Gutsy Win Could Have Long-Term Ramifications For Bengals

Make no mistake about, Cincinnati had no business winning this one. But it wasn’t the fact that the Bengals beat the Steelers Sunday, but how they won that could have long-term effects on the team’s season.

Out-muscled, out-played and out-coached for nearly three quarters, the Bengals were left for dead late in the third quarter, trailing 20-9.

But much like it did last week against Chicago, Pittsburgh let Cincinnati up off the mat and the Bengals took advantage, scoring two TDs and making a huge defensive stand to win the game.

It’s not just the type of win that Cincy would not have pulled out last season; it’s the type of win that the Bengals would not have pulled out against the Steelers ever.

Pittsburgh has been called a lot of things by the pundits and the fans — bully, big brother, tormentor — and all of those things were true for three quarters.

There were the Steelers holding Cincinnati to minus-10 (minus-10!) yards in the first quarter. There was the supposedly porous Pittsburgh offensive line holding the Bengal rushers at bay. And there was that Pittsburgh toughness, delivering hits and getting big yards.

Despite all of that, the lead was only 20-9, when by all rights, it should have been 34-3.

Maybe it was the fact that despite getting pushed all over the field, the Bengals were still in the game that kept them riled up. And maybe, this Steeler team just lacks that ability to put teams away.

Whatever the reason, the fourth quarter belonged to the Bengals. And because Cincinnati’s defense did a good enough job of bending, but not breaking (not to mention scoring a touchdown of its own), the team was in a position to win the game.

Pulling within five on Cedric Benson’s electrifying touchdown run, the Bengal defense stiffened and kept the Steelers from doing what they love to do — killing time in the fourth quarter with the run.

Carson Palmer took over from there showing why he still has the ability to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Palmer drove the Bengals down the field, converted two gutsy fourth-quarter plays (getting a boost from Brian Leonard along the way), and hit Andre Caldwell for the game-winner.

It was the third-straight game that Palmer has taken over the game in the fourth quarter and by all rights, the Bengals should be 3-0 on the season. But the bigger story is the fact that Cincinnati seems to get stronger as the game wears on, a sign that this Bengal team is planning on sticking around all season.

The team still has some wrinkles it needs to iron out.

In each of the three games, Cincy has started off incredibly slow, needing big second halves just to have a chance to win. The defense has forced only two turnovers in three games; and Palmer is still making too many mistakes; while the the kicking game has looked down-right awful at times.

But those mistakes don’t seem as big, after you beat your division tormentor at home for the first time in eight years. And teams that overcome mistakes to post wins, tend to win championships at the end of the season.

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Cedric Benson Coming Up Big For Bengals

This time last year, Cedric Benson was a forgotten man. Another former first-round draft pick with a bust label, and little more value than last week’s garbage.

Cut by the Chicago Bears, Benson was unemployed for four weeks before being signed by Cincinnati. The Bengals had no illusions about the kind of player they picked up. They weren’t looking for a Pro Bowler. They were simply desperate for a warm bodied running back.

Benson gave the Bengals that much-needed depth at running back and by the end of the season proved to be more than just a warm body. By training camp, the Bengals felt like they had a legitimate weapon.

On Sunday, Benson showed why Cincinnati was so high on their reclamation project. The former Texas Longhorn was simply dominate, ripping a good Green Bay defense for 141 yards on 29 carries. Benson didn’t just pick up yards, he wore down the Packers and by the fourth quarter, he was in complete control.

Benson’s play is vital to the Bengals’ success in 2009. Without a strong running game last year, the Bengals struggled to put up any kind of offensive numbers. Sure, Cincinnati had trouble at nearly every offensive position, but running back seemed to struggle more than the rest.

Last week’s season opener against Denver showed just how vital Benson and a strong running game is to the Bengals’ success. The Broncos, deathly afraid of Cincy’s long-ball ability, blanketed the receivers on the edge effectively taking Chad Ochocinco, Lavernues Coles and Chris Henry out of the game.

What the Broncos did do was leave the middle of the defense wide open, a strategy that would be suicide if the Bengals were able to exploit it. With no reliable tight end threat and a running game that was stymied, the Bengals struggled all game.

On Sunday, the Bengals had no such problems. Emphasizing the running game right from the beginning, Cincinnati sliced through the Green Bay defense time and time again. Nearly all of those rushes came by Benson, who never seemed to tire.

Of course, the offensive line must take a lion’s share of the credit. Playing much better than it did a week ago, the big fellas dominated the men in front of them, not only blowing open holes for Benson, but keeping quarterback Carson Palmer upright.

With Benson effectively running the ball, Cincinnati was able to take advantage of its other weapons. Palmer suddenly looked like the franchise quarterback he is, using all areas of the field and hitting three different receivers for touchdowns. Simply put, an effective running game suddenly makes the Bengals much more dangerous.

There are still 14 games left in the season and the Bengals face three-straight AFC North games starting with Pittsburgh at home next Sunday, but Cincinnati suddenly looks like a legitimate contender.

The Bengals still must show it can run against stalwarts Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but if it can, Cincinnati could have the best offense in the division.

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Cincinnati Bengals Must Execute Better On Offense Against Green Bay

There’s no such thing as a “must-win” game in September, but Sunday’s game at Green Bay is of vital importance for the 2009 season prospects of the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bengals are coming off a sucker punch of a loss to Denver in the opener last week, a game that Cincy dominated in nearly every aspect yet ended up losing on a freak play at the end of the game. With arch-rival Pittsburgh waiting next week and division opponents Cleveland and Baltimore on deck, this stretch of games will make or break the Bengals season.

Lose to Green Bay and you face the prospect of taking an 0-2 record into the Steeler game with desperation starting to set in. Win, and suddenly you have a chance to get back into the division race.

Of course, it all starts Sunday. Never a good road team, the Bengals must find a way to win in a hostile environment and to do so against one of the NFC’s better teams. They must also find a way to play better than they did last week.

While the defense’s inability to stop Denver on the last play of the game has gotten all of the attention, it was actually the offense’s inability to put more than seven points on the board that cost the Bengals the game. Cincinnati will have to do much better than that if it wants to get a win in Lambeau Field.

The Green Bay defense has been rebuilt by coordinator Dom Capers and the overhauled showed last week when the Packers forced Jay Cutler into four interceptions in a win over Chicago. The pressure defense the Packers employ will be brought to bear on a Bengals team that has struggled in recent years to score points.

Much of Cincinnati’s problems on offense in week one came down to execution.

Free agent wide receiver Lavernues Coles dropped three passes in the game and was never in sync with quarterback Carson Palmer. The offensive line kept Palmer relatively upright, but did not get much of push on run plays.

But a lot of Cincinnati’s problems can also be attributed to scheme. Rookie running back Bernard Scott, who flashed during the preseason, saw very little action against Denver. And while the Broncos concentrated their defensive efforts on shutting down Cincinnati’s wideouts, the Bengals seemed unable to exploit the gaping holes in the middle of the field.

Against Green Bay, those problems will have to be solved. Aaron Rogers and the very explosive Packer offense is sure to score more than the 12 that Denver managed and the Green Bay defense is far superior to the Broncos.

The Bengals must get better play from Coles and fellow wideout Chris Henry. The offensive line must dominate the line of scrimmage. And Cincinnati must show more crispness on offense than in week one.

If the Bengals do not do those things, it could be the beginning to another long year in Cincinnati.

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Offense To Blame For Bengals’ Stunning Loss

It’s been over 24 hours since the Cincinnati Bengals’ stunning last-second loss to the Denver Broncos and the focus has been placed squarely on the Bengals’ secondary.

Never mind that the defense had limited Denver to just over 200 yards total up until that point or that Brandon Stokley and Brandon Marshal had combined for exactly four catches, all by Marshall. Every pundit, every fan and every “expert” has taken their shots at the team’s defensive backs.

Leon Hall should have knocked the ball down, they said. The safeties should have been playing back, they said. Somebody should have been shadowing Stokley, they said.

What’s lost in the conversation is not only is the criticism of the secondary flat-out wrong, but it also takes the blame away from the real culprit for the Bengals’ loss: The offense.

The play in question, for those who somehow missed it, involved Denver quarterback Kyle Orton forcing a pass into triple-coverage, Hall batting the ball away and Stokley somehow coming up with the ball and racing 87 yards for the winning score.

Should Hall have knocked the ball to the ground? Sure, but the third-year corner also made a remarkable play to get the ball, leaping nearly three feet in the air. From the angle that the ball hit Hall’s outstretched fingers, it is physically impossible for the ball to go anywhere but up.

No, what Hall attempted to do was make a play for his team. If the ball falls harmlessly out of bounds or to the turf, he’s the hero. As it turns out, he’s the goat.

But the bottom line is that the game should not have come down to one fluke play. At the end of the day, the Bengals’ defense allowed a grand total of 12 points. If you hold an NFL team to less than 17 points, 99 times out of 100 you’re going to win.

No, the blame for the loss falls on an offense that has been in a free fall since the 2005 season. That year, quarterback Carson Palmer led one of the league’s most explosive units and the Bengals seemed to score at will.

Over the next two years, the offense steadily declined. Sure, the team racked up a ton of yards (the barometer for NFL rankings), but the team couldn’t score any points (what you actually play for). It all came to a head last year when Palmer was injured and the offense fell apart.

This year was supposed to be different. The team upgraded itself at every offensive position and got a healthy Palmer back under center. Chad OchoCinco was happy, there were new running backs and the offensive line was rebuilt.

Yet, there they were on Sunday making the same mistakes. The O-line kept Palmer relatively upright, but was unable to open holes for running back Cedric Benson. OchoCinco caught some passes, but the rest of the Bengals receivers were non-existent.

Denver took away Cincinnati’s best weapon, its wide outs, and gave the team the middle of the field. With T.J. Houshmandzadeh now in Seattle and no NFL caliber tight end on the roster, the Bengals were powerless to exploit the weakness.

Maybe the game was a fluke. Maybe Palmer was still knocking off a bit of rust from playing only one quarter in the preseason. Maybe the O-line just needs a few more quarters to get its act together.

Whatever the reason, the Bengals scored seven points on one of the league’s worst defenses from a year ago and needed 59 minutes and 22 seconds to do just that. They’ll need to score a lot more in the coming weeks if they want to knock off the Packers and Steelers, their next two opponents.

The Bengals need to get a lot better on offense. Just don’t blame the defense for a fluke play at the end of the game.

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Playoff Predictions: Who Will Be Dancing in Miami?

Like the NCAA’s Final Four, it seems there is at least one surprise team that makes the NFL playoffs every year. Indeed, if you were to look at the last several years, there is always one team that makes a massive six or seven game leap into the second season.

Last year, both the Dolphins and the Ravens had those kind of seasons. The Ravens weren’t much of a surprise, having been one of the league’s elite teams for most of the decade. But the Dolphins? Even hardcore Miami fans weren’t predicting the Fins to go from one win to AFC East champs.

Most prognosticators kill themselves trying to figure out who that team will be. Or they get seduced by a team that finished strong a year ago. But in the end, the NFL seems to hold serve fairly well and there are actually few surprises.

My ultimate Super Bowl picks are not exactly ground-breaking, but again, it’s the way I see it. I’m not going to pick a team for the sake of being different.

One final note: In my NFC and AFC previews published on Tuesday and Wednesday, I predicted each team’s record. I then based my playoff seeding on those records.

However, there was a slight problem. In both conferences, teams finished tied for a wild-card spot, did not play each other during the regular season and had identical conference records. What’s next?

Scoring differential and other such stats. I picked winners, not scores so ultimately, I had to decide the same way that the NFL does when all other tiebreakers are exhausted: I flipped a coin.

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AFC
North – Steelers (13-3)
East – Patriots (12-4)
South – Colts (11-5)
West – Chargers (11-5)
Wild Card – Bengals (11-5)
Wild Card – Jaguars (10-6)

(Jaguars beat out beat out the Ravens on the vaunted coin flip and the Colts moved ahead of the Chargers the same way.)

 

Opening Round

Colts over Jaguars
Chargers over Bengals

I have a good feeling about the Colts this season. Part of me thinks it might be the team’s last hurrah, but I think they will go out with a bang. I’m obviously partial to the Bengals, but I can’t see them winning a playoff game on the west coast.

 

Semifinals

Colts over Steelers
Patriots over Chargers

The Patriots seem to be almost unbeatable at home in the playoffs and Foxborough in January is a lot harsher than San Diego. Pittsburgh is no easy place to play either, but like I said, I have a feeling about the Colts.

 

AFC Championship

Patriots over Colts

I have a feeling about the Colts, but not enough to pick them to win at New England.

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NFC
East – Giants (12-4)
North – Packers (11-5)
South – Panthers (10-6)
West – Cardinals (9-7)
Wild Card – Eagles (11-5)
Wild Card – Saints (9-7)

(Saints beat out Vikings and Cowboys on coin flips)

Opening Round

Saints over Panthers
Eagles over Cardinals

The Saints have enough firepower to overcome their division rival. The Eagles get a little revenge from last year’s title game.

 

Semifinals

Giants over Saints
Eagles over Packers

The Saints aren’t going to win in the Meadowlands in January. The Eagles are rolling.

 

NFC Championship

Eagles over Giants

Michael Vick really has nothing to do with it. The Eagles win on the road and head back to the Super Bowl.

—-
Super Bowl XLIV

Patriots over Eagles

Patriots complete their return to greatness with a title over Eagles.

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NFC Predictions: Will Rodgers Outshine Favre?

Last season, the Arizona Cardinals stunned everybody by reaching the Super Bowl. It’s not that the Cardinals were a bad team. In fact, everybody and his brother had been predicting the Cards to be that year’s “sleeper” for at least the last eight years.

No, the problem was the fact that Arizona limped into the playoffs, barely winning a bad division then ignored 70 years of NFL futility to win three-straight games. On top of all that, it almost won the Super Bowl.

Will the Cardinals repeat as NFC champs? Will the Cowboys finally fulfill all of their promise? Will the Eagles ride Michael Vick to the promised land? Will the Vikings, everybody’s darling this season, finally win a Super Bowl?

In compiling my predictions, I took out the master NFL schedule and went through each week, game-by-game, trying to decide who will win where and against whom. As a result, the records all add up (even if the prediction doesn’t). Even I was surprised at the way some of teams turned out.

The following is a breakdown of the NFC, team by team. The AFC will follow Wednesday with my playoff predictions for Thursday. With a little luck, these predictions will hold up longer than week four.

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NFC East

On paper, any four of the teams could win the division. There’s a lot to like about all four. But there’s also a lot of red flags that appear at almost every turn. In the end, the Giants are my pick to win the division. The passing game is down, the running game is down.

But the G-men still have the best defense in the division and the most underrated quarterback in the league. Prediction: 12-4.

All eyes have been on Michael Vick this preseason but in reality, Vick will have little effect on the Eagles’ 2009 season. Sure, he may make a play or two, but he’s the third QB at best and Donovan McNabb has made it clear he doesn’t want his offense all mucked up with that Wildcat stuff. Prediction: 11-5.

The Cowboys finally rid themselves of Terrell Owens, but now their passing game will suffer. Aw, the conundrum that is T.O. He makes your team better while at the same time making it worse. Buffalo beware.

Aside from T.O., the Boys still have enough to make a playoff run, but for some reason, I just can’t pull the trigger. Maybe it’s year after year after year of choking down the stretch. Prediction: 9-7.

Jason Campbell has a chip on his shoulder and the defense is vastly improved. Really, there is no reason not to pick the Redskins to win the division. Except of course that they play in this division. Prediction: 8-8.

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NFC North

Between Jay Cutler and Brett Favre, everybody seems to have forgotten about the Packers when it comes to this division. Aaron Rodgers looks like the real deal and the Packers don’t have to deal with that pesky preseason hype. All eyes are on the Vikings and Bears, but it will be the Packers that win the division. Prediction: 11-5.

Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Favre. Had enough? Me too. The Vikings were a playoff contender before Favre got there and they’re a playoff contender now. But in the past five seasons, Favre has had one great year, one not bad year and three awful years.

Adrian Peterson is a stud and the defense is solid, but like it or not, the QB play is a question mark. Prediction: 9-7.

Speaking of hype. Did you know that all that stood between the Bears and the Super Bowl was a quarterback? Never mind that your top receiver is a punt returner who played cornerback in college or that your defense was ranked 30th against the pass a year ago and is only getting older. Jay Cutler, the man with the losing career record, is the difference. Prediction: 6-10.

I would like to say that the Lions will win three times as many games as they did last year, but that’s a mathematical impossibility. And with a rookie quarterback, they’ll be lucky to do that. Prediction: 3-13.

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NFC South

Like a 12 beating a five in the NCAA Tournament, everybody’s favorite axiom is that somebody different wins the South every year. The reason for this is simple. Nobody is truly dominant. This year, it’s the Panthers’ turn. Quarterback is suspect, but running game is fine and the defense isn’t too shabby. Prediction: 10-6.

I like everything about the Saints except their defense and running game. Drew Brees is a monster, the receivers are great, but the team cannot control the game on either side. There is enough talent to win games, but not titles. Prediction: 9-7.

Matt Ryan had a super rookie year and really elevated a Falcons team to a season nobody expected. That won’t happen again this year. It’s not that Ryan isn’t a good QB, it’s just that this a league of adjustments and the league will adjust. How quickly can Ryan adjust to the league’s adjustment? Prediction: 8-8

Remember when the Buccaneers were the most dominant team in the league? Me either. It’s been a while and this team hasn’t hit bottom yet. Prediction: 5-11.

—-
NFC West

Many people (myself included) felt like Kurt Warner was a flash in the pan, a product of a pass-happy system in St. Louis. Last year changed my mind and I now fully believe that Warner is one of the league’s elite quarterbacks. Of course, he’s also approaching 40 and the bottom could fall out at anytime. Of course, he also plays in the NFC West. Prediction: 9-7.

The Seahawks are improving but there are still too many questions at almost every position. There is enough talent to reach near .500, but little else. Prediction: 7-9.

Frank Gore is good enough to carry the 49ers to several wins almost single-handedly. Too bad he doesn’t have more help. Prediction: 7-9.

When I added up the Rams wins total I was shocked. No quarterback and an offense falling apart. But hey, that defense ain’t bad. Prediction: 6-10.

Coming tomorrow: AFC Predictions.

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Much to Like in Bengals Pre-season Opener

It’s never a good idea to get too worked up over pre-season games. At least half of the players will never see action in a real honest-to-goodness game, the regulars are exhausted from training camp, and the play-calling is usually fairly vanilla.

But there are things you can watch for in a pre-season game that will help determine how a team will look in the regular season. Just make sure you throw out the score.

Overall, the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t play badly in their first outing, a 17-7 loss at New Orleans. There were no glaring mistakes and the team did not appear to be over-matched.

But like all games, there were some good points and some bad points.

 

The Good

Nobody wanted to see Carson Palmer limp off the field in a protective boot, but all indications are that the ankle sprain is minor and should not affect the franchise’s most important player much.

What was good to see was that Palmer’s injury did not come as a result of contact. Other than a hellacious hit he took on third-and-long from his own end zone, Palmer was kept upright for the almost full quarter he was on the field.

A healthy Carson Palmer is vital to the team’s chances, and Friday he showed why. He completed 7-of-11 passes for 133 yards and looked sharp and crisp in the pocket. Sure, he had one bad interception, but you will take that on Aug. 14.

One of the reasons that Palmer looked good was that his receivers were in great position. Chad Ochocinco looked like Chad Johnson and only a drop on a 70-yard pass as the game opened marred his performance.

But the real star was Chris Henry. Palmer has raved about Henry all camp and Friday he showed why. The fifth-year receiver racked up 100 yards through the air and burned Saints corner Jason David on two fly patterns in the second quarter, the second for a TD.

Neither Cedric Benson nor Bernard Scott set the world on fire, but both showed enough moves to make Bengals fans feel better about what was essentially a lost position in 2008.

Both were quick, both followed their blocking and both finished strong. Sure, Benson put the ball on the rug, but early indications are that both could become serious weapons.

It seems like the Bengals have always had trouble tackling. That wasn’t the case Friday as the defense swarmed to the ball and finished off plays.

As a unit, the defense showed a lot of moxie, including stopping the potent first team New Orleans offense on three-straight plays inside the 10.

 

The Bad

Three turnovers and numerous penalties had to bring a look of disgust to any Bengals fan’s face. Marvin Lewis’ teams simply do not win games when they make mistakes like that and over the past three seasons, those mistakes have been more and more numerous.

The defense may have played well, but there was still no sign of a pass rush. Saints quarterbacks Drew Brees and Mark Brunell never had a cause to sweat much and until the Bengals can effectively harass the passer, the defense will not graduate to elite status.

 

Yet to be Seen

Rookie punter Kevin Huber had a couple of picture-perfect punts, but he also had a few that did not get out of Bengals’ territory. Kicker Shayne Graham nailed an extra-point, but also hooked an easy field goal attempt. Overall, the special teams was so-so.

The offensive line kept Palmer on his feet, but did not dominate the Saints. Of course, the line had less than a quarter to get its rhythm and traditionally, O-lines get stronger as the game wears on. With more work, the line could turn into a workable unit.

Much to Like in Bengals Pre-season Opener

It’s never a good idea to get too worked up over pre-season games. At least half of the players will never see action in a real honest-to-goodness game, the regulars are exhausted from training camp, and the play-calling is usually fairly vanilla.

But there are things you can watch for in a pre-season game that will help determine how a team will look in the regular season. Just make sure you throw out the score.

Overall, the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t play badly in their first outing, a 17-7 loss at New Orleans. There were no glaring mistakes and the team did not appear to be over-matched.

But like all games, there were some good points and some bad points.

 

The Good

Nobody wanted to see Carson Palmer limp off the field in a protective boot, but all indications are that the ankle sprain is minor and should not affect the franchise’s most important player much.

What was good to see was that Palmer’s injury did not come as a result of contact. Other than a hellacious hit he took on third-and-long from his own end zone, Palmer was kept upright for the almost full quarter he was on the field.

A healthy Carson Palmer is vital to the team’s chances, and Friday he showed why. He completed 7-of-11 passes for 133 yards and looked sharp and crisp in the pocket. Sure, he had one bad interception, but you will take that on Aug. 14.

One of the reasons that Palmer looked good was that his receivers were in great position. Chad Ochocinco looked like Chad Johnson and only a drop on a 70-yard pass as the game opened marred his performance.

But the real star was Chris Henry. Palmer has raved about Henry all camp and Friday he showed why. The fifth-year receiver racked up 100 yards through the air and burned Saints corner Jason David on two fly patterns in the second quarter, the second for a TD.

Neither Cedric Benson nor Bernard Scott set the world on fire, but both showed enough moves to make Bengals fans feel better about what was essentially a lost position in 2008.

Both were quick, both followed their blocking and both finished strong. Sure, Benson put the ball on the rug, but early indications are that both could become serious weapons.

It seems like the Bengals have always had trouble tackling. That wasn’t the case Friday as the defense swarmed to the ball and finished off plays.

As a unit, the defense showed a lot of moxie, including stopping the potent first team New Orleans offense on three-straight plays inside the 10.

 

The Bad

Three turnovers and numerous penalties had to bring a look of disgust to any Bengals fan’s face. Marvin Lewis’ teams simply do not win games when they make mistakes like that and over the past three seasons, those mistakes have been more and more numerous.

The defense may have played well, but there was still no sign of a pass rush. Saints quarterbacks Drew Brees and Mark Brunell never had a cause to sweat much and until the Bengals can effectively harass the passer, the defense will not graduate to elite status.

 

Yet to be Seen

Rookie punter Kevin Huber had a couple of picture-perfect punts, but he also had a few that did not get out of Bengals’ territory. Kicker Shayne Graham nailed an extra-point, but also hooked an easy field goal attempt. Overall, the special teams was so-so.

The offensive line kept Palmer on his feet, but did not dominate the Saints. Of course, the line had less than a quarter to get its rhythm and traditionally, O-lines get stronger as the game wears on. With more work, the line could turn into a workable unit.

Anthony Collins Steps Up For Bengals In Andre Smith’s Absence

With less than five days before the Cincinnati Bengals’ preseason opener, first-round pick Andre Smith is still unsigned and all indications are that it could be a while before the former Alabama Crimson Tide comes to terms.

The sticking point is, as always, money with the two sides apparently miles apart. The Raiders’ signing of receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, taken one spot after Smith, for so much over market value has skewed the landscape and made the Bengals’ job even more difficult.

Of course, the Bengals have always had trouble signing their top draft picks. It hasn’t helped that the team is always drafting in the top 10.

But there may be a silver-lining in the Smith drama. Second-year man Anthony Collins is currently the starter at right tackle, and everyday that Smith stays away is another day that Collins solidifies the job.

Collins, drafted in the fourth round a year ago, is hardly a project. A three-year starter at Kansas, Collins was one of the more highly-touted tackles in the Big 12. As a senior, he was mentioned in the same breath as Baylor’s Jason Smith—this year’s No. 2 overall pick—and played in a pass-happy offense.

Thanks to the massive injuries on the offensive line, Collins got his chance last season, and although he didn’t tear up the field, he played well enough down the stretch to help the Bengals win three of their last four.

Smith, considered by many to be the best tackle in this year’s draft, would certainly help the Bengals’ offense if he were in camp. But if Collins steps up when the action turns live, it may be hard to get him out of the lineup.

Elsewhere, head coach Marvin Lewis made some intriguing changes to the depth chart Monday. A closer look at each:

• Running backs Kenny Watson and J.D. Runnels Jr. were both cut. Watson was a fan favorite, but age was obviously taking its toll on the eight-year veteran. Brian Leonard had passed him by and it was apparent he wasn’t going to make the team. Runnels was the No. 4 fullback and had next to no shot at making the roster.

• Jeremi Johnson was listed as the No. 1 fullback, supplanting rookie Fui Vakapuna. As an unabashed Johnson fan, I was happy to see “JJ” reclaim his spot. Weight issues forced him from the team a year ago, but when he is in shape, Johnson is arguably one of the top three fullbacks in the game. He was a Pro Bowl alternate just three years ago and will make a massive difference to the team as a blocker in the backfield.

• Tank Johnson moved ahead of Pat Sims at defensive tackle. Johnson, Sims, and Domata Peko will rotate in and out of the game with all three, playing roughly the same amount of time. Not exactly earth-shattering news.

• Michael Johnson is now the backup to Antwan Odom at right defensive end. With the way he is playing, Johnson will be ahead of Odom soon enough.

• Daniel Coats is the No. 1 tight end with Ben Utecht No. 2. Utecht has more tests scheduled after his terrifying head injury last week, and it is not unlikely that he will be done for the year. Rookie Chase Coffman will be the No. 2 and will end up battling Coats for the starting job, assuming of course, the Bengals don’t sign another tight end.

• Dennis Roland and Augustus Parrish are listed as the backups and right and left tackle respectively with Jonathan Luigs moving ahead of Dan Santucci as backup at center. Roland is a beast and could be a true diamond in the rough, but depth in the offensive line is still questionable which brings us to…

• Defensive tackle Jason Shirley was switched to offensive guard. Shirley is a big man with good feet, but it is apparent he will not make the team as a DT. Injuries on the O-line forced the move, and only time will tell if the move pays off.

Bengals High Five: What To Watch For During Training Camp

This season is a crucial one for everybody involved with the Cincinnati Bengals. Coach Marvin Lewis has overseen two straight losing season and can not afford a third. Quarterback Carson Palmer is entering his eighth season and can see the window on his career starting to close. And Bengals fans have endured 19 straight seasons without a playoff win and are starting to get antsy.

Those close to the team believe that the Bengals could be this year’s Arizona Cardinals, the breakout team that makes the playoffs and rides a hot streak straight to the Super Bowl. While a Super Bowl run may be too much to ask, there is no reason why the Bengals can’t squeak into the playoffs.

With the start of training camp this weekend, there are five key things that fans can watch for that will go a long way toward determining the team’s fortunes in 2009.

1) Carson Palmer’s health

Palmer has shown time and time again that he is one of the elite signal-callers in the NFL—if his offensive line can keep him upright. Last year alone, Palmer suffered a broken nose in training camp, before tearing a ligament in his throwing elbow that kept him out of the final 12 games of the season.

Without Palmer, Cincinnati turned to Ryan Fitzpatrick to lead the team and the difference was apparent. Fitzpatrick lacked the deep arm strength and accuracy of Palmer and as a result, the offense struggled mightily.

Teams stopped respecting the deep pass, began loading up on the line of scrimmage, and the Bengals couldn’t score against a junior varsity squad.

Palmer says that he is 100 percent healthy and if he is right, the offense has a chance to return to its place as one of the league’s elite. It won’t take long for fans to see if he’s right.

If he is winging passes 50 yards down the field with pinpoint accuracy, if he’s dropping long balls over defenders’ heads, if he is zipping passes in between the out-stretched arms of defensive linemen, then Palmer may truly be back.

Of course, the biggest key to Palmer’s health will be the five large gentlemen that line up in front of him. The team will have an almost completely new offensive line in 2009 and it will be crucial that they keep their QB upright.

2) Effective pass rush

The key to any successful team is its ability to protect the passer and to rush the passer. Last year, the Bengals could do neither and the team has not had an effective pass rush since the late 1990s.

To address the pass rush, Cincinnati drafted linebacker Rey Maualuga in the second round and end Michael Johnson in the third round, while signing lineman Tank Johnson and safety Roy Williams.

Along with holdovers Keith Rivers, Antawn Odom, and Rashard Jeanty, the team is hoping that its pass-rushing woes are a thing of the past.

While most of the newcomers will not play significant minutes in the preseason, any impact that they may have should be immediately noticeable. Don’t look at sack numbers, it’s a misleading statistic. Instead, look for quarterback hurries and the push at the line of scrimmage.

If the opposing offensive line continually finds itself backpedaling and there are constantly Bengals in the backfield, those will  be signs that the team can finally rush the passer.

An effective pass rush pays dividends throughout the entire defense, leading to a better run defense and more interceptions and deflections by the backfield. And, it may even win you a game or two.

3) Depth at cornerback

Other than quarterback, there may be no position that is more difficult to learn at the pro level than cornerback. An effective corner takes two, sometimes even three years to develop, and it’s easy for fans to lose patience waiting for that to happen.

The Bengals’ two starting corners, Jonathon Joseph and Leon Hall, have shown that they have what it takes to become elite cover men. Hall, one of the more maligned Bengals by fans a year ago, flashed his skills several times and should improve greatly in his third season.

But behind Joseph and Hall, the team’s depth in questionable. Coach Marvin Lewis likes David Jones and the team seems to be impressed with rookie Morgan Trent, but neither have shown the ability to take over a game.

For the team to be successful, the backups will need to show that they have the ability to step in and take over. Joseph’s injury last year showed the importance of depth and in a league of three and four wide receiver sets, multiple corners that can play physically are a necessity.

4) Chad OchoCinco’s mindset

Over a four-year stretch, there was arguably no receiver in the league who was more feared than Chad Johnson. He led the AFC in yards four times and the NFL once, and was a highlight film every time he touched the ball, and not just for his celebrations.

But beginning in 2007, Johnson starting taking himself too seriously. He publicly pleaded for a trade, changed his last name to OchoCinco, and pretty much alienated every Bengal fan in the country.

To top it all off, he separated his shoulder in training camp and never got in sync with backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, leading to his worst season as a pro.

This season, OchoCinco swears that he’s back to normal. He did not demand a trade, made nice with Carson Palmer, and even showed up to a voluntary mini camp. If he continues to act like the Chad Johnson of old, he brings a spark to the offense that few teams can match.

It won’t take long for fans to see if they are getting “playful Chad” or “arrogant Chad.” Thanks to HBO, it will be apparent for the entire country to see.

5) That killer instinct

In any sport, there are teams or individuals that have the talent to win championships. But it takes more than talent to beat your opponent. It also takes the will and the mindset that will not only beat your opponent, but that you pummel them into submission.

There is an old coaching axiom that states, “I don’t want players that like to win. Everybody likes to win. I want players that hate to lose.” It is that mindset that will need to be developed if the team is to compete in the AFC North.

While it’s hard to see a team’s mindset in four meaningless preseason games —after all, the Colts have made a habit of going winless in the preseason, then marching to the division title—you can see if a team is ready to play.

If the Bengals come out firing away in the first quarter, if linebackers run through the ball-handler with authority, if the practice and “throwaway” players hit harder than the starters, the team may be on the right track.

Excellence and the desire to win are not confined to just games that “count.” True championship teams compete every time they step on the field.

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