Ask BigBlueShoe: Week Fourteen

by Brad Wells on Dec 3, 2008 12:03 PM EST

Greetings Bengals fans from your friends just up I-74. This Sunday, our teams will meet again. This is the third meeting in four years between the Colts and Bengals. Back in 2005, the game was a very entertaining shoot out between both offenses. I'll admit that I have always been a fan of Carson Palmer. When he is healthy, he is right behind Peyton and Brady. He is better than Brees, Eli, McNabb, and Roethlisberger. Losing him for much of the season really hurt Cincy's chances. QBs going down has been the theme all year for the NFL. Tom Brady, Carson, Vince Young, etc.

I'm here to answer any questions you might have about the Colts. I actually think this will be a tough game because... well, I don't subscribe to this notion that team are supposed to team someone else. Any team can beat anyone, anywhere, anytime in this NFL. The Bengals still have good players like Peko and TJ. If you want to know more about the Colts, ask away. I'm here to answer.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors.

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So your saying you'd take the Bengals and 14 points if you were in Vegas?

by CincyMike56 on Dec 3, 2008 1:03 PM EST reply actions

Answer

SB Nation's Indianapolis Colts blogger at Stampede Blue. Please make an account and post a diary, add some comments, and make some noise. Accounts are free, and only require an email address.

by Brad Wells on Dec 3, 2008 3:13 PM EST up reply actions

Yes

I don’t think it will be a 14 point win for either team.

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by Brad Wells on Dec 3, 2008 3:14 PM EST up reply actions

...

Hey man.

Has Joseph Addai’s injury been the main catalyst for the Colts 28th rushing offense? Or is there something else at work, like defenses taking a different approach against your boys?

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 3, 2008 1:14 PM EST reply actions

Answer

Yes, his injury is one reason. the other is losing all three interior linemen from last year for most of this season. Jeff Saturday has missed several games. Ryan Lilja will not play at all this season, and Jake Scott left via free agency. The guys replacing them are good, but without consistency this line has struggled.

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by Brad Wells on Dec 3, 2008 3:13 PM EST up reply actions

Is there a growing optimism heading into the playoffs?

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 3, 2008 4:06 PM EST up reply actions

That the rushing offense will help balance the team's success, I mean.

(a bit quick on the "Post")

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 3, 2008 4:07 PM EST up reply actions

Answer

Yes, optimism is growing. Key to balance is (as you know) creating consistency along the o-line. Like the Bengals this year, the Colts o-line has played very inconsistently.

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by Brad Wells on Dec 3, 2008 4:58 PM EST up reply actions

Chris Mortensen is making the point that the NFL could see a battle...

…between the Manning brothers for MVP.

From what we’ve seen of Manning this year, it’s clear that those around him, and maybe even his own performances, isn’t the same — probably due to circumstances than anything else.

Could you make a case for Peyton Manning being the league’s MVP this year?

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 3, 2008 4:09 PM EST reply actions

Answer

Yes, I can certainly make a case. ;)

http://www.stampedeblue.com/2008/12/1/676576/2008-nfl-mvp-race-king-off

SB Nation's Indianapolis Colts blogger at Stampede Blue. Please make an account and post a diary, add some comments, and make some noise. Accounts are free, and only require an email address.

by Brad Wells on Dec 3, 2008 4:59 PM EST up reply actions

Is Ben Utecht a legitimate starter at tight end?

When the Bengals signed Utecht away from the Colts, I was concerned that his abilities were a bit ~~ahem~~ inflated due to the tremendous talent in the rest of the Colts’ skill positions. It’s easy to get open when you are the least threatening player on the field. I’m of the opinion that the Bengals release him in the offseason. From your perspective, did Ben ever show the ability to be a starter when he played in Indianapolis?

"Ryan, Things in here don't react too well to bullets." - Marko Ramius

by TarZander on Dec 3, 2008 9:12 PM EST reply actions

Answer

Yes, and no. Ben is a very good #2 TE if you run a 2 TE set, like the base offense the Colts run. Your Bengals run a variation of the Colts offense, but because they have had such inconsistent TE play, you guys run more 3 WR than 2 TE. The key to Utecht working well in Indy was he was extremely good blocking on the line, and if Manning needed a dump-off option, Ben has good hands and doesn’t drop many passes thrown to him.

Is he a vertical threat? Hell no.

I think that if Cincy invested a draft pick in a top tier TE, Ben and that player could compliment each other very well. But, Ben is not a game breaking TE.

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by Brad Wells on Dec 4, 2008 9:28 AM EST up reply actions

I’m not going to lie, when the Bengals signed Utecht I was happy. Utecht has two problems, and these two problems are arguably the worst things you could have as an offensive player: 1) He fumbles too much. 2) He’s a wuss and is injury prone.

The King of Anti-Fail and Unofficial Moderator of Stupid People

by KingRichard on Dec 4, 2008 10:35 AM EST up reply actions

Steve Justice

I’m a Wake Forest fan and attended the majority of his home games there the past three years. Is he getting any playing time with the Colts?

by CincyMike56 on Dec 4, 2008 4:48 PM EST reply actions

he got passed by the 7th rounder Jamey Richard

to replace Jeff Saturday. He got one start when Jeff Saturday, Mike Pollak and Tony Ugoh were hurt. He’s played in 7 other games. He’s supposedly the second string center, but the Colts have a lot of guys that can move around on the OL so it’s more like there’s a pecking order among the backups than one guy is backing up one spot. Right now Justice is at the bottom of it.

Shonn Greene for Heisman
Big Ten's leading Rusher, Leads FBS
144 yards per game
6.2 yards per carry
08 TDs per game > 06 GPA

by shake n bake on Dec 4, 2008 5:11 PM EST up reply actions

the ravens got the bengals worst game of the year..do you think the Colts are in for a “prove us wrong” game? i think they are seriously playing to save the last piece of face and it’s a good stage to play the ultra successful colts. the colts really struggled last week on O but this could make their season.

by raven on Dec 5, 2008 1:27 AM EST reply actions

Answer

I think the Bengals will come out looking to atone for that beatdown via the Ravens. The Colts have some injuries and the Bengals will look to exploit those injuries by attacking the people filling in. At this point in the season, records mean nothing. Everyone is fighting for something.

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by Brad Wells on Dec 5, 2008 10:48 AM EST up reply actions