Cincinnati Bengals 2010: A Few Bright Spots In Season Full Of Clouds
The Cincinnati Bengals are a walking disaster. 2-7 is a utter disappointment for a team with such high hopes at the beginning of the season.
Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson, Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens all may be playing their last seven games with the Bengals.
The defense has regressed, Andre Smith is sitting on the "bust" side of the fence after yet another broken foot and Marvin Lewis is a dead man walking.
But that doesn't mean there hasn't been a few positives to take from this nightmarish start. Here are a few players that have actually pulled their weight amidst this 2-7 start.
1. Jermaine Gresham
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Gresham has had his share of up and downs in his rookie season, but it's clear he will be a useful weapon for the Bengals for the foreseeable feature.
He has had a few holding penalties that have stalled drives. He has shown that he does in fact have tight end hands at times.
But after being the go-to receiver in the second half of the Colts game, it's clear that Palmer is starting to feel very comfortable throwing to the rookie.
For the season he has 40 receptions for 297 yards and three touchdowns. He averages 7.4 yards per catch. He is five receptions away from Tony McGee’s club record for rookie tight ends set in 1993.
The best sign for the 21st overall pick in the '10 draft is his knee. Gresham hasn't been on an injury report all season long. The biggest danger in drafting him was the fact that he lost his last year of college due to a knee injury. So it's encouraging to see that he has been healthy all season.
2. Jordan Shipley
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Shipley has been a stud for the Bengals since Week 1. He came in and told Andre Caldwell to take a seat.
Shipley has caught 30 receptions for 409 yards and a TD in the slot. He leads all rookies in third down receptions for first downs. Also consider that he missed a game with a concussion.
He still will sometimes not run all the way to the first down marker but Bengal fans have to be pleased with the effort Shipley has given.
The passing game will be in good hands with a steal of a third round pick for at least a few years.
Why not let Shipley return punts? Quan Cosby hasn't done anything of note, so why not try Ship? He performed well in the position in the preseason.
3. Bernard Scott
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Free Bernard Scott!
Why in the world does the second year back not play more? Cedric Benson has fumbled away the rushing game long enough. Give the young guy a shot.
He has 24 carries for 122 yards for a whopping 5.1 yards per carry average. This is almost 1.5 yards better than Benson. He also has eight receptions for 58 yards.
He has explosive speed and the special ability to allude tacklers. The team is going nowhere fast, so why not try something different. Obviously the running game hasn't been effective the way it's currently constructed.
Sure he did fumble the opening kick-off of MNF to the Steelers, but the potential to take any given kick to the house is there. He is the best option the Bengals have for returning kicks.
4. Chinedum Ndukwe
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Ndukwe has collected 43 tackles on the season, 30 of them solo. He also has three pass deflections and a pick.
His coverage in the secondary has been pretty good for the most part and he hasn't gotten burned as much as last year. He has been filling in nicely as usual for injured starters and has really improved his tackling this year.
He is one of the few players that is having a solid season on defense.
5. Chris Crocker
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Crocker has had a nice bounce back year after being plagued by injuries in '09. He has 42 tackles and two forced fumbles. He has done an excellent job keeping receivers in front of him and not giving up the big play.
Crocker also has two sacks and five pass deflections. Two sacks for any player on the Bengals defense is incredible.
His tackling has been superb and his veteran presence has been felt by fellow members of the defense. Crocker has been a big plus for the 2010 team.
6. Rico Murray
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He's only played in two games but his impact has been felt. He has been an ace on special teams and when he got a chance to play in the secondary against the Colts—he delivered.
He collected 10 tackles and two pass deflections against the Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. That is a heck of a effort for a guy that had been cut by the Bengals earlier in the week.
It will be interesting to track his progress as the season rolls on.
7. Leon Hall
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Hall has 29 tackles and is among the league leaders with four interceptions. Sure he's been beaten deep on a couple of plays but overall he has been the best player on a disappointing defense.
He also has seven pass deflections in a season when the defense has gotten absolutely no pressure on the QB.
The defense has stunk in '10, but don't blame it on Hall and the secondary.
Ouch
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Wow, after reading this list you can only shake your head in disgust. Half the guys on this list are a stretch and the lack of a true breakout player is evident.
Who is the MVP of the '10 Bengals so far? Mike Nugent, the guy that is now out for the season? Kevin Huber the punter?
It's a debacle of the tenth degree.
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