Tackles as a statistical category is an inexact science that tends to be suspect; for example, when I re-watch the games with play-by-play on the NFL.com's Game Center, sometimes the player they record as making the tackle is nowhere near the play. Plus, it's not very definitive. Basically, if you come up out of the pile, there's a good shot that they'll give you the tackle. In most cases, the team keeps their own records, and it's a lot more padded in a forgiving basis.
Then you look at the tackling leaders in the NFL and see a Cincinnati Bengals defensive player at the top of the list. Seriously. A. Cincinnati. Bengals. Defensive. Player. Entering the fifth week of the NFL season, Dhani Jones' 41 tackles is five more than London Fletcher and D'Qwell Jackson.
Jones has recorded double-digit tackles against the Ravens (10), Titans (10) and Giants (12), falling one short against the Browns (9).
No, this doesn't mean that Dhani Jones is the best defensive player this side of the Reagan Administration; he could be tackling people after 6-8 yard gains for all we know. But still, the fact that a Cincinnati Bengals defensive player has the most tackles in the NFL than anyone else, is both surprising, and somewhat pleasing in a season where positives are more queer than cheap gas.
And don't no one take down my good feeling post of the week telling me how other teams have bye weeks. Please?!