Tony Grossi of the Plain Dealer Looks at the Bengals
by Oregonbengalsfan on Jul 20, 2010 1:39 PM EDT
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PrintTony Grossi is doing a series of articles, much like many other writers, on a preview of the AFC North. He starts out with Cincinnati. It is a surprisingly objective article that doesn't overlook the Bengals as a contender. The title of the article?
The Cincinnati Bengals have experts... and history... working against them.
This is true. It seems that the majority of the "experts" all project the Bengals to fall apart this year, and the number one reason for this... history.
Here is what Tony Grossi says about it...
They're the defending champions of the Browns' division and are not the favorites to repeat. Most preseason prognosticators have greater respect for Baltimore. That sentiment removes a small burden from the team and replaces it with a convenient motivating chip.
Why do few believe in the Bengals?
The previous time the Bengals won the division in 2005, they followed with an 8-8 season and missed the playoffs. In fact, the Bengals have not made playoff appearances in back-to-back seasons in 28 years. Somehow, they will self-destruct, goes the thinking.
There's also the perception that quarterback Carson Palmer, 30, is on a decline that began with his knee injury in the 2005 playoffs and worsened with an elbow injury in 2008. The statistics support the contention.
While the statistics do support the contention, there are also other factors that have most likely played a part in his dropping statistics and status. We've all mentioned them before... injuries, only one consistent option for Palmer to throw to when he wasn't blanketed by multiple defenders. And I say consistent because Caldwell did make a few clutch catches that helped us win games, and Coles wasn't entirely useless last year but neither was consistent.
Tony goes on to say that even if Carson has seen his better days, the Bengals still should not be counted out.
But even if Palmer has seen his better days, here are some reasons not to count out the Bengals:
• The additions of free agent Antonio Bryant, and rookies Jordan Shipley and Jermaine Gresham, give Palmer more receiving weapons than he's had in his career in Cincinnati.
While I don't think he has seen his better days yet, even if he has, his numbers should still improve with the new weapons he has to throw to. Antonio Bryant will open up the deep plays and take away pressure from Ochocinco. Shipley and Gresham will command the middle of the field. Not to mention, Chase Coffman, who is healthy now, and by all reports, making strides to become an impact player for the team. Then you have the offensive line, with the return of Andre Smith, with its depth allowing players to stay fresh. They should be able to protect Carson better this year. And add all of this to the phenomenal rushing team we have in Cedric Benson, Bernard Scott, and Brian Leonard. Are they going to pass or are they going to run? This year opposing defenses should have to fear both.
• The defense under coordinator Mike Zimmer rose to fourth in overall yards, seventh against the rush and sixth against the pass -- a top-10 hat trick it hadn't accomplished since 1983.
And ALL of those players are coming back this year, with a few additions at DT, DE, CB, and S. Then the prospect of Michael Johnson's developing wild card role. I'm getting excited just writing this.
• They're getting back pass-rush specialist Antwan Odom, who had eight sacks in three games last year before suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon injury.
Antwan Odom... all I can say is... SACK MACHINE! And by all reports his Achilles has healed well and he is feeling even better than before he was injured. Then as I mentioned above, the additions at DT and DE, Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap respectively, look to have the potential to really put the pressure on the quarterback. And when the quarterback is pressured, looking downfield and sees all his receivers covered by Hall, J Jo, A. Jones, and the middle of the field dominated by our linebackers and our safeties where is he going to throw?
The Bengals play in the first NFL preseason game Aug. 8 in Canton. It would not surprise themselves, at least, if they're also playing in the last postseason game, Feb. 6, in Dallas.
Sounds a little bit like it wouldn't surprise Grossi either. I know it wouldn't surprise me, and it would make me an extremely happy fan.
Grossi finishes with a little synopsis about what the Bengals are looking at this year in training camp and beyond.
Full camp opens: July 28, Georgetown College, Georgetown, Ky.
2009 result: 10-7, lost to Jets in wildcard.
2009 vs. Browns: 2-0; 23-20 in Cleveland, 16-7 in Cincinnati.
2010 outlook: Playoff contender.
2010 uncommon opponents: San Diego and Indianapolis.
Rookie to watch: WR Jordan Shipley, third round. Colt McCoy's favorite receiver at Texas will battle Andre Caldwell for the team's key slot receiver role. Coaches envision him as a Wes Welker type.
Veteran to watch: WR Antonio Bryant. The one-time Brown hit the jackpot in free agency with a four-year contract for $28 million. He's the new go-to guy for Carson Palmer.
Training camp issues: Is Adam (nee Pac Man) Jones ready to put his troubles aside and contribute as a nickel cornerback and return specialist? Will defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer assimilate 2009 draft picks Michael Johnson and Rey Maualuga into a 3-4 look? Will former Ohio State standout Mike Nugent or Dave Rayner replace kicker Shayne Graham, who gagged twice in a playoff loss against the Jets?
Yes folks, Tony Grossi believes the Bengals are a playoff contender this year, unlike most analysts, writers, or expert who think history will be the Bengals doom. And I have to say I agree with Grossi. Yes, I know they say "history repeats itself", but they also say, "there's a first time for everything".
Grossi advertises a look at the Baltimore Ravens today.
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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On history and the demise of Carson
On history. The Bengals can’t win because they are the Bengals, Just like the Saints, Patriots, Buccaneers, and Rams, the Bengals will never win the Superbowl. Its just not posible for a team to turn around as much as these teams need to overcome their histories….well so much for that arguement, its apparently stupid.
On Carson. Carson has had 2 straight injury plagued seasons, but he is still youngish by QB standards. Brett Farve had 2 worse years in 99 and 2000, and again in 05-06 and came back as top QB in the League. Kurt Warner did the same in 02-03. There is no reason to believe Palmer will not be elite again, especially if the line continues to develop.
This sort of history is useless.
This is like arguing, as jim said above me, that the Saints would never win a Superbowl before they did. These guys are obviously just regurgitating their old Bengals and Ravens material. No one is paying attention to facts. Baltimore drafts Cody and Kindle, the Bengals draft Dunlap and no one hears anything about how amazing Dunlap was in college because he’s a character risk while the thief Sergio Kindle is just going to be a playmaker. The Ravens add Boldin, who’s never had to deal with the defense’s attention with Larry Fitzgerald across the field from him, and everyone forgets we drafted Gresham and Shipley.
It’s just typical ignorance from the national media. I’m ignoring experts. The only thing that makes me worry is that the schedule is really, really tough this year.
I don’t buy the whole schedule bit either. There’s only two teams that the rest of our division doesn’t play. One of them, we had on the ropes last year. So our schedule is tougher, but I don’t buy that our schedule will be the difference maker in whether we win the division or not.
This is our year!
by Paul Cannon on Jul 20, 2010 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions
While I agree with you in theory, I’d be a lot happier if we played Indy in week 16 and San Diego in week 10. In week 10, our defense should still be at least mostly healthy and we’d have bit better chance of handling SD. And in week 16 the Dolts may well be resting players again after locking up the #1 seed.
I think we could still beat both. Indy isn’t unbeatable if you have good corners, decent LBs, and a good ability to move the ball with the run and dink-and-dunk short passes before their DEs can get to your QB. So we have a chance. But it won’t be easy. And San Diego I have a probably unfairly low level of respect for, but a team that wins the second worst division in football doesn’t earn much respect in my book until/unless they have some real challengers and/or they win some playoff games, neither of which SD has done of late. So we could beat both. I don’t expect that we will, though. Not both at least. I’m betting on a split. Unless, of course, we either A) have a statistically unlikely low level of injuries, or B) they have a statistically exceptionally unlikely massively high level.
I would say a split is fair
And the other “contender” in the division has to play Houston and the Broncos. I do think the Broncos will go downhill this year, but if Houston finally lives up to thier potential then that’s not a gimme game for the Ravens, especially when you factor in the high powered passing attack and how they are going to have problems covering it. There is the fact that the Ravens play their @squeelers with Big Ben harrassing the Ravens players wives as the only threat he poses. But I think as long as the Bengals are healthy that team is very beatable. The biggest games this year by far IMO will be head to head vs. the Ravens.
It turns out I overestimated my apathy, but not enough to matter.
I like the idea of playing a west coast team at home in the dead of winter
We can counter the schedule situation by beating the Ravens twice and we can do it IMO. It all comes down to Carson, who has never had less than a stellar season healthy, out playing Flacco. Healthy – no problem. Our Corners can cover their WRs 1 on 1 and theirs will need to double both Bryant and Chad. With Bryant healthy (?) either will make the Baltimore corners look stupid 1 on 1. That leaves the LBs to cover both Shipley and Gresham – good luck with that. The Ravens are a good and dangerous team but we probably match up better against them than any other team. Let them blitz. Shipley and Gresham will be open before Carson completes his drop back. The draw and play action, which was nonexistent last year will be in full force this year. The run key is to not run at Cody and Ngata but make them run to you and stay on the field. hen they are gassed in the 4th Q then you can run Benson up the middle.
We can only stop ourselves. Other team can only hope to contain us and out score us and our returning top 5 D. Good luck with that too.
"If we always agree, one of us is not necessary"
One thing that is for sure is that we are better equipped to beat those teams this year than last year.
Our pass rush should be much better with Dunlap, Atkins, and a returning Odom. our secondary should be improved with Adam Jones, Ghee, a healthy Roy Williams, and Gibril Wison. And the most important thing is that if one or more of these guys gets hurt, we have more depth this year to deal with it.
That sentiment removes a small burden from the team and replaces it with a convenient motivating chip.
I love this piece of information. A rallying point last year was that no one expected us to be able to do it and the team was sort of thrown together from scraps (not people who weren’t talented, but troublemakers that no one else wanted.) I’m glad we have a similar rallying point this year.
"Before I write I let my mind go blind and let the Lord do His thing. " -Tupac Shakur
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it looks like work." -Thomas Edison
Holy shit, I forgot about Coffman.
We have a TON of weapons in the pass game. The one problem; can Coffman and Gresham run block well enough to consistently use 2 TE sets? I sort of doubt it.
Good riddance, Coats.
"Before I write I let my mind go blind and let the Lord do His thing. " -Tupac Shakur
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it looks like work." -Thomas Edison
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