Bleacher Report - Articles by Andrew Dawson

Bengals Coaching Staff: Who's Most Important?

Andrew Dawson — Fri, 29 May 2009 02:08:27 -0400

The Cincinnati Bengals are at a crossroad. In 2005 they were a team with a lot of upside. They went 11-5 and were the talk of most analysts as being the next great team.

Unfortunately for the Bengals and their fans, things didn’t go as planned. Now in 2009 the Bengals can either continue losing and become the cellar-dweller-joke-of-the-league as they were for the 1990s and early 2000s, or they can rise back into national prominence.

Do great coaches make great players, or the other way around? That is a classic argument that will continue to be argued long after I am around. Here is my list of the Bengals four most important coaches for the upcoming season.

1) Marvin Lewis - It all starts with the head coach. He sets the attitude for the team and gives them a direction. Lewis came to the Bengals with a no-nonsense attitude. Lately some people have wondered if Lewis has lost that edge. If the Bengals want to be successful, Lewis needs to let all the players know who is in charge and not let attitudes (cough Chad Ocho Cinco cough) get in the way of the success of the team. Lewis is going into his seventh season as coach. His career record is 46-49-1. My guess is if the Bengals fail to reach the playoffs, he will be fired.

2) Mike Zimme r- Going into his second season as defensive coordinator. Zimmer drastically transformed the defense last year as they finished 12 overall in defense, much improved from 27 in 2007. Zimmer also helped bring in Tank Williams and Roy Williams both of whom played for Zimmer in Dallas. Look for the Bengals defense to be just as good if not better.

3) Chip Morton - WHO? You might be asking this. Morton is going into his seventh season as Bengals strength and conditioning coach. He is the third most important coach on the team because the Bengals were one injury away from going downtown Cincinnati and signing homeless men up to play on the team.

Not sure if the players are soft or if Morton’s strength plan isn’t working but one thing is for sure, the Bengals can’t afford to have so many injuries next season. If they are banged up again all season long, look for the Bengals to replace Morton.

4) Bob Bratkowski - Bratkowski is going into his ninth season as offensive coordinator. He has seen the highs and the lows. Bratkowski is a good play caller, as proved by the high flying offenses the Bengals had a few years ago. Fans can’t blame him for last year’s horrid offense. The greatest offensive minds in the history of the game couldn’t have called plays successfully for a team quarterbacked by Ryan Fitzpatrick with no offensive line. If the Bengals line is successful look for Bratkowski to have the Bengals offense high flying once again.

These are the four men who are most important to the Bengals success on the coaching side. If the Bengals have another bad year, don't be surprised to see three of the four not return.

My Favorite Team: 2005 Cincinnati Bengals

Andrew Dawson — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:01:49 -0400

For the first 19 years of my life, all I knew about football was that on Sundays, I would be left angry, frustrated, disappointed, and full of a host of other not-so-happy emotions.

I, sadly, am a huge Cincinnati Bengals fan.

For all my life, they defined the term "terrible football team." Sure, they had glimpses of a quality team like when Jeff “Shake-n-Blake” ran the show. They went 8-8 one year under Blake and to me they might as well have won the Super Bowl.

The year was 2005. I was 20 and a freshman at the University of Kentucky. That’s when I finally got to see what real football was like.

Carson Palmer was in his third season—second as starter—and quickly becoming an elite quarterback. Even before the season started, there was a feeling amongst fans that this had to be the year the Bengals turned things around.

We were right.

The offense was seemingly unstoppable. Palmer consistently threw bombs to pre-ocho-cinco Chad Johnson. T.J. Houshmandzadeh caught pass after pass underneath for yardage. The rookie with character questions, Chris Henry, became another down-field threat for Palmer. Rudi Johnson was in his prime and ran over any one who so dared get in his way.

The defense, who for so many years was abysmal, made timely turnover after timely turnover. Deltha O’Neal and Tory James seemed to always be in the right place at the right time. Rookie David Pollack was solid and rookie Odell Thurman flew all over the field, making big hit after big hit. Thurman made fans believe they finally had an impact linebacker.

We all know how that story ended, but I digress. Point is, the defense was exciting to watch because you knew they would make a turnover you just waited for when the turnover would come.

There were many highlights for me in that season.

I remember the 4-0 start. I remember Pittsburgh coming into the jungle and showing the Bengals they weren’t quite there yet, so we thought.

The highlight of highlights though was the Bengals going into Pittsburgh week 13 and winning. Never in my life had the Bengals gone into Pittsburgh so late in the year with the game actually meaning something. I don’t think I will ever forget Tab Perry’s kick return to about the three-yard line and Houshmandzadeh defiantly wiping the terrible towel on his shoe.

I remember being so excited for the playoff game. My whole family sat inside the living room with our orange gear on to watch the Bengals take on the Steelers.

I remember the excitement when Palmer hit Chris Henry down-field for the long bomb. I also remember feeling like my heart had been ripped out when the replay was shown and it was quite evident Palmer was done.

I don’t necessarily think the Bengals would have won the Super Bowl had Palmer not gotten hurt, but I know they would have beaten the Steelers that day. It was their fate—only it wasn’t.

Since 2005, the Bengals have slipped back into mediocrity and then right back into plain awful. Who knows if they will ever get back to 2005 status. Some think it could be this year, but none of us know until the season starts. I have to believe with a healthy Carson Palmer they will always have a shot.

But even if the Bengals don’t get back to the playoffs for another 20 years, I will always look back at the 2005 season, smile, and remember when Sundays were fun.

Rey Maualuga: A Mock yet Candid Interview

Andrew Dawson — Mon, 25 May 2009 00:15:30 -0400

If there is one new Bengal the media or fans could interview, it would have to be Rey Maualuga. The linebacker was great in college and might finally give the Bengals a big-time tackler they need.

Maualuga has the potential to be the steal of the 2009 draft. Will he be? Only time will tell.

Here are some questions I would ask the linebacker if given the chance:

1) First off, Rey, how do you like the weather here in Georgetown, KY? The Midwest is a little different than Southern California, huh?

2) Have you thought about talking to the people at the pro-shop about creating some stick-on Rey Maualuga tattoos?

3) Have you had a chance to try Skyline Chili? If you have and don’t care for it, just lie. You’ll break the hearts of Bengals fans.

4) OK, so how does it feel to be playing alongside teammate Keith Rivers again? Is it helping you transition?

5) How about playing with so many other Trojans? There is a bunch of you (four Trojans)—the most from any college.

6) What are some of your own personal goals for this upcoming season?

7) Who is the one quarterback you would love to get your first career sack against?

8) How about the one receiver you would be licking your chops if he went across the middle?

9) Finish this sentence for me: "Halfway through the season I am going to be…"

So those are the few questions I would ask Maualuga; some light-hearted questions and some serious. I think they would generate some good answers and give all the Bengals fans a better insight into the popular rookie linebacker.

Playoffs?! Bengals Prowling For Postseason

Andrew Dawson — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:52:32 -0400

Last year I wrote that the Cincinnati Bengals could be a surprise team to make the playoffs. Needless to say, I was wrong.

I’m going to stick with the same prediction and I think this year I may be right.

The Bengals had a brutal schedule last season. This season their schedule is a little easier so that already puts them off to a good start. Additionally, their off-season to this point has been very productive.

The loss of TJ Houshmandzadeh is big, but Laveranues Coles will help fill that gap somewhat. The signing of two former cowboys, Roy Williams and Tank Johnson, will help make the defense even stronger than it was last year. The Bengals cut long-time Bengal Levi Jones. The move shouldn’t have an effect on the offensive line, as the sixth pick in the draft, Andre Smith, should easily fill the void.

The Bengals roster potentially got stronger with a very good draft.

Smith, problems aside, will most likely be starter at LT and has the potential to one day be a star in the league. The teams’ second round pick Rey Maualuga seems to have experts split down the middle. Some think he simply isn’t a four down linebacker, while some think it was a great pick.

While I don’t claim to be an expert, I agree with the latter. Maualuga potentially gives the Bengals the type of defensive player they haven’t had since David Fulcher. He is the type of linebacker that running backs and receivers going across the middle fear. Odell Thurman could have been that linebacker if not for his off-field problems.

The rest of the draft for the Bengals was solid. Third round pick Michael Johnson from Georgia Tech could be a big help for the defense and could end up being a surprise player for the Bengals. Their other third rounder, Chase Coffman, could be the biggest surprise of them all. With Ben Utech being injured all last year and not producing like they thought he could, Coffman could come in and assume the pass-catching tight end role. Don’t discount punter Kevin Huber from the University of Cincinnati. The Bengals cut both punters from their roster when they drafted Huber.

So how will the Bengals ’09-’10 season play out?

It’s no secret; it all comes down to protection.

If Smith can develop quickly and the rest of the line can protect Palmer, then this once high flying offense could be back. Cedric Benson will look to prove why he is a former number four overall pick in the draft.

All of Bengal Nation is hoping Chad Ocho-Cinco returns to form. If these things happen offensively and the defense stays as strong as it was last year or even gets better, this Bengal team will be prowling into the postseason.

But, if the Bengals can’t put it together this year, then who knows if they ever will.

One last prediction, if the Bengals don’t make the playoffs, Marvin Lewis will be looking for a new job.

UK Fans, Take It Easy

Andrew Dawson — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:26:39 -0500

First off let me say I am a UK senior and I love our basketball team. Know this before all of you rip me for what I am about to say. Listen up UK fans…..take it easy.

So the team has lost three games in a row. I have read some message boards where people think Gillispie should be fired and UK needs a new coach. Are you serious? Does everyone forget he was co- SEC coach of the year last year? This is only his SECOND year. He coached the team into the NCAA tournament last year when, really, they had no business being in the tourney. Anyone who wants him fired is…an idiot.

Look at the starting five. Meeks, Patterson, Harris, Porter and Stevenson. Only two could start at other elite programs. Patterson was originally recruited by Tubby and then BCG finished the job and brought him here. The other four were all recruited by Tubby. Am I blaming Tubby for all of this, of course not. I liked Tubby; his recruiting might have been suspect in his last few years at UK, but look at what he has done at Minnesota. I am getting off topic.

Point is this: UK was 5-0 in the SEC and I bet all the BCG haters at the current moment thought he was a great coach at that point. Now that UK has lost three in a row and fans want him out of here. Look die hards, UK isn’t going to win it all every year, or even win the SEC every year. With all of the parity in college basketball now a days’ it’s impossible to expect that.

UK will be fine. The incoming recruiting class is again solid with John Hood and Daniel Orton. If big blue nation can take it easy this year and relax, they will see. Think how good this team will be if Patterson and Meeks stay aboard for next year. Who knows if that will happen but just imagine.

As I said, this is only Gillispie’s second year. Any fan who thought he was going to come in and win a championship in two years or less was fooling themselves. Do I think Billy G has made some questionable moves? Sure. I don’t agree with the ‘whoever earns it in practice will play’ theory. Just because Landon Slone practices hard doesn’t mean he should get minutes when the team is losing. Do I think he is the right man for the job? Yea I do. His recruiting can’t be questioned. When he finally has all the players he has recruited, The University of Kentucky Wildcats will once again be atop of college basketball, believe it.

Kentucky Wildcat Basketball: Top 10 Games To Watch

Andrew Dawson — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:39:30 -0500

This team is young but has plenty of returning players which could make an exciting year for Wildcat fans. Here are the most important games of the ’08-’09 season.

10. November 14 v. VMI

The Keydets make the list solely because they are the first game of the year. Many fans may be anxious to see if the Keydets will be another Gardner Webb. My prediction: they won’t be. This game is the Wildcats only warm-up game before North Carolina.

9. November 18 @ North Carolina

No disrespect to North Carolina but this is only the second game of the year for both teams. If Hansbrough plays, he and Patrick Patterson may be the best one-on-one match-up all season. For the Wildcats to win they’ll have to rely on their hard nosed man-to-man defense and Jodie Meeks to knock down some treys.

8. November 29 @ Kansas State (In the Las Vegas Shootout)

I swear these games aren’t ranked on where they fall on the schedule, though it may seem that way. Kansas State lost Michael Beasley and Bill Walker to the NBA and neither are easy to replace. If the Wildcats of blue and white win they’ll be lead by Patterson and Perry Stevenson.

7. December 13 v. Indiana

IU should have an extremely down year and Coach Tom Crean has a re-building project ahead of him. Only on the list because it’s IU and they beat UK pretty handedly last year. If somehow IU manages to stop Patterson I think sophomore transfer Josh Harrellson will step-up and help the ‘Cats.

6. December 6 v. Miami (FL)

This will be a great early season test for the young Wildcats. Miami won 23 games last season, got into the second round of the tournament and they are returning four starters. To win UK will need a total team effort. Everyone from Patterson and Meeks to freshman DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller will have to be on-top of their game.

5. January 4 @ Louisville

Not a whole lot to say here. It’s Louisville. They’ll be very good. This should be a great game and a lot better than last year’s annual rivalry. If the Wildcats get the W it will be because of someone off the bench, maybe Harrellson or Kevin Galloway.

4. February 17 @ Vanderbilt

The 93-52 loss last season was the ‘Cats worst loss since 1989. Vanderbilt shouldn’t be as good as they were last year but they still have A.J. Ogilvy. The Wildcats will want revenge and should get it.

3. January 13 @ Tennessee

Sure the Wildcats open conference play with Vanderbilt but this will be the real first test to see if the ‘Cats are ready for SEC play. Tyler Smith, J.P. Prince and Wayne Chism are back. Add three stellar freshman and this team looks very good on paper. UK will need Patterson and Meeks to lead the way to get the W.

2. March 7 @ Florida

This is the last game of the season for both teams and could be a game to see who will end up with the higher seed in the SEC tournament. Playing at Florida is always tough but if the ‘Cats shut down Nick Calathes they will win.

1. February 21 v. Tennessee

This game could very well determine if the ‘Cats could grab a hold of first place in the east. Both teams should be in top-form. If UK gets the win they will need to rely on…their fans. Rupp Arena needs to be loud and rattle Kentucky product Scotty Hopson.

Wildcats Ready: Kentucky Set to Raise Eyebrows Entering SEC Play

Andrew Dawson — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 15:51:07 -0400

In a town where the August-to-October months are usually looked at as a breezy passing of time until basketball starts, football season has become relevant in Lexington.

Kentucky Wildcats coach Rich Brooks has taken a football program that once was the annual cellar-dweller of the SEC to a team opponents now worry about. The last two seasons, the Wildcats have won the Music City Bowl behind 8-5 records.

This season has started off where the last one ended. So with their 3-0 start, can the Wildcats have another 8-5-type season or is SEC play going to slow them down?

If the Wildcats want to keep the victories coming, then they will have to rely heavily on their defense. The defense has looked good, but it’s relatively untested. It shut out the Wildcats' biggest rival, the Louisville Cardinals, then only gave up a field goal to Norfolk State and two scores to Middle Tennessee State (a team with a win over Maryland). For the mathematically challenged, that’s a mere 17 points in three games.

Unlike last year, when the team featured prolific Andre Woodson under center, the offense was the big question mark coming into the season. No one had seen enough of

quarterback Mike Hartline to have any sort of idea of what he was capable of.

Hartline has proven himself early on, last week winning SEC Player of the Week when he went 28-of-47 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Besides Hartline, dual-threat freshman Randall Cobb has stepped up and taken some snaps at quarterback, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for two more.

Last season, the Wildcats had three legitimate threats in the passing game and all three are now playing on Sundays, leaving the Wildcats receiving corps depleted. In the first three games of the season, senior Dicky Lyons Jr. has established himself as the main target in the passing game.

So just how will the Wildcats finish this season? Look for them to lose their first game at Alabama. With a favorable home schedule, however, a game on the road against a bad Mississippi State squad, and my predicted bigtime upset over Georgia, expect the ‘Cats to finish this season one win better than the previous two.

I know 9-3 sounds optimistic, but the Wildcats have the defense to get the job done. With bigtime playmakers like Micah Johnson, Jeremy Jarmon, and Trevard Lindley, this defense is going to be very tough to score on.

The only real problem this Kentucky team is going to have is scoring enough points to win, but with the defense Kentucky has, 17 to 20 points could be all the offense it needs to win.

Offensive coordinator Joker Phillips might need to have a few tricks up his sleeve, and if he does, then 9-3 doesn’t seem like such a stretch for this rising football program.

No Love! Water Polo easily the toughest Olympic and overall sport

Andrew Dawson — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:06:14 -0400

Football players are tough. Swimmers are in amazing shape. Basketball players are among the most athletic. Water Polo players? They’re all three.

Before you go off the deep end and tell me how wrong I am, hear me out. If water polo players are such good athletes (they are), then why does Water Polo get no love? I’ve seen gymnastics on T.V. more than water polo during the Olympics.

Here’s one reason why I don’t think the sport gets any love. The following is an exchange I am sure no one has ever heard.

Guy No. 1: Hey man, tough day at work? What are you doing this weekend?

Guy No. 2: Oh, you know, I’m going to hang out with the guys, play some pick-up games of water polo at the Y.

Water polo is such a tough sport to play that not any average Joe can go play a pick up game like basketball, softball, or even football.

If you aren’t up-to-date with water polo allow me to inform you. Water polo is a combination of swimming, basketball and football and it’s played in about 20 feet of water.

For anyone to say these athletes aren’t some of the best, and for the sport to get little coverage is a shame. Water Polo may be one of the few sports where you have to be an athlete to even compete.

Look at baseball, not many would consider Prince Fielder an athlete yet he is one of the top players in the game. In the NFL would you consider a 300 plus pound lineman an athlete, or is he just strong? Even in the NBA, not all are athletes (Robert “Tractor” Taylor anyone?)

Water polo is completely different. The athletes are swimming in 20 feet of water, when they aren’t swimming they are staying afloat by egg-beating (kicking their legs in the motion of an egg-beater) and they toss a ball around.

Next, add getting kicked repeatedly, a clouded field of vision with water splashing everywhere and some other person hanging on top of you trying to dunk you under water if they can get away with it.

Michael Phelps is considered one of the top athletes in the world, and deservedly so. I am in no way taking away what he did because it was simply amazing, but he only does 1/3 of what water polo players do.

Sunday afternoon the men’s water polo team, who came into the Olympic games ranked number nine in the world, goes for the gold against the two time defending world champion Hungary. If the men’s team captures gold, will it propel the sport in the United States? That remains to be seen, but fans of the sport can only hope it will.

If they happen to only capture silver, that will still be quite an accomplishment for the team. Who knows maybe in the 2012 games Phelps will switch sports and help add one more gold medal to his resume.

Chris Henry Will Help Bengals Win Despite Team Image

Andrew Dawson — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:32:47 -0400

Is anyone honestly surprised by the Bengals signing Chris Henry? I’m not. It was a good move. I’ll wait for you to pick your jaw up. Ready? I know about 75 percent of Bengals fans reading this will think I’m an idiot, but hear me out.

This signing wasn’t about the Bengals' image; it wasn’t even about giving Chris Henry his fifth or sixth chance at playing football. Forget even the storyline of a power struggle between coach Marvin Lewis and owner Mike Brown.

There is no power struggle because when it comes down to it, the owner will win that battle every time. It was all about one thing and one thing only: winning. Chad Johnson went down with a shoulder injury against the Lions Sunday night, and no one knows how long he will be out.

The preliminary reports suggest he will still be ready by week one, but with signing Henry the Bengals might have just admitted otherwise. So let’s assume Johnson is hurt for more than just the next two weeks.

What does that leave the receiving corps with? T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who hasn’t played in a pre-season game yet (and didn’t even practice a lot during training camp), a rookie with a sprained foot in Andre Caldwell, Antonio Chatman, Glenn Holt, and rookie Jerome Simpson, who seems a year or two away from being ready to make an impact.

Look at that list without Chad Johnson and a questionable Houshmandzadeh. Not feeling too confident, are you? The Bengals needed Chris Henry and fans know it even if they don’t want to admit it. The Bengals pay these athletes to make plays, not to be upstanding citizens.

I read where some fans said they were going to boycott the team now because of the Henry re-signing. Really? Boycott the team because of one player? The minute Henry catches a deep ball for 60 yards from Palmer, or he catches a touchdown every fan in Paul Brown Stadium will forget about the arrests and the image of the Bengals.

Winning will make all this seem like no big deal. Besides Bengals fans, you wouldn’t want Henry in a Ravens or Browns uniform would you?

The Jungle is Hungry: Bengals on the Hunt for Playoffs

Andrew Dawson — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:14:35 -0400

They say defense carries teams through the postseason. But can a high-powered offense and a tweaked defense be enough to get a disappointing team with a hot-seat coach back into the postseason?

Enter the Bengals: Great offense, deficient defense. How will they fair this season? With their defense no one would be surprised with another 7-9 finish. But with that offense, 10-6 or even 11-5 isn’t a stretch.

On offense everyone knows about quarterback Carson Palmer. Last season Palmer threw a career-high 20 interceptions, due mainly to a weak running game which forced him to pass more, often in long-yardage situations.

Running back Rudi Johnson shed 15 pounds for the ’07 season in hopes of becoming quicker and more agile, but that didn’t go as planned. Johnson was plagued by injuries and tallied just 497 yards, his lowest total since the ’02 season. In the off-season, Johnson gained back the 15 pounds in order to return to the tackle-breaking running back he was in ‘05 when he rushed for a career-high 1,458 yards.

If he can regain that style of play and become the horse on first and second downs the team was used to, there will be less pressure on Palmer to make big plays. That could mean a more successful season for the star QB, which could mean a return to the playoffs.

Palmer’s receiving corps includes playmakers Chad Johnson and T.J Houshmandzadeh, just as in years past. Adding pass catching tight end (something the Bengals haven’t had in awhile) Ben Utecht and a healthy Chris Perry gives Palmer two more soft-handed weapons to play with.

But it’s the defense which remains a liability, which is why in the off-season Cincinnati added two big components in defensive end Antwan Odom and rookie linebacker Keith Rivers.

Problems? Of course, we are talking about the Bengals. Luckily, they’re only on-the-field problems.

Right now Odom is in a boot because of an injury to his foot, and Rivers signed late and missed time in training camp. The Bengals are hoping for Odom to have the same type of year he had last season for the Titans, when he recorded a career-high eight sacks. Head coach Marvin Lewis expects Odom to be ready for Week One, but will the missed time hamper his effectiveness the first couple weeks?

Speaking of Lewis, how much longer is his leash? Since the playoffs in ’05 he has led the team to 8-8 and 7-9 finishes. If he was anywhere else he might have already been fired, but his work bringing the Bengals back into modest respectability has bought him some time. But do the Bengals need a new coach to take them to the next level?

So the question remains: How good will the Bengals be in 2008? Look for the offense to carry the team…again. But if the defense can play like it did in ’05 and create turnovers, this Bengals team could be on the prowl for the playoffs come January.