The race is on for the number one draft pick between the Lions and Bengals. I still wouldn't exclude the Kansas City Chiefs.

However, a survey among NFL writers don't think the Bengals are as bad to be the last NFL team to win an NFL game (yes, I said "NFL" in one sentence three times).

Rashad Jeanty says that the Bengals defense is a work in progress. However, Jeanty says that, "the main focus this week is to get a W. It's kind of frustrating when you're working as hard as we have been and not coming up with numbers in the win column. We had a chance to win a couple of games, but couldn't close it out for whatever reason." In other words, get your ass in gear, offense.

Bengals tickets against the Jaguars are selling for as low as $19. This is about the time ticket agencies start losing money after buying them in bulk, and selling them for less than they were bought. In other words, we probably won't see all games sold out next season.

I too wonder why Kenny Watson wasn't the incumbent running back when the season started.

Friend, former agent and advisor, Brian Peters sees that Cedric Benson is finally at peace. "I really believe he's in a better place within his own self," Peters said. "When we were at dinner I could see he was at peace."

Mike Zimmer said that Kevin Walter has "made a lot of catches, but Johnathan Joseph hasn't played very good in two weeks."

Dietitians are spread among NFL teams.

A whirring blender drowns out the voice of a petite brunette serving up fruit smoothies and nutrition advice to football players twice her size in the Cincinnati Bengals' cafeteria.

She's saying something about sugars and starches and vitamin A, the terminology of a growing effort to get NFL athletes' diets on a par with their elite level of play.

"See if you like it,'' team dietitian Michele Macedonio says, handing out the icy concoctions. Darryl Blackstock grabs one to go along with his cold wrap and fresh cut vegetables. Fellow linebacker Rashad Jeanty takes one, too, and piles his plate with broccoli.

Jason Shirley was in court Thursday, preparing for his second DUI trial -- Jury selection begins Monday.

Even though the Bengals are 0-8, I'm still amazed at how truly upbeat the team remains. And I don't believe "analysts" when they say Marvin Lewis lost this team. If there's one positive this season, it's the maturity of the players not to go nuts on the ESPN airwaves causing disruptions.

Marvin Lewis speaks about the fans: "I think if anything else there is probably 5% of the people who are very discouraged and disappointed, and everybody else is disappointed I think no matter what. Unfortunately those 5 percent have a bigger voice than the ones who go about their business day to day. Cincinnati is a very corporate city and so people go through tough times here, particularly with the way the economy is right now. So I think they understand it. You don’t win every time but my job is to win and that’s what it is all about and that’s what people want to do. They want to talk about the Bengals winning on Monday and I know how important that is to them and that’s what my job is, to get us to win."