The Bengals are on a three-week non-losing streak. That sound good and all, but I like the sound of Undefeated in November! Not that it should be too surprising; after Sunday's tie, Marvin Lewis squads are 15-7-1 in November. Spin is good and all, but that'll make you dizzy.

It's nice that we made the Eagles road to the playoffs a hell of a lot harder. We have the Steelers, Ravens, Colts and Redskins as teams and fans to piss off for the next four weeks. We're spoilers now, with our past two opponents on the very edge of missing the playoffs because they couldn't get past little ol' us. Don Banks said, "It's hard for me to consider the 5-4-1 Eagles a serious playoff contender at this point." Thanks to the Bengals. "That ghastly four-turnover performance by Philly quarterback Donovan McNabb in Cincy might end up being the Eagles' Waterloo in '08."

Since six years passed between ties in the NFL, I don't think it's really worth complaining about it. Disappointing sure. However, it's not a monthly occurrence, and I can't remember the last time anyone spoke of the possibility since. Over-reaction about one thing in the past six years is something politicians do well, throwing Montgomery Burns type of cash at the "problem". That's exactly what the NFL is doing with fines right now. We don't need any more over-reactions, and I'll bet another 40 years goes by before the Bengals have their next tie. But if the NFL is going to work on their overtime procedure (which we think they should), then this should be addressed. The bigger worry is why Donovan McNabb didn't know that ties even existed.

Antonio Chatman's X-rays were fine and he had movement in his arms and legs. He's staying overnight at an area hospital for observation.

Andrew Whitworth has a sprained ankle. "I think it's a pretty bad high ankle sprain, but I don't really know yet. I had the foot planted and I think someone swung around after making a tackle and landed on the back of my legs. It rolled up pretty good, so we'll see."

The Bengals didn't convert on their opportunities. The Bengals also went 0-1 on fourth down.

"Marvin had said we were in four-down territory," said offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski when the Bengals ran at midfield with eight minutes left in overtime on third down, "What we had was a run-pass audible. So, if they were pressuring us, we were going to throw it, if they laid back in a zone, we were going to run it with the thinking if it’s four-down territory and you get four yards, it makes it fourth-and-3 and we’re going to go for it on fourth down." Nothing about that makes sense. Why have a run audible, and why in the world would midfield be fourth down territory? If that were the case, we lose the game and have one win, instead of 1.5 wins.

We learned about Chris Crocker after Chinedum Ndukwe hurt his foot in the first quarter. He had four tackles, a quarterback sack and an interception where he faked underneath zone coverage and then sprinted alongside L.J. Smith picking off a pass that Donovan McNabb thought would be wide open.

When I first heard "a tie is like kissing your sister" this afternoon, I was really unsettled. Then I was embarrassed to learn that my Paul "Bear" Bryant historical quotes knowledge was sorely lacking. Bear Bryant was once asked if he considered kicking a field goal when trailing by three points. His Coors Light response was: "Hell, no! A tie is like kissing your sister!" So, yea. We also have muff punts and sacks. This is a total guy sport.

I'll let everyone else coin the phrase, instead just saying those damned Bengals didn't win another damned game that they had every damn opportunity to win. Damn it.

Dave published his weekly Dearly Departed. A few notes on this.

• I wonder if Landon Johnson regrets leaving Cincinnati -- where he's still be a starting linebacker.
• Rudi Johnson is about as awful in Detroit as he was in Cincinnati. Though that's a bit unfair. Going from Cincinnati to Detroit isn't like you're improving the guys around you.
• If Justin Smith would have lowered his price to what it took to sign Antwan Odom, I would have done it in a heartbeat.

WDR hits phase two of Project Mayhem. Donate $18 and they'll put up four billboard signs across Cincinnati. I don't know if it will help, but for all the bitching and complaining about Bengals management heard on the radio, read in the papers and websites, WDR is trying to do something about it. Even though they've ripped me and this site, I don't see how you can't support these guys. Hopefully they generate enough static that the Brown family will be forced to listen.

More evidence that Chick Ludwig reads this blog, he points out that April 18, 1999 being the darkest day in club history; the date that Akili Smith was drafted. The Bengals "spurned" the Saints trade offer for nine draft picks to move up to the Bengals number three slot. Can you imagine how much the Bengals history from 1999 onward would have been dramatically different? You can mark this date in which Brown's legacy as an idiot was cemented.

Wide receivers Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell are not expected to play Sunday.

Eagles head coach Andy Reid drafts well, the Bengals don't.

If you watched the surprisingly entertaining 49ers/Cardinals game, you saw that the 49ers defense had several former Bengals players. Mark Roman finished the game with six tackles. Justin Smith had seven tackles, two quarterback hits and a pass defensed. Takeo Spikes had six tackles including one for a loss.

What you may not have known today, is that seven former Bengals players played in one NFC game now dubbed the Former Bengals Bowl; the San Francisco 49ers beat the Detroit Lions, 31-13.

Rudi Johnson rushed for 83 yards, on 14 carries, including a 27-yard rush. The last time he had a rush attempt longer than 27 yards, was December 18th, 2005 against the -- I freaking love irony -- the Detroit Lions with a 33-yard run.

That wasn't all. Jon Kitna hit Rudi Johnson on a 34-yard touchdown pass. Rudi Johnson recorded 131 total yards; three receptions and a team-leading 48 yards receiving.

Then there's Justin Smith, recording a sack, an interception and a forced fumble. Smith forced Kitna to fumble on a sack, on the Lions second drive of the game; the Lions recovered and another former Bengals player, Nick Harris, punted the ball 57 yards. Smith tackled Rudi Johnson and Jon Kitna each. Late in the game, Kitna attempted a pass to Rudi Johnson that was picked off by Smith.

Takeo Spikes recorded a forced fumble and two tackles. Mark Roman recorded two tackles and Langston Moore added another.

Former Bengals players in this game.

For the Lions
Jon Kitna
Rudi Johnson
Nick Harris
Langston Moore

For the 49ers
Justin Smith
Takeo Spikes
Mark Roman

In case I missed one, let us know.

It would seem that someone is ripping me off. I have a hard time believing that someone would write the exact same notes inside projected positions that I did in this post, four days before these thieves claimed my work as their own.

“He’s the guy who’s trying to come into the league with confidence in his first year, and everybody is telling him he shouldn't be the quarterback. He just really needs to not worry about what everyone is saying and compete.”
- Carson Palmer on Aaron Rodgers with the possibly that Brett Favre may return.

If Odell Thurman ever plays in the NFL again, it won't be soon; and I'd be shocked.

When players know that their status is listed as "final chance", they say things like they're ready.

Ludwig talks with Shayne Graham.

What's up with recently departed Bengals?

Jaxon predicts that Landon Johnson will be Panther's starting WILL linebacker, enabling the Panthers more coverage sacks by covering the opposing tight end.

Justin Smith is being groomed as a defensive end / outside linebacker hybrid -- though he's getting more work at linebacker. Fooch is even wondering who the team will keep as an extra lineman.

With Darren Sharper and Madieu Williams, the Vikings could have the best duo of safeties in the NFC. Why not the NFL?

Caleb Miller and Lemar Marshall are still unemployed.

Dave at Stripe Hype, and I, went though a few topics that are either "hot", or were "hot" through a series discerning Fact from Myth.

1) Marvin Lewis is on the hot seat.

Stripe Hype: Myth. I can only laugh when I see this. Oh, sure, if the Bengals have a season like 2002's he might be gone (though even then, I doubt it), but there's no "playoffs-or-bust" situation in Cincinnati. Heck, as you pointed out, he's the third-most-successful head coach in Bengals history, and one of only three (so far) with a winning record. He's also done what no Bengals coach has done since the days of Sam Wyche: take the team to the playoffs. And that we lost that game and haven't been back since has much more to do with injuries and bad behavior than anything Lewis has done.
CincyJungle: I feel so strongly that Marvin Lewis is safe with his job, the Bengals could go 1-15 for the season and Lewis remains. Provided Lewis doesn't do a Chris Henry (very unlikely), the only way I see Lewis leaving in the near future is if it's his own accord.
SH: I don't see Marvin pulling a Coslet...yet. I do wonder, if 2008 turns out badly, how that impacts the locker room. Ocho Cinco would almost certainly have to go in that case. But ultimately, that would be Mike Browns' call. And I could see a scenario in which the Bengals perform poorly this season, Chad is even worse in February 2009 than he was this year, Lewis wants to move on, but Browns' heels are dug into concrete, and Lewis walks. But even then I wouldn't say it was a sure thing. There's only 32 NFL head coaching positions, after all.
CJ: You think a scenario exists that could force Lewis out of town because of Chad?
SH: "Force"? No. But what if Chad does become the major distraction/disruption that some fear, and Brown still refuses to deal him next year? In that case, I think it's possible that Lewis concludes he has better ways to waste his time.
CJ: That would parallel the trends of modern sports, wouldn't it? Player's demands supersedes coaches and managers.
SH: Yup

2) The Bengals defense will suffer after losing their supposed best defensive player.

CJ: Myth. Let me begin by saying I've always thought of Smith as a fine player. The guy had grit, strength and a hell of a motor; his one arm tackles were always impressive. After his rookie season, he never missed a game. That said, Smith was always a disappointment for the expectations that came with him. He broke the single-season sack record at Missouri his sophomore year (8); broke it again his junior year (11). There's a point to be made that he never got the "support" from teammates to draw double teams off of him. If that's the excuse that must be made, then I can hardly call Smith our best defensive player.
SH: Agreed -- myth. Smith was a fine player, just not at No. 4 overall. But the Bengals had a desperate need, so they reached for the best of a weak draft class, and the rest is history. Antwan Odom is a serviceable replacement, and perhaps more. I was interesting to me to see that Dan Arkush over at Pro Football Weekly put Odom on his list of the best free agent moves of the offseason, but not the 49ers' acquisition of Smith. Between Odom, Robert Geathers -- another Bengal who gets ignored outside of Cincinnati, even though he's just a year removed from a 10.5-sack season -- and backups Frostee Rucker and Eric Henderson, I think the Bengals could actually be improved at DE, despite the loss of Smith. The big question is whether Rucker and Henderson can stay healthy and contribute.
CJ: Even if Smith were our best "defensive player", there's no way the Bengals would sign him to a $45 million deal with $20 million in guarantees. Smith being gone, in my opinion, helps this team more than hinders.

3) T.J. Houshmandzadeh will leave Cincinnati after this season.

SH: Fact. That the Bengals focused on extending DT Domata Peko and then moved on to G/T Andrew Whitworth without any stops in the T.J. camp speaks volumes, as does the receiver-heavy draft and the signing of TE Ben Utecht. In particular, Utecht will take catches away from T.J. this season. And there's also G/T Stacy Andrews to consider. Keeping him after this year will require monster money, but may be necessary as RT Willie Anderson doesn't have a lot of years left. So, are they going to re-sign a 32-year-old wide receiver, who is rumored to want No. 1 money, if they have to throw big bucks elsewhere on the offense, too? I'm not seeing it, especially if Simpson and Caldwell pan out.
CJ: Fact. First of all, as you pointed out, this team went aggressively in the draft for a crop of wide receivers. Additionally the Bengals are negotiating with several players for extensions.  I think even Houshmandzadeh is reading the writing on the wall that his time is up. He's a tremendous receiver; few have the courage to get smoked over the middle like he does. For financial reasons and his age, I just don't see it. Then again, they re-signed my hero Willie Anderson.
SH: Darn, I was all set for an argument! I will add that, if the young receivers are slow (or fail to) come on, it wouldn't surprise me if T.J. were franchised in 2009.
CJ: Honestly, I don't even see the Bengals franchising him. And the younger receivers, save for an injury amongst the starters, won't get too many looks; not with Chad, T.J. and Utecht. Perhaps they'll let Houshmandzadeh so the younger guys have more looks. Risky, no doubt. But the money will be the strongest argument for him to walk -- not because we don't have it, rather because the Browns seem to have a lower standard of values per position.
SH: I just wouldn't rule the tag out, if only because the nature of its use has changed. With the cap jumping so much every year, more and more teams are employing it to hang onto a key player who arguably isn't worth that kind of coin (case in point: Stacy Andrews). As for the youngsters, well, someone needs to step up into that third WR slot.
CJ: Reports are going around that Andre Caldwell is the "leading candidate" for slot receiver after minicamp. I'm really looking forward to pre-season this year with all the new additions -- especially those guys that aren't likely going to start the season.

4) The Bengals will go 8-8.

CJ: Myth. To be honest, I think the Bengals have a manageable schedule this season. Outside the rough AFC North, the Bengals biggest challenges are the Giants, Cowboys and Colts. We can add the Jaguars in there too. As long as the injury bug doesn't bite them (and I challenge anyone to tell me that's just an 'excuse') and the supposed returns of Rudi Johnson and Chris Perry are similar to 2005, I not only thing the Bengals will be competitive, but they'll win. I've always been an optimistic fellow, so I'm saying the Bengals could win 10 at the most, but 9-7 is a very realistic forecast.
SH: Well, I suppose I'll go with myth, though saying that they won't go 8-8, but 9-7 strikes me a splitting hairs a bit. I've kept away from projecting the season because I have too many injury and performance questions. Some you mentioned. Can we get another season out of Big Willie? Is Rudi Johnson done or not? Can Chris Perry stay healthy? Will Ahmad Brooks still be limited by his groin surgery? Is Rucker any good? And on and on. Even more than usual, I think the key will be the division. The whole AFC North plays a tough schedule, and it could very well come down to the division tiebreaker. I don't think the AFCN sends a wild card this season, either.
CJ: What? You mean you can't read into the future? Are you sure you're a Bengals fan? We all seem to have that gift.
SH: Sorry, my crystal ball seems to be broken. Every year I look into it and every year it shows the Bengals winning the Super Bowl...
CJ: Yeap, definitely broken.