The Plusses and the Minuses

by Paul Cannon on Dec 7, 2009 11:15 AM EST

In an effort to be objective here, I thought that we could break down the game this last week by going through the positive and the negative points about the Bengals game against the Lions.

Here we go...

On the Minus Side

The offense continues to struggle:

We recorded only one offensive touchdown against the league's worst defense. To be fair if it weren't for Drops McGee, aka Coats, it would have been two...

Carson Palmer threw two interceptions and lost one fumble (off an unblocked corner blitz from his blindside) - Carson appeared to be a human being this game.

Cedric Benson rushed for only 3.1 yards per carry. It's almost like the Lions expected us to run the ball a lot....

Daniel Coats drops another TD pass. If we are going to insist on putting this guy in there, we could at least get him some fly tape to put on his hands. Are butterfly nets legal in the NFL...?

Where in the world is Andre Caldwell? 1 target - 0 yards.

The Defense gives up big plays:

Calvin Johnson torches us this game off of two plays. One from Stafford where he outruns a double team, and one from Culpepper where he outjumps a double team. This guy is a freak among freaks. You could have put Patrick Ewing back there and CJ still would gone up and grabbed that football...

Kevin Smith averages 4.7 yards per carry. Does anybody think we missed Peko? I miss Peko.

On the Plus Side

The Offense showed glimpses...

Carson Palmer to Ochocinco was a thing of beauty, and that 36 yard bomb was Cambell's Chunky noodle - mmmm....mmmm good.

Benson runs for 100 yards despite the fact that every time he was in, everybody including the pigeons in the rafters knew where the ball was going.

Ocho gets 137 yards and a touchdown, then goes all Esteban on us. I liked the sombrero.

Shane Graham - We should put his face on the dollar bill because he has been money.

The Defense Dominated...except for two plays

8 QB hits, 7 passes defensed, 3 Sacks, and 1 touchdown. Not a bad day by any standards. Defense gets the game ball...again.

How about that Tom Nelson? Another gem apparently on the defensive squad. He finishes the game with two tackles, two passes defensed and one interception.

And Michael Johnson? I give credit to Matthew Stafford for not pooping his pants every time this 6'7" monster running at him. At least I assume he stayed clean.

And who could Forget? Jonathon Fanene, with the poise of Jerry Rice and the concentration of Bobby Fischer catches and returns a tipped ball for a TD.

And One More thing for the plus column

We won.

Who Dey Bengal Nation

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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Comments

Fanene can RUN!

Man, that’s the fastest I’ve seen a Lineman run with the ball in a long time. Well done! No one is stopping that guy from getting to the endzone.

by UpStateMike on Dec 7, 2009 11:51 AM EST reply actions

That was fantastic.

I jumped out of my seat. I especially loved the ponytail flopping in the wind.

"If it wasn't this, it'd be something else."

by ZJiff30 on Dec 7, 2009 1:02 PM EST up reply actions

The run was nothing short of majestic.

This is our year!

by Paul Cannon on Dec 7, 2009 1:15 PM EST up reply actions

Yea, it was pure Orca Whale gliding gently in the ocean, no wait, now I’m picture Andre Smith

by The Dealio on Dec 7, 2009 1:56 PM EST up reply actions

Great run by Fanene, but..

he would have been tackled if Leon Hall didn’t throw the BLOCK OF THE CENTURY. I’ll try to find a link to the video.

by Diminished Glu on Dec 7, 2009 1:30 PM EST up reply actions

Found it

Check in around :44 for the play.

by Diminished Glu on Dec 7, 2009 1:35 PM EST up reply actions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_QWDpSrvr0

by Diminished Glu on Dec 7, 2009 1:36 PM EST up reply actions

that was a sick block. i still can’t believe leon’s not on anybody’s all-pro radar. there’s no db in the league that’s played to his level this year, and i’m including darelle revis in that.

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

by Raging Clue on Dec 8, 2009 7:31 PM EST up reply actions

tell that to the MNF crew, that was all over C. Woodson's jock last night...

by WHYUS!! on Dec 8, 2009 7:50 PM EST up reply actions

well, from my experience, if they knew what they were talking about, they wouldn’t be working for espn.

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

by Raging Clue on Dec 8, 2009 8:25 PM EST up reply actions

Well I kinda like Coach Gruden

the only one that makes things sound interesting.

by WHYUS!! on Dec 8, 2009 8:50 PM EST up reply actions

i gave up on all things espn a few years ago, so i can’t comment on gruden; the network’s track record doesn’t bode well for him, but then again, they got schefter.

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

by Raging Clue on Dec 8, 2009 8:59 PM EST up reply actions

Bad but equal

The offense might be sputtering a bit… but at least we are sputtering against everyone equally. essentially our offense looks the same whether we are playing Detroit or Pittsburgh.

by The Dealio on Dec 7, 2009 12:28 PM EST reply actions

Michael Johnson continues to impress. I’m still scratching my head on how we got this guy in the 3rd Round. he could have easily leaped over Stafford (a la Brian Leonard) when he got up to bat that pass, (must finish this sequence), that dropped into the hands of a patient Fanene, whom romped 45 yards to paydirt.

3 yards and a pile of dust

by Hudepohl Dey on Dec 7, 2009 1:52 PM EST reply actions