Bengals Bytes (10/27): New project

Hobson's Choice: Can Bengals point to another run?

The word is Jackson, this year’s first-round cornerback, is having a good rehab for his torn pectoral muscle from the first week of training camp, so he’s coming up on that original three-to-four month window. They have to make a call on whether it is Jackson or Peerman that gets designated to return from injured reserve with the other going on IR for the rest of the season.

The Browns Gashed the Bengals Run Defense

The Cincinnati Bengals offense looked absolutely electric in Week 7. With over 270 yards on the ground and another solid performance through the air, it seemed like everything was going the Bengals way on Sunday. It might even have a lot of fans full of confidence going into a big Week 8 showdown with the Redskins in London.

Doc: Gio not your typical jock; Kluber defangs Cubs

We had Gio Bernard on the show. Aside from him not knowing the significance of Abbey Road – "there’s an abbey there?’’ – he was a sheer delight. How many pro athletes would take a summer trip to Paris, and talk at length about the splendors of Versailles?

Traveling to London? Here are Tips from Bengals UK Fans

The Bengals UK fan group started as a couple of Bengals fans meeting for a beer. It has now grown to 300 members and 1,800 followers on Twitter. Here are travel tips from several members of the group.

Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson compares Bill Belichick to drill sergeant from Full Metal Jacket

"Let me tell you what scared me as a player," Johnson says. "First day, you know, team meeting, everybody coming in, everybody getting in. And Belichick puts on, you know first day, no greeting, nothing, he puts on the loss to the Jets in the playoffs or something when they went home early. And he puts it on and rips into Tom.

The Mohamed Sanu signing still makes no sense and he's approaching bust status

The contract Mohamed Sanu was given this offseason has been criticized about as much as Sam Baker's ludicrous contract extension after his one and only decent season. The fifth receiving option for the Cincinnati Bengals was somehow worth $32.5 million and $14 million guaranteed? That is a shocking number for a player with inconsistent hands, poor speed, and failed to earn a spot across from A.J. Green.

Lewis, Dalton News Conference Transcripts 10/26

The Redskins lost their first two ballgames at home and then ended up winning four in a row, and then lost last week. They’ve really done a nice job on offense with both the run and the pass. We know it’s tough to defend, with the running game and the way they package plays. They have explosive guys at wide receiver, with DeSean (Jackson), Pierre Garcon, (Jamison) Crowder - he’s done a good job for them this year - as well as the tight ends with the combination of (Jordan) Reed and (Vernon) Davis. They give you a full dose of everything, both run and pass, and a lot of different formations and a lot of different route combinations.

Notes: Eye-opener of a trip; Whit waits; London challenges; Gruden credits Paulie G, Zim for job

This is Domata Peko’s second trip to London after this past spring’s junket with fellow defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap when they introduced the British Empire to the Bengals. With Washington waiting Sunday at Wembley Stadium (9:30 a.m.-Cincinnati’s Fox Channel 19), this one is more than a tad different.

Does Jay Gruden have his next Andy Dalton project?

Jay Gruden has inherited interesting quarterback situations at the start of his last two coaching stops, and how he has dealt with each – and the success that came thereafter – has been remarkably similar. After multiple conversations with Marvin Lewis in the offseason between the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Gruden was brought in to run the Bengals offense. In February of 2011, Gruden thought he was walking into a room that included Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson and Terrell Owens.

Walkthru: Bengals need their best to play like it

The Cincinnati Bengals' defense will be in the spotlight yet again on Sunday when they “host” Washington at Wembley Stadium in London, England. Former Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden is bringing his team in with the league’s sixth-ranked offense. Kirk Cousins is averaging over 285 yards per game through the air, and the combination of Matt Jones and Chris Thompson is averaging 93.2 yards on the ground. If tight end Jordan Reed is cleared to play, that adds a dimension to the passing game in the middle of the field that the Bengals have had issues with all year.

Bengals use unusual teaching method on young tackle Cedric Ogbuehi

The Cincinnati Bengals have taken an unusual approach to fixing the problems on their offensive line this season. First-year right tackle Cedric Ogbuehi will go in for two series and come out. On the next offensive series, he stands right next to offensive line coach Paul Alexander and watches while 11-year veteran Eric Winston goes in his place. That system repeats throughout the game.

Bengals-Redskins has become key with AFC North race opening up

With one week to go before their bye, the Cincinnati Bengals have essentially been thrown a lifeline in the AFC North race. They need to take advantage of it. Just a few weeks ago, it looked like the Pittsburgh Steelers were going to run away with the division while the Bengals were floundering after the Cowboys handed them one of their worst losses in years.

Bengals' A.J. Green has advantage over Redskins if Josh Norman remains out

The Washington Redskins secondary is probably bracing for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green this week. They just might have to figure out how to stop him without their best cornerback. With Josh Norman in concussion protocol, his status for Sunday's game in London is up in the air, meaning they might have to figure out how to contain Green without him. That didn't work so well for the Browns, who were missing Joe Haden and couldn't stop Green.

AFC North Bytes

Joe Flacco says Ravens struggles are on him

Never mind elite. Joe Flacco doesn’t think he’s very good at all right now. The Ravens quarterback shouldered the blame for the team’s slow start on offense, which has them 3-4 going into their bye and ranked 25th in the league in points scored.

Joe Thomas hopes Cleveland Browns don’t trade him

Joe Thomas has taken his share of lumps with the Cleveland Browns. He is willing to absorb many more. The six-time All-Pro left tackle expressed his strong desire to remain with the team Wednesday rather than be traded to a contender.

Offensive coaches on the season so far

The offensive coaches discuss the first half of the season with reporters.

Random Bytes

Ex-Seahawk Marshawn Lynch is never far from teammates’ memories

Marshawn Lynch is no longer with the Seahawks, but he is not entirely gone. Does he still mean something? We spoke with some of his former teammates and they shared their favorite Lynch stories.

The Big League Prospect Who Became a Mob Hit Man

Baseball scouts used to scrutinize Maury Lerner’s every move. Then F.B.I. agents were the ones watching. Lerner batted .328 for the Boise Braves in 1957. Twenty years later, he was serving time at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Rhode Island.

Artis Hicks: Vikings had a bounty program like the Saints’

The NFL cracked down severely on the Saints and many of their players and coaches after an investigation revealed a bounty program with cash payouts to players who injured opponents. The game most frequently cited as an example of the Saints attempting to injure an opponent was the NFC Championship Game victory over the Vikings after the 2009 season.

Rodgers Disputes Favre-‘Grandpa’ Line

Jeff Pearlman’s long-awaited biography on iconic quarterback Brett Favre, “Gunslinger,” debuted on Tuesday. In an excerpt released to reporters before the book’s release, Favre’s eventual successor, Aaron Rodgers, called Favre “Grandpa” upon their first meeting following Rodgers’ selection by the Packers in the first round of the 2005 draft.

Broncos RB C.J. Anderson has right knee injury

C.J. Anderson is seeking a second opinion on his injured right knee 48 hours after his best performance of the season sparked Denver's 27-9 win over the Houston Texans. The Broncos are unsure how long he might be out. Anderson, who signed a four-year, $18 million contract in the offseason, bruised his right knee on his final carry of the first quarter Monday night, an 11-yard run.