And as most of you have noticed, the secondary's injury issues are growing. Adam Jones was placed on Injured Reserve earlier this week after suffering a herniated disk against the Atlanta Falcons. Johnathan Joseph and Roy Williams missed last week's game with a bum knee and ankle respectively and the rest of the secondary is beginning to show an accumulation of injuries.
Not including Adam Jones, who is on Injured Reserve, the Bengals have nine players in the secondary on the active roster. Five missed practice on Wednesday. Johnathan Joseph (ankle), Leon Hall (hamstring), Morgan Trent (knee), Roy Williams (knee) and Chinedum Ndukwe (knee) all sat. The Bengals secondary is reeling right now.
According to Joe Reedy, the team's starting cornerbacks, Hall and Joseph, and Ndukwe worked with the training staff and "could" suit up against the Miami Dolphins, who will be facing Brandon Marshall (83.7 yards receiving on the road) and Davone Bess, who leads the team with three receiving touchdowns. Joseph claims he's close.
The injuries are only compounding the team's struggle defending against the pass. Along with a horrible pass rushing effort by our front four, the Bengals have allowed three of their six opposing quarterbacks to record over 250 yards this year, including the two most recent opponents. They allowed six all year last year. In back-to-back games (with a bye week in between), the Bengals have also allowed good production by the opposing team's primary wide receiver. Mike Williams recorded seven receptions for 99 yards receiving and a touchdown that tied the score late in the game. Roddy White's 201 yards receiving is the most allowed by a Bengals defense to a wide receiver since Buffalo's James Lofton recorded 220 yards on eight receptions and two touchdowns on October 212, 1991. I was 13 years old.