The Bengals season can't start soon enough for me! (1 Viewer)

[RTB1]

Man, I can't wait for football.

Hobson's Choice: Re-making of a defense

April 14, 2006

Q: With the development of Pollack and Thurman in the system for a season and Williams back from his shoulder injury and the additions of big Sam Adams and Jackson, do you think the Bengals are going to give the Steelers and the rest of the AFC a tough way to go this season? I have believed since Marvin got here that all we needed was his nasty kind of defense to go along with that high- octane offense in order for us to go all the way.

--Vic, Louisville, KY

VIC: The Bengals already gave the Steelers a tough way last year without Adams, Jackson, Williams, and an inexperienced Thurman and Pollack, so on paper it should be an even tougher go to get past Cincinnati this trip, pending, of course, the health of one C. Palmer. But the biggest thing this defense has going for it is that it’s in the second year of Chuck Bresnahan’s system.

Players are simply going to be more comfortable with the checks and calls and, hopefully, the philosophy. It looked, at times, like there was an inner battle going on for the heart and mind of the defense with all those three-man lines sprinkled liberally through a 4-3 base.

That seems to be getting hashed out even though Marvin Lewis won’t tell us if he’s playing a 3-4 or a 4-3, and he may not even know until they draft. But like Lewis said last month, you can’t be both.

Even more important than all that (and let’s face it, everything is a variation of a 3-4 and 4-3, anyway) is the developing persona of this unit. You’re right. It’s growing a chip.

They took a lot of heat last year, but they also came up with an identity as a heady, resourceful and resilient group that led the NFL in turnovers. People like to write the picks and fumbles off as luck, but its all part of Lewis’ plan. Speed plus smarts plus force creates havoc and mistakes.

They finally have some swagger and chippiness in Thurman, and as he plays more and better (like he did in the last three games), Pollack is going to bring even more attitude to it. You really have to love Pollack’s study habits, and that brings a certain presence. And of course Adams personified nasty with last week’s damn near Bill Shakespeare (or Parcells) soliloquy about playing mean and looking for the edge even outside the agreed upon rules of the gridiron.

The addition of the 340-pound (?) Adams gives the Bengals-Steelers rivalry a completely different dimension. No longer can Pittsburgh just assume by divine right that it will run it down Cincinnati's throat because it can.

And Jackson gives them something they’ve never had in a key performer off a perennial top five defense that has won a ring.

It’s the Bengals, quite naturally, that have the tough way until Palmer gets back. But Cleveland and Baltimore have closed the gap, everybody in the division has to play bits and parts of this tough schedule and if it gets to be a 9-7 demolition derby, who knows?

How about both Pittsburgh and Cincinnati coming into a winner-take-all Dec. 31 game at 8-7 and the loser going home and the victor taking the North?

Thank god I held on to my season tix after that 2-14 disaster that led to the hiring of Lewis.

 

[Sheriff66]

Too bad Palmer will not be healthy for the start of the season.....

 

[Peep It Yo!]

Man, I can't wait for football.

Hobson's Choice: Re-making of a defense

April 14, 2006

Q: With the development of Pollack and Thurman in the system for a season and Williams back from his shoulder injury and the additions of big Sam Adams and Jackson, do you think the Bengals are going to give the Steelers and the rest of the AFC a tough way to go this season? I have believed since Marvin got here that all we needed was his nasty kind of defense to go along with that high- octane offense in order for us to go all the way.

--Vic, Louisville, KY

VIC: The Bengals already gave the Steelers a tough way last year without Adams, Jackson, Williams, and an inexperienced Thurman and Pollack, so on paper it should be an even tougher go to get past Cincinnati this trip, pending, of course, the health of one C. Palmer. But the biggest thing this defense has going for it is that it’s in the second year of Chuck Bresnahan’s system.

Players are simply going to be more comfortable with the checks and calls and, hopefully, the philosophy. It looked, at times, like there was an inner battle going on for the heart and mind of the defense with all those three-man lines sprinkled liberally through a 4-3 base.

That seems to be getting hashed out even though Marvin Lewis won’t tell us if he’s playing a 3-4 or a 4-3, and he may not even know until they draft. But like Lewis said last month, you can’t be both.

Even more important than all that (and let’s face it, everything is a variation of a 3-4 and 4-3, anyway) is the developing persona of this unit. You’re right. It’s growing a chip.

They took a lot of heat last year, but they also came up with an identity as a heady, resourceful and resilient group that led the NFL in turnovers. People like to write the picks and fumbles off as luck, but its all part of Lewis’ plan. Speed plus smarts plus force creates havoc and mistakes.

They finally have some swagger and chippiness in Thurman, and as he plays more and better (like he did in the last three games), Pollack is going to bring even more attitude to it. You really have to love Pollack’s study habits, and that brings a certain presence. And of course Adams personified nasty with last week’s damn near Bill Shakespeare (or Parcells) soliloquy about playing mean and looking for the edge even outside the agreed upon rules of the gridiron.

The addition of the 340-pound (?) Adams gives the Bengals-Steelers rivalry a completely different dimension. No longer can Pittsburgh just assume by divine right that it will run it down Cincinnati's throat because it can.

And Jackson gives them something they’ve never had in a key performer off a perennial top five defense that has won a ring.

It’s the Bengals, quite naturally, that have the tough way until Palmer gets back. But Cleveland and Baltimore have closed the gap, everybody in the division has to play bits and parts of this tough schedule and if it gets to be a 9-7 demolition derby, who knows?

How about both Pittsburgh and Cincinnati coming into a winner-take-all Dec. 31 game at 8-7 and the loser going home and the victor taking the North? 

Thank god I held on to my season tix after that 2-14 disaster that led to the hiring of Lewis.

Ditto. I love football and can't wait for it to start. I am such a putz that I read everything that has anything to do with football just to satisfy my desire for it.

 

[jetpack]

The AFC North race should be great this year. Could be one of those years where no one is below 7-9 and no one is above 10-6.

 

[Slinger]

Too bad Palmer will not be healthy for the start of the season.....

Please add a * to your signature. TIA.

 

[Sheriff66]

Too bad Palmer will not be healthy for the start of the season.....

Please add a * to your signature. TIA.

When Palmer misses the 1st month, it will be tough sledding for the Bungles, I see them taking a step back this year, 8-8, maybe 9-7. WE DEY

 

[remote controller]

Bengals | J. Johnson lands six-year deal

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 10:18:12 -0700

Geoff Hobson, of Bengals.com, reports the Cincinnati Bengals have signed FB Jeremi Johnson to a six-year deal just one day after he signed his one-year, $721,600 tender as a restricted free agent.

This is also quite nice!!

 

[Sheriff66]

Too bad Palmer will not be healthy for the start of the season.....

Please add a * to your signature. TIA.

Sig updated.

 

[SoFresh&SoClean]

Too bad Palmer will not be healthy for the start of the season.....

Please add a * to your signature. TIA.

I knew there was a reason I have him ignored.I am also very excited with the upcoming season. For now I'll have to make do with the Reds kicking some ### for a while...hopefully they can stretch it a little further than usual.

 

[Sheriff66]

Too bad Palmer will not be healthy for the start of the season.....

Please add a * to your signature. TIA.

I knew there was a reason I have him ignored.I am also very excited with the upcoming season. For now I'll have to make do with the Reds kicking some ### for a while...hopefully they can stretch it a little further than usual.

You know you read all my posts....and it is the truth, he won't play until after the bye week at the earliest.

 

[Mungo Burrows]

The Bengals season can't start soon enough for me!

I would think that with the hamburger currently serving as Palmer's knee, you'd want to wait as long as possible before the season started.

 

[SoFresh&SoClean]

The Bengals season can't start soon enough for me!

I would think that with the hamburger currently serving as Palmer's knee, you'd want to wait as long as possible before the season started.

I'm sure Bettis wants to eat it... I mean hamburgers are food, right?

 

[Stillers Jr.]

The Bengals season can't start soon enough for me!

I would think that with the hamburger currently serving as Palmer's knee, you'd want to wait as long as possible before the season started.

I'm sure Bettis wants to eat it... I mean hamburgers are food, right?

Are you referring to Super Bowl Champion Jerome Bettis?

 

[TheLaw]

Anthony Wright.

 

[gildawg]

Anthony Wright.

The great thing about this is that most of the Bengals fans on local sports talk are now saying he is a pretty good QB. If that were true, Boller wouldn't have been drafted for him to sit behind.