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Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > June > 11 > Entry
Tight end will be used more…that’s a promise
MUSIC TO FANS’ EARS
The 2008 NFL season holds at least one guarantee for the Cincinnati Bengals.
They’ll use the tight end more in the passing game …
… which is music to the ears of Bengals fans, who haven’t witnessed a 30-catch tight end since Tony McGee (34) in 1997.
Now that 6-foot-6, 251-pound Ben Utecht is on board, things should change.
‘BIG BEN’ ON BOARD
More specifically, they MUST change and they WILL change.
After all, Utecht caught 31 passes for 364 yards and one TD in 14 games with 13 starts for Indianapolis in 2007 when he served as the Colts’ BLOCKING TIGHT END.
Imagine what he’ll do paired up with fellow tight end Reggie Kelly in the Bengals’ pass-happy offense?
“As a defense, you’ve got to figure out what you want to do,” quarterback Carson Palmer said. “Are you going to take away Chad? Are you going to take away T.J. and let Ben and Reggie run all over the place?
PICK YOUR POISON
“Defensively, you’ve got to come in when you play us and think a little bit differently now and attack us a little bit differently.
“But we’ve got a long way to go. We’ve got a lot to do before training camp and we’ll get it done, and try to get on the same page, and get our timing and rhythm going, and move from there.
“It does take time. But we definitely expect a lot more having a guy like Reggie and now having a guy like Ben, and having both of those guys on the field at the same time.”
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By Jim
June 11, 2008 3:55 PM | Link to this
Finally!! Why did it take so long for Bratkowski to realize that using a TE is how you beat cover two defenses?By islebfrank
June 11, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this
Easy there, Jim. They’ve been making this threat around Cincy for years, so I’d save that “finally” for when and if it actually happens when the real bullets start to fly. I agree Utech should be hard for even Brat to ignore.By islebfrank
June 11, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this
Easy there, Jim. They’ve been making this threat around Cincy for years, so I’d save that “finally” for when and if it actually happens when the real bullets start to fly. I agree Utech should be hard for even Brat to ignore.