Bleacher Report - Articles by OneManCrimeWave

Cincinnati Bengals: A Few Thoughts From Sunday

OneManCrimeWave — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:02:00 -0400

Wow, what a game yesterday!

As the saying goes, it's better to be lucky than good. I'll take the win, but I certainly do not feel good about how we played.

I take that back. I'm not happy about the way we coached.

I don't know why Carson had 20 pass attempts at halftime and Benson had only nine carries against a team that allowed 180 yards rushing and three touchdowns to Adrian Peterson.

I watched the game. I'm not blind. I realize that Benson was having a difficult time getting things started, but again it was the coaching.

Benson was trying to run the ball up the gut. Can anyone tell me who the Browns defensive tackles are? That's right, Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams, arguably the best position in terms of talent on the entire Cleveland Browns team.

Why continue to run it there? Try bouncing one outside.

I gotta give it up to the defense. It seems like they were on the field the entire game and still came up big when we needed to the most. That was as far as a defense can bend without breaking.

Now, I am literally so pissed off at Brad St. Louis I can barely talk about it. How many points has this guy cost us?

Seriously, there are 120 Division I college football teams with a long snapper. Are you telling me that Brad St. Louis is the best there is out there? He is TERRIBLE. There has to be someone out there with a little more ice in his veins that can get the job done.

His performance was embarrassing. He does one thing...ONE, and he can't even do that!

Guys bust their ass up and down the field for 60 minutes and the long snapper is the guy who has cost us numerous missed opportunities. It's unaccetpable. I sincerely hope that Marvin is looking into alternatives to St. Louis.

* Check out Sunday's box score here

* Kevin Huber is my hero. Talk about an upgrade to Kyle Larson. Wow.

* Who was making the decision to kick it to Cribbs every time? It was funny. All the Bengals fans on Twitter were saying, "Don't kick it to Cribbs, he's burnt us every time." And yet the next punt would go to Cribbs, and yes, he would burn us again!

I will give the punt team credit though, they contained him very well when they needed to the most—in overtime.

* Chad, you dropped the ball. Walk back to the huddle and stop looking for someone else to blame. Seriously, stop being such a cry baby. Players drop passes all the time. It happens. As much as you don't want to believe this, you are human.

*Speaking of Chad, was he wearing pink flags? You know, like little league flag football flags?

* Even with Benson getting hardly any touches in the first half and just a few in the second, he still ended up with 18 carries and 74 yards. That's 4.1 yards a carry. It's like we completely ignored him for some reason.

* How many people started screaming at Rich Gannon like I did when he said we would leave too much time on the clock if we scored in overtime?

Talk about the wrong move. I was so pissed from just watching the game, then I had to deal with a broadcaster who didn't know what the hell he was talking about. Read this article about the slip up.

* J.P. Foschi was our leading receiver. Um, yeah.

* Although Chris Henry hasn't been very involved in the offense up to this point, he has been clutch when we need him. Keep up the good work Slim. He's a first down catching machine.

*Finally, it was reported that on the Bengals' final 4th-and-10 Carson had to go over and plea with Marvin Lewis to go for the win and elect not to punt the ball back to the Browns with a little over 40 seconds left.

Does this concern anyone else but me? Seriously, I know we weren't in the best position, but punting the ball back to your opponent with 46 seconds left in OT instead of going for the win? Grow some balls, Marvin.

I would rather lose the game than not have the balls to do what we eventually did, thanks to Carson Palmer.

Here you go Marvin. Please, take some lessons.

Bengals' Offensive Coordinator Deserves Some Props

OneManCrimeWave — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:14:00 -0400

During the week, I called out Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski's ability to exploit weaknesses on opposing teams.

On Sunday Brat did what I doubted he could do.

With starting safety Atari Bigby already out, Brat called a 44-yard flee-flicker to Chad Ochocinco on the same drive that Green Bay lost their other starting safety, Nick Collins, to injury. That drive ended with a five-yard touchdown pass to Chris Henry.

Well done, Brat. Well done.

Despite participating in late week practices, highly regarded rookie nose tackle B.J. Raji did not play. Brat took advantage of Green Bay's aging replacement, Ryan Pickett, and Cedric Benson had a spectacular day with 141 yards rushing.

Well done, Brat. Well done.

While I will always have a sour taste in my mouth from the Denver loss, I can take some solace in knowing that Denver dismantled Cleveland. It didn't take a freak play for Cleveland to lose. It took a monster four-sack performance by Elvis Dumervil against Joe Thomas. Seems I know someone who predicted big things for Dumervil this season...

Well done, Bob. Well done.

Bengals Fans: Don't Give Up On Cedric Benson

OneManCrimeWave — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:48:00 -0400

I'm going to be frank: When the Bengals signed Cedric Benson last year, I was skeptical. While I didn't think Cedric was a terrible player, I was more concerned with the fact that we chose him over other available free agents at the time.

It seems like some people are still unwilling to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Let me give those of you that are still weary of No. 32 a few words of advice: Forget what you thought you knew about Cedric Benson because of his career in Chicago. That isn't who he is, which he proved Sunday against the Packers.

Benson is a downhill runner who doesn't have the quickness to do a lot of the things other players can, but that might not necessarily be a terrible thing playing in the brutal AFC North. Although he doesn't make your jaw drop with unbelievable runs, the guy knows how to play football—something I believe the Chicago Bears wouldn't allow him do.

I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it again: Benson didn't stand a chance in Chicago. Period.

Even after a solid performance last week, Benson still had his critics. I was absolutely shocked to read posts on the Bengals' official message board with people crying for Bernard Scott. I believe Scott will prove to be a good player, but he simply isn't the type of player we need carrying the load. Benson will be prove to be the best running back we've had on this team since Corey Dillon.

As a running back in the AFC North, Benson will have his fair share of bad games. That comes with playing the Steelers and Ravens twice a year, but be proud we have a guy like Benson who wasn't given a shot and has rejuvenated his career in Cincinnati. Regardless of what people say, Benson IS a good running back and will continue to prove that here in Cincy.

Al Davis Screws Us Again

OneManCrimeWave — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:39:00 -0400

The Cincinnati Zoo's eight-year-old cheetah, Sarah, broke the land speed record for a mammal yesterday.

My sources are telling me that Al Davis, enamored by Sarah's pure speed, has traded a 2012 first-round draft pick to the Cincinnati Zoo for Sarah.

However, the situation is complicated by Sarah's contract, which expires after this season. Before being traded by the Cincinnati Zoo, Sarah had assurances by the Zoo staff of an extension.

Davis has dispatched a passenger pigeon carrying an ultimatum for Sarah to report to Oakland in no more than five days.

The Cincinnati Zoo chairman of the Board, Murray Sinclaire, has issued a statement proclaiming any contract problems to be exclusively between the Raiders and Sarah.

Last season, Sarah posted 211 digestions of hares and seven small antelope.

Damn you Mike Brown. How can you just sit idly as Al Davis out seniles you from right under your nose. Can you imagine how nasty our wide receiving group would be with Sarah's speed?

We already have Chad who is faster than a thoroughbred. With Sarah blazing past the secondary and snagging pigskin (cheetahs eat warthogs), defenses would literally not be able to keep up.

First the Heyward-Bey contract and now the fastest thing in Cincinnati since Airborne. Screw you, Al Davis.

Cincinnati Bengals: Sunday Preview

OneManCrimeWave — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:24:00 -0400

Injury Updates

Geoff Hobson is reporting that only Andre Smith (foot) and David Jones (foot) will miss the season opener on Sunday. Carson Palmer (ankle) appears to be healthy as does Chris Henry (thigh), Scott Kooistra (knee), and Roy Williams (thigh).

The Bengals can survive without David Jones against what is a confused Denver offense. The big worry should be the loss of Andre Smith. Yes, he has only been with the team for what seems like a day, but with the offensive line being the biggest question mark on the team, they could definitely have used the depth.

Blackout Status

After receiving an extension for ticket sales from the NFL, the Bengals did manage to sellout Sunday's contest. The sellout streak, which started in 2003, will continue to 45 games. Pretty remarkable considering the overall record of the Bengals since 2003 is 46 wins against 49 losses.

I wanted to launch into a pimping rant about the passion and loyalty of Bengals fans, but as it turns out, the Bengals, Kroger, and WKRC stepped in and bought the remaining tickets to give to local military families and assorted charities. At the very least the guys over at WhoDeyRevolution.com can feel pretty good about getting to watch the game and having accomplished their goal...sorta.

Match ups

The biggest one to watch, in my not-so-humble opinion, is Anthony Collins/Andrew Whitworth vs. Elvis Dumervil. The Bengals tackles will have their work cut out for them against Dumervil who, if the preseason is any indication, looks to have greatly benefited from Denver's switch to a 3-4 scheme. If the line can protect and run block then I'd expect the offense to move the ball very well.

If the previous match up goes the Bengals way, I would expect this next one to have a big impact on the game. Andre Goodman vs. Laveraneus Coles is an intriguing skill position match up outside of the obvious OchoCinco vs. Bailey battle. Coles will likely be eager to prove why he was worth more than the $6 million option the Jets offered. What makes this match up interesting is against Goodman last season Coles only had five yards receiving in the first game but bounced back in the second game with 88 yards and a TD against Goodman.

With Leon Hall quietly gaining respect around the league as one of the better corners and a healthy Jonathan Joseph looking like the Joseph of 2006 it will be interesting to see how much Mike Zimmer chooses to blitz and leave his corners on an island. Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal are certainly not slouches after propelling the Broncos to the NFL's third-ranked passing attack last season. Assuming Hall is covering Marshall the majority of the snaps, I think this will be a big determining factor of the game.

Prediction

I do not think this will be an easy game for either team. As always, the turnover comparison will play a huge role in the end result. Unfortunately both clubs have faced such a turnover in personnel it's hard to draw much from the previous season.

So, going on shaky history and an abundance of time to ponder over the match ups, I'm going to bet the Bengals offensive line will be able to block and the defense will force Kyle Orton into some ill-advised decisions. Keep in mind the last time the Bengals played against Kyle Orton when he completed five passes to Bengals defenders and fumbled once.

The Bottom line? Bengals win their season opener in front of a sellout crowd, 31-21.

Contract Close for Cincinnati Bengals' Andre Smith?

OneManCrimeWave — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:06:00 -0400

Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that Andre Smith and the Bengals are 48 hours or less away from a contract agreement.

Chad Ochocinco is also reporting, via twitter, that the deal is done, but I trust Chad about as much as I trust Joe Isuzu.

Of course I hope that the NFL.com turned ESPN.com (cough-sellout-cough) writer is right about this one.

The biggest question mark with the Bengals is the offensive line and with Andre Smith signed there will be adequate depth to quell my concerns.

Assuming the deal is actually this close to being completed, it will be interesting to see which side compromised more to get Smith back in Cincinnati.

Regardless, the Bengals should have their 340-pound monstrosity of a run blocker in house and adapting to life in the NFL one shirtless 40-yard dash at a time.

UPDATE: Andre Smith's agent, Alvin Keels, is denying the contract agreement on his twitter account. Will someone please tweet the tweeting tweet out of this tweeting contract?

2009 Cincinnati Bengals Season Preview

OneManCrimeWave — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:17:00 -0400

With the first two preseason games in the books, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis will soon be making his final roster cuts as he prepares to enter into week one of the 2009 season.

With the Bengals' exceptionally busy offseason, signing several high profile free agents and a draft that could quite possibly go down as one of the best in the team's forty one year history, this year's cuts are going to be especially difficult considering the amount of talent the team has in certain areas and the lack of depth at others.

Regardless of all the positive things coming out of training camp, there is one issue that overshadows them all—Andre Smith's contract situation.

Smith is entering the fourth week of his holdout and it doesn't appear that any progress is being made.

There is no question after last season that the offensive line was a top priority heading into 2009, which is why the Bengals decided to draft Smith, who they considered to be the most complete left tackle in college football.

Unfortunately, Smith isn't in camp.

With the team's history of frugality, it isn't much of a shock that Smith hasn't been paid the type of money that he expected, but for the fans (and Carson Palmer's short-term health) it's very disappointing.

As previously mentioned, the Bengals are overloaded with talent in some areas and very thin at others, which will make Marvin's job very difficult this year.

Here is a position by position breakdown of 2009 Cincinnati Bengals:

Quarterback

There aren't many "sure" things in the NFL, but there is one...it's a quarterback driven league and the Bengals are definitely not an exception to the rule.

This team goes as Carson Palmer goes. Unfortunately, Palmer has been plagued with injuries in recent years, which ultimately leads to losing seasons.

With the departure of last year's starter Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Bengals were forced sign a backup...which they did, signing free agent quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan to a two year deal.

Upon O'Sullivan's signing, most Bengals fans assumed that he would be the backup going into week one, however, this isn't exactly the case.

According to Marvin Lewis, Jordan Palmer (Carson's younger brother) is the most improved player on the entire team and has looked pretty sharp this preseason. While neither O'Sullivan or J. Palmer will ever come close to dethroning Carson as the starter, keep an eye on this battle during the final two preseason games.

At this point it's O'Sullivan's job to lose but Jordan hasn't had the same opportunities to run with the first team offense that O'Sullivan has had. If given the same opportunities, it could get interesting.

Regardless, I see all three making the team given Palmer's injury history.

Running Back

Rewind back to Sept. 30, 2008...the Cincinnati Bengals were in desperate need of a running back after the painful discovery that Chris Perry, the team's injury plagued first round selection of 2004 draft, couldn't hold on to the football.

With no other viable option on the roster to replace Perry as the starter, the Bengals signed Cedric Benson to a one-year deal worth $520,000. Again, the Bengals were the the laughing stock of the NFL by signing yet another "bad character" player to the team (although Benson was cleared of all charges against him).

Despite not seeing any significant playing time until week seven, Benson finished the season with 214 carries for 474 yards and two touchdowns, and caught 20 passes for 185 yards.

Many people have a lot of different opinions of Cedric Benson. Chicagoans probably despise the guy, and I'm sure the feeling is mutual.

However, Cincinnati fans probably have a much different opinion. I understand the arguments against Benson and why many people consider him a bust. In terms of production Benson absolutely was a bust considering he was the fifth overall pick in 2005 draft.

Benson never even came close to rushing for over 1,000 yards in Chicago. As a matter of fact, Benson rushed for more yards in nine games with the Bengals than he did in any of his previous seasons with the Bears.

In my opinion, Benson had little chance of success with the Chicago Bears for a number of different reasons:

First, in an article on the Bengals' official Web site, Benson discussed his relationship with his former teammates and some altercations between him and linebacker Brian Urlacher—situations in which Benson claimed Urlacher tried to purposely injure the Texas standout.

Even before Benson's rookie season was over his own team was trying to take him out. That's a problem!

Regardless of who you are that type of situation is not a healthy working environment. Why would Benson want to play for an organization where his own teammates purposely wanted to take him out in practice?

Regardless if Benson's accusations are true, that was his perception, and the only perception that matters in this case. In a recent article on Yahoo! Sports, this is what Carson Palmer had to say about Benson:

“Ced has been the ultimate teammate,” says Palmer, the team’s star quarterback and unquestioned leader. “He’s fun to play with, studies hard, wants to win, helps young guys and is a leader—what’s not to love?

"It makes me mad when I think about what I heard out of Chicago, because now I know the guy and have spent a lot of time with him, and he’s a model teammate.”

Sounds to me like Benson is in a completely different situation than the one he was in with the Bears.

Second, Benson just couldn't stay healthy while in Chicago. There isn't much else that can be said about that.

Finally, it's important to remember that Benson lined up behind one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL, Rex Grossman (how he led that team to a Super Bowl speaks volumes about the defense.)

Think about it—if you were a defensive coordinator in the NFL would you stack eight in the box to stop Benson and force Grossman to beat you through the air? It's pretty much a no-brainer to me.

As the old saying goes, "One man's trash is another man's treasure" and I truly believe Benson has found a home in Cincinnati.

Obviously I like what I'm seeing from Benson this preseason.

I think he's running with a chip on his shoulder this season. He reported to camp in great shape, and as Bengals Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz mentioned on the last preseason telecast, he also appears to be stronger, faster and quicker than at any other point in his career.

Benson is this team's starting running back. The interesting question is who backs Benson up?

With veteran running back Kenny Watson and undrafted rookie Marlon Lucky having already been cut by the Bengals this preseason, the remaining candidates include Brian Leonard, Bernard Scott, DeDe Dorsey and James Johnson.

Look for Bernard Scott to be the backup heading into week one of the season.

Scott, who was drafted in the sixth round of this year's draft, has looked exceptionally good this preseason displaying great speed, quickness and vision. Considering Benson is a downhill, straight-line runner, Scott will be the perfect change-of-pace type back that Marvin has been searching for since his arrival in Cincinnati.

When the Bengals traded "waiver wire wonder" Orien Harris to the Rams this offseason in exchange for former second round pick Brian Leonard, I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.

Leonard is a player that isn't great at any one particular thing, but is good at a lot of different things. Although I don't believe Leonard is going to press Benson for any significant playing time, he is a great guy to have on the roster.

Leonard has a similar running style to that of Benson. He isn't the fastest player and won't make many people miss, but he has a knack for picking up yardage.

Leonard isn't fast enough to be a change-of-pace back or a receiving threat out of the backfield, so the real question is what value does he have? My guess is that his real value is as a primary backup to Benson...if Benson goes down Leonard would handle the load for the remainder of the season.

DeDe Dorsey is the guy that drives me crazy.

When DeDe touches the ball he makes play. Period.

However, the question with DeDe has always been "can he stay healthy?" The answer up to this point has been "No." I have absolutely no doubt that DeDe Dorsey could be an effective third-down back in the NFL if he could stay healthy, but he's proven time and time again that he can't.

It has to be a tough decision cutting a talented player in favor of DeDe considering his history with injuries, but it also has to be difficult to cut a player as talented as DeDe. It's a double edge sword.

The guy has all the tools you look for in a third down back—he has blazing speed, can make guys miss and he can catch the ball out of the backfield...but he just can't stay healthy!

This might be the year that Marvin finally lets DeDe go in favor of another player...but DeDe doesn't have the baggage that others may have and he's averaging 9.3 yards a carry. Do you see how difficult of a decision this is? Would he make it past waivers? We'll see...

Finally, barring injury, James Johnson will either be cut of retained on the practice squad. There is simply too much talent ahead of him to secure a spot on the 53 man roster.

Fullback

Want to see one of the most intense positional battles in training camp? Look no further than the fullbacks.

If you've been watching HBO's Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals you will recognize the name Chris Pressley. Pressley, an undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin, was one of the best collegiate fullbacks in the country last year.

However, fullbacks are a dying breed in the NFL and it's extremely difficult to make a team considering the size of the roster, the limited number kept by each organization and the number of college fullbacks looking to fill these limited positions.

Fullback is as "blue collar" of a job that can be found in the NFL, and fullbacks experience the same difficulty finding work in their profession as many other "blue collar" men and women experience in the "real world."

Personally, I'm pulling for Pressley. I wouldn't mind seeing him line up as the starter on September 13 against the Denver Broncos.

With Jeremi Johnson still struggling to keep his weight down, I wouldn't be surprised if he's cut for the second straight year. Rookie seventh-round pick Fui Vakapuna appears to be the heir apparent, but I wouldn't count Pressley out just yet.

Vakapuna suffered an injury in the first preseason game of the year might slow him down.

It seems that all the stars are aligning for Pressley if he takes advantage of the situation. Pressley is a smart, hard-working guy that has always made the best of the bad situations in his life.

He's self-made and wouldn't be where he is today if it wasn't for the game of football. He realizes that. The Cincinnati Bengals could certainly use more people like Chris Pressley on the roster.

Wide Receiver

Wide Receiver is another position that will be interesting to watch between now and the start of the season.

Obviously Chad Ocho Cinco, Chris Henry, Andre Caldwell, and newly acquired Laveranues Coles are all locks to make the 53 man roster, but there are 10 guys currently fighting for what will likely be seven open spots.

Lets start with Jerome Simpson. Simpson was a second round draft choice out of a small Division 1-AA school, Coastal Carolina, in 2008. When Coach Lewis drafted Simpson he acknowledged that there would be an adjustment period for Simpson going from a division 1-AA school to the NFL.

As a rookie, Simpson only caught one ball for two yards and was deactivated for most of the season.

After spending significant time in California this offseason, Simpson worked on his route running, catching, and timing with quarterback Carson Palmer.

Although he still isn't where he needs to be to contribute—at least for another season—he has shown some promise this preseason, catching four balls for 40 yards and a beautiful one handed catch for a touchdown against the Patriots (which was called back for offensive pass interference.)

He will make the roster, but as a second round draft choice he needs to improve each and every day to become a consistent contributor in 2010 and justify his draft position.

Along with DeDe Dorsey, 2009 might be the year the Cincinnati Bengals cut ties with KR/PR "specialist" Antonio Chatman. The Bengals had high hopes for Chatman coming over from Green Bay in 2006, when he was coming off a season with 49 receptions for 549 yards and four touchdowns.

But he has proven to be unreliable and injury prone as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. Chatman has never caught more than 21 balls in a single season with the Bengals.

But he is well-liked by quarterback Carson Palmer and has been considered the team's primary kickoff/punt returner (most likely the reason he's still around.) With Andre Caldwell being a similar (and cheaper) player, Chatman's days in Cincinnati could be limited.

The rest of the field includes rookies Quan Cosby—fighting for the team's primary kickoff/punt returner spot—Greg Orton, Freddie Brown, and second year player Maurice Purify.

I would guess that Cosby and Purify currently have a leg up on the competition due to their contributions on special teams.

As I mentioned earlier, the wide receiver position is going to be one where I wouldn't be surprised if the Bengals enter the season with one less guy in order to secure a roster spot for a guy like DeDe Dorsey.

I can't see the Bengals cutting a guy with the talent of Dorsey for a guy like Freddie Brown who would more than likely pass waivers and could be placed on our practice squad just in case one of our receivers go down during the season.

Can Dorsey line up in the slot? Certainly something to consider.

Tight End

The tight end position is without a doubt one of the biggest questions marks heading into the 2009 season.

If you've been watching Hard Knocks you already know that the Bengals lost starter, and arguably the best blocking tight end in the league, Reggie Kelly for the season with a torn ACL.

Additionally, we don't fully know the extent of Ben Utecht's concussion that required him to be rushed to a Georgetown hospital a few week ago. After reading several reports, it appears that Utecht's injury is serious and could sideline him for a significant period of time, if not end his career.

The Bengals proved to have made a smart decision in drafting Missouri standout Chase Coffman in the third round of this year's draft.

At this point Coffman could very well end up the starter going into the season.

He caught 247 passes for 2,659 yards and 30 touchdowns in college, so his talent has never been a question. It's his blocking that leaves a lot to be desired.

He has the ability, it's just a matter of if the coaches feel he is ready to play. Remember, he is partly responsible for protecting a $118 million investment in QB Carson Palmer.

Also on the roster is Daniel Coats, a two-year veteran out of BYU. Coats, who was making the transition from tight end to fullback last season, will be asked to move back to the position he played in college.

Due to his familiarity with the system and the injures to Kelly and Utecht, Coats will enter the season as the starter. However, he shouldn't get too comfortable as Chase Coffman will be inserted as soon as the coaches feel he's ready.

Also on the roster is Matt Sherry (the Bengals sixth round selection in 2008 who was cut in the offseason), undrafted rookie Darius Hill (Ball State), and recently acquired free agents J.P Foschi and Kolo Kapanui.

All of them will most likely be fighting for a spot on the practice squad.

Offensive Line

The offensive line is without a doubt the biggest question mark heading into the 2009 season.

It's ironic that just four years ago the Bengals had one of the premier offensive lines in the NFL with players like All-Pro tackle Willie Anderson, a healthy Levi Jones, Eric Steinbach, Rich Braham, and the last remaining lineman still on the team, Bobbie Williams.

The offensive line was so good, they turned Rudi Johnson into a Pro-Bowl running back.

Last season the Bengals' starting offensive line gave up 51 sacks, resulting in a black and blue franchise quarterback...hence the 4-11-1 season.

This year there is no reason to believe it's going to be any better (unless of course you are overly optimistic.) However, after the first two preseason games I think Bengals fans can breath a little easier considering the line hasn't played all that bad.

Granted, the starters are only playing about a quarter, but they're giving all three quarterbacks plenty of time in the pocket while also opening up holes for the backs to run through.

One of the best decisions made by the coaching staff this offseason was the decision not to re-sign center Eric Ghiaciuc (later signed by the Kansas City Chiefs.) While only giving up four sacks last season, his play was much worse than indicated by the stats.

Frankly, Ghiaciuc was not physically strong enough to anchor an offensive line in the smash-mouth AFC North. His replacement for the 2009 season, Kyle Cook, is one of the strongest players on the roster and has the intelligence it takes to make the necessary assignment calls.

While Cook certainly has the physical tools and mentality to anchor an offensive line, he lacks experience.

I fully expect Cook to make mistakes. It's how he learns from those mistakes that will determine if he can be the the center this team has been looking for since the departure of Rich Braham in 2006.

Another decision made this offseason was to move Andrew Whitworth from left guard to left tackle.

I have no question that Whitworth can physically play the position but it's going to take some time for him to adjust to blocking speed rushers off the edge as opposed to brute strength up the middle.

Whitworth, the best lineman on the team, was really starting to come into his own as one of the NFL's premier guards before the switch.

If there's one good thing to come from Andre Smith's contract situation it's that Anthony Collins, the Bengals third round pick from a year ago, will have an opportunity to start at right tackle.

Many Bengals fans were calling for this even before the team decided to draft Smith with the sixth overall pick.

Collins is off to a fast start this preseason picking up where he left off last year. However, like Whitworth, I fully expect him to have his ups and downs.

Ironically, the Bengals might be better off in the future as a direct result of Smith's holdout. When Smith does decide to sign with the team, Collins will already have some real experience at right tackle.

And depending on how he preforms, Whitworth could move back to left guard if Smith proves he can play left tackle. However, this is a long way off considering Smith has missed all of training camp and won't be close to playing any time soon.

Starting at left guard is another guy with limited experience: Nate Livings.

Livings, an undrafted rookie out of LSU in 2006, was a practice squad player two years ago and finally made the 53-man last season.

Last season injuries to former Bengals left tackle Levi Jones forced Whitworth to move to left tackle, opening up a spot for Livings at left guard over the final six games of the season. During those six games Nate played surprisingly well, only giving up a half a sack.

Livings was also a member of the offensive line that allowed Cedric Benson to rush for over 100 yards in each the final three games of the season. Livings is a guy everyone needs to keep an eye on.

Finally, Bobbie Williams is the last starter on offensive line. Williams has been a member of the Cincinnati Bengals for five years, starting his career Philadelphia in 2001.

He is without question the most experienced lineman on the team and is the only remaining starter from the extremely talented offensive line that led the Bengals to the playoffs in 2005.

Williams has been extremely durable during his time in Cincinnati and I expect another solid season from him in 2009.

Fighting for backup spots are tackles Dennis Roland and Augustus Parrish.

Roland has a big frame at 6'9", 325 pounds and has played pretty well whenever he's been given the opportunity.

Parrish on the other hand is on this team for one reason—Andre Smith's contract situation.

Although Parrish is fighting an uphill battle to make this team, he is, at this point, on an NFL roster. When Smith signs, the Bengals are still going to be thin at offensive tackle which is very good news for Parrish who has a decent shot at making the practice squad.

At guard, Evan Mathis, Andrew Crummey, Scott Kooistra, and Jason Shirley (who recently switched positions from DT to G) will all be fighting for a roster spot.

Kooistra is likely a lock to make the roster given his experience with the team, while Shirley, Crummey, and Mathis fight it out for the other backup position with the others likely headed to the practice squad or cut.

Defensive Tackle

Defensive tackle is a position that just a few years ago was considered a major area of need for this organization. However, with the emergence of Pat Sims as a potential star in the making, Domata Peko improving by the day, and the signing of "Tank" Johnson...Bengals fans can feel pretty confident with this group heading in the season.

Last season the Bengals signed Domata Peko to a five-year, $29.3 million contract extension.

When I heard the news I was disappointed. It was nothing personal. I thought owner Mike Brown was rewarding another "good guy" with a huge contract that he didn't necessarily deserve.

I was wrong.

Peko has been playing extremely well this preseason. He appears faster and stronger than I have ever seen him before. A good friend of mine once described him as a guy who "had the pedal to the metal, with his hands off the wheel."

I think that's a good way to describe him. Peko has always had a good motor, but he didn't always make a lot of plays. We all knew he could be a good player, and it appears he's going to live up to his potential this year.

Even with all the Bengals have to look forward to with Peko, they have even more to look forward to in second year player Pat Sims out of Auburn.

Sims, who started six games as a rookie last season, finished the year with 36 total tackles and one sack. This preseason Sims has 10 total tackles and one sack...in two games!

Just weeks ago Marvin moved Sims down to the second team on the depth chart. This move must have provided a little inspiration for Sims considering he spent last Thursday night terrorizing the Patriots offensive line and making play after play.

If you watched the same game I did then you know as well as I do that Pat Sims is one of the starting defensive tackles on this team.

In another offseason move the Bengals acquired unrestricted free agent "Tank" Johnson from the Dallas Cowboys. Tank spent the '07 and '08 seasons with the Cowboys after playing his first three seasons with the Chicago Bears, who later released him after the NFL suspended Johnson for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Johnson is a very strong defensive lineman with good quickness who can stop the run and apply pressure on the quarterback up the middle.

As mentioned earlier, I believe Pat Sims has played himself into the starting lineup, but there is no question that Peko, Sims, and "Tank" will all see significant playing time in 2009.

Rookies Clinton McDonald and Pernell Phillips will be battling it out with recently signed (and former Bengal) Langston Moore for the backup roles.

From everything I hear out of training camp it appears that coach Lewis really likes McDonald's potential. McDonald is a versatile player who can play both defensive end as well as defensive tackle.

He's very athletic for his size and as a senior at the University of Memphis, McDonald was tied for fourth in sacks (seven) as a defensive tackle in Conference USA.

His versatility will certainly be an asset to this team, so expect him to make the 53-man roster.

Expect Moore and Phillips to be cut.

Defensive End

In addition to the offensive line, the defensive end position is another area of concern for the Bengals heading into 2009 season.

Last season the Bengals finished 12th in total defense despite only recording 17 sacks, the fewest in the NFL.

As one of the team's main objectives this offseason, they were given just what they were looking for in April's NFL Draft when Georgia Tech defensive end Michael Johnson—a pass rushing specialist—fell to them in the third round.

Johnson, who has first round talent, fell in the draft due to his reputation for taking plays off. Coach Lewis is giving Johnson a lot of playing time this preseason to prove his critics wrong, and he hasn't disappointed.

One thing Johnson will need to do going forward is get stronger. Johnson has a lengthy 6'7", 260-pound frame with long arms. It's an ideal frame for a dominant pass rusher.

So far this preseason you can see him struggle getting around bigger offensive tackles, but he is improving with each rep. As Johnson gets stronger he could prover to be a nightmare for offensive tackles.

Expect Johnson to be a key component to the rotation throughout the season.

A healthy Robert Geathers is back this season, which has to put a smile on Marvin Lewis' face.

Geathers never really had much of an opportunity to get into a rhythm last season after being moved from defensive end to outside linebacker before suffering a season-ending knee injury in week 11.

Geathers only notched two-and-a-half sacks last season, a personal low since coming into the league in 2004.

During the offseason Geathers had micro-fracture surgery and will likely take it slow until the regular season when he will most likely rotate with Michael Johnson.

Geathers did play exceptionally well against the New England Patriots racking up four tackles and one sack, in which he put QB Tom Brady on his back for the first time since Brady's own surgery for a torn ACL.

Expect a refreshed Geathers to apply some pressure to opposing quarterbacks all season long.

One of the biggest disappointments of the entire 2008 season was the play of newly acquired Antwan Odom.

Odom signed a five-year, $29.5 million contract after coming off an eight-sack season with the Titans and certainly did not live up to expectations.

Many Bengals fans thought the team paid too much for Odom, considering he had one good season with the Titans while the rest were pretty mediocre.

Until the 2007 season Odom had never had more than three sacks in a single season.

Many believed Odom's success was more of a tribute to teammate Albert Haynesworth's demanding double teams than a testament of Odom's own ability.

So far the critics have been correct.

Nevertheless, Odom has taken responsibility for his play and noted that he needs to get better. He added 28 pounds to his frame this offseason and claims he hasn't lost any of his speed or quickness.

This should help him from being pushed around by bigger linemen. The Bengals paid Odom a lot of money to produce. If he doesn't start he can expect rookie Michael Johnson to take over in his place.

Fighting for the backup spots this season will be Frostee Rucker, Chris Harrington, Ventrell Jenkins, and Jonathan Fanene.

It could be an interesting battle. Odom, Geathers, and Michael Johnson are all guaranteed a spot on the roster. And depending on how many defensive ends Lewis decides to take into the season, we could easily see one of the guys that has been on this team in the past no longer employed.

This is going to be one of the more interesting competitions during the final two weeks of the preseason. Look for the competition to come down to Jonathan Fanene and Frostee Rucker...but don't be surprised if one of the two actually gets cut this season.

Linebacker

Remember a few years ago when the Bengals were literally holding open tryouts for linebackers? How things have changed! This year, linebacker is without a doubt one of the deepest positions on the team.

The Bengals arguably ended up with the steal of the entire 2009 NFL draft when USC's Rey Maualuga slipped to them in the second round. While it isn't entirely clear why Maualuga slipped into the second round, Marvin Lewis is surely thankful that he did.

Although Maualuga was obviously disappointed that he lasted as long as he did, he is in a perfect situation in Cincinnati. The brand of smash-mouth football he brings is ideally tailored for the AFC North.

Maualuga is a guy that Lewis can build a defense around. He brings a "swagger" that has been so desperately needed on this team since Lewis was hired as a "defensive specialist" back in 2002.

His skill set suggests that he may be better suited as a middle linebacker, however, until Dhani Jones proves that he can no longer play the position at a high level, Maualuga will be slotted on the outside along with former USC linebacker Keith Rivers.

Although Rey is currently listed as a backup to Rashad Jeanty, there is no way he remains a backup for long. Maulauga is already making his presence after playing in only one game this preseason, and he has already become a fan favorite.

Speaking of Keith Rivers, it will be nice to have him back after a brutal hit by Hines Ward knocked him out for the remainder of last season with a broken jaw.

By the looks of things this preseason he hasn't missed a beat and is playing at the same high level he displayed before the injury. Expect BIG things from the highly intelligent Rivers this season.

Another player that I've already mentioned is the Bengals defensive captain, and starting middle linebacker, Dhani Jones. While Jones might not bring the same physical presence as rookie Rey Maualuga, it's hard to argue with his production.

Jones led the 12th ranked defense last season with 116 tackles and is an extremely intelligent player. Until Jones proves that he can no longer play at the same high level, Maulauga will have to wait a while before he becomes the leader of the defense.

The talent doesn't stop with Rivers, D. Jones, and Maualuga. There are several other linebackers on the roster who have tremendous value as special team players.

Rashad Jeanty is a crafty, hard-working, selfless player who will certainly play whatever role the coaching staff asks of him. He will begin the season as a starter but even after Maualuga removes him from the starting lineup he will continue to have a role on this team.

Jeanty finished the 2008 season second on the team with 96 tackles.

Brandon Johnson is in the same boat with Jeanty. A fith round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2006, Johnson signed as a free agent with the Bengals last offseason.

Johnson started to come into his own last season, filling in nicely for the injured Keith Rivers and finishing third on the team with 83 tackles, behind only Jones and Jeanty.

Johnson is cut from the same cloth as Jeanty and will play whatever role is asked of him. His value this season will be as a situational linebacker who should stand out on special teams.

Darryl Blackstock is another linebacker that shouldn't have any problem making the team.

Although Blackstock only finished the season with 20 tackles, he proved to be much more valuable as a special teams player than as a linebacker. Blackstock also displayed some versatility last year lining up as a pass rushing defensive end in passing situations.

His role on the defense will take a hit with the addition of Maualuga and Michael Johnson, but he will still play a role on the team.

The players competing for smaller roles this season are Abdul Hodge, who is currently tied for second in tackles this preseason with nine, Dan Skuta, and Jim Maxwell. Look for these players to either be cut or signed to the practice squad.

Cornerback

The biggest area of concern for the Bengals heading into the 2009 season is at cornerback. The Bengals have two very solid corners in starters Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph, but there is concern outside of the starters.

David Jones was the team's nickelback last season but a foot injury has sidelined him for the remainder of the preseason.

The injury to Jones opens up the competition to several young, inexperienced players in rookies Morgan Trent and Rico Murray and veterans Geoffrey Pope and Jamar Fletcher.

It appears that Fletcher has the upper hand this preseason due to his experience and familiarity with the system. However, one of the younger players could compete for more playing time as they become more comfortable with the speed and physical demands of the NFL.

Depending on the health of David Jones, one of the lesser known players have a real shot at some significant playing time going into the 2009 season.

However, due to the lack of real experience I wouldn't be surprised if the Bengals look into signing another corner as other teams around the league begin making final cuts.

Starter Jonathan Joseph is coming off an injury-plagued season but is playing extremely well this preseason.

Leon Hall is without a doubt the team's top corner and will continue to get better as he becomes more experienced.

Keep an eye on this position as we get closer to the start of the regular season.

Safety

Safety is in my opinion the most heavily contested position of training camp.

During the offseason, the Bengals signed former Dallas Cowboy safety Roy Williams after he was cut by the team.

Under Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who was Dallas' defensive coordinator from 2000-2006, Williams was named to the Pro-Bowl five times.

However, after Zimmer's departure, Williams career went downhill. Williams was criticized by the media for his questionable coverage skills and injury history.

Williams has admitted that he has occasionally been beaten in coverage, but claims that all safeties have been at some point of their career.

Williams believes that he wasn't being used properly by other defensive coordinators in Dallas and is looking to get back to playing at the pro-bowl level he was under Zimmer in Dallas.

Before Williams signed with Cincinnati he was not guaranteed a starting job. In recent years the position has been held by the beloved seventh round pick out of Notre Dame, Chinedum Ndukwe.

Heading into the third game of the preseason Williams appears to be the starter, but the competition is far from over. If Williams continues to struggle as he did in his final year in Dallas, look for Ndukwe to reclaim the starting job.

Regardless of who starts, Ndukwe and Williams should both see significant playing time this season. It's even been discussed that free safety Chris Crocker could line up as a cornerback on passing downs, with Williams and Ndukwe on the field at the same time.

Safety is without a doubt one of the deepest and most talented positions on the roster. Regardless of who makes the team, someone has to be cut and all have proved their value in some way or another.

Keep a close eye on this position as we move closer to the home opener. It really is too close to call at this point.

Specialists

With kicker Shayne Graham nursing a sore groin that kept him out of the last preseason game against the Patriots, the Bengals signed free agent kicker Sam Swank.

Swank appears to be a placeholder for Graham until he can resume his kicking duties. Look for Swank to be released as soon as Graham returns.

Homegrown rookie punter Kevin Huber, a fifth round draft selection out of the University of Cincinnati, is the sole punter on the roster and unless he sustains an injury the job is clearly his.

He has been kicking exceptionally well during the preseason and should make Bengals fans forget all about Kyle Larson.

Just a Few Quick Impressions from the Preseason

OneManCrimeWave — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:10:00 -0400

Here are just a few quick impressions from the 2009 NFL Preseason:

Chris "Slim" Henry

It's only fitting that we start with Chris "Slim" Henry.

Seriously though, what really needs to be said about Henry? Here is a guy that was once labeled a "One Man Crime Wave", given numerous opportunities by Mike Brown and the Cincinnati Bengals, and finally he's straightened his life around only to dominate the preseason.

Granted, he is going up against second string guys for the most part, but it just feels like "Slim" is going to have a huge year. After two games (again, preseason) Henry is second in the NFL with 155 receiving yards and tied for first in touchdowns with two. After hearing about him turning his life around and watching him play this preseason, Brown needs to sign Henry to an extension now. If Henry becomes a free agent, who knows what teams will pay him. Brown...lock "Slim" up for five years, forget Andre Smith, sign Henry!

Fantasy owners...pay attention, many people won't want to gamble on Chris Henry, but you know better. You've been doing it for years!

Domata Peko

Alright, I'll be the first to admit I have never been a fan of Domata Peko. It's nothing personal, I think Peko seems like a very nice person who deserves everything he gets in life...except of course the five-year, $29.3 million contract we gave him a last offseason.

However, I am starting to change my tune a little. The money issue really was a big concern for me when we signed Peko to an extension. I feel like Brown likes to reward "good guys" with huge contracts even though it might not be the best for the team. However, I have seen a lot of improvement out of Peko thus far. A good friend of mine once described Peko as a guy who has the pedal to the metal with no hands on the wheel...I think that's a good way to describe him.

Unfortunately, after watching Peko this preseason, I don't think I can say that anymore. It seems to me as though Peko has gotten stronger and is a force up the middle. He always seems to be around the ball and making plays. I really hope Peko has a break-out season this year and proves me wrong.

Pat Sims

This might be funny coming from a blogger, but no matter what Marvin Lewis' depth chart says, Pat Sims is a starter. I am excited to have a guy like Tank Johnson on this team, but i was even more excited the way Sims played last year as a rookie.

With that being said, did you see him play the other night against the Pats? Oh my God! Sims was a beast! Like Peko, Sims was everywhere on the field making play after play. If any of you are draft nuts like me, this is especially refreshing news considering Sims' biggest knock coming out of college was his work ethic...ask the New England Patriots' offensive linemen about his work ethic and see what they have to say.

I am so jacked to see what this guy can do with a full-season under his belt, and as I said...Peko and Sims are the starters, all three (Peko/Sims/Tank) will play, but Sims is, without a doubt, in the running for the best defensive tackle on this team (along with Peko).

And who doesn't like the way Sims talks?

Offensive Line

For all of you out there that have been holding you breath when it comes to the O-Line, you can breath a little easier now after watching a couple of games.

Although there is always room for improvement, the line has held up pretty well. Even without Andre Smith, who's contract situation doesn't appear to be getting resolved anytime soon, the line has protected the quarterback relatively well, while also opening up some holes for the running game. It's hard to single any one player out of the group, they're all playing well.

Cedric Benson

I know there are a lot of haters out there, but does Cedric Benson really look like a guy who should have been unemployed last year?

This guy is running with a chip on his shoulder and is going to do big things this season. As Anthony Munoz noted last week, it appears Benson, along with "Slim", has found that passion again, coming into this season stronger, faster, and quicker than he has ever been. He hasn't been perfect though, Benson really needs to learn to hold onto the ball better, having two fumbles in two games (although he has a long way to go to beat Chris Perry's fumble percentage.)

Hold Onto the ball "Beezy" (Note: Click on Benson's name at the beginning of this paragraph to read an article on Benson at Yahoo! Sports. I think that sums things up nicely).

Other Notables

Bernard Scott
Jonathan Joseph
Leon Hall
Keith Rivers
Rey Maualuga
Dahani Jones
Robert Geathers

Penalties

I will finish with what I haven't particularly cared for thus far, the unbelievable amount of penalties that this team has committed.

We cannot go into the season committing this many penalties. Without opening up the same can of worms I did a week or so ago, this goes back on Marvin. As the head coach, it's your responsibility to make sure your players are focused and disciplined. At this point, I haven't seen much discipline from this team. I despise illegal formation penalties, think they're so easy to avoid and should never happen, but we've been flagged for one or two this preseason.

I'm not in panic mode just yet, after all, it is preseason, but it's certainly something that needs to be addressed before Week 1.

When will Shaun Smith shut up?

OneManCrimeWave — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:44:00 -0400

Profootballtalk.com via WKNR, via the Akron Beacon-Journal is reporting that Shaun Smith verbally bombarded Cleveland GM George Kokinis after the Lions-Browns preseason game. Apparently, Smith is still extremely bitter about his release from the Browns.

I don't know where Shaun Smith gets his bravado from. Quite honestly I don't think his mother or even God knows either. Lets take a look at his stellar playing career.

In 2003, he was signed as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina by the Cowboys. In 2004, he was waived from the Cowboys practice squad. A month later ,the Cardinals claimed him off waivers.

In the following two months, he was claimed by two teams, lastly the Bengals, where he started five games in 2004 and 2005.

He also went public about a very private altercation at half time of the Bengals lone playoff appearance of the last 19 years.

The next off-season, he was signed by the Browns as a restricted free agent, and started 19 games in two seasons. He also punched Brady Quinn in the face after a weight room argument resulting in a one game suspension. Maybe Quinn didn't want to share his EAS.

Earlier this month, the Browns cut Smith loose. Three days later, he signed a contract with the Lions.

So what exactly has Shaun Smith proven as a five-year veteran of the NFL?

That he can only land a job with mediocre or god-awful franchises; and while with those franchises, he manages to piss off the coaching staff, management and players. He has also only provided average play or waiver wire-worthy depth.

As his transaction record proves, Smith is a lot like a sticky booger that gets flicked away after numerous annoyances.

Put simply, Smith has not proven enough to say a word about anyone in the league other than the towel boy and maybe Eric Ghiaciuc. Chad needs to send another care package of Pepto, but this time to Smith. Hopefully that would remedy his awful case of oral diarrhea.

Props to John for this video. It gives new meaning to "splitting the uprights".

Judging the Cincinnati Bengals from Football That Doesn't Count

OneManCrimeWave — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:16:00 -0400

In their first two preseason games the Bengals have done little to change my initial judgment of the team. There isn't too much you can take from football games that don't count and are played mostly by UFL-bound players, but the Bengals' depth in certain areas needs to be addressed.

With David Jones out until the opener, the secondary—particularly corner—is thinner than Calista Flockhart. It's a widely accepted belief in the NFL that with the proper amount of pressure on a quarterback, the corners do not have to cover wide receivers for very long.

Unfortunately, Jamar Fletcher and Geoffry Pope have been the exception to that belief. And expecting rookie Morgan Trent to step in as the nickel corner is a stretch considering his impressive lowlight reel at Michigan.

Any more injuries at corner and quarterbacks will be circling games against the Bengals on the calender. It's not a good situation when you factor in Jonathan Joseph's injury history. There are decent options currently floating in free agency, but Mike Brown would have to fork over some veteran coin. List here.

Another area of concern is the offensive line. If/when Andre Smith is signed, the depth along the offensive line will improve but right now things are pretty shaky after the starters. And keep in mind only one player is starting at the same position as last year.

Without Smith around and with Collins in the lineup, our lone super-sub is the long-tenured Scott Kooistra. Is he really up to the challenge of protecting our injury-prone franchise quarterback? Better options are available, but again it's a matter of Mr. Brown forking over a little extra.

But not wanting to focus only on the negative, I did see a lot of very good things from other areas of the team. Namely, the defensive line and linebackers. Keep in mind we are only a couple seasons removed from Robert Geathers playing outside linebacker because our depth was so terrible.

Now we have a suitably deep group of linebackers and defensive linemen to push AFC North linemen. Fresh legs are fast legs and the depth in these areas is going to help Zimmer develop a scary pass rush.

Wide receiver is also an area to be content with. Coles and Ochocinco look sharp, as do Chris Henry and Andre Caldwell. Even Jerome Simpson has looked better in this preseason.

Behind those roster locks we have an entertaining battle of wideouts/specialists with Quan Cosby, Maurice Purify, and Freddie Brown. When Antonio Chatman returns from injury, will he have a spot to return to?

There are still a lot of question marks with this team but if a couple reserves prove they are capable or the front office makes a couple moves to secure depth, this team could do more than just compete.

Plaxico Burress Sentenced to Two Years in Prison

OneManCrimeWave — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:55:00 -0400

Although this has nothing to do with the Cincinnati Bengals, I believe it's worth mentioning. Today, former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress was sentenced to two years in prison relating back to a weapons change against Burress from an incident where he accidentally shot himself in the leg at a New York City nightclub. The weapon that Burress was carrying was not registered in the state of New York.

I know there will be mixed feelings about this, especially coming from professional athletes, but I believe justice has been served. This is not a black vs. white debate, it's about what is right and wrong.

Burress broke the law...period!

No matter what you believe, laws are put in place for a reason. Burress had options, and he chose to make the wrong decision by illegally carrying a firearm into a public place. Luckily he was the only person injured and he didn't accidentally kill someone.

Just months ago, Burress was offered a plea deal that would have sentenced him to two months in prison, but he rejected the deal. As they say...hindsight is always 20/20. Now, Burress will be spending the next two years behind bars.

Regardless of what professional athletes want you to believe, it is not necessary to carry a gun around with them at all times. While what happened to Sean Taylor was unfortunate, random acts of violence happen to innocent people every single day across the United States, not just professional athletes.

With that being said, people are given the right to carry a gun if they take specific training, training that I'm sure Burress had the option to take but for some reason chose not to. If he did take the class and followed all the proper procedures, but the nightclub wouldn't allow him in with his gun...he, again, had an option to go home.

If professional athletes are so concerned with their personal safety, then stay home...again, decisions normal people make on a daily basis. If I feel unsafe, I get out of the situation.

If you want to have 1,000 guns at your home for your own personal safety, that's your right. However, the other innocent people at the nightclub that night also had the right for their own personal safety, a right that was taken away from them when Plax decided to carry the gun in that night.

I'll get off my soapbox for now, but it gives everyone something to think about. As the old saying goes, hindsight is always 20/20.

Another Sideshow Act from Scab Ocho Sucko!

OneManCrimeWave — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:29:00 -0400

I found these pictures over at CincyJungle and I have to ask the question....does anyone get tired of seeing shit like this? I am going to warn you...I am just about at my limit with Chad 85, so if the language gets out of hand I'm sorry.

Part of my hatred for Chad 85 comes from being a long-time Bengals fan who has endured YEARS of not only losing, but being absolutely EMBARRASSED. As many Bengal fans can attest, we are fans of the most dysfunctional professional sports organization on the planet. However, there was a time, which many of you might not remember, when we used to be a VERY proud organization that wouldn't put up with the shit that we are forced to put up with year after year.

First and foremost, Mike Brown, not only are you an embarrassment to your family name, the fans ALL ACROSS the NFL and the city of Cincinnati, but most importantly you are an embarrassment to YOURSELF. How the hell do you crawl out of bed every morning and convince yourself that you know what is right and wrong when it comes to running a professional football team?? Hey, I have an idea...how about we move a defensive end that we are getting ready to cut to tight end just so we can fill a spot of NEED with a guy who will NEVER make more than $400,000. MIKE BROWN.....YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE IDIOT!! You ran an organization into the ground that your beloved father built from the ground up with his bare hands. You should feel ashamed!!!! As owner of the Cincinnati Bengals, you have a 101/187/1 record. SERIOUSLY....IS THAT NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?????????

Not only are we ultimately f###ed considering we have Mike Brown as an owner, but we are lucky to have a guy that is willing to LEGALLY CHANGE HIS NAME TO "OCHO CINCO" as publicity stunt. Did you hear me? He is so starved for attention that he LEGALLY changed his name to "Ocho Cinco." He changed his name to what literally translates from Spanish to English as "Eight Five." As he mentions on HBO Hard Knocks, I'm sure I'm going to receive a "Child Please" for bringing this up....but guess what Chad....YOU F!*#ED UP YOUR OWN NAME. Seriously, how does a person do this? You can try to play it off all you want, but seriously....It's wrong!!! The problem is, you're such an idiot that you won't change it back because of what people will say. Wake up...you're an embarrassment too! What's unfortunate is he is arguably the second best player on the team!

I'm just venting at the moment, but DAMN (or as Chad 85 would say "DAMN DAMN") does anyone besides Carson Palmer care? I know what you're thinking, "Was it really THAT big of a deal?" I would argue YES! How is the hell do two players actually get nachos and cheese on the field first of all? OF COURSE you knew that if someone would do it it would be Chad LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, 85. Is Marvin Lewis as oblivious to what goes on as it appears? This shows NOTHING MORE than a lack of discipline from the top down. Marvin Lewis has totally lost control of this team.

Marvin completely sold out. He knows that if he wants Chad to produce then he has to let him do his own thing while the others obey the rules. Hell, he's even going as far as defending the guy on Hard Knocks. Why? What do we owe Chad 85? Chad is lucky that he plays for an organization where the coach and owner don't give two shits about what he does. Let me ask you this...do you SERIOUSLY believe that Bill Belichick would tolerate the things that Chad does? Do you think he would find it cute that Chad changed his name to 85? Or he can eat nachos while on the sideline of a pre-season game? Do you think ANY of the shit he pulls would fly in New England? Simple answer....HELL NO!!!! Why is that relevant? BECAUSE HE HAS WON SUPER BOWL's (plural)!!!!!!!!!! He understands how to do things the right way. We, obviously, do not!

I am optimistic for the Bengals as I am every year, but history doesn't lie. With Mike Brown calling the shots, Marvin coaching the team and Chad 85 doing everything he possibly can to destroy this team from the inside out....I'm sure I will find that familiar feeling of disappointment come January.

I will leave you with what a REAL coach sounds like:

(On a side note: I really like Cedric Benson and I hope this isn't a side of things to come from him. I hope that he doesn't continue hanging around Scab. He has spent so much time in an organization that despised him that I'm sure he's just trying to fit it. Unfortunately, players feel like they need to be liked by Chad to survive...which is a FUNDAMENTAL problem!!!)

Players to watch tonight

OneManCrimeWave — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:33:00 -0400

Robert Geathers - How does he respond to his microfracture surgery and how much playing time will he see? It's fair to say that everyone had high hopes on what Geathers could become when he signed his big extension a few seasons ago. Since that point a laundry list of things have stifled him from being the player he should be now including position changes, mismanagement, and another bonified weapon to attract double teams. It will be interesting to see if he is back healthy and has enough help to be a real threat.

Roy Williams - From what I can gather, Williams seems to be having a mediocre camp to this point. That could be because his strength is laying vicious hits and you can't really do that to your teammates, or it could be because he simply is what the Cowboys thought he was and just can't cut it anymore. Tonight will be the first night Williams can fly around and hit the way that made him one of the most feared hitters in the game. Whether he does that or not will go a long way in determining the safety position this season.

Anthony Collins - Just like Zane has alluded to recently, the Andre Smith hold out might not be such a bad thing because Anthony Collins is getting a great shot to show us how good he really is. If he has a monster preseason and rest of camp I wouldn't be surprised if Collins forces his way into the starting line up at either right tackle or left tackle regardless of Andre Smith's contract situation.

Michael Johnson - Of all our rookies Michael Johnson is probably getting the most hype. He's also the highest choice of this year's draft suiting up tonight. Rey Maualuga is nursing some injuries and of course Andre Smith is crushing some Wendy's somewhere. I'd curious to see how Zimmer gets him on the field early be it at linebacker or defensive end. Would you be surprised if he played some tight end tonight? Mike Brown seems to think defensive ends are athletic enough for that.

Kyle Cook - I'm really excited to see this guy play if for no other reason than finally seeing a Bengals center not spinning like a frizbee into our franchise quarterback. If Cook is ends up being an average center it would be an improvement and you could count me among the elated masses. This is a big deal though because we will see if all this talk about Cook being a hidden gem is just talk or a legitimate possibility.

Malcolm Jenkins - OK, OK so he's a Saint but I really want to see how he plays. Call me a homer Buckeye fan but Jenkins is a fascinating player because no one seems to know if he can play corner at this level. Going up against Chad and Vernie will certainly test his speed and will tell Saints fans if their groans and moans over corners getting regularly toasted can finally end.

Who Dey!

Michael Vick to the Philadelphia Eagles

OneManCrimeWave — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:58:00 -0400

ESPN is reporting that Michael Vick has signed a one-year contract for a team option for 2011 with the Philadelphia Eagles.

I find this signing interesting considering I can find no analysts that even sniffed a rumor about Vick going to the Eagles.

All things considered, the Eagles should be pretty happy about the signing. Last year their offense was stagnant until their late season run into the playoffs. Now they will have a weapon in week six that will cause defensive coordinators significant headaches.

On the other hand, the media circus is going to set up camp outside Lincoln Financial Stadium and bombard Andy Reid and company with questions for the rest of human existence.

I'd say good luck to the Eagles and Vick but by the time Vick is ready to make an impact on the field I will be so annoyed and sick of hearing about him that I will hate them regardless.

Why Jason Shirley Changed Positions

OneManCrimeWave — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:55:00 -0400

Not to try to trump Bob's earlier post, but I've been doing a little investigating as to why the Bengals coaching staff is so high on rookie DT Clinton McDonald.

I've been reading that some people are concerned that moving Jason Shirley from defensive tackle to offensive guard just proves that the coaching staff has little confidence in our offensive line and looking at possible ways to plug the holes. However, in my opinion, the reason why we are looking to move Shirley to guard is because we have Tank Johnson, Pat Sims, Domata Peko and Clinton McDonald. Tank just signed with the team and seems to be having a good time as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, Peko signed a long extension a few years ago, Sims has several years left on his rookie deal and McDonald just signed. There simply isn't any room for Shirley as a defensive end.

It might be a project, but Shirley certainly has the size and strength to play offensive line. I think the thing hindering him on the defensive side of the ball was his lack of speed and quickness. He certainly doesn't possess the same pass rushing ability that McDonald does.

So...back to my original thought, do you want to see why Shirley is moving to guard? I'll show you why...

The Day After

OneManCrimeWave — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:22:00 -0400

Last night, while most NFL fans were enjoying the first episode of Hard Knocks, I was sitting around fuming that the cable I steal from my neighbor doesn't include Home Box Office television. Seriously, he needs to bite the bullet and invest in a better cable package. I can't get over his cheap ways.

So, going off the second-hand information of Geoff Hobson's "rose-colored glasses" approach to everything Bengals and Zane's summary it sounded like it was an entertaining and emotion-provoking piece of programming.

One thing stood out to me in Hobson's summary of the premiere.

"It also shows him (Mike Brown) in a personnel meeting with the coaches and trainers, mulling the possibility of now maybe keeping just two tight ends and an extra fullback or two, and even asking if the coaches think defensive end Chris Harrington is athletic enough to play tight end."

OK, so they ultimately decided against moving Harrington to tight end but this is a lovely glimpse into the penny-pinching mind of Mike Brown. Shockingly, it took only one episode to expose his unbreakable penny bank. You have to believe the only reason he even brought up the idea of moving Harrington to tight end was to fill a empty spot in the depth chart without spending a dime.

This situation comes on the heals of moving Jason Shirley to guard, which after a few days of fermenting in my small mind has turned into a genius move by Brown. You see, Mike Brown has found a way to have two busts in one player. Shirley has now been labeled as a bust at defensive tackle and the move to guard has set him on his way to being a bust on both sides of the ball. Bravo, Mr. Brown. It's a groundbreaking method to wasting some more time on a player that never should have been picked at all by any team.

I look forward to hearing about Brown's involvement in personnel decisions and meetings with coaches. But I do wonder how legitimate of a glimpse we will be getting of the real Mike Brown. I'd always imagined him sitting in meetings with a big strip of bubble wrap, compulsively popping it while coaches and scouts...err...scout tries to figure out who to draft, Chris Perry or Steven Jackson.

But hey, it's very possible that I am wrong and Mike Brown is actually a brilliant football mind and the 19 years of evidence to the contrary is all just really, realllllly bad luck

Andre Smith's agent makes Bengals an offer

OneManCrimeWave — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:02:00 -0400

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy, the agent of first round pick Andre Smith, Alvin Keels, has made an offer to the Cincinnati Bengals for what appears to be a five year, 40 million dollar contract. We'll have to wait and see if Mike Brown bites the bullet and signs the damn thing.

Now I admit, I'm no NFL G.M., however, I think this is a good deal...especially for the Bengals.

First, we are going to have to more than the $38.25 million dollar contract the Raiders gave Darrius Hayward-Bey and less than the $60 million the Jets gave Mark Sanchez (there was about 5 million difference in guaranteed money between Sanchez, 28 million guaranteed, and Hayward-Bey (23.5 million guaranteed). This contract does both of those. Now, if the guaranteed money is somewhere around the $25.5 million dollar mark, it better be a deal.

Would I like to see Smith in camp, ABSOLUTELY!!!

However, remember what I said the other day. I think Smith holding out is one of the better things that could happen to this team. With Smith holding out, it will force Marvin and the coaching staff to give Anthony Collins a very strong look at RT which is where I like him. If Collins proves he can play right tackle, and Smith is worked in at left tackle then we can move Whit back to guard.

If we do that, I think our line will be solid.

Anyway, the bottom line is the Bengals better take advantage of this deal and get him signed and in camp.

Some random thoughts...

OneManCrimeWave — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:23:00 -0400

Words cannot described how excited I was to watch the premier of Hard Knocks last night. I have always liked this series and was really happy to hear that the Bengals would be the subject of the show this year. Here are some thoughts in regard to the show:

First, I thought the Reggie Kelly segment was very difficult to watch. When you think of professional athletes most people just think about the money. At times it's easy to forget that theses guys put in a lot of hard work in the offseason getting ready for the 16 game season. When we lost Kelly I was bummed, but not really that upset. After watching the show, I now realize how important Reggie Kelly really is to the team. To see Reggie Kelly, a grown man, crying because he couldn't play this year really opened my eyes to what type of guy he really is.

Could you imagine being J.D. Runnels and being woken up at 5:00 a.m. and told you're not wanted? Not only that, but imagine a film crew video taping the entire thing. That has to be extremely difficult. I don't get the whole situation though...they wake you up at 5 a.m. and tell you that your not good enough, tell you to be ready to go at 7:00 a.m. to catch a plane, they confiscate his playbooks and send him back to Phoenix. The way the go about doing this is so cold, almost ruthless! I get it, it's a business...but you don't have to be a dick about it. Runnels was out there busting his ass to help this team, at LEAST give him the respect he deserves. Do you think they would treat Chad the same way if he was released? I don't know, I'm sure people probably thought it was handled okay but for some reason I thought the guy responsible had an arrogance about him that I didn't appreciate.

I'm pretty luke warm right now on Chad Ochocinco, I'm not going to lie, however he was pretty damn funny last night. My favorite scene from the entire show was when Chad was sitting in the stands by himself doing an interview with the HBO crew on what exactly "Child Please" means. According to Chad, it's a polite way of saying "F$!# You." I couldn't help but laugh my ass off.

I really hope Chris Pressley gets a fair shot at a roster spot. Pressley proved throughout his college career at the University of Wisconsin that he was a very good blocking fullback. In addition to being a good athlete, for him to overcome some of the thing he has in his life and STILL maintain a 3.8 G.P.A. in High School and a 4.0 in college....THAT'S IMPRESSIVE. I always like rooting for the underdog and in this case Pressley is just that. I am tired of giving a guy like Jeremi Johnson additional opportunities to stay on with the team. Even after being cut for weight issues last season, Johnson reported to camp this year overweight and is struggling to take any of it. I am just fine with Fui Vakapuna and Chris Pressley as our fullbacks.

On a final note, I am VERY disappointed that my boy "Slim" wasn't involved more in the show. I would pay double the cost for HBO if they featured Chris a little more. I am very interested in him as a human being and we are certainly ALL proud of the transition he has made within the last year...unfortunately, those type of stories don't sell.

Anthony Collins Promoted to Cincinnati Bengals Starting Right Tackle

OneManCrimeWave — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:45:00 -0400

Is anyone else as excited to hear that Anthony Collins is looking great in training camp and has been promoted to first string right tackle? I know that he has been promoted due to the holdout of Andre Smith, but Andre's holdout might be the best thing for us right now. It's weird, but I really do believe it.

I am extremely uncomfortable with moving Andrew Whitworth to left tackle, not because I don't think he can play the position but because of how badass he was at left guard. With Collins playing as well as he did last year, I don't understand the logic of watching him just sit the bench. Which is exactly what we were prepared to do.

When Marvin drafted Collins out of the University of Kansas last year in the third round, everyone knew he had the talent but he was a little young with a lot of learning still left to do. While he didn't have the opportunity to just sit back a learn last season like Marvin may have liked, he stepped in a played very good football when we needed him to.

In the offseason the Bengals let Levi Jones walk...and many thought it was Collins' job to lose—we were wrong.

In my opinion the best way to utilize all of our talent at O-line would be to have Andre Smith at left tackle, Whitworth at left guard, Cook at center, Bobbie Williams at right guard, and Collins at right tackle. Granted, we we will HAVE to have Whitworth play left tackle until Smith is signed, conditioned, and brought up to speed...which could take a while.

Regardless, it's ironic that we once had the best o-line in the NFL with Eric Steinbach, Big Willie, Levi and Bobbie; now we are just trying to put together a group of guys that can keep Palmer upright.

I think we have a better o-line than what people are saying. They may be a little young, but I am glad we have who we have, and I'm extremely happy Collins is at least getting a chance to prove what he can do.

Jason Shirley Moved to Guard?

OneManCrimeWave — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:42:00 -0400

Why not just cut him? The move tells us he had no chance of making this team as a defensive tackle, so why bump him over to offense? If the Bengals are that desperate for offensive line depth, why didn't they just comb the waiver-wire for REAL guards?

I've heard of wide receivers being converted to corners, or vice versa. I've heard of defensive ends converted to defensive tackles. But, taking a guy buried on the defensive depth chart and burying him on the offensive depth chart is unusual. Especially when the guy had been dubbed a project at his natural position.

Watch out Bobbie Williams and Nate Livings. Jason Shirley is going to prove he belongs a position he's never played and bump you to the curb.

Cincinnati Bengals First Cuts Get Kenny Watson

OneManCrimeWave — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:32:00 -0400

According to Cincinnati Enquirer Bengals beat writer Joe Reedy's twitter page, the team has made it's first cuts this morning, releasing RB Kenny Watson and FB J.D. Runnels.

After watching the Bengals inter-squad scrimmage highlights, I can certainly see why they felt Watson was expendable: Cedric Benson/DeDe Dorsey/Bernard Scott were all very impressive.

I would love to see Benson carry the load this season with DeDe acting as our third-down back, but DeDe hasn't shown that he can stay healthy for an entire season.

Dorsey can be explosive and make some pretty amazing plays, I'll certainly have my fingers crossed come Friday night.

I would like to personally thank Watson for his service to this team over the years. I wouldn't mind keeping him around, but he is getting older and really doesn't do anything special.

Watson is one of those guys who does everything well...but nothing great. Regardless, he has been a great team player and has done everything the Bengals have asked him to do. It will feel a little different not having Kenny around.

Also cut was third-year FB J.D. Runnels out of the University of Oklahoma.

Al Davis Punches Mike Brown in the Nuts

OneManCrimeWave — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:43:00 -0400

OK, so the headline is a metaphor, but the real thing is probably worse than the best low jab Al Davis could land in the jewels.

By drafting Darrius Heyward-Bey too high at the seventh pick and signing him for too much the Raiders set the floor much higher for the sixth pick's contract. Which is exactly where the Bengals and Andre Smith have a problem.

According to Profootballtalk.com, the Bengals offer of $33 million is $5.25 million less than the deal Heyward-Bey got from the Raiders a pick later.

So now we have a virtual Wall of China between Andre and the field made of Mike Brown's exceedingly cheap ways, Al Davis' moronic, sporadic, geriatric wasting of money and a greedy agent looking for left tackle money out of a right tackle.

Get comfortable, kids. This is going to be a longgggg holdout.

David Jones Out Four to Six Weeks

OneManCrimeWave — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:21:00 -0400

First let me say that Geoff Hobson punked the crap out of me with his "DJones out 4-6 weeks" headline on Bengals.com

I immediately flipped out that we lost Dhani Jones for a month and started yelling at my poor roommate in frustration who had never heard of David Jones or cared if David Jones now has to carry a special card through airport security.

So, thanks Hobby. The news of David Jones getting a screw put in his ankle is clearly going to have less of an impact on this team rather than losing Dhani Jones for a month or so. That being said, David Jones was a decent find last year and showed some promise as a young player. He just needs to get over his fear of contact. Hopefully he will make a full recovery before the season starts.

Cincinnati Bengals: More Tight End Issues

OneManCrimeWave — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:26:00 -0400

Move over Deadliest Catch.

The most dangerous job in the world might now be playing tight end for the Bengals.

After losing Reggie Kelly for the year, Daniel Coats promptly twisted his ankle, and Ben Utecht continued the trend yesterday by getting severely concussed.

Utecht was apparently participating in a drill and was hit hard by Darryl Blackstock. The blow left him unconscious and prompted immediate prayers from teammates.

The Bengals are now down to two healthy tight ends after starting with five.

Darius Hill may have to stop refilling water bottles and actually participate in drills. The list of available tight ends is extremely unimpressive, but the Bengals need to bring in bodies to keep Chase Coffman healthy and fresh until Coats and Utecht recover.

Bubba Franks is a name that continues to get bounced around, but two tight ends that were formerly with division rivals in Jerame Tuman and Daniel Wilcox seem like better solutions in my opinion. It's also possible the Bengals will just re-sign Matt Sherry, their 2008 sixth-round waste pick.

I hold my stance of not being too concerned over this situation. There are going to be injuries in training camp and the one place the Bengals could probably afford them was at tight end.

Tight end has never been something other teams have had to game plan around in the Marvin era. Consider that the top three ends on the depth chart have gone down with injuries and our replacement is the 2008 John Mackey Award winner.

There's one thing everyone can be really excited about with all these injuries.

Brad St. Louis will probably be spending less time with his head between his legs and more running routes and pretending to be a tight end. You just can't teach that type of versatility.

The New York Jets Have Screwed Us Once Again

OneManCrimeWave — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:11:00 -0400

While reading today's edition of Sporting News Today, I took a close look at the rookies who still haven't signed with their new teams.

My conclusion after taking a closer look?

I hate the New York Jets!

We can sit here all day and blame Andre Smith for not being at training camp, but the fact of the matter is...the Cincinnati Bengals are in a very bad position, and Andre Smith (or agent Alvin Keels) couldn't have dreamt it up any better. The ultimate goal for Smith and his agent is, obviously, to sign for the most money possible.

I certainly can't blame Smith for wanting to make a lot of money, but I think he would be signed by now if it wasn't for the Jets.

Let's take a look at the top 10 picks and those who have signed up to this point:

Matthew Stafford, QB, Lions: six years, $72 million ($41.7 million guaranteed)
Jason Smith, OT, Rams: five years, $62 million ($33 million guaranteed)
Tyson Jackson, DE, Chiefs: UNSIGNED
Aaron Curry, LB, Seahawks: UNSIGNED
Mark Sanchez, QB, NEW YORK (MFing) JETS: five years, $60 million ($28 million guaranteed)
Andre Smith, OT, Bengals: UNSIGNED
Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Raiders: five years, $38.25 million ($23.5 million guaranteed)
Eugene Monroe, OT, Jaguars: UNSIGNED
B.J. Raji, DT, Packers: UNSIGNED
Michael Crabtree, WR, 49ers: UNSIGNED

Now if you look closely, you'll notice a very large gap between what the Jets paid their new franchise QB and what the Raiders paid for their newest fourth string WR. $21.75 million is the number that the Bengals and Smith/Keels are trying to bridge the gap on.

That is a lot of money!

Remember, picks three and four have yet to be signed. Normally, one could assume that they would be working their way down from the $62 million that the Rams paid the No. 2 pick in Jason Smith...but not this year, considering the No. 5 pick (Sanchez) is making only $2 million less than Jason Smith.

My point is this: There needs to be a rookie wage scale in place to prevent this type of situation from happening in the future. No matter what number you put in front of the word "million," the rookies will sign it.

Remember, just several months ago they were college kids (I hesitate to use the word "student").

How can the Jets justify paying Sanchez that much money without playing a single down in the NFL? $2 million less than the No. 2 overall pick? This leaves other teams in quite a bind and, in my opinion, it isn't fair.

(On a side note...I hate the Jets. Not only are they screwing us in this situation, but they also took Darrelle Revis from us in the 2007 draft...Then, just after I cooled down from the Revis selection, those bastards took David Harris from us in the second!)

Once Again the New York Jets Have Screwed Us!

OneManCrimeWave — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:11:00 -0400

While reading today's edition of Sporting News Today, I took a close look at the rookies who still haven't signed with their new teams. My conclusion after taking a closer: I HATE THE NEW YORK JETS!

(Before we go any further...I just gotta tell you, if you don't get Sporting News Today in your inbox every morning than there is something wrong with you. With that being said, I will be a nice guy and share with you the link to sign up for it. I guarantee you that you'll not regret it.)

We can sit here all day and blame Andre Smith for not being at training camp but the fact of the matter is...the Cincinnati Bengals are in a very bad position and Andre Smith (or agent Alvin Keels) couldn't have dreamed it up any better. The ultimate goal for Smith and his agent is, obviously, to sign for the most money possible. I certainly can't blame Smith for wanting to make a lot of money, but I think he would be signed by now if it wasn't for the Jets.

Lets take at the top 10 picks and those that have signed up to this point:

1. Matthew Stafford, QB, Lions: six years - $72 million ($41.7 million guaranteed)
2. Jason Smith, OT, Rams: five years - $62 million ($33 million guaranteed)
3. Tyson Jackson, DE, Chiefs: UNSIGNED
4. Aaron Curry, LB, Seahawks: UNSIGNED
5. Mark Sanchez, QB, NEW YORK (MFing) JETS: five years - $60 million ($28 million guaranteed)
6. Andre Smith, OT, Bengals: UNSIGNED :(
7. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Raiders: five years - $38.25 million ($23.5 million guaranteed)
8. Eugene Monroe, OT, Jaguars: UNSIGNED
9. B.J. Raji, DT, Packers: UNSIGNED
10. Michael Crabtree, WR, 49ers: UNSIGNED

Now if you look closely you'll notice a VERY large gap between what the Jets paid their new franchise QB and what the Raiders paid for their newest fourth-string WR...$21.75 MILLION DOLLARS is the number that the Bengals and Smith/Keels are trying to bridge the gap on. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY!

Remember, picks Nos. 3 and 4 have yet to be signed. Normally, one could assume that they would be working their way down from the $62 million that the Rams paid the number two pick in Jason Smith...but not this year considering the No. 5 pick (Sanchez) is making only two million less than Jason Smith.

My point is this...there needs to be a rookie wage scale in place to prevent this type of situation from happening in the future. No matter what number you put in front of the word "million," the rookies will sign it...remember, just several months ago they were college kids (I hesitate to use the word "student.")

How can the Jets justify paying that much money without playing a single down in the NFL? Only $2 million less than the number two overall pick? This leaves other teams in quite a bind and it isn't fair in my opinion. (And it doesn't stop with Sanchez...look at Stafford, look at any rookie contract)

(On a side note...I hate the Jets. Not only are they screwing us in this situation but they also took Darrelle Revis from us in the 2007 draft...THEN, just after I cooled down from the Revis selection, those bastards took David Harris from us in the second!!!!)

Loss of WR Reggie Kelly Is Not So Bad for Cincinnati Bengals

OneManCrimeWave — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:26:00 -0400

Well. Well. Well. The sky is falling in Bengaldom because Reggie Kelly has been lost for the year.

While other blogs and respectable media outlets are panicking over the loss of Reggie Kelly, I am remaining calm and optimistic about our tight end situation.

Yes, Kelly was an irreplaceable leader in the huddle and a safety blanket for our offensive line's shortcomings. Yes, Carson delivers flowers via the media to Reggie Kelly by talking about how awesome a teammate he is. Yes, Bob Bratkowski lost a big piece to the whip cream—err—protection pie.

But all it really amounts to is the loss of a 32-year-old blocking tight end that can barely run and has hands made of granite. A player from a different era. Great at what they ask him to do, but about as one-dimensional as a tackle-eligible.

Other teams around the league have been developing younger, more versatile tight ends (Steelers - Heath Miller, Texans - Owen Daniels, Seahawks - John Carlson, Vikings - Visanthe Shiancoe, Eagles - Brent Celek, and Bears - Greg Olson) while the Bengals sat complacent with Reggie Kelly for five seasons. Hence, my elation after the Chase Coffman steal.

The Bengals should have invested in a tight end to grow with Carson or signed a veteran receiving tight end in Carson's first season as a starter. As the saying goes, "A tight end is a young quarterback's best friend." Alas, they settled on Matt Schobel and Kelly for a while and let Schobel move on to Philly to showcase his mediocrity.

Now Kelly's career is arguably over and it's up to the likes of Ben Utecht, Daniel "Don't call me Ben" Coats, and Coffman. Forget Darius Hill. He's in camp to fill the water bottles.

Call me crazy, but I am ready to trade the leadership and protection guaranteed by Kelly, with the pass-receiving skills of the best statistical college tight end ever. Here's Coffman's chance to develop into the next Jason Witten or Frank Wycheck (too much to ask?).

Maybe he won't be able to block very well for a few seasons but that's why a guy who would have been cut this training camp is suddenly very valuable. Daniel Coats.

Coats was a nice pickup as a college free agent from BYU and he already had a reputation as a blocker coming out of school. His first season he had time to develop more as a blocker. In his second season, he had an opportunity to develop his versatility playing fullback.

Toss a healthy Utecht into the tight end mix and while not proven, this group is capable of doing all the things Kelly could and many things he couldn't do. All Brat has to do is be creative in the way he gets these guys on the field.

The long and short of it is this; while I respect everything Kelly has done for the Bengals as a leader, role model, and tenacious blocker, his presence atop the depth chart has stymied the Bengals efforts to find a formidable threat at tight end.

Now Coffman has a chance to prove this offense needed a tight end who could run and catch (Utecht has yet to combine the two...but he can sing). I think the rookie is going to sneak up on teams this season.

Is it possible Kelly's Achilles tendon might have done this offense a favor? Oops, looks like someone just leveled the playing field.

P.S.—Ever notice how many players and coaches use the same lingo and praise for players when they go down with an injury as when a player tragically passes?

I know it's a morbid comparison but the Kelly situation is a good example of this.

All these guys are talking about Kelly like they are never going to see him ever again.

The dude is 32. He could recover, he could not.

But when you're as involved in the community as Reggie Kelly is you aren't going to disappear after an injury like a wounded dog. I'd expect Reggie Kelly to continue to be a team and community leader even if he's doing it on crutches from the sideline or with Doug Pelfrey in Fort Thomas.

Loss of Reggie Kelly Is Not so Bad

OneManCrimeWave — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:26:00 -0400

Well. Well. Well. The sky is falling in Bengaldom because Reggie Kelly has been lost for the year.

While other blogs and respectable media outlets are panicking over the loss of Reggie Kelly, I am remaining calm and optimistic about our tight end situation.

Yes, Kelly was an irreplaceable leader in the huddle and a safety blanket for our offensive line's shortcomings. Yes, Carson Palmer delivers flowers via the media to Kelly by talking about how awesome a teammate he is. Yes, Bob Bratkowski lost a big piece to the whip cream—err—protection pie.

But all it really amounts to is the loss of a 32-year-old blocking tight end that can barely run and has hands made of granite. A player from a different era. Great at what they ask him to do, but about as one-dimensional as a tackle-eligible.

Other teams around the league have been developing younger, more versatile tight ends (Pittsburgh Steelers—Heath Miller, Houston Texans—Owen Daniels, Seattle Seahawks—John Carlson, Minnesota Vikings—Visanthe Shiancoe, Philadelphia Eagles—Brent Celek. and Chicago Bears—Greg Olson), while the Cincinnati Bengals sat complacent with Kelly for five seasons. Hence my elation after the Coffman steal.

The Bengals should have invested in a tight end to grow with Palmer or signed a veteran receiving tight end in Palmer's first season as a starter. As the saying goes, "A tight end is a young quarterback's best friend." Alas, they settled on Matt Schobel and Reggie Kelly for a while and let Schobel move on to Phillie to showcase his mediocrity.

Now Kelly's career is arguably over and it's up to the likes of Ben Utecht, Daniel "Don't call me Ben" Coats, and Chase Coffman. Forget Darius Hill. He's in camp to fill the water bottles.

Call me crazy, but I am ready to trade the leadership and protection guaranteed by Kelly, with the pass-receiving skills of the best statistical college tight end ever. Here's Chase Coffman's chance to develop into the next Jason Witten or Frank Wycheck (is that too much to ask?). Maybe he won't be able to block very well for a few seasons, but that's why a guy who would have been cut this training camp is suddenly very valuable...Daniel Coats.

The guy was a nice pick up as a college free agent from BYU and he already had a reputation as a blocker coming out of school. In his first season, he had time to develop more as a blocker, while in his second season, he had an opportunity to develop his versatility playing fullback.

Toss a healthy Ben Utecht into the tight end mix and while not proven, this group is capable of doing all the things Kelly could do and many things he couldn't. All Brat has to do is be creative in the way he gets these guys on the field.

The long and short of it is this, while I respect everything Kelly has done for the Bengals as a leader, role model, and tenacious blocker, his presence atop the depth chart has stymied the Bengals' efforts to find a formidable threat at tight end.

Now Chase Coffman has more of a chance to see the field and prove this offense needed a tight end who could run and catch (Utecht has yet to combine the two, but he can sing). I think the rookie is going to sneak up on teams this season.

Is it possible Reggie Kelly's Achille's tendon might have done this offense a favor? Oops, looks like someone just leveled the playing field.

P.S. Ever notice how much players and coaches use much of the same lingo and praise for players when they go down with an injury as when a player tragically passes? I know it's a morbid comparison, but the Reggie Kelly situation is a good example of this. All these guys are talking about Kelly like they are never going to see him ever again.

The man is 32. He might recover, he might not. But when you're as involved in the community as Kelly is, you aren't going to disappear after an injury like a wounded dog. In fact, I'd expect Kelly to continue to be a team and community leader even if he's doing it on crutches from the sideline or with Doug Pelfrey in Fort Thomas.

The Ocho Cinco Show

OneManCrimeWave — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:23:00 -0400

For any of you that don't know (all three of you,) Chad Ocho Cinco has his own show now on U-Stream titled The Ocho Cinco Show. Although you really never know when Chad is going to be on, you can always watch previous shows at his home page.

I must admit, I think he's pretty damn funny. I have been one of his biggest critics since his offseason tirade a year ago, however, it appears he has cleared his head and is ready to play football again, and for that I am happy.

The part that I find funny is that not only does Chad have his own show, but it appears he has also influenced Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson to create their own show as well, titled "DA87N89SHOW", which can generally be viewed around 10:00 pm.

I don't know what's scarier, Chad having his own show or the fact that others look up to him enough to follow suit.

ESPN Posts Five Questions With Cedric Benson

OneManCrimeWave — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:05:00 -0400

ESPN's AFC North Blog recently added "Five Questions with Cedric Benson" to the site. I suggest checking it out. I have very big expectations this season for "Beezy."

It seems that Benson is still considered a bust going into his fifth season in the NFL. However, I think Cincinnati has found itss running back for the future. I paid very close attention to Benson last season, and regardless of what people say, Benson was a breath of fresh air compared to ANY running back we've had since Corey Dillion.

Benson runs with a purpose, and I like that! Anyone that can completely destroy Troy Polamalu is okay by me. With a full training camp under his belt and a familiarity with the system, Benson will for the first time in his career rush for over 1,000 yards.

We all expect big things!