Bengals Early Bird Special: Bengals Future Could Be An Exciting One

Good morning everyone! It's Tuesday and you know the drill. This week is going by slowly, but surely. 

I think it's a bunch of bogus that the Bengals aren't getting more credit at this point of the season. I don't care what their schedule strength is. The Bengals have been winning games when they should be. And in their losses they have been within reach of victory.

It's not as if any other team within the AFC North has looked superior to the Bengals. The Steelers' and Ravens' schedules have been just as weak as the Bengals, but you don't seem anyone questioning them. I know it's because both Pittsburgh and Baltimore have had more continuous success in comparison to Cincinnati, a team that shows up every four or five years it seems like.  

However, Cincinnati has something that both teams are missing. A young, solid group of players that are the core of the franchise while proving themselves to the league one game at a time. I think the Bengals shouldn't be taken lightly.

This season Cincinnati quickly turned the page on the past and we're now in a new era. A.J. Green, Jermaine Gresham, and Andy Dalton all look as if they could be building blocks for the future. There is a good mix of young and veteran players. It's not as if it's a bunch of washed-up veterans on the team, nor is it a bunch of players with less than two years of experience.

I think it's a solid mix with veterans who are willing to take the younger players under their wings and show them the ropes while helping them gain more knowledge. I believe the future in Cincinnati is going to be an exciting one and hopefully we witness something that we haven't seen in years; a team that contend on a regular basis.

Alright here is a look at what you may have missed or overlooked from Monday.

• Check out the latest Monday Touchdown.
• Two former Bengals have hooked on with the Seattle Seahawks.
• Now that we are six weeks into the season, should the level of competition that the Bengals have faced-off against be a concern? 
• Once the weather gets colder this season the Bengals will practice at the University of Cincinnati's indoor facility.
• During his weekly Monday news conference Marvin Lewis hinted that "he" drove fans away. I think we all know who "he" is.
• With the trade deadine looming, it remains to be seen as to whether or not the Bengals will make a deal. I doubt it since trades during the season are uncommon. But due to the injury to Jason Campbell the Raiders are "trying hard" to acquire Carson Palmer according to Jason Cole.
• On Sunday against the winless Colts the Bengals committed a season-high 11 penalties. Something like this was bound to happen. But hopefully this isn't going to be a trend for the rest of the season.
• Bengals safety Taylor Mays finally made his first contribution on Sunday against Indianapolis.
• Reports are circulating that Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga is wearing a cast on his ankle that he injured during practice on Thursday.
• Even though it has taken him a while to warm up, Brandon Tate is on pace to shatter the franchise punt return records.
• The Bengals can thank the defense and special teams for coming up big in the fourth quarter during Sunday's victory over the Colts.
• The Bengals offensive line absolutely owned Dwight Freeney and Evan Mathis. But how were they able to neutralize two of the toughest defensive ends in the league?
• It was only a matter of time, but the Bengals are no longer the number one defense in the league. They have been bumped from the throne and are now the second best defense in the league.