Implications. Implications. Implications. A 5-9 team could fire a shockwave that creates one twist in the playoffs. To screw up the Browns chances. What a moment of saving grace that could be artificially installed to make this season, a finger-tip better. Bengals win and pumped, second-wind, Titans fans rejoice at the new lease on playoff life.

Since the Titans haven't played the Browns, the first applicable tie-breaker is conference record. The Titans are 5-5 and the Browns are 7-4. If the Titans win out, their conference record jumps to 7-5 -- identical record if the Bengals beat the Browns. But the Titans can't succeed without the Browns losing to Cincinnati. And the Titans have to win both to tie the #2 tie-breaker (#1 is the head-to-head) which can't happen if the Browns beat the Bengals. Hence, if the Browns win -- or if the Titans lose -- Cleveland clinches a playoff berth.

To know that the Bengals can dictate this, is something to look forward to. And if there's nothing to play for, to deaden the Browns chances only makes this blogger smile.

Barstool Banter with David (Niners Nation).

Some of you are wondering what exactly could be so hectic that's making the site slightly slow this week. I work for a court system in Ohio that's in the process of building a new multimillion facility. We're at the moment now that we're moving into the building and getting everything unpacked and ready for the major portion of our transition. It'll take us until the end of next month. Don't worry. It's still my intention to keep this place rolling. But sometimes intentions never turn out forecast the ends. So with that said, I may need some of you to keep things rolling with a piece or two in the diaries that I can promote to the front page.

Tonight's game against the 49ers is an NFL Network game that doesn't appear to be very fascinating to fans of other teams. For me and David, this is just another test for our respective teams as they find their way into the offseason. We sat back and chatted about things.

Josh Kirkendall: The Bengals are just under-achieving this year. Add that to the miserable injury bug and that's a recipe for bitterly disappointed fans. But considering the Super Bowl history between Cincinnati and San Francisco, Bengals fans, especially older fans, find peace of mind beating the 49ers.

Is there a sense the 49ers have a direction for 2008?

David: I think there's a definite maybe answer to that question.  The problem is figuring out what the problems are and addressing them going forward.  And of course there are only so many draft picks and free agency dollars going around (don't even get me started on giving up our 1st rounder to the Patriots...well at least not right now).  The way I look at it, this team needs big fat offensive and defensive lineman early on in the draft as those are two big-time areas of need.  Of course they need receivers that won't lead the NFL in drops and then there's always the question of Alex Smith and his health.  I can honestly say I have no idea what to expect next year.  It's gotten comical how inept things seem to be at times including miscommunications about injuries, poor coaching, you name it.  They need to get serious this offseason and get some discipline, ironic considering Nolan has always seemed like the a disciplinarian-type coach.

I hardly have time to check out my own team it seems like, let alone other teams.  However, the Bengals have always been a team that intrigued me, often due to the antics and talent of Ocho Cinco.  But what I really am curious about is if Marvin Lewis is in the equation going forward?  Put simply, when the season finishes up, who takes the blame or is it something they can be expected to bounce back from going forward?

Josh: Yea, Marvin Lewis is fine. His first three seasons were a breeze -- no controversy on or off the field. It was about hope, progress and excitement. None of which applied to the Bengals pre-Lewis. From 2006 and on, it hasn't been easy with the arrests and general performance on the field. It's the first time that Lewis has been heavily criticized under the scope of armchair quarterbacks. Every great coach goes though rough periods and I suspect that this is Lewis' time to struggle. We have to remember, this is only his fifth season as a head coach at any level. So he's still learning like any fifth year person acquiring a new position. Very much like Mike Nolan. He might be a gifted coach, but there's so much more to learn and do and that takes time to adapt.

Patrick Willis was nominated as one of ESPN's "Next" that eventually went to Jaba Chamberlain. What's he been like to watch this year?

David: Watching Patrick Willis prowling the field has been one of the few pleasures of this season (that and superstar punter Andy Lee!).  There was no question about the talent he had when he was drafted.  Virtually every 49ers fan was more than happy with the selection of Willis.  However, this season he has shown how much more talented he is than we imagined AND the heart and desire that he has to be great.  Every game he seems to make a phenomenal tackle or break up a play in a spectacular manner.  Every time he's faced a stud running back, the back will be cutting to the corner and ready to turn it and in a flash, Willis swoops in and drags the RB down for a 2 or 3 yard loss.  However, the play that exemplified how much effort he has was the play where he ran down Sean Morey of the Cardinals.  The Cardinals had the ball in overtime and Morey broke loose down the sideline deep into 49ers territory.  Considering the way OT works, many players would just let Morey run in and end it.  Instead Willis, a linebacker, came across to take down Morey, a wide receiver, at the San Francisco 24.  A few plays later, Neil Rackers misses a field goal and the 49ers eventually win.  That tackle of Morey is the highlight you'll see when Willis is the unanimous defensive rookie of the year, makes the Pro Bowl and gets some solid support for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, all as a rookie.

Now let's take a look at a guy who will get to see Patrick Willis up close and personal...As a fantasy owner who has been killed and saved by Rudi Johnson all in the same year, please tell me what the deal is with that situation?  He's been an absolute rock the last three seasons and then this year he has really struggled.  Are we looking at a Christian Okoye bright burn that lasts a short time?  Or will he rebound next season?

Josh: Rudi's struggle is a combination of things. After his franchise setting season in 2005, he lowered his weight to become quicker. Unfortunately, that reduced his leg strength. Whereas he used to break tackles and fall forward, he's often hit and dropped in the backfield. The offensive line lost a lot with the retirement of Rich Braham (former center) and the loss of Eric Steinbach to Cleveland. Additionally, Johnson's biggest impact was at the end of games when the team needed to run the clock out. This season, the Bengals offense is constantly playing from behind. Add everything together and you have a free-fall of regression.

Not only do we question if he'll rebound, we're not sure he'll be on the team next season. His regression, along with Kenny Watson, Kenny Irons and the surprising emergence of DeDe Dorsey could be the final act of Rudi's tremendous career in Cincinnati. It's not likely that Rudi will get to the 1,000-yard mark. Will Frank Gore?

David: Well, with 3 games left, Gore needs 219 yards or 73 yards per game.  He's surpassed that number 4 times this season, so it'll be interesting to see if he can meet that magic number.  Gore is not regressing, so much as he's dealing with an inept offensive line and a weak passing attack that has allowed defenses to stack 8 men in the box and dare Smith/Dilfer/Hill to beat them, which they usually can't.  Gore's best performance of the season came in the OT Cardinals game when Dilfer actually managed to make some passes and force Arizona to play a little more honestly.  I'd suspect the 49ers will grab a big ole offensive lineman (possibly Faneca) to anchor the line as Allen is probably finished and Jonas Jennings has been way to injury-prone.  If they can clean up the offensive line and get even some threat of a passing attack developed, Gore will be back in full force next year.  On a side note, if Gore gets to 1,000 yards it'll be further proof that 1,000 yards is no longer a good enough measurement for a running back, considering the struggles Gore has had this year.

I just read an article about Chad Johnson's man-crush on Patrick Willis. Speaking of Johnson, in spite of another stellar statistical year, it just feels like he's been a little inconsistent at times.  What do Bengals fans think?

Josh: Chad is Chad. And I'm not a good benchmark for general fans. Most Bengals fans hate his antics and hate it when he starts jawing to the media. Me? I love it. When Chad is floating around chatting up our opponents, he typically does well. We've learned that a quiet Chad, is a non-productive Chad. Some call him a distraction saying that can do what he does without needing the extra stuff. And while that's true, he's as harmless as they come with his comments and such. And I've found it very difficult to accept that we go after Chad Johnson, one of the league's best receivers, while our less talented guys miles below Chad's production. Chad is doing this year what he's always done.

The Mitchell report just came out for baseball. Do you think there's a similar problem with football or do you think football is given a free pass?

David: I actually worked in baseball for 6 years (1 for a minor league team then 5 for the Oakland A's) so I'm prone to defending baseball when I can.  I think that baseball is held to a higher standard than the other sports and I think football certainly has a PED issue.  Yes they test for steroids in the NFL, but as with baseball, there is no blood testing for HGH and other such enhancers that can't be discovered through urine tests.  While MLB has stumbled in building their drug policy, it shows you that even though NFL is America's game right now, MLB is on a whole other level in the grand scheme of things.  Also, with football you're dealing with a violent sport that requires large individuals.  I think people just assume most NFL players (at least the larger ones) are using something and just say whatever.  It's an interesting issue to consider, but I certainly have noticed other sports' bloggers are quick to reference the steroid issues of baseball without considering the issues in their own sport.  What are your thoughts on such a hot-button issue?

Josh: Well, I think the Mitchell Report will be over-scrutinized with a plethora of over-reaction. A majority of the media and fans will completely miss the underlining topic. Most will actively search for player's names damning them into asterisk hell. Demanding that we persecute them in a modern session of the Salem Witch Trials without defense. Does that seem fair? But the Mitchell Report was never intended to call players out. But that's exactly what this is turning out to be.

I think you have a point about the standards between baseball and football. And the appearance of doing something is probably better than being called to Congress asking why you haven't done a thing. Historically speaking, steroids hurt football in the 70s with players dying several years after retirement. So in a big way, I think steroids negatively affected football then it ever will with baseball. I just hope that we don't find ourselves having this landscaping day with football anytime soon.

David: Until sports start blood-testing (or a better test is developed), I'll continue to take their drug-testing policies with a grain of salt.

So let's cut to the chase.  Since this year is lost for the 49ers and Bengals, what do you think the Bengals do in the offseason and what do you expect from the team next year.  Since we're talking as fans here, a good fan always puts the present behind and look to the future when things are crappy!

Josh: There's two thoughts on this one, David. One, we could rebuild. Take what we have, see what draft picks we can get and build a more balanced team in terms of offense and defense. Or, and this is the way I'm projecting the team to go, wait and see how critical injuries pan out and find a few players to fill in the gap for those departing for free agency. Injuries paralyzed this team and suspensions from conduct policy violations took out the league's best #3 wide receiver (Chris Henry) and a defensive rookie of the year candidate in 2005 (Odell Thurman) -- who's in the middle of his 32-game suspension. Just think about that. A suspension going 32 games. We still have the base of our 2005 team (11-5) that was beating Pittsburgh in the wild card game during their Super Bowl run. To this day, and homerism is exploding here, I believe if Palmer doesn't shred his knee, then the Bengals beat the Steelers. After that, who knows?

The 49ers seem to have a decent up-and-coming defense, but their offense. What has to happen, other than building the offensive line, to get the 49ers back on track. Is it coaching? Philosophy?

David: There are people arguing a million different things the 49ers can do to improve next season.  A common refrain is getting rid of Jim Hostler, the offensive coordinator.  They brought in Ted Tollner as a consultant, which certainly can't be good for Hostler.  As with Marv Lewis, Mike Nolan is really still learning what it takes to be a head coach.  It feels like he wants to turn the 49ers into a version of the Super Bowl champion Ravens with a great offense, a good running game and a quarterback who doesn't screw up.  The defense is on the rebound and is performing better than the statistics would indicate.  I think that if they could solidify the offensive line and keep Alex Smith healthy, they could leap back into contention.  Smith still has plenty to learn about being an NFL quarterback, but he showed he could improve last season.  If he's healthy and the offensive line is at least not a liability, Frank Gore will improve and with that the passing game will improve...of course this could also be the partisan 49er fan in me because if they improve the line and they still suck, Alex Smith might really not be the answer and we'll have wasted 3-4 years and some prime Frank Gore performances.

Josh: Being in the NFC West, dealing with Seattle seems like Cincinnati's Pittsburgh Steelers.

David: The problem with that analogy is that Seattle is just not that good really.  They're a product of a shitty division.  Even though Pittsburgh and Seattle have the same record, the Steelers are a legit good team, while the Seahawks remain an enigma to me.  Seattle isn't a bad team, but they seem to continually under perform (minus the Super Bowl year of course).  That's what bugs me about this 49ers season even more.  If they had performed the way they were expected, the division would be theirs for the taking.  Ahhh, the frustrations of rooting for a crappy team.

Josh: Bengals fans always know the road to the playoffs is difficult with Pittsburgh. That's the impression I get, as a mid-western junkie in the NFC West. What are you expecting on Saturday night?

David: I'd like to think Shaun Hill will step up and make things happen, but I really don't know.  I really don't think the 49ers can keep up with the Bengals offensively.  Even if the 49ers defense steps up, I think they just eventually get overwhelmed.  Of course, if Shaun Hill turns out to be the next Tony Romo, ignore everything I've said.  If I had to make a prediction, I'd go Bengals 34 - 49ers 13 and that's in part because I still think the Bengals are a freakish offensive team.  I may change my mind multiple times between now and tomorrow night of course.  How about you?

Josh: Not to play the homer-role intentionally, but the Bengals defense is picking fans up. While they are known for being an awful defense -- with reason -- they are playing a stretch of defense we haven't seen since the turn of the century.

The key right now, however, is Carson Palmer. He's off. Way off. Hasn't thrown a touchdown in back-to-back games -- first time since game #2 and #3 to start his career. If he plays awful again, while the Bengals struggle in their rush offense, then the 49ers will easily pick us apart.

Sunday's game is being touted as the battle of the wide receivers. Combined, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin have 94 receptions for 1,191 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Boldin's numbers are slightly misleading having missed three games earlier this season. In week 3, at Baltimore, Boldin did all he could in a 23-26 loss. He had 14 receptions for 181 yards and two scores. During a two game stretch between week four (Pittsburgh) and five (St. Louis), Fitzgerald caught 19 passes for 236 yards. Fitzgerald and Boldin average 6'2" with a combined weight of 443 pounds. These guys are really good and really big.

Bengals? We have the advantage. Combined, Chad and T.J. have 119 receptions for 1,571 yards and 13 touchdowns. They are a bit shorter with a combined weight of 391 pounds. No, this isn't a boxing blog.

In pretend world, let's say all four receivers cancel each other out. Which team has the superior #3 threat? The Bengals have Chris Henry. The Cardinals have a combination of Bryant Johnson (6-3, 213 pounds) and Leonard Pope (6-8, 258 pounds). Pope vs. Bengals secondary = Oh, no. Pope's biggest contribution is near the endzone -- all four touchdowns are inside the redzone, two were against Detriot last week and three were scored in the past three games.

I believe that the talent of Deltha O'Neal, Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall could contain the Cardinals receivers. Read that again, I believe that the talent could. I did not say they would -- quickly Joseph is becoming that other guy in the Michael Jordan slam dunk posters. He's better than he's shown this year. His talent, as seen in 2006, with the combination of Leon Hall, made me believe we could have two young cornerbacks that would hold their own allowing the defense to do more. I'm still convinced Joseph isn't fully healed and won't be until next season. And I still think, with time, our cornerbacks could rival any in the league as they gain experience. However...

• The youth and inexperience means, burnt toast and broken coverages.
• We don't play a lot of man. We just leave wide open gaps in zone coverage.

The latter should concern you. Unless the Bengals get pressure on Kurt Warner -- pressure on quarterback is so not our specialty -- then he'll pick us apart with the zone coverages.

The Bengals have the best #3 receiver in the land. But that might not matter if the Bengals 28th-ranked pass defense can't step up.

Why is -18 rushing yards by Cardinals defense is misleading: Lions' receiver Shaun McDonald took an end around losing 15 yards last Sunday. Of the Lions' 65 offensive plays, only eight were rush attempts -- one of which was a four-yard touchdown run by Kevin Jones. It's not like the Cardinals stuffed the entire Lions rush offense -- as the stats prove otherwise. That was just an example of Mike Martz doing what Mike Martz does.

Buffalo Rumblings blogger, Brian Galliford, and I sat at our respective computers, drinking Mountain Dew buried under stacks of historical statistical documents and passed back and forth some knowledge.

Josh: You're saying on your blog, Buffalo Rumblings, that you think J.P. Losman is a better fit for the Bills right now. It seems, from an outsider at least, that you have quite the Quarterback controversy.

Brian: That we do. It's par for the course being a Bills fan - ever since Jim Kelly retired, we've been shuffling quarterbacks like cards in a casino. It's getting irritating - and the new regime under Dick Jauron is no different. What sucks most about this controversy is that J.P. Losman lost his job due to injury. Trent Edwards, while very poised for a rookie, hasn't been lights out (1 TD, 5 INT in 5 game appearances), and now he's got a sprained throwing wrist. When he went down, Losman came in, put up 10 points and won the game for Buffalo. We'll see if he gets his job back due to another injury; as you mentioned, I for one hope he does.

Josh: That's an interesting debate. It's the "player doesn't lose his job to injury" phrase against the "best players on the field" debate. If the better player sits because the guy he replaced during his injury was far better, then you're not adhering to your "best players on the field" philosophy. The Bengals are dealing with that at running back. Rudi Johnson is hurt, but Kenny Watson has not only been productive, but he's upgraded the performance of the rush offense compared to when Rudi was playing. What happens when Rudi returns? Will he start? Admittedly, the team is better with Rudi starting because Watson is versatile enough to be a very productive third down back. He can block, catch out of the back field and run very strong on draw.

Would you say that one of your two quarterbacks will be gone next season? It seems to me you'd rather have Losman simply because he's proven to achieve success whereas Edwards is a rookie and his fate, right now, is dictated around potential. Personally, I wouldn't have a problem holding onto Losman and allowing Edwards potential provide a nice draft pick in a league right now that's desperate for good arms.

Brian: The Bengals' RB situation seems a bit different to me because Cincinnati has already made a contractual investment in Rudi. He's been effective in his time as a Bengal, and he'll continue to start - and he deserves to do so. I feel similarly about Losman - he had a strong 2006 season, and many thought he'd proved that he deserved a full 2007 season to show whether or not he was this team's future.

I doubt he gets that opportunity. When Dick Jauron made Edwards the starter two weeks ago, he all but 100% confirmed that it was a permanent decision. The coaching staff loves his accuracy and moxie - and if that's their decision, fine. But the way that they've jerked Losman around - and the way he was jerked around by previous regimes as well - means that if Edwards keeps the starting job, Losman will almost assuredly seek a trade. I don't blame him - the kid's a starter in this league, but he's probably not going to get that gig in Buffalo. He'll make another team very happy, unless he steals the job back from Edwards in the next week or two.

Josh: The running back deal in Cincinnati is a strange one. I believe, and this is all me, that they drafted Chris Perry in 2004 to strong-arm Rudi Johnson into signing a long-term deal. In hindsight, it was a good move for the team to have two good running backs like the more successful teams are employing these days. After Perry suffered through two injury plagued seasons, they drafted Kenny Irons, another talented running back, who was to be the guy that would make the progression into full-time feature back. However, he blew out his knee in preseason.

The thing about Rudi though is that he's actually slowing up like most running backs into their seventh season. So in a way, that progression to the next guy is needed at some point. Who? Well, that's a coin flip.

In general, how does your defense look?

Brian: Our defense has been improving dramatically over the past month. A lot of people saw the first step in that process, when the Bills forced six Tony Romo turnovers in a near-upset of the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football. Over the past four games (three of them Bills wins), the defense has given up just one 100-yard rusher (Willis McGahee) and other than the s points the Cowboys scored, have given up no more than 14.

Despite 7 one-time starters missing time on D (LB P. Posluszny, LB C. Wire, LB K. Ellison, CB T. McGee, CB A. Youboty, S K. Simpson, S J. Leonhard), the unit has found a way to make a ton of plays. In the team's current 3-1 streak, the defense has forced 12 turnovers (9 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries). The unit has produced at least one turnover in all seven games this season - even against the Patriots! That, more than a dominant run or pass D, has been the key to the success recently.

Josh: Marshawn Lynch seems like a great fit in Buffalo.

Brian: He is! We endured three years of watching Willis McGahee hesitate and dance his way to mediocrity in Buffalo, so to see a kid who lays it all out on the line, week in and week out, and fights for every inch of real estate he can muster is refreshing. Plus, the kid's got charisma. We certainly hope he can bring a sense of stability to our run game for a long time - much like Rudi Johnson has done in Cincinnati.

Josh: Kenny Mayne on ESPN's NFL Countdown was at BW3s, with Lynch, proving there's plenty to do in Buffalo. An obvious dig on Willis McGahee. Is there bad feelings there considering the Bills took a risk and drafted a guy in the first round that bummed his knee horribly in the National Championship game?

Brian: Oh, absolutely. Remember TO's return to Philly? This was a similar experience - though admittedly, Bills fans aren't quite as crazy as Eagles fans. But there is most certainly bad blood - Willis can make the "bad O-Line" argument all he wants, but there's a reason that Anthony Thomas was almost as effective as Willis last season. Fans got sick of his running, really sick of his sideline vomiting after his long runs and REALLY sick of his anti-Buffalo commentary. The fans were all over him from the opening whistle two weeks ago - including yours truly.

Fun fact: prior to Lynch, Buffalo's last two workhorse running backs (McGahee, Travis Henry) have a combined 12 children out of wedlock.

Josh: And who said that running backs lose their potency after a sustained career? The Bengals offense is staggering, right now, like a drunk chick at a party. The defense is offensive. Is there anything wildcard or variables that Bengals fans should know?

Brian: JP Losman is starting this game! The Bengals' struggling defense will have a curveball thrown at it this week, seeing as Losman has not started since Week 3. There's not much film on Losman from this year, so it might be a bit more difficult than usual to game-plan for the Bills' offense this week. If the Bills can put up points on Cincy, there will be a lot of pressure on Carson Palmer and the struggling Bengals' offense to keep up.

Josh: Well, that is if we actually prepare for our opponents anymore. Thanks Brian.

Another Classic Brian Fun Fact: the Bills and Bengals have combined for 5 wins this season. Three of those are against the Jets.

Arrowhead Pride's main man Chris Thorman stopped by (not technically) this week. We chatted about the Chiefs offense, defense and everything in between.

Josh Kirkendall : You're reporting on Arrowhead Pride that Brodie Croyle will get the start Sunday. Was this move anticipated? And explain to Bengals fans what type of quarterback he is and an idea of what to expect with the Chiefs offense.

Chris Thorman: As of today (Weds.), Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards has not decided on a starting quarterback. If Damon Huard is able to play after injuring his shoulder last week, he'll be the starter. If not, the Brodie Croyle era begins in Kansas City. The eventual move to Croyle has been anticipated in many circles. Damon Huard is a 34 year old veteran so he obviously does not fit into our long term plans. The question wasn't if Croyle would start, it was when.

Since the QB hasn't been decided yet and I'm going to assume you guys know a bit about Damon Huard (career backup is all you need to know), I'll go with Brodie Croyle. He broke basically every passing record while he was the QB at Alabama but he was also perennially injured. He has a very strong arm and from what little I've seen of him, he seems be pretty accurate. He's not especially mobile but he's got a younger guy quickness about him that Damon Huard doesn't have.

To be quite honest with you, KC fans are waiting to see what Brodie Croyle is made of as well. The Chiefs need to make a decision soon about their QBOTF and it may come this weekend against the Bengals.

JK: Expanding on Brodie Croyle for a second. I realize that every player always has a chance to become mainstays at their position based off early success. Putting on your meteorologist cap for a second, would it be fair to say that you and Chiefs fans feel confident Croyle is your long-term guy? Or would it be more accurate to say that Croyle is simply better than Huard and that's why he's so anticipated?

CT: For far too long, the Kansas City Chiefs organization has survived by plugging veteran QB after veteran QB into our team. The Chiefs, in the last 25 years at least, have never developed a home grown quarterback. Just going back to the 1990s, we've had Joe Montana, Steve Bono, Elvis Grbac, Trent Green and now Damon Huard. Like a lot of fans, I'm excited at the prospect of developing a quarterback to call our own. A decision to do that would signal a shift in strategy for the KC Chiefs and be a great refresher to the retread strategy that the Chiefs' front office has fallen in to.

I don't think any Chiefs fan thinks that Brodie Croyle is automatically going to be a great quarterback. What we're excited for is to see what Croyle can do and to see if he is the QBOTF. We need to know what we have on our hands before the quarterback rich 2008 draft.

JK: Larry Johnson's struggles are well documented. Without being a constant observer, my naive perception in a way shows. I've said that the Chiefs running game was a product of Dick Vermeil's system. Would that be an accurate statement?

CT: Not especially accurate. The Chiefs running game was more a product of the fantastic offensive line we had at the beginning of the decade. Not only did we have two future hall of famers playing on that line but the line was able to play together for close to two seasons straight. You can't buy continuity like that. We also had a great fullback in Tony Richardson (now a Viking) whose position hasn't been filled even today. The Chiefs are currently using a H-back in Kris Wilson. Wilson is a half fullback (odd phrase I know) and half tight end and even our head coach isn't satisfied with the way we're using the fullback position.

I don't to include just my opinion about this either because the opinions on Arrowhead Pride vary widely. Some think LJ's struggles are a product of the fat contract he signed in the preseason. They feel like he doesn't have much to run for now that he's "the man". LJ has always played better angry and some think that now that he's financially satisfied, the chip on his shoulder is no longer there. Others think he simply isn't a good running back and that his success was predicated by the great offensive line I mentioned before.

JK: Some are questioning Larry Johnson's effort after receiving his new contract. Do you notice that his effort has in any way degraded?

CT: That's a tough question to answer. His performance has dropped dramatically this season since he signed his new contract. I'm hesitant to place a lot of the blame specifically on Larry Johnson because from the plays I've watched, he isn't getting any help blocking in the running game. So, to answer your question, it could be his attitude but the poor blocking of the o-line is overshadowing it.

JK: Give us a quick overview of the Chiefs defense and who you'd nominated as your teams best defensive player at this point.

CT: The Chiefs defense makes me giddy because it brings me back to the days when the Chiefs were one of the most dominant teams in the 1990s, which is when I grew up watching football. Currently, this is a top 5 rated defense and I expect it to stay that way the rest of the year. We have a great defensive line and two great defensive ends in Jared Allen and second year guy out of Penn State Tamba Hali. Our linebacking corp is one of the top corps in the AFC and our corners are at least capable of keeping up with most WRs. CBs Patrick Surtain and Ty Law are getting old and may not have another year in them. But for now, they're working out just fine. Two young safeties in Bernard Pollard and Jarrad Page round out the secondary. Page has been playing inconsistently as of late but should end up being a steal as a 7th round draft pick.

I have to nominate LB Derrick Johnson for our best defensive player at this point in the season. He's third on the team in tackles with one INT and one forced fumble. You may remember that forced fumble as the one against the San Diego Chargers that rookie nickel back Tyron Brackenridge took back for a touchdown. A former first round pick in 2005, Johnson is becoming a force before Chiefs fans eyes.

JK: Expanding on Defense. The Chiefs weren't always noted for their defense. But they've noticeably improved with some good young talent. Now, Bengals fans are very nervous about our defense every game. What would you say made the biggest difference in transitioning your defense with rising expectations? Good drafting and quality free agent pick ups?

CT: Good drafting accounts for about 90% of the success. DE Jared Allen, DE Tamba Hali and LB Derrick Johnson are all Chiefs draft picks that are rising stars. Our safety tandem of Bernard Pollard and Jarrad Page are second year starters that the Chiefs drafted. The draft has been very kind to the Chiefs defense the last five years.

Not to discount free agency entirely, the Chiefs did sign two veteran linebackers in Donnie Edwards and Napoleon Harris this past offseason. So far, those are the two leading tacklers on our team and great mentors for the younger players.

Carson Palmer. While only playing two games, it seems that Palmer has yet to unleash his awesomeness against the Chiefs. The first game was Jan 1, 2006. The Bengals had already secured their spot in the playoffs and had no chance of improving their seeding. So most of the starters sat after a series or two. The Sept. 10 game was just a rainy dreary day. Limited passing.

* Two fumbles -- one lost.

Rudi Johnson.

Chad Johnson.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

T.J. did not play the Sept. 10 game due to a heel injury and missed a significant portion of 2003 from a hamstring injury. Was active against San Diego (DNP) and saw his first action on the field against St. Louis and Cleveland (no stats).

Bengals all-time history against Kansas City

Received this from ESPN RP.

ESPN'S MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PRE-GAME NOTES
New England Patriots vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Monday, Oct. 1 – 8:30 p.m. ET

Two of the NFL’s most exciting quarterback-receiver duos will be on display on ESPN’s Monday Night Football Monday when Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the undefeated New England Patriots face Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson and the Cincinnati Bengals at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN HD. Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser (analysts), and Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya (sideline reporters) will call the highly-anticipated AFC showdown game.

NFL studio coverage will begin at 3:30 p.m. with NFL Live. Chris Berman will host Monday Night Countdown at 7 p.m. from Bristol with Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, Chris Mortensen and Bill Parcells. The 90-minute show will also include Stuart Scott, Emmitt Smith and Steve Young from Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.

ESPN Deportes will offer a Spanish-language telecast of the MNF game with Alvaro Martin (play-by-play), Raul Allegre (analyst) and John Sutcliffe (reporter).

Previewing the Patriots-Bengals Match-Up:
Analyst Ron Jaworski: "I focus on the offensive line. It’s a multi-dimensional offensive line. They can run the football inside. The offensive line has the athletic ability to run the football outside and clear the way for the running backs the Patriots have. They have also been protecting Tom Brady very well. That’s why Brady is off to such a fantastic start."

Analyst Tony Kornheiser: "Carson Palmer is a great quarterback. Tom Brady is, at this moment, unparalleled in the NFL. The New England team scores 38 every single game with precision. Cincinnati gives up 32. It’s an ‘uh-oh’ situation for Cincinnati, but Cincinnati can put 50 up. It’s possible this is gonna happen."

MNF Pre-Game Notes:

• Bengals defensive end Justin Smith will be miked-up and "Wired" for sound during the game;
• Actor Jamie Foxx, star of the new motion picture The Kingdom, will appear in a special tease open to this week’s game. In the open, Foxx plays an FBI agent who breaks into a secure facility to uncover the secrets behind the Patriots and Bengals' explosive offenses;
• "Monday Night Musicians" -- the MNF game and Monday Night Countdown pre-game show will highlight new music from Bruce Springsteen (singles: "Radio Nowhere" and "Livin in the Future") and Matchbox Twenty (singles: "How Far We’ve Come" and "I'll Believe You When") coming in and out of commercials and during highlight packages.

The ESPN blitz previewing Monday Night's game begins.

Mike Sando writes that Cincinnati still suffers from identity crisis. What are we? Finesse offense, absentee defense? Willie Anderson is featured mostly in this piece and, boy, he sounds like a guy that's simply deflated, doesn't he?

Patriots could go undefeated? Gary Horton says it's possible. I, on the other hand, am with the crowd that there will never be an undefeated team again. Because when teams earn a playoff berth early (and being undefeated, you'll earn that spot VERY early), they'll likely rest and recover leading up to the post-season. It's not that I don't think the Patriots could go undefeated. But that's not the point either, is it? I have a hard time believing that teams will risk injury on the final game of the season before the post-season. Week 17 for teams already decided in the post-season is very similar to preseason game #4. Dude, this is the fourth game of the year. Leave prophecy to video games and science fiction movies.

Sticking with the Gary Horton prophecy theme, the visionary provides three "keys" per team. I'll give you a hint: Bengals defense takes the checkers.

More prophecy.

Tom previews Monday's game.

Also, a quick blog note.

I won't be blogging like usual since tonight is a nationally televised game. I will update the typical stats under an Open Thread post that will invite you to comment throughout the game.

I have reason to believe the Bengals are going to be competitive. Perhaps I'm the epitome of homerism. Perhaps my vision of jaded success is blanking realistic expectations. Most Bengals fans are acting like they're walking on broken glass. Some "I don't knows" and a few sighs is the quick synopsis of a general consensus that the Patriots will be too over powering. And there's reason to believe that.

The Bengals defense is 30th in total yards allowed -- 25th against the pass, 27th against the rush. The New England offense is ranked first in total offensive output -- ranked 3rd passing offense and 5th rushing offense. This game will be decided between the Bengals defense and the Patriots offense -- with an eye worrying about the total self-destruction of the Bengals special teams.

But that doesn't explain the obvious Any Given Sunday variable. Who would have thought the Cardinals had a chance against the Steelers? Or the Falcons winning their first game over the Texans. The Browns smoking the Ravens by 18 points in the first half. The Lions being 3-1 taking out the NFC Champs scoring 34 points in the fourth quarter -- good grief. The Chiefs handing the Chargers their third loss in four games.

Hey, upsets happen.

That's why we hold out hope for our favorite teams. Who would have thought the Colorado Rockies would fight for the National League Wild Card on game #163? Or that the Mets would be out of the playoffs finishing with an 88-74 record after leading the National League East by seven games on September 12. Over the weekend, college football saw No 3. Oklahoma, No. 5 West Virginia, No 4. Florida, No. 7 Texas and No. 10 Rutgers fall to heavy underdogs. USC's sloppiness over Washington turned the usual cool SC cats into nervous Woody Allens.

The Davids of the world are what breaths life into the sports culture.

We could talk until we're blue in the face on stats, rankings and injuries; why such-and-such won't have that much an impact. It comes down to the game being played at the pace the victors determine. Keys to winning will be irrelevant and historical charts are thrown out the window. With the round of upsets we experienced over the weekend, why can't the Bengals be next?

They could. Hey, it happens. The Bengals need it to happen.

Patriots very complimentary of the Bengals

Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick and Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, were very complimentary of the Bengals offense and, surprisingly, the defense, this week.

Bill Belichick: "It seems no matter who they put out there, they score. They use a lot of different people in their receiver combinations. When Rudi missed most of the second half last week against Seattle, [Kenny] Watson ran the ball well. He was very productive.  It almost doesn't seem to matter who is out there. If that ball is moving down the field, it's usually moving pretty fast."

On the Bengals defense
Tom Brady: "Yeah, they have great speed [defensively] and I think the entire scheme is set up to force offenses into bad plays. They have a bunch of players who take advantage of that - Deltha O'Neal, he has a bunch of picks off of me."

Bill Belichick: "Defensively, this is a turnover-driven team," Belichick continued. "Cincinnati has been at the top of the league in turnovers the last few years. They're up there again. They're very conscious of getting the ball out one way or another, whether it be by scheme or by technique or by the style of play that their players use."

Crap, crap, crap

No, that's not my expected reaction tonight. That will include much more colorful phrases that have no place here. No. This has everything to do with getting crapped on. Literally.

We're talking clay pigeons that do not need pulleys. And yes, someone already referred to Chris Henry having something to do while waiting out his suspension. So pigeons on crapping all over Paul Brown stadium and the operators of the stadium wanted to go John Wayne.

Talk about employee benefits.

Then all hell broke lose. Animal rights communities did what they do best. Annoy. And while Cincinnati has found little solutions for crime problems and the suffocating prison conditions, they've actually had an ordnance over 30 years old that reads:

No person shall kill, wound, maim or injure, in any manner whatever, any bird, or shall throw, fire or shoot with any gun, pistol or other deadly weapon, or any stone, arrow, or other missile, at such bird, or shall break, tear down, or destroy any bird's nest or the eggs or other contents of such nests; nor shall any person catch or capture any bird in any manner whatever, or set traps, or spread nets or snares, with intent to catch or capture any bird, or follow or pursue any bird with intent to catch or injure such bird (except tame birds actually in possession of, or owned by any person).

Nothing is going to happen and alternative ways to eliminate the birds annoying pooping habits will be sought. Now Henry has nothing to do.

ALERT: Watch for fake tickets | Cops warn of fake Bengals' tickets

Speaking of downtown, the Bengals, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Duke Energy and Downtown Cincinnati Inc. are joining forces to "Light Up Cincinnati." No, Henry doesn't suddenly have something to do. This is an effort to light up the city during the game. Unlike the first Monday Night game in years in 2005, even Great American Ballpark will even light up -- remember when they didn't in 2005? For being a smaller metropolitan, Cincinnati's skyline is still an incredible sight.

Cincinnati residents came away impressed with Seattle.

Big game tonight, no doubt. The Bengals need to avoid going 1-3 if they're going to make any run at the playoffs. In 2003, the Bengals started the season at 1-4 finishing with an 8-8 record and a second place finish in the division. Mimicking their 2003 start, the Bengals recorded a third place finish the following season. Heading into the bye week with a 2-2 start, beating the New England Patriots, would be a victory in itself. The one thing going for the Bengals is the top two teams suffered losses in the division Sunday setting up a run, with more offensive weapons returning from injury and suspension, during the second-half of the season. I'm getting ahead of myself.

I sat down with Tom at Pats Pulpit to discuss some things about the Patriots. We already know many things of the Patriots. We see it on most NFL shows. But some things I wanted to know -- like the Patriots third option, best defensive player -- are things we don't hear much.

I wanted to get one thing out of the way first. Do the Patriots (team, media, fans) have a sense that this is a "trap game"?

On Friday, Tom Brady's status was listed as probable with a right shoulder issue. He was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday. Is there any issues heading into Monday?

Randy Moss and Wes Welker are having terrific seasons. If, by some godly chance, both receivers are contained, what would be the Patriots third option?

When Adalius Thomas was with Baltimore, he cruised against the Bengals offense. While he wasn't always the difference maker, he was well known in each game he played against the Bengals. How has he adjusted to the New England defense?

A follow up. Is Adalius Thomas the Patriots defensive MVP?

Not a bad controversy to have.

My responses to Tom's questions.

Reposts.

Bengals Fantastic Four Against the Pats
Bengals all-time record on MNF
Bengals all-time record against Pats
Primer against the Pats