Question arises about Carson Palmer's health

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 14, 2009 7:37 PM EST in Injury

After Sunday's abysmal performance by the Bengals passing offense, only recording 94 yards passing and becoming largely ineffective against the Vikings, Bengals ownership is growing concerned about Palmer's health. More specifically, is the elbow that Palmer injured last year, a problem again this year? Are the Bengals protecting Palmer by not throwing the football deep? Or not throwing much at all?

Case in point. In the first seven games of the season, Palmer averaged 229.7 yards passing and passed 30 times or more in five of those seven games. In the past six games, Palmer averaged 172.2 yards passing per game and passed 30 times or more in only two of those six games.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN's Monday Night Countdown reports that Mike Brown visited with team trainers asking if there's something wrong with Carson Palmer's elbow. Palmer left Mortensen a voice mail, assuring that his elbow is fine and that his body feels great. Transcribed (aka, me using DVR to stop the report) the voice mail mostly reads:

"We realize that as an offense, as a passing offense, and we will bounce back in the passing game. My body feels great."

Mortensen did point out that the Bengals struggles passing the football are largely contributed to the team losing Chris Henry for the year. We'll just file this under the heading, "Bengals offense is surprisingly grounded because it's just not clicking." For now.

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Let's not give up on Carson yet

Look, I was one of the people that always said, “If he had a defense and running game, he’d be truly elite!” Well, we now have those, and he isn’t. Carson does need to work on his accuracy and his pocket-presence, but let’s be honest—our o-line is better suited for run-blocking, not pass-blocking. Whitworth, supremely talented as he is, isn’t quite fast enough to be a LT, and it’s not like Carson is mobile to begin with. Then you factor in Henry on IR, TJ in Seattle, and Brat’s Quaker-like refusal to use those modern receiving tight ends.

We need a new OC, a new deep-threat WR (even if Henry returns), and more of a willingness to use TEs as receivers. We’ll also have to make some major decisions about our o-line. I’m afraid we’ll only get a new WR; I hope he isn’t Jerome Simpson 2.0.

by Big Sky Bengal on Dec 14, 2009 7:56 PM EST reply actions

Agreed.

Looks like Mike Brown is getting impatient too. Hate him or not, when he speaks people listen. Remember Chris Harrington? :)

But I did have the thought cross my mind about Bratkowski.

There were questions last offseason if he was going to be gone. Remember? Marvin Lewis basically said this is the offense we’ll have, leaving very little input for Bratkowski.

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

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 14, 2009 7:59 PM EST up reply actions

RE: On Deep Threat

I agree, mostly. But I don’t think we need more than one. Even so, we really need a better intermediate game so that safeties and linebackers are covering guys too, which should open Chad up again down field.

If you really think about it, who runs our intermediate route?

Yea, admit it or not, we miss T.J. and what he did with this offense. I believe that now more than ever.

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

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 14, 2009 8:01 PM EST up reply actions

Well...

I think we need to draft (or trade for) a Chad replacement now, to pair with Henry.

In theory, we have a lot of guys who fit the definition of a slot/possession WR, right now—Coles, Caldwell, Purify, Cosby—but three are inexperienced and one is over the hill. Also, I think the routes themselves are questionable. I can’t remember the last time I saw Carson hit a WR in stride for an intermediate gain; our routes seem to be more “run, stop, get tackled”. This is where we really need a receiving TE. Hopefully Chase Coffman can flourish.

by Big Sky Bengal on Dec 15, 2009 12:15 AM EST up reply actions

Yea Isaw that on ESPN where Brown asked the trainers if he was hurt

I guess we are not the only ones wondering what happened to him

CB85......Collaros for Heisman

by TennBengalfan on Dec 14, 2009 10:29 PM EST reply actions

We know that we can run the ball,

It does not make any sense to not and try and establish the passing game. You can mix things up a bit. Maybe there is something to this Carson thing. I watched replays of Carson throwing the ball up close on DVR and on replays. It looks like it’s painful when he is throwing the ball. Watch his face next time. It looks like he is struggling throwing the ball. I noticed this a couple of weeks ago. I believe there is something to this.

by WHYUS!! on Dec 14, 2009 11:06 PM EST reply actions

Face the nation.

To me everytime Palmer throws he has a strange face. Looks like he is getting hit or about

to. I wish they would start the Chargers game with a very deep throw. It’s how the Bengal used to start games. ala Ken Anerson and Boomer. It helps loosen the d backs.

by CalBob on Dec 15, 2009 12:13 AM EST up reply actions

We saw a lot of that

in 2005. The opening play was almost always a deep ball to either Chad or Henry. We still have Chad, he used to beat coverage all the time and be sitting all alone in the endzone. I know we love running the ball now, which is great and will win the t.o.p. battle, but when do we try using something else as well as run the ball?

In regards to Palmer’s face when he throws the ball, I have a feeling it looks a lot like mine after watching his attempted pass be either under or over thrown. Or dropped by Coats. We have to be able to do more with what we have..

by 80%OFTHETIMEIMRIGHTEVERYTIME on Dec 15, 2009 1:51 AM EST up reply actions

Palmer's always had a pained face when delivering the ball. lol I don't think that's an indicator or anything in particular.

by Craig Conrad on Dec 15, 2009 7:37 AM EST up reply actions

look at the passing plays that are being called versus the ones that were being called earlier this season. early in the season, the line was moving, carson was rolling, and they did a good job of masking the line’s inability in pass protection. now most of the pass plays are strictly pocket plays with five- and seven- step drops, where carson’s got somebody coming at him before he can even read the field; this doesn’t lend itself to finding open receivers (and i don’t count daniel coats as a receiver even when he’s open), especially downfield, where you need time for the receiver to get there in the first place. jared allen may have been blanked sunday (little consolation that i called it), but he was still a disruptive presence all day because he was forcing carson out of the plays.

i'm going to go america all over your ass!

by Raging Clue on Dec 15, 2009 10:48 AM EST reply actions

another great example of how the play calling has become numb.

When did our offensive motto go from “run it each time everytime” to “forget what works”? Bland at best and totally ineffective. When our team cannot convert a 3 and 1 we have problems. Maybe the biggest problem is no one knows what to do to fix them.

by 80%OFTHETIMEIMRIGHTEVERYTIME on Dec 16, 2009 12:53 AM EST up reply actions