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Bernard, Burkhead take roommate duel global
It's been an ongoing two-year battle of road roommates that has only escalated with social media. Rex Burkhead rubbed his chin and grinned. He’s been thinking on this. So had Giovani Bernard, who nodded that he, too, was going to see what he could come up with.
LONDON - Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis did his news conference in front of a wall filled with drawings of rugby greats Friday and running back Jeremy Hill did a sound bite for Sky Sports 3 promoting Sunday’s game (9:30 a.m.-Cincinnati’s Fox 19) against Washington ("Watch me at Wembley"), but other than that it was Lewis’ coveted business as usual.
Matchup of the Game: Bengals turn to rotation again?
LONDON - All you need to know is this stat and quote for Sunday's game against Washington (9:30 a.m-Cincinnati's FOX 19) at Wembley Stadium. The Bengals are next to last in the NFL in allowing sacks per pass and Washington is 10th in getting them and right tackle Eric Winston says, “We have to play well up front to beat these guys.”
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis did his news conference in front of a wall filled with drawings of rugby greats Friday and running back Jeremy Hill did a sound bite for Sky Sports 3 promoting Sunday’s game (9:30 a.m.-Cincinnati’s Fox 19) against Washington (“Watch me at Wembley”), but other than that it was Lewis’ coveted business as usual. After the Bengals walked off the field at Allianz Park from Friday’s walk through, the Bengals were the healthiest they’ve been all year despite flying all night with an injury report listing everyone full go and that includes Pro Bowl left tackle Andrew Whitworth. Whitworth, his concussion behind him, was left to wonder about his first time on a rugby field.
By The Numbers Game Preview: Week 8
Washington Redskins at Cincinnati Bengals game preview
Business as unusual for Bengals in London
As the contingent of 53 Bengals, 10 practice squad players walked on to the pitch at Allianz Field they strolled over blue edges of turf and a small stadium set up for use by the Saracens Rugby Club. Once entering the lines painted over into the NFL standard field, the Bengals' Friday walk-through practice looked identical to that which would have occurred at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati or any other road trip in the United States.
Notes: Weary Bengals settle in for 'regular' Friday practice
Practice ended, and players were pulling off their jerseys when Marvin Lewis split the locker room inside Paul Brown Stadium with a simple directive: “Make sure you pack your bags! Pack your bag!” This was Thursday afternoon in Cincinnati, just after 2 p.m. Eastern Time.
Good friends Gruden, Guenther go head-to-head in London
Paul Guenther got up from his desk and pointed to the framed pictures across the top of a cabinet above his desk, pointing at each one – Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course in New York. Jay Gruden is present in all of them. The Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator and Washington’s head coach were fast friends when Gruden was calling plays for Marvin Lewis’ offense from 2011-14 and Guenther was coaching Mike Zimmer’s linebackers. They bonded over golf, horses and the x’s and o’s of offense versus defense.
Bengals' Andy Dalton: 'A big reason I'm here is because of Jay Gruden'
The past two weeks have essentially been one big trip down memory lane for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. Last week, the Bengals faced former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, now head coach of the Cleveland Browns. This week, it’s Jay Gruden, head coach of the Washington Redskins. Gruden also served as the Bengals' offensive coordinator from 2011-13.
AFC North Bytes
AFC North division once strong now worst in NFL
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals had been pegged as Super Bowl contenders. The Baltimore Ravens had hopes of returning to the playoffs. The Cleveland Browns had begun a new chapter with another new coach. As the NFL season nears the halfway point, the once strong AFC North is showing some cracks. The division has gone from the class of the NFL to one of the most disappointing collections of teams in the league.
Steelers set to have historic amounts of salary cap space in 2017
The 2017 offseason marks a change for the Pittsburgh Steelers that some might have felt would never happen. For a team that has seemingly spent forever in the bottom third of the league when it comes to salary cap space, they will enter uncharted territory next year with an unprecedented amount of money to spend.
Limited trade interest in Joe Thomas, for now
With the trade deadline four days away, a couple of teams are sniffing around the possibility of trading for Browns tackle Joe Thomas. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, two teams have been exploring the potential move. However, there is no indication that a trade will be finalized, or even that tangible trade talks will happen between now and 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Random Bytes
A quietly escalating issue for NFL: Fan violence and how to contain it
With stadium arrests on the rise, a Washington Post study helps identify factors contributing to the problem. Cities with the most arrests per game from 2011-2015 include San Diego, New York, Oakland and Pittsburgh. Cities with the fewest arrests per game include Seattle, Chicago and Tampa Bay.
NFL trade deadline: A logical move for each AFC team
Might the Pats connect with Steve Smith? Should the Jets dangle Ryan Fitzpatrick? Can the Titans sell high on DeMarco Murray? The Around The NFL team has trade ideas for each AFC squad.
C.J. Anderson Injury Update: Broncos Place Running Back on Injured Reserve
The Denver Broncos officially placed running back C.J. Anderson on injured reserve Friday after he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, according to NESN's Doug Kyed. Citing a source, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirmed the news.
Why No One—Not Even the Cowboys—Saw Dak Prescott Coming
On the Cowboys' draft board last spring was a magnetic card. Printed in big, bold letters: PRESCOTT, DAK. Underneath the name, in smaller type: Mississippi State. Farther down, on one side of the card, a box with six grades in small print: one assigned by the scouting director, two by scouts, one by the head coach, one by the offensive coordinator and one by the quarterbacks coach.