with times of economic struggles any savings is worth looking into, especially when you’re not cutting the mustard. Can you really cut mustard?
Red Alert
Starting quarterback Carson Palmer is coming back after missing 12 games last season due to an elbow injury and has looked pretty good in camp. However, I do have some concerns with his efficiency in the red zone. I watched Palmer throw a few picks and a number of incomplete passes in the red zone during my time in Bengals camp. I attribute the interceptions to bad reads and miscommunication between quarterback and receiver. As for the incompletions, Palmer knocking off some rust and dropped passes, Chris Henry and Jerome Simpson.
At some point this team needs to capitalize on long sustaining drives by putting six points on the board rather than settling for three. The offense must give the defense a chance. That’s what separates the contenders from the pretenders.
I will be joining 1410 WING ESPN Radio Host Mark Neal on the highest rated sports talk show in Dayton and Dayton Sports Scene, Monday, August 17, at 5:40 p.m. to discuss the latest from Bengals training camp. We will also look ahead to the Bengals 2009 season. I will be joining Mark periodically throughout the season, so stay tuned for that.
When you think sports talk radio think 1410 ESPN.
TweetEagles coach Reid on Vick
Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid on the signing of Michael Vick:
“I think that everyone has heard the news now that we have signed Michael Vick. I’m a believer that as long as people go through the right process, they deserve a second chance. Michael has done that. I’ve done a tremendous amount of homework on this, and I’ve followed his progress. He has some great people in his corner that he’s proven to that he’s on the right track in the commissioner [Roger Goodell] and [former NFL head coach] Tony Dungy who has spent a lot of time with Michael. Tony is a good friend of mine, and I’ve had a chance to visit with him and talk through some things. I’ve also had a chance to talk to Michael a few times here just to make sure that I know exactly where he’s at, and he’s at a good place. I’ve seen people close to me who have had second chances and taken advantage of those. It’s very important that people give them opportunities to prove that they can change, so we’re doing that with Michael. I’m very excited on the other side of that to have also a good football player. You’re talking about one of the top quarterbacks in the league when he was playing. He’s familiar with our offense having done it the last few years in Atlanta before he was incarcerated. I was able to talk to him a little bit about that, and he recalls some of things such as the terminology and so on. It’s a very exciting thing going on right now, and we feel very good about it. There won’t be a quarterback controversy. That’s not how it is going to go down here. We have to make sure he gets back into football shape. He’s been out of this thing for a couple of years now, so it’s important that he gets himself into football shape. He is suspended for this [preseason] game and the next game, so he won’t play in either of those. He’ll be back for the last two preseason games, and then we’ll see what goes on with his situation in the regular season. He comes into a good stable unit here. Donovan is a huge factor in that. Donovan and Michael are very close, and Donovan actually hosted Michael on his recruiting trip to Syracuse, and they’ve stayed friends since that time. Donovan will play a big part in that, as will the support of our football team and our coaches.”
On when Vick will practice with the team: “He will be out there Saturday, and then we’ll see. [The media] will be out there Saturday and you’ll see. I am just going to ease him in and make sure that he doesn’t pull a hamstring or a quad. I’ve got good quarterbacks here, so we’ll just start introducing him back into the football side, and he’ll have a couple of weeks to work on it.”
On what position Vick will play: “Michael Vick is a quarterback. That’s what he is. He’s a versatile quarterback, so there are some things that you can do. I haven’t put all of that together yet, but I have some pretty good ideas.”
On the possibility of using Vick in the wildcat formation: “He can do some of that. I can’t give all of that away. We have to have a little element of surprise.”
TweetBengals rookie TE Coffman forced to learn quickly
If you watched the first episode of the HBO series ‘Hard Knocks’ Cincinnati Bengals Training Camp, you most likely witnessed tight end Chase Coffman receiving Gomer Pyle-type treatment for his share of rookie mistakes.
Tight ends coach Jon Hayes was the drill sergeant, ordering Coffman to drop and give him 15 pushups for every missed assignment during film studies. Effective punishment no doubt, but let me tell you those were no Billy Blanks pushups Coffman was doing. He got away with several chintzy reps. Tae Bo tapes are on there way to Georgetown, Ky.
With a season-ending Achilles’ injury to starting tight end Reggie Kelly and backup Ben Utecht going down with a concussion, Coffman has been forced to grow up quickly. The rookie third-round pick is expected to make his starting debut for the Bengals on Friday night in their preseason game against the New Orleans Saints.
Although Coffman has experienced some growing pains, he is making definite progress.
“It’s too bad that those guys went down with injuries,” Coffman said during a one-on-one interview after practice last week. “You hate to see that but at the same time you have to be prepared to step up and fill the spot. For me, it’s an opportunity to get more and more reps. Being in there has helped me progress and gives me an opportunity to start doing things a lot quicker than I expected. Now I just have to step up and make plays.”
Coffman was an impact player at Missouri and the recipient of the 2008 John Mackey Award, given annually to the nation’s top tight end. He finished the ‘08 season with 90 catches for 987 yards and 10 touchdowns.
“I’m seeing myself as the starter right now,” Coffman said. “I’m going to keep working to get better and better so that I can keep this spot. If not, give the coaching staff confidence to put me in there and play.”
Hayes has stayed on Coffman hard to keep working and learning assignments.
Teammate Jordan Palmer approached Coffman after practice on the day Utecht went down and offered these words of encouragement to the rookie: “God doesn’t put people in positions that he doesn’t think they can succeed in.”
Those words boosted the player’s spirits.
“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity all my life and now it is here,” he said. “I’m ready to step into this role and to perform the way I know how. I know I still have a long way to go, but I am prepared to make that next step and perform.”
TweetBengals practice notes
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — I was back in Georgetown, Ky. over the weekend for the Bengals Friday evening Intrasquad Scrimmage and Saturday’s Mock Game. The two events were considered tune-ups in preparation for the team’s first preseason game Friday, August 14, against the New Orleans Saints. The Bengals performed in the smoldering heat of Georgetown with temperatures reaching in the 90s. Bengal fans helped stay cool with hand fans courtesy of the Dayton Daily News.
Here are some observations from the weekend training camp:
O’Henry
Wide receiver Chris Henry has dropped his fare share of passes during practice, but come game time he’s money in the bank. Henry made a nice one-hand grab in the back right corner of the end zone in the Mock Game, but was unable to keep both feet in bounds.
Henry’s number was called again on a later drive in the red zone on the same play. This time the pass was thrown to the left back corner of the end zone. Henry snagged the pass and appeared to tap both feet inbounds for the touchdown, but the referee didn’t see it that way and signaled out of bounds. Where’s instant reply when you need it?
This play was a staple for the Bengals offense allowing Henry to use his athleticism and leaping ability to go up and over defenders in the endzone.
Listen up all you Fantasy Football knuckleheads. If you’re looking for a touchdown stealer late in the draft Chris Henry may be your guy. He will see a lot of action in the red zone as the team has demonstrated in camp.
Draft day steal
Rookie defensive end Michael Johnson lit it up during the Intrasquad Scrimmage recording back-to-back sacks. He also fared well in run support shedding his blocks quickly to get in on the tackle. Johnson dinged his shoulder during the Friday night scrimmage and took the field a day later. However, he wasn’t as effective rushing the passer in the Saturday’s Mock Game for obvious reasons, but did have a pass defense when he batted down a pass at the line from his outside linebacker position. The Bengals plan to use Johnson in a number of ways on defense and not just as a pass rusher. Johnson is a very intelligent player and knows all the coverages.
Mixed reviews
Quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan completed five out of 14 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown in the Mock Game. He hooked up with wide receiver Jerome Simpson on a 63-yard bomb for the score. Prior to that O’Sullivan overshot Simpson, who was streaking down the middle of the field open. The receiver made a diving attempt to make the catch but couldn’t come up with the play. The quarterback also overthrew a wide open tight end Matt Sherry on an out route.
I will say this about O’Sullivan: He uses his feet extremely well and does a nice job eluding the rush. O’Sullivan scored a nine-yard touchdown off a play-action fake in the intrasquad scrimmage.
Kids Say the Darndest Things
After practice was over Friday morning a little boy, cute as a button, stood with everyone else waiting to get the autograph of his favorite Bengals player, running back Cedric Benson. The crowd began chanting Cedric, Cedric, Cedric, as he made his way over to them. Benson started signing autographs and when he got to the little boy, the little boy said, “I don’t know about you, Mr. Cedric, but Benson is the best running back I have ever seen.” Too cute! Benson could do nothing but laugh, as did everyone else.
Keep checking Big C’s NFL Blitz for updates on the Bengals training camp throughout the week.
TweetBrowns sign OL Weary
The Cleveland Browns announced today the signing of offensive lineman Fred Weary. The 6-foot-4, 307-pound Weary was originally drafted in the third round (66th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. Weary started in 43 of the 63 games in which he has appeared during his seven-year career (2002-2008), all at right guard.
TweetBengals sign TE Sherry
The Cincinnati Bengals announced today the signing of free agent TE Matt Sherry of Villanova. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Sherry was a sixth-round Bengals draft choice in 2008, but spent the regular season on the Reserve/Injured list, due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason opener on Aug. 11 at Green Bay. He had been waived by the Bengals this past June 20. The signing comes a day after the team placed TE Reggie Kelly on injured reserve with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon.
TweetBengals highs and lows in camp
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — The Bengals wrapped up Day 4 of training camp on Monday with their share of highs and lows. The two-a-day practice brought out the good, the bad and the ugly in the team.
Making progress
Second-year wide receiver Jerome Simpson was at it again during the evening practice session. Simpson made a nice one-hand stab in the back of the endzone during receiving drills. He performed well throughout practice but still needs to work on his route-running. Simpson is a little flat coming out of his breaks, making it easy for defenders to jump the route. He has shown very little separation at the breaking point. It’s not uncommon to see defenders jump Simpson’s routes and come away with an easy interception. However, Simpson is making progress in all other areas, especially blocking downfield and catching the ball.
Ground game
Running back Brian Leonard appears to be the frontrunner for the No. 2 spot behind Cedric Benson. Leonard is a bruiser and reminds me a lot of Mike Alstott but slightly quicker. He’s an outstanding short-yardage runner with the ability to gain huge chunks of yardage. Leonard rarely goes down on initial contact and has the speed to bounce the run outside.
Behind Leonard, rookie sixth round pick Bernard Scott is making a strong bid not only to make the roster, but for playing time. He has looked pretty impressive running the ball. Scott broke loose on a long run during 11-on-11 drills darting through the hole like a bullet. He’s a slasher with the ability to make people miss and shows no hesitation when hitting the hole. Scott did a decent job picking up the blitz when called upon.
StingRey
The Bengals are finding out rather quickly just how effective linebacker Rey Maualuga can be as a pass-rusher. I can tell you this, you’re not going to block him with a running back. Just ask Kenny Watson, who was thumped by Maualuga on a play when rushing the passer. Watson was left sprawled on the field like road kill. He had to shake out the cobwebs before being helped to his feet by teammates.
Maualuga is having a good overall showing in camp and is better in pass-coverage then he’s been given credit. He may be ahead of linebacker Rashad Jeanty in that category who has struggled in coverage.
Big butts in the middle
NFL teams may want to think twice about trying to run up the middle on the Bengals defense. Defensive tackles Domata Peko and Tank Johnson are proving to be a force clogging the middle up like the Hoover Dam. Johnson is nasty in the trenches and Peko is very agile for a big man. I watched Peko track down a 25-yard run to the outside. They play off one another extremely well.
Low points
Wide receiver Chris Henry is suffering from a case of the drops. He has let a number of easy, catchable passes fall to the turf.
Rookie tight end Chase Coffman continues to get overpowered during blocking assignments, but does pack a powerful hand-punch.
The Bengals cornerbacks have struggled in coverage with the exception of Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph. Joseph is having a really good camp early.
Tight end Reggie Kelly ruptured his Achilles tendon and will have surgery on Wednesday. He is expected to be sidelined for at least six months.
Keep checking Big C’s NFL Blitz for updates on the Bengals training camp throughout the week.
TweetBengals Training Camp Day 4
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — With the Bengals holding two-a-day practice on Monday, I used the morning session as an opportunity to hone in on individual players and evaluate their performance in camp thus far. The team will hold its evening practice under the lights at Toyota Stadium in Georgetown, Ky.
Here are some early observations:
Tonga Truck
Rookie seventh round pick fullback Fui Vakapuna has proven to be a load to bring down running the ball.
The 6-foot-0, 260-pound Vakapuna plowed his way through the line like a bulldozer. He shows good versatility catching the ball out of the backfield. Vakapuna caught a number of passes and turned them up field for big gains during drills. He also did a really fine job pass blocking, especially when he drove linebacker Abdul Hodge into the ground on a play. Vakapuna is listed as the No. 1 fullback on the depth chart and is earning his stripes.
Quarterback by default
Starting quarterback Carson Palmer rejoined the team in practice today after missing the last two due to having flu-like symptoms. Palmer’s return was a good thing for the offense. Quarterbacks J.T. O’Sullivan and Jordan Palmer are best suited for their current positions as backups. O’Sullivan is the No. 2 guy behind Palmer and there’s a reason. He struggles throwing the deep route and his 3/4 delivery is subject to batted passes. O’Sullivan threw a badly under thrown pass to receiver Chad Ochocinco who had beaten the defender on a deep-out-route.
Young Palmer has all the arm-strength you ever want to see from a quarterback, but he struggles throwing the ball over the middle of the field. His passes are subject to being intercepted.
Roster move
The Bengals today signed rookie OT Augustus Parrish of Kent State. Parrish (6-4, 303) started the last three seasons for Kent State at LOT. He signed with the New Orleans Saints as a college free agent on May 6, and was released by the Saints on June 4.
Keep checking Big C’s NFL Blitz for updates on the Bengals training camp throughout the week.
TweetBengals get physical in camp
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — The Cincinnati Bengals completed their third day of training camp practice Sunday, August 2, at Georgetown College. This was the team’s first practice in full pads and luckily for all parties involved they were in full gear. There was a whole lot of hitting going on in Day 3.
Oklahoma no musical
In football terms, The Oklahoma Drill is an ultra-physical practice drill that pits offense vs. defense in a battle of strength and will. The players locked horns in the drill today and here are some of the winners and losers.
Wide receiver Jerome Simpson has been ridiculed for his inconsistencies catching the ball and route running, but when it came to blocking no problem. Simpson absolutely destroyed defensive backs Morgan Trent and Geoffrey Pope in the drill pancaking them both. The receiver actually had one of his best days in camp. Simpson made a couple of difficult grabs look easy in 11-on-11 drills.
• Rookie undrafted free agent receiver Greg Orton slam dunked safety Chinedum Ndukwe to the turf.
• Tight end Ben Utecht mauled rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga.
• Defensive tackle Domata Peko and center Kyle Cook were a draw in their battle.
• Receiver Maurice Purify dominated safety Roy Williams and the two continued to scuffle after the whistle had blown. They tussled more later on during drills.
• Offensive guard Andrew Crummey was no match for defensive tackle Jason Shirley who beat him like a drum. Shirley tossed Crummey aside like a rag doll at the point of attack to make the tackle.
Note: Quarterback Carson Palmer missed his second straight practice due to illness.
Keep checking Big C’s NFL Blitz for updates on the Bengals training camp throughout the week.
I will be joining 1410 WING ESPN Radio Host Mark Neal on the highest rated sports talk show in Dayton and Dayton Sports Scene, Monday, August 3 to discuss the latest from Bengals training camp. We will also look ahead to the Bengals 2009 season. I will be joining Mark periodically throughout the season, so stay tuned for that.
When you think sports talk radio think 1410 ESPN.
TweetBengals Training Camp Day 2
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — The Bengals were in shoulder pads during practice Saturday morning and it didn’t take long for the contact to begin. The defense delivered their share of Hard Knocks to the offense and the unit had a good overall performance on Day 2 of training camp.
Puttin’ on the hits
Right off the bat, safety Tom Nelson exploded into cornerback Leon Hall during tackling drills and dislodged Hall’s mouthpiece sending it flying through the air about 10-yards when it landed.
Then you had defensive end Jonathan Fanene busting though the offensive line during run drills and delivering a blow with his paw to the upper chest of running back Kenny Watson stopping him in his tracks. The play caught the crowd’s attention.
Fanene also showed incredible strength by powering through blocks at the line of scrimmage to put pressure on quarterback Carson Palmer for a would-be sack. Fanene is a very soft spoken guy off the field, but if I were in a bar fight he would be the guy I want by my side.
The same could be said for rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga. This guy is a very intense player. The coaching staff had to reel him in a bit on a couple of plays as if to say don’t hurt anyone just yet. Apparently, Maualuga was a little too aggressive in drills.
I don’t know what other teams saw that made them pass on Maualuga in the draft, but so far the Bengals appear to have themselves a real steal. Maualuga has been flying around the field getting in on the plays and he knows how to finish once he arrives.
Dynamic Duo
Chris Crocker and Roy Williams are penciled in as the starting safeties, but I’m not sure that Williams and Chinedum Ndukwe wouldn’t make a better tandem in the secondary. Both players have been making plays. Ndukwe made it two days in a row with an interception while Williams recorded a tackle-for-loss, sack, and pass break-up after delivering a shot to rookie tight end Chase Coffman who couldn’t hang on to the ball.
Team news: The Bengals and Georgetown (Ky.) College have agreed on a one-year extension of the team’s contract to hold training camp at the college’s East Campus Athletic Complex. The agreement now runs through 2010.
Keep checking Big C’s NFL Blitz for updates on the Bengals training camp throughout the weekend.
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