Much to Like in Bengals Pre-season Opener

It's never a good idea to get too worked up over pre-season games. At least half of the players will never see action in a real honest-to-goodness game, the regulars are exhausted from training camp, and the play-calling is usually fairly vanilla.

But there are things you can watch for in a pre-season game that will help determine how a team will look in the regular season. Just make sure you throw out the score.

Overall, the Cincinnati Bengals didn't play badly in their first outing, a 17-7 loss at New Orleans. There were no glaring mistakes and the team did not appear to be over-matched.

But like all games, there were some good points and some bad points.

The Good

Nobody wanted to see Carson Palmer limp off the field in a protective boot, but all indications are that the ankle sprain is minor and should not affect the franchise’s most important player much.

What was good to see was that Palmer’s injury did not come as a result of contact. Other than a hellacious hit he took on third-and-long from his own end zone, Palmer was kept upright for the almost full quarter he was on the field.

A healthy Carson Palmer is vital to the team’s chances, and Friday he showed why. He completed 7-of-11 passes for 133 yards and looked sharp and crisp in the pocket. Sure, he had one bad interception, but you will take that on Aug. 14.

One of the reasons that Palmer looked good was that his receivers were in great position. Chad Ochocinco looked like Chad Johnson and only a drop on a 70-yard pass as the game opened marred his performance.

But the real star was Chris Henry. Palmer has raved about Henry all camp and Friday he showed why. The fifth-year receiver racked up 100 yards through the air and burned Saints corner Jason David on two fly patterns in the second quarter, the second for a TD.

Neither Cedric Benson nor Bernard Scott set the world on fire, but both showed enough moves to make Bengals fans feel better about what was essentially a lost position in 2008.

Both were quick, both followed their blocking and both finished strong. Sure, Benson put the ball on the rug, but early indications are that both could become serious weapons.

It seems like the Bengals have always had trouble tackling. That wasn’t the case Friday as the defense swarmed to the ball and finished off plays.

As a unit, the defense showed a lot of moxie, including stopping the potent first team New Orleans offense on three-straight plays inside the 10.

The Bad

Three turnovers and numerous penalties had to bring a look of disgust to any Bengals fan's face. Marvin Lewis' teams simply do not win games when they make mistakes like that and over the past three seasons, those mistakes have been more and more numerous.

The defense may have played well, but there was still no sign of a pass rush. Saints quarterbacks Drew Brees and Mark Brunell never had a cause to sweat much and until the Bengals can effectively harass the passer, the defense will not graduate to elite status.

Yet to be Seen

Rookie punter Kevin Huber had a couple of picture-perfect punts, but he also had a few that did not get out of Bengals’ territory. Kicker Shayne Graham nailed an extra-point, but also hooked an easy field goal attempt. Overall, the special teams was so-so.

The offensive line kept Palmer on his feet, but did not dominate the Saints. Of course, the line had less than a quarter to get its rhythm and traditionally, O-lines get stronger as the game wears on. With more work, the line could turn into a workable unit.