Center Russell Bodine benched by Bengals

The Bengals have done the unthinkable. They actually put Russell Bodine on the bench where he belongs.

During the second half of Sunday’s clash with the Ravens, Bodine was sent to the bench in the middle of the third quarter. He was replaced by T.J. Johnson.

Bodine never appeared to suffer an injury, and the team hasn’t announced anything being wrong with the embattled center. Actions speak louder than words though, and seeing the Bengals put Bodine on the bench shows they may finally have seen the light, which doesn’t include Bodine as a starting NFL center, at least for a team aspiring for a Super Bowl.

While the Bengals have no business even contending for a Lombardi right now, they certainly were in the discussion in the past two years, but having one of the worst starting centers in the NFL helped keep those dreams from ever coming close to realization.

Sure, Bodine is not the only problem with this team, but he’s not helping either. Even though it’s hard to see Johnson being any real upgrade here, it’s still time to see what he and others can do at center.

Oh, and did we mention the Bengals trailed 16-3 with Bodine at center, only to go right down the field for a touchdown on the first series Johnson took over?

Eric Winston has also been in for most of the game at right tackle, replacing Cedric Ogbuehi who has been the weakest member of this year’s line.

**

Update: The Bengals put Bodine back in at center in the fourth quarter.