Cincinnati Bengals: A team with something to prove.

Despite attaining a 10-6 record last season and advancing to the playoffs for the first time since 2005, the Cincinnati Bengals are a team that still has something to prove.  Individually and collectively as a team, this core group of players include: a quarterback who many analysts claim has never been the same since a severe knee injury, a former 4th overall draft pick that despite having a career year last season still has a fair share of doubters, a wide receiver who is known more for his wild personality than his on the field play in the past few seasons, and a future Hall of Fame receiver that is on his 3rd team in as many years and not many teams seem to want.  These 4 offensive players are the key to the Bengals’ success this season.  The Bengals’ defense has proven themselves over the past two seasons and have made significant strides en route to becoming the 4th best defense last year (in yards allowed) and 6th best defense in allowing points.  The question now is, can their offense keep up?

Carson Palmer just seconds before the injury that changed his career. Picture courtesy of ESPN

Since 2005 the Bengals offense yearly production was on a steep decline.  In 2005 the Bengals offense was ranked 6th in yards gained and 4th in points scored.  The Bengals officially hit rock bottom in 2008 when their offense was ranked last in both yards gained and points scored.  While many can say this was due to Carson Palmer’s elbow injury, the fact is that the Bengals offense wasn’t so great even when Palmer was in the line-up.  In Palmer’s 4 starts the Bengals were 0-4 (in fact the Bengals started the season 0-8) and averaged just over 15 points per game.  The offense was woeful and Palmer wasn’t doing able to do anything to turn it around despite having Chad Ochocinco and T.J. Houshmanzadeh.  And a worrisome elbow injury forced Palmer to shut down for the majority of the 2008 season.  In 2005, prior to tearing both is MCL and ACL in the Wild Card playoff game against the Steelers, Carson Palmer was a Pro Bowl QB that looked to lead a team ready to contend for the Super Bowl.  By the end of 2008 he was labeled as injury prone and unable be a leader, period. Palmer rebounded in the 2009 season by having an efficient season but still was nowhere near his 2005 self.  Palmer and the offense still ranked in the 20′s and still has a lot to improve.

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In the backfield Palmer has a former University of Texas standout and 4th overall pick Cedric Benson.  Benson has had quite a few legal issues since entering the league and this may have had an impact on his effect on the field.  As the Bears running back, Benson was a disappointment and never had a season averaging more than 61 yards in his 3 seasons as a Bear.  After being cut by the team that drafted him after just 3 years, in 2008 Benson went to Cincinnati on a deal worth just over 500k ( a big paycut from his 5 year, $35 million rookie deal with the Bears).  Lucky for Benson, the Bengals had a dismal running game and he was able to become the starter by week 7.  While Benson’s numbers were so-so, he did finish the season strong with back to back 100+ yard games against the Browns and Chiefs.  Benson came into the 2009 as the undisputed starter. This is when Benson finally broke out of his shell, he had his first 1000 rushing yard season which included a career high 189 rushing yard effort against his old team, the Bears.  Benson finished the season with 1251 yards and 6 TDs and his stock is higher than ever. Will he be able to produce again this season, or will his 2009 season be called a fluke? It’s up to Benson to keep his focus on the field and prove the doubters wrong.

At the wide receiver spot, the Bengals feature two receivers that could both be in the Hall of Fame one day.  Just a few years ago Chad Ochocinco (then known as Chad Johnson) and Terrell Owens were arguably two of the best wide outs in the game.  They both had many 1000+ receiving yard seasons and despite their off the field personalities they showed they could get it done year in and year out. But in the past couple years, both receivers have fallen on hard times and many people around the league feel they have both lost a step and both are too much of a headache to keep.  Ochocinco displays why he may be too much to handle just by his last name.  Prior to the 2008 season he legally changed his last name to match his jersey number, 85.  Also in 2008, the newly christened Ochocinco had his worst year as a professional. He felt betrayed by Marvin Lewis, angled for a trade to Washington, and even threatened to sit out of training camp.  All this turmoil culminated into a pitiful season for both the Bengals and Ochocinco. He finished with 540 yards and 4 TDS which is worst stats since his rookie season in which he only started 3 games.  Ochocinco’s streak of 6 consecutive 1000+ yard seasons also came to a halt as well as his streak of 5 consecutive Pro Bowl selections. Ochocinco had hit rock bottom and he could either self destruct or improve.  He decided to make ammends with the Bengals and the city of Cincinnati, and Ochocinco definitely returned in the 2009 season. He had his 7th 1000 yard season and his 6th Pro Bowl selection as the Bengals returned to the playoffs.  Now it’s up to Ochocinco to continue this success, and he also has one of the best wide receivers in NFL history on his team now.

Owens and Ochocinco on the same team. Picture courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel

Terrell Owens has had good times and he has had bad times throughout his career.  He has had 9 1000+ receiving yard seasons and 6 Pro Bowl selections.  He has also been declared a cancer to every team he has played for (other than the Bills). The latter seems to outweigh the former at this part of his career and that is why the Bengals are Owens’ 3rd team in 3 years and why he has struggled to find a job the past two seasons.  While Owens is productive on the field, he also has a destructive personality that has yelled at quarterbacks and offensive coordinators on the sidelines.  Owens is now 36 years old and many feel that he will not be as effective any more, its up to Owens to prove them wrong. But there is no telling what Owens will do.  Bengals fans just hope that his one year exile in Buffalo taught him a lesson.

Palmer, Benson, and Ochocinco played key roles in taking the Bengals to the playoffs last season.  But let’s not blow it out of proportion, the defense is what truly led this team last season.  The offense is going to look to improve even more this season and the additions of Owens, Jordan Shipley, and Jermain Gresham is only going to help that cause. The Cincinnati Bengals are definitely a team with something to prove, at least on offense.

This is just an opinion…so please Pardon My Bias.