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Drama thick on Bengals beat as Armageddon approaches
COMMENT: How do you think the Bengals will fare this season?
Monday, August 25, 2008
I like to say, tongue in cheek, it's Armageddon every day on the Bengals beat.
And even though they looked awful in a 13-0 loss to New Orleans on Saturday night — the first time in the franchise's 41 years that Cincinnati was shut out at home in the preseason — I was reminded that Armageddon can't occur in the preseason.
At any rate, there's always drama with the Bengals. So much so that I can't remember the last slow news day.
Everybody thought their biggest problem was defense. After all, there's a new coordinator, a young secondary, a fresh fleet of linebackers and a front four that can barely push much less shove.
But the controversy nowadays is on offense.
Chad Johnson has a sprained left shoulder; T.J. Houshmandzadeh is sandbagging a hamstring strain; Jeremi Johnson is struggling with "Fatosis" syndrome; and Rudi Johnson can't get on the field.
Meanwhile, quarterback Carson Palmer has a broken nose, thanks to a matador-ish offensive line, and Chris Henry is back, unable to play until Oct. 5 because of a four-game suspension.
On the surface, owner Mike Brown's decision to re-sign Henry was a kind, innocent act designed to help a young man resurrect his career. In reality, the move strips coach Marvin Lewis of all the perceived power he accumulated in five previous years.
Lewis had regained control of the locker room, but Brown took it away.
Circle Sept. 7 on your calendars. Bengals at Ravens. It's officially Armageddon for the studs in stripes.
Contact this reporter at 225-2253 or cludwig@coxohio.com.
Comments
By ezed
August 27, 2008 11:57 PM | Link to this
The Bengals are a SAD Case. They have the 3rd best QB in the NFL.Marvin,wasting Picks & Time on 2nd class players,&Thugs, instead of building the OL to protect Carson. Willie too Old. Levi always was Overated.Marvin letting his Best OG get away, to the Browns,of all teams.Compare Marvins actions with Parcells.Miami drafted OT #1 to solidify OL. Then Traded Malcontents.Brought in other needed positions i.e.QB.Some slam Mike, but remember he was going to hire Tom Coughlin but politics overcame.
By ryan
August 26, 2008 8:08 AM | Link to this
No way they lose to the Ravens. Armageddon might start in week 2… but it’s not happening in 1.
By Wes
August 26, 2008 3:27 AM | Link to this
I have faithfully followed the Bengals for over thirty years. Every year I listen to you fair-weather fans whining about the preseason. The preseason has NEVER, I repeat, NEVER, been an accurate measuring stick for the coming season. In 2005, the Bengals went 2-2 in the preseason and still won the division title at 11-5. In 2006, the Bengals outscored their opponents 131-54 and went unbeaten in the preseason at 4-0; yet, when it counted, they only managed an 8-8 year.
By jon
August 26, 2008 12:51 AM | Link to this
After this year, there is a good chance that we will see a Buckeye in a Bengals uniform next season.
By Barber24
August 25, 2008 10:33 PM | Link to this
The Bengals will look good week 1 because they play an even worse team in the Ravens. Even so, Bengals are going to get romped all year, plus tough schedule vs GMen and Dallas as well as AFC South. 4-12? Maybe less.
By Christian B.
August 25, 2008 8:36 PM | Link to this
I have been a Bengal’s fan for over 20 yrs now so this up and down play is nothing new but what scares me is that if we dont use the talent we have now and start winning, Carson, TJ, Chad and co. will win a SB else-where! Happy belated b-day to my man Anthony Munoz! Got to be a fan win OR lose, or you are just a straight buster! WHO-DeY to all my REAL Bengal fans out there!!
By dennis
August 25, 2008 7:58 PM | Link to this
hey….the reason for the bengals sucking goes right to Mike Brown..He hired that idiot Lewis…He keeps his company snich, Paul alexander as the offensive line coach…Bratkowski and all the rest belong to that goof Brown…Forrest gregg and Sam wyche are the only 2 coaches we have ever had that knew how to draft…..the Bengals blow and will continue to do so…the 11 and 5 season was a fluke brought on by a bunch of lucky turnovers….boring offense and no defense..what’s new?
By Mike
August 25, 2008 7:41 PM | Link to this
Disasterous, my heart can’t take watching the Bengals anymore. I just get too stressed. I’m tired of watching short down conversions faile because Dumbcrapsky calls a run that takes the ball 4 yards off the line of scrimmage. I’m tired of watching other teams hit their TEs behind our linebackers and Dumbcrapsky can’t spell TE.
Sometimes….I envy that Cleveland lost their team and got to start from scratch.
Dusty (Reds suck too), Marvin and Dumbcrapsky all have to go. I’m done.
By arkfan1
August 25, 2008 7:28 PM | Link to this
If you can’t score in the preseason, what makes you think you can score against the Ravens defense? the season goes as the offensive and defensive lines go. If they perform the Bengals will have a winning season, if not, they’ll have a top 10 draft pick again.
By JMo
August 25, 2008 4:36 PM | Link to this
It seems like we are heading for a really lousy season. However, Marvin will not be fired, T.J. will leave via free agency, but we will resign our overated kicker to a fat contract. You don’t need a kicker when you won’t be in many of your games. Bratkowski needs to go, Lewis needs to hit the skids and Brown needs to overhaul the scouting department and head it up with a respectable gm who has experience. But none of this will happen next year and we will be in it even further than this season.
By Phil
August 25, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this
Hard for me to say because I am a hardcore fan, but the Bengals have a legitimate shot at finishing last in the division. I am curious to see how the offense blends together at Baltimore after not playing as a unit all off-season. The defense still doesn’t intimidate anyone; I can’t believe there is one offensive coordinator in the league that looks at our D and gets scared. At least the offense still has that - sort of. Is it me or does Leon Hall get beat deep twice in every game he plays??
By Derrick
August 25, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this
I don’t have a lot of confidence in any comments that get posted three times. Get the _ off the submit button!
By Yippee
August 25, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this
I’m a huge Bengals fan, have been all my life. But this is a 6-10 team at best. They are horrible.
By Will C
August 25, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this
Only thing laughable is anyone who thinks the the Bengals are improving. The offense will be fair at times,but mostly lame as chad and the crybabies blamed everyone but themselves. The defense meanwhile stops no one and if they do get lucky,only to revert back to old form next game.Hey Mike Brown why don’t you put a hyphen mark between the n and the g. That way you will be known as the BEN-GALS.The only improvement might be the cheerleaders, but compare to the team, they can’t be worse.
By Rob
August 25, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this
Wow, much wailing and complaining from the Bengal faithful…and unfaithful. Remember, it is the preseason for a reason. Nothing really matters unless you injure a key player. Say, does Carson’s nose count as an injury to a key player? OK, our preseason is sucking.
Truthfully, Sept 7th is the day that counts. My vote, 5-3 at halftime and striking for a playoff berth to the last week.
Yeah, I’ll “Who Dey”…
By JT
August 25, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this
This beatdown/embarrassment by the saints will be good for the bengals. For some reason the offense thinks it’s an elite NFL offense. Even the national media will say the D’ stinks but good O’. It’s not and hasn’t been since ‘o5. They put up stats but don’t dictate the game…they are dictated to.
I’m still holding to my 10-6 prediction. The O’ will revert to their ‘05 (barring significant loss of pt by key skill people), and the D’ will improve modestly…middle of the pack.
By bigrobj
August 25, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this
at best…i see the bungals going 2 - 14….with the wins coming at the very end of the season….the bungals are not a factor at the nfl level…when you make justin smith your franchise player….then you know you got serious problems..justin is still laughing in another city..franchise players make pro bowls….i dont think the bungals know that….lol
By JT
August 25, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
The poor o’line play is troubling. You have to figure it will work out…proven NFL blockers. The biggest question mark on offense is at receiver…can they hold up for sixteen games??? no depth! The underneath stuff only works if you can stretch the field. Everyone’s exagerating the henry signing! He hasn’t blocked or tackled anybody. Undermining ML’s credibility??? Everyone knows this a MB decision…gives ML a free pass on this…MB takes the heat.
By Chris
August 25, 2008 12:27 PM | Link to this
Dont knock Marvin Lewis because just remember who was the man who turned our Bengal nation around and took us to the playoffs, if you are a TRUE fan you dont turn your back on your team no matter what has happened, the monster is asleep but come Sept 7th in that so called city Baltimore everyone will know that our Monster will be awake and ready and everyone will be chanting WHO DEY!!! WHO DEY!!!! WHO DEY!!!!
By Chris
August 25, 2008 12:22 PM | Link to this
Look its just preaseason and the word PRE means that its just time for all teams to get everything worked out and so they know what they have to work with and Just remember we love our Bengals and know in our hearts they can beat the odds over and over i say 10 and 6 and possible wildcard, u can say im dreaming but hey my dreams do come true! WHO DEY!!!!!!
By rlhamblin
August 25, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this
We haven’t even played our first game yet and everyone is yelling “wolf”. It’s preseason and no one knows what they are working on. Give it a rest. They are going to be just fine. We have good people and they are better this year than last. They can stop the run. Win the battle in the trenches and the rest will take care of itself. I’m excited.
By pat
August 25, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this
I guess you’d rather be in Portland waiting for the Trailblazers to play every year. Or in Jacksonville waiting for Wayne Weaver to locate to Los Angeles. The Bengals will man up and put a team on the field.
By A Real Bengals Fan
August 25, 2008 11:13 AM | Link to this
Here we go with all the fair weather fans!!!! Its good that you make yourself visible now, so when we are fine and win the division I can call all of you out! Doesnt anyone remember how the colts were terrible and went 0-4 in the preseason and won the SUPERBOWL!!!!! Its the preseason….Go support another team, we dont want you as fans anyway.
By A Real Bengals Fan
August 25, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this
Here we go with all the fair weather fans!!!! Its good that you make yourself visible now, so when we are fine and win the division I can call all of you out! Doesnt anyone remember how the colts were terrible and went 0-4 in the preseason and won the SUPERBOWL!!!!! Its the preseason….Go support another team, we dont want you as fans anyway.
By A Real Bengals Fan
August 25, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this
Here we go with all the fair weather fans!!!! Its good that you make yourself visible now, so when we are fine and win the division I can call all of you out! Doesnt anyone remember how the colts were terrible and went 0-4 in the preseason and won the SUPERBOWL!!!!! Its the preseason….Go support another team, we dont want you as fans anyway.
By Gary Maynard
August 25, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this
Well, we being Bengals fans, we know all too well what a series of 3-13 seasons look like, and I have to say, I see a few of those in our near future. Again……
By sec 312
August 25, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this
I want to believe, but we look slow, we look tried, we look like deer in the headlights. I see players looking and blaming each other.
I’m really looking forward to spending a ton of money for bad football. 7-9
By ud alum
August 25, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this
The season is over before it even began for the Bengals.
By tedward
August 25, 2008 9:52 AM | Link to this
With every preseason game, my expectations go down. I am sitting at 5-11/6-12 right now with the MOST optimistic I can be at 9-7. Every said the offense looked stale last year, now it looks like its on life support. I am not looking forward to next year offseason either. I dont think Marvin will get fired, but if Mike Brown is going to constantly overule him, I think marvin may quit. I am also preparing myself for TJ gone and chads “contract re-evualation” to be a trade.
By Mike Brown is a tool.
August 25, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this
Things are looking pretty ugly! The good news is tickets should be easy to come by. Who Dey!
By Chick L.
August 25, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this
According to Chick, the Bengals are going 9-7 this season. Absolutely laughable…
By Steven Ross
August 25, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
How do you think the Bengals will fare this season?
5 and 11. The natives go nuts, Lewis gets fired, we start over again. The only constant? Mike Brown and his nepotism.