Middletown vs. Moeller
Pyramid Hill light show preparation
Were you spotted tailgating?
Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > September
September 2008
Bengals: ‘Redeemers R Us’
HEY, CED, WELCOME
TO THE ‘NATI, HOME
OF ‘BENGALIZATION,’
WHERE PLAYERS MUST
EARN THEIR STRIPES
BENSON WENT LOOKING
FOR A 2ND CHANCE; HE
CAME TO THE RIGHT PLACE
===LUDWIG AT LARGE would like to ask loyal readers: Do you believe the Cincinnati Bengals are doing everything in their power to win? Has management hired the right coaches, scouts and players? Fans have certainly shown good faith by selling out Paul Brown Stadium. Has the club shown good faith in return? Just curious.===
Seriously, folks, I thought the Cincinnati Bengals signing of running back Cedric Benson was a joke.
A gag.
A fun & simple prank to break the monotony of an “off” day.
That’s what Tuesdays are supposed to be — off.
Heck, Mitch Albom wrote a book — Tuesdays with Morrie — because he had Tuesdays off.
But things are different on the Cincinnati Bengals beat.
There are no days off.
Why?
Because every day is Armageddon.
So when Bengals PR director Jack Brennan called to alert me that the news release was on its way, I had to be sure he was serious. I had to be sure it was no joke.
I discovered …
He was serious and it wasn’t a joke
Yes, it is real. Benson is the newest Bengal.
A star with the Texas Longhorns, a bust with the Chicago Bears.
And two alcohol-related arrests — one in May, the other in June — led to his dismissal on Monday, June 9, 2008.
Here’s what Bears GM Jerry Angelo told the Chicago media after dropping the guillotine nearly four months ago:
“Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate. You have to protect your job. Everyone in this organization is held accountable for their actions. When individual priorities overshadow team goals, we suffer the consequences as a team. Those who fail to understand the importance of ‘team’ will not play for the Chicago Bears.”
But they will play for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Odell Thurman. Chris Henry. Jason Shirley. Reagan Maui’a. Cedric Benson.
Yes, they will play for the Cincinnati Bengals.
In case you missed it, from Dec. 15, 2005, to June 18, 2007 — a span of 19 months — 10 Bengals players were arrested in a total of 15 incidents.
Please allow me to reprise this quote from Bengals president Mike Brown at the club’s annual pre-training camp luncheon on July 22, 2008, in the East Club Lounge at Paul Brown Stadium.
Brown was asked about “turning the corner” on the club’s character issue. THIS WAS AFTER THURMAN AND HENRY WERE RELEASED. HENRY WAS RE-SIGNED ON AUG. 19, 2008.
IN MIKE BROWN’S WORDS:
“The world is divided up between redeemers and non-redeemers. I happen to be a redeemer. I believe people can be made better and right. If that’s a fault, so be it. These guys misstep. They’ve paid prices for it that have been verging on ruinous. But that doesn’t mean I dislike them. Personally, I like them as people. I regret what’s happened to them, and I regret that they’re no longer here. Things just conspired to undo them.
“We don’t want that kind of behavior. We’ve tried to be more conscious of the guys we bring in than maybe we were before. We’re going forward and will try to go forward with the kind of guys we can count on, who are not just good players, but good citizens.”
Now that the Bengals have a Benson, the roster could use a Hedges.
That would make for a good laugh.
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Bengals sign TB Cedric Benson
BENSON HAS TALENT;
HE ALSO HAS HISTORY OF
OFF-FIELD PROBLEMS
BENGALS GIVING
EX-CHICAGO BEAR
ANOTHER CHANCE
In a shocking move to help jump-start the offense, the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday signed free agent tailback Cedric Benson and placed tailback DeDe Dorsey on the Injured Reserve list with a right hamstring injury.
Benson, who has a history of off-the-field problems, was cut by the Chicago Bears on June 10 after two alcohol-related arrests in a month span.
But he was cleared of all charges stemming from the arrests for drunken driving and drunken boating in Texas. He’ll try to resurrect his NFL career in Cincinnati, where “Redeemers R Us.”
Benson, a 5-foot-11, 220-pounder, is a fourth-year NFL player from the University of Texas. He was Chicago’s first-round selection in the 2005 draft (No. 4 overall) after a career with the Longhorns that included 5,540 rushing yards and the third-most touchdowns (64) in NCAA history.
Benson played in 35 games with 12 starts for the Bears from 2005-07, rushing for 1,593 yards on 420 carries (3.8) with 10 TDs. He also had 26 receptions for 180 yards.
He had an additional 104 rushing yards with a TD and 24 receiving yards in the 2006 postseason, as Chicago advanced to Super Bowl XLI against Indianapolis.
Last season, though missing five games with an injury, he posted career highs for rushing yards (674), receptions (17) and receiving yards (123).
He started Games 1-11, but suffered a season-ending ankle injury on Nov. 25 against Denver and was placed on the Bears’ Injured Reserve list on Nov. 27.
“Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate,” Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo said in a statement when Benson was released in June. “As I said this past weekend, you have to protect your job. Everyone in this organization is held accountable for their actions.”
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Has Marvin become ‘Bengalized?’
WHEN ALL THE LIFE GETS
SUCKED OUT OF YOU …
YOU’RE ‘BENGALIZED’
I’ve noticed this a lot in my 12 years as Cincinnati Bengals beat writer for the Dayton Daily News, especially since Paul Brown Stadium opened in 2000:
When you first walk into the building as a new employee — coach or player — you’re full of energy, enthusiasm and excitement.
You realize you’re in the NFL — the highest football loop in the land — and you feel immortal, invincible and impenetrable.
You’re driven to succeed.
You are strong.
And then some time goes by — a year or two or three — and suddenly you don’t feel like running through a wall anymore.
You start feeling stale, lethargic and tired.
Slowly, sadly, all the life gets sucked out of you.
Your intensity wanes.
You become weak.
Has this happened to you?
If so …
You’ve become “Bengalized.”
Willie Anderson, Takeo Spikes, Peter Warrick … just to name a few …
All were “Bengalized” and had to get out before they went insane.
Now I’m wondering if head coach Marvin Lewis has become “Bengalized.”
My Dayton Daily News colleague, Sean McClelland, fired me an E-mail late Monday afternoon.
“I just heard this on ESPN from Chris Mortensen,” Sean wrote.
Said Mort:
“I don’t know that Marvin wouldn’t welcome a dismissal.”
Congrats, Marv.
You’re officially “Bengalized.”
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Sing it: ‘Carson, don’t be a hero … ‘
CALLING ALL CINCINNATIANS:
REMEMBER ‘THE HEYWOODS?’
CHICKSTER DEDICATES THIS SONG
TO CARSON PALMER & HIS ELBOW
===LUDWIG AT LARGE would like to see a show of hands (in the form of comments on his blog): OK, how many of you FiftySomethings (like me) have seen Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods in concert in and around the Cincinnati area? I’d like to reprise their hit, “Billy Don’t Be A Hero,” by subbing the word “Carson” in place of “Billy.” Feel free to relay your most famous “Heywoods” story.===
This dedication goes out to Carson Palmer, who’s trying to be too much of a hero with his bum elbow:
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Source: WR Henry will play at Dallas
WHO GETS ‘KNIFED’ WHEN
HENRY RETURNS? COATS,
HOLT TOP 2 CANDIDATES
A source within the Cincinnati Bengals organization tells LUDWIG AT LARGE that wide receiver Chris Henry will play against the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 5. Kickoff is at 4:15 p.m.
Henry is on a one-week roster exemption, meaning he can practice this week without counting against the club’s 53-man active roster.
I believe tailback DeDe Dorsey will be placed on the Injured Reserve list with a right hamstring injury, and that tailback James Johnson will be promoted off the practice squad to fill Dorsey’s roster spot.
But the question remains: Who gets “knifed” when Henry gets activated?
My top two candidates: Tight end/fullback Daniel Coats and wide receiver Glenn Holt.
Coats is a third-string tight end behind Reggie Kelly and Ben Utecht. The presence of fullback Reagan Maui’a is a double whammy that makes Coats expendable.
If Holt leaves, it’s a sign that rookie Andre Caldwell is ready to assume the role of No. 1 kickoff returner.
I’d hate to see either guy get released because they’re both princes in gym shoes, but somebody has to go to make room for Henry.
If the club is hellbent on Henry playing at Dallas, a roster move must be made by Saturday at 4 p.m. (Eastern time) to clear a spot for Henry.
What makes Henry so valuable? He’s a deep threat with outstanding size and top-end speed who will stretch defenses, forcing the safeties to play back, opening up more room for T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chad Ocho Cinco and Ben Utecht.
I’ve been hard on Henry, whose five arrests have caused me numerous migraines. But the dude is talented. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of impact he’ll have on the offense, which has been nothing short of awful.
We knew the young defense would be a work in progress under new coordinator Mike Zimmer. But nobody had a clue the veteran offense would be this lousy.
I lay the blame for 0-4 at the feet of the club’s management, coaches, scouts and players … especially Bob Bratkowski’s offense, which is too predictable, too lethargic and too hard on the eyes.
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No deception in ‘ElbowGATE’ fiasco
IF ‘FITZ’ IS THE MAN,
FANS WILL SEE MORE
‘OUT OF POCKET’ PLAYS
TO SUIT HIS STYLE
===LUDWIG AT LARGE exonerates Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis regarding Carson Palmer’s “ELBOW-GATE.” By the time Palmer let the coaches know something was wrong with his elbow, and doctors let the coaches know the extent and severity of the injury, the staff had to hustle to get backup Ryan Fitzpatrick ready. I’ve been vilified for my support of Fitzpatrick, the Arizona-born, Harvard-educated stud backup. Fans need to know this: The game plan against the Browns was set up for Palmer. If Fitzpatrick is the man this week, you’ll see more out-of-pocket plays to suit his style.===
The Cincinnati Bengals issued this news release on Friday at 12:15 p.m.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE; FRI., SEPT. 26, 2008
FROM CINCINNATI BENGALS PUBLIC RELATIONS
PALMER ON INJURY REPORT
QB Carson Palmer will be added to the Bengals’ Injury Report today, rated as questionable for Sunday’s game against Cleveland.
During the practice week, Palmer has experienced soreness in his right elbow (throwing arm).
“Carson has told us he’s going to be ready to play, but he developed some carryover soreness from last week’s game,” said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. “We are backing him off a little in practice today, so he has to be listed on the report.”
===========
Naturally, I was shocked to learn that quarterback Carson Palmer had surfaced on the club’s Injury Report. After all, he told us on Wednesday, in his weekly news conference prior to practice: “I feel good.”
Fast forward to Sunday when he was placed on the shelf — designated the “third quarterback” — for the Bengals-Browns game at Paul Brown Stadium.
I asked Marvin Lewis, point blank, on Monday: “Why the deception regarding Palmer’s status?”
His response:
“There’s no deception on Carson. The decision was made (to sit him) on Saturday morning. I talked with Carson at length Saturday evening and told him what I thought was the best thing for him, because at that point he was still adamant that he wanted to play. So there is no deception. The doctors expressed their concern to him on Thursday, as he told you and I told you. There was no deception.”
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Bengals QB Carson Palmer: ‘I’ve already made up my mind, I’m playing (at Dallas)’
CARSON PALMER’S INTERVIEW
IN MONDAY OPEN LOCKER ROOM
BENGALS QUARTERBACK ADMITS
IT WAS ‘CONFUSING WEEK,’ CLAIMS
‘NO DESPAIR’ AMONG TEAMMATES
Q. Do you anticipate sitting out this week again?
A. Oh, no. I’ve already made up my mind, I’m playing. I’m going to do what I can in practice and do what they let me do, but I’m 100 percent expecting to play going into this game and planning on playing. I’ll probably be limited in practice, but do what I can.
Q. Do the doctors decide if you play?
A. The doctors are always the ones, no matter what the injury is. but I’m expecting to play, I’m planning on playing, to start, to finish the game, until I get word from the doctors that whatever the situation is. if they don’t want me to play, I won’t play.
Q. What happened last week?
A. It was kind of a confusing week. Some stuff happened that possibly shouldn’t have happened. Just confusing. I felt like I wanted to play and I prepared all week like I did, Then it came down to a deal on Sunday where the doctors just said no.
Q. Exactly what’s wrong with the elbow?
A. I’m not going to go into exactly what’s going on. All that needs to be said is it’s not correct, It’s not 100 percent. and when I’m close to 100 percent, I’ll get the nod to play. Hopefully, that’s this week.
Q. Did you not say anything to the team until Thursday about the elbow?
A. Uh, it was brought up on Wednesday, and we moved on from there.
Q. Is the elbow getting better?
A. It’s definitely getting better. They’ve got me on a good rehab program to get it strong and get everything that’s going on to calm down.
Q. What’s the mood in the locker room?
A. Definitely no despair. It’s a lot worse on the outside of the locker room than it is on the inside. Guys are still hungry and feel desperate for a win because we’re not used to this and this isn’t us. but in no way will this team give up. It seems bleak from everything you hear in the media and people on the outside of the locker room, the way they’re talking. But in no way is this team going to give up or take any team lightly or not prepare the right way, whatever the case may be. We’re going to get ready to go into Dallas and win.
Q. Boomer Esiason said on CBS’s pregame show you need surgery. Was that premature?
A. Yes.
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NFL confirms Bengals get 1-week roster exemption for WR Chris Henry
DROP-DEAD DEADLINE
TO ACTIVATE HENRY
OR RELEASE HIM IS
NOW OCT. 6, 2008
PLACING DORSEY ON INJURED RESERVE
WOULD CLEAR ROSTER SPOT FOR HENRY
The Cincinnati Bengals applied for — and received — a one-game roster exemption for wide receiver Chris Henry, whose four-game, league-mandated suspension ends today, Monday, Sept. 29, 2008.
It means that Henry can practice and participate in full team activities this week without counting against the Bengals’ 53-man roster.
NFL spokesman Corry Rush confirmed the one-game exemption for Henry in an E-mail to the Dayton Daily News on Monday morning.
Rush said that if the Bengals want Henry to play at Dallas on Sunday, Oct. 5, their deadline to activate him to the 53-man roster is Saturday at 4 p.m. Eastern time.
If the Bengals choose NOT to play Henry at Dallas, their roster exemption on Henry expires on Monday, Oct. 6.
When the exemption ends, the Bengals have a choice to activate him to the 53-man roster, release him or — if he gets injured in practice this week — place him on the season-ending Injured Reserve list.
For Henry to get activated and play in a game, the Bengals must clear a roster spot for him.
The logical move? Placing third-string tailback DeDe Dorsey on Injured Reserve. Dorsey suffered a right hamstring injury in a 20-12 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday that will keep him sidelined indefinitely.
The Bengals, against head coach Marvin Lewis’ wishes, signed Henry on Tuesday, Aug. 19, The fourth-year veteran rejoined the team after being released by Cincinnati on April 3 of this year.
He played in 35 games with 11 starts for Cincinnati over the 2005-07 seasons, with 88 receptions for 1370 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Henry opened the season on a four-week NFL suspension due to violation of the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy.
His suspension began on Mon., Sept. 1, the start of the practice week for Cincinnati’s Sept. 7 regular season opener at Baltimore.
During the suspension, Henry was held out of practices as well as Games 1-4. He resumes full activities today — Monday, Sept. 29 — the start of the practice week for Game 5, on Oct. 5 at Dallas.
A player with a history of off-field problems, Henry was released by the Bengals this spring after being charged with assault following an incident in Cincinnati. But charges against Henry were dropped after a trial resulted in a hung jury, with six of eight jurors voting to acquit him. Henry has no further matters pending in the courts.
The NFL placed Henry on indefinite suspension following the assault charge, but the suspension was subsequently revised to four games.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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They said it & meant it …
QB DEREK ANDERSON
OWES ANTWAN ODOM
A HUGE ‘THANK YOU’
===LUDWIG AT LARGE is your voice of reason when it comes to the Cincinnati Bengals. If you want to vent, you’ve come to the right place.===
From Brad Johansen, play-by-play “Voice of the Bengals” on the Bengals radio network: “God have mercy on Bengals fans for the remainder of the year.”
The Chickster’s take: “I second that emotion.”
From Hugh Malay, coordinating producer of Monarch Productions in Newport Beach, Calif.: “Chick: You deserve hazard pay for covering the sad excuse of a NFL franchise. I feel badly for the people of Cincinnati, who have put up with that ineptitude the last 18 years. FREE CARSON PALMER so he can experience what a REAL NFL team is all about.”
The Chickster’s take: “Hugh, you’re a prince in gym shoes and a true stud at the microphone. If you’re like me, you miss carrying “doubles” (two sets of golf clubs) up No. 17 hill at Western Hills Country Club!”
From Ed Andrews in Dayton: “There are always ways for losing teams to lose. Antwan Odom comes in to rush passer on third down. He jumps offsides for no reason except trying to make a play and destroys an interception by David Jones and saves Derek Anderson’s job. I wonder if Anderson thanked him after the game? Also, I believe the Bengals should shut Carson Palmer down for the year. The season is over anyway. Play the young guys and see what we have and need — not that we will draft what we need.”
The Chickster’s take: “Derek Anderson owes Odom a thank you. Anderson also owes Brady Quinn a thanks for holding out his rookie season. Otherwise, Quinn would be the Browns starter today. Quinn, like Akili Smith, destroyed his career with a rookie season holdout. He’ll never be able to make up that lost time, which is precious for a quarterback.”
From Sam Wyche, former Bengals quarterback and head coach, in Pickens, S.C.: “Chick. Thanks for this Web site. You are doing a great job and a tremendous service for alumni and fans.”
The Chickster’s take: “Sam Wyche, in addition to being a great coach and master motivator, is a great person. I’d hire him as Bengals offensive coordinator in a New York Minute. Like all Bengals alumni players, Sam will always be special to me.”
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Bengals, Browns — By the numbers
EVEN THE NUMBERS
TELL A SAD TALE
OF BENGALS WOES
5 — Bengals’ turnovers in 20-12 loss to the Browns.
4 — Fumbles (2 lost) by tailback Chris Perry in 2008.
34:02 — Browns’ time of possession (Bengals: 25:58).
42-43 — Marvin Lewis’ record as Bengals head coach.
5-16 — Romeo Crennel’s record in division games.
261 — Browns’ total yards (Bengals limited to 211).
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Bad news for the Bengals: Things are gonna get worse, a lot worse, before they get better; Palmer’s hurt, team’s in disarray
BENGALS ARE A CALAMITY,
WRAPPED IN A DISASTER,
TUCKED INSIDE A TRAGEDY
===LUDWIG AT LARGE claims it’s not the end of the world. It’s just the end of the Cincinnati Bengals’ season. And it could very well be the end of quarterback Carson Palmer’s season if he has to go under the knife to fix his ailing right elbow.===
Brad Johansen — who is also known as Brad So Handsome — came up with the line of the day after the Cincinnati Bengals, and their season, were laid to rest by the Cleveland Browns, 20-12, at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday:
“God have mercy on Bengals fans for the remainder of the year.”
Brad can’t find a victory on the schedule.
I can’t either.
Houston? Forget it. After Hurricane Ike, Texans fans are dying to play at home…and when they do, woe is their opponent.
New York Jets? Yeah, right. They scored 56 points on Sunday. That’s more than the Bengals have scored (52) in four games.
Kansas City? Hey, the Chiefs just clobbered previously-undefeated Denver.
The way the Bengals are playing, they couldn’t beat Xavier University’s Club Team right now.
And, folks, I hate to say this, but I will. THINGS ARE GOING TO GET A LOT WORSE BEFORE THEY GET BETTER.
That’s like saying American Idol star Clay Aiken is gay.
Not exactly a scoop, now, is it?
I’d like to take this opportunity to apologize to all Cleveland Browns fans. I predicted the Browns would be the first AFC North Division team to implode.
I was wrong.
Dead wrong.
The Bengals are the first AFC North Division team to implode and I’m confident they’ll continue to ride the implosion throughout the 2008 season.
Yes, the Browns are bad. They’re lousy. They stink. They’re terrible. Even horrible.
But the Bengals are worse.
Much worse.
The Bengals are a calamity wrapped in a disaster tucked inside a tragedy.
And, sadly, it’s everywhere … from the offensive and defensive lines … all the way to quarterback.
Quarterback Carson Palmer has an inflamed right elbow that prevented him from playing in Sunday’s debacle against the Browns, and he’ll likely be held out of next week’s game at Dallas.
Palmer wanted to play, but a 20-mule team of Bengals’ doctors, trainers and head coach Marvin Lewis said no.
Holding Palmer out against his wishes was a precautionary measure. But Palmer’s refusal to disclose results of an MRI scan speaks volumes that the injury is more serious than the club is willing to allow.
Palmer was hurt in the first quarter against the New York Giants when he got sacked by cornerback Corey Webster, who pulled Palmer’s arm as it was going forward, causing damage to his elbow.
Backup Ryan Fitzpatrick had moments of productivity against the Browns, rushing for a team-high 41 yards and passing for a TD.
But he had ball-security issues and was too erratic He threw three interceptions, got sacked three times and fumbled on a sack by Cleveland linebacker Alex Hall as the Browns (1-3) kept the Bengals (0-4) winless — along with St. Louis, Detroit and Houston — and evened the “Battle of Ohio” series at 35-35.
Fitzpatrick has to play a smarter, more efficient game to pull off an unlikely upset of the very, very angry Dallas Cowboys (3-1), who are licking their wounds after a 26-24 loss to the visiting Washington Redskins.
Now Dallas is licking its chops at the thought of feasting on the Bengals without Palmer.
The Bengals have more issues than Wall Street.
They play neither hard nor smart; litter the field with mistakes; commit too many stupid penalties; and everything from their game management to clock management to time-outs management is absolutely brutal.
Sunday’s game wasn’t a carnival of color, sound, action and fury. It was a 2-hour, 57-minute root canal.
I needed more caffeine than usual to stay awake in the press box.
The Bengals are gonna have to hustle to be as good as 2-14.
“God have mercy on Bengals fans for the remainder of the year.”
You damn right.
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FINAL SCORE: Browns 20, Bengals 12
UGLY GAME ON
BOTH SIDES, BUT
BENGALS WERE
MUCH UGLIER
Derek Anderson’s 4-yard TD pass to Braylon Edwards and Jamal Lewis’ 1-yard plunge led the Cleveland Browns to a 20-12 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 28.
Cleveland improved to 1-3 while the Bengals are 0-4 for the first time since 2002.
Bengals backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who played the entire game in place of injured Carson Palmer (right elbow), threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball away with 2:04 to go on a sack by Cleveland’s Alex Hall to seal the Browns’ victory.
The Bengals led 6-3 after three quarters, but the Browns erupted for 17 points in the fourth quarter.
CLEVELAND BROWNS 17, CINCINNATI BENGALS 12
Cleveland Browns 3 0 0 17 — 20
Cincinnati Bengals 0 6 0 6 — 12
FIRST QUARTER
Cleveland — Dawson 25 FG; 9:29 to go. Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards. Browns lead, 3-0.
SECOND QUARTER
Cincinnati — Graham 42 FG; 10:22 to go. Drive: 13 plays, 68 yards. Score tied, 3-3.
Cincinnati — Graham 45 FG; 0:08 to go. Drive: 7 plays, 17 yards. Bengals lead, 6-3.
THIRD QUARTER
No scoring.
FOURTH QUARTER
Cleveland — Edwards, 4 pass from Anderson (Dawson kick); 13:05 to go. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards. Browns lead, 10-6.
Cleveland — Lewis, 1 run (Dawson kick); 11:06 to go. Drive: 4 plays, 24 yards. Browns lead 17-6.
Cincinnati — Ocho Cinco, 4 pass from Fitzpatrick (Pass failed), 7:46 to go. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards. Browns lead 17-12.
Cleveland — Dawson, 29 FG, 0:32 to go. Drive 4 plays, 7 yards. Browns win, 20-12.
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26 starting QBs in Bengals history
RYAN FITZPATRICK BECOMES
BENGALS’ 26TH STARTING QB
Here are the 26 “starting” QBs in Cincinnati Bengals history
1968 — Dewey Warren, John Stofa and Sam Wyche.
1969 — Greg Cook.
1970 — Virgil Carter.
1971 — Ken Anderson.
1974 — Wayne Clark.
1975 — John Reeves.
1979 — Jack Thompson.
1983 — Turk Schonert.
1984 — Boomer Esiason.
1987 — Adrian Breen, Dave Walter.
1991 — Erik Wilhelm, Don Hollas.
1992 — David Klingler.
1993 — Jay Schroeder.
1994 — Jeff Blake.
1998 — Neil O’Donnell and Paul Justin.
1999 — Akili Smith.
2000 — Scott Mitchell.
2001 — Jon Kitna.
2002 — Gus Frerotte.
2004 — Carson Palmer.
2008 — Ryan Fitzpatrick.
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Stop the presses: Carson Palmer’s out (3rd QB) for big game against the Browns
PALMER’S SORE ELBOW
HAS HIM ANCHORED
TO THE SIDELINES
Carson Palmer is out.
And that’s not a misprint.
Soreness in his right elbow prevents Palmer from starting and playing in today’s game against the visiting Cleveland Browns.
Ryan Fitzpatrick becomes the 26th player to start a regular season or playoff game at quarterback for the Bengals.
Palmer was the only NFL quarterback in 2007 to take every offensive snap for his team, but the streak ended in a Week 2 loss (24-7) to the Titans when Fitzpatrick played the final series (no pass attempts).
Fitzpatrick was placed on high alert on Friday when Palmer was listed as questionable on the Injury Report with a tender elbow in his right throwing arm.
Palmer alerted the coaches and trainers he was experiencing some discomfort during practice on Wednesday and Thursday, so he was limited in practice on Friday.
Here’s the list of inactives for both the Bengals and Browns.
BENGALS PRE-GAME INACTIVES
OUT FOR TODAY’S GAME
QB Carson Palmer is the designated third quarterback. (Folks, that’s not a misprint!)
CB Johnathan Joseph
SS Dexter Jackson
TB Kenny Watson
FS Herana-Daze Jones
WR Andre Caldwell
DT Pat Sims
DT Jason Shirley
LINEUP CHANGES
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will start in place of Carson Palmer.
LCB David Jones starts in place of Johnathan Joseph.
SS Chinedum Ndukwe starts in place of Dexter Jackson.
BROWNS PRE-GAME INACTIVES
OUT FOR TODAY’S GAME
QB Ken Dorsey (designated third quarterback)
WR Donte Stallworth
SS Sean Jones
LB Willie McGinest
LB Beau Bell
RG Ryan Tucker
OL Scott Young
TE Martin Rucker
LINEUP CHANGES
WR Syndric Steptoe will start in place of Donte Stallworth
LOLB Alex Hall will start in place of Willie McGinest
SS Mike Adams will start in place of Sean Jones
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His dad caused ‘The Fumble’ in Browns lore
SIMEON CASTILLE’S ‘POPS’
JEREMIAH RESPONSIBLE FOR
‘THE FUMBLE’ IN BROWNS LORE
LESSON? ‘THE LORD
ANSWERS PRAYERS’
===In case you missed it in the Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008, editions of the Dayton Daily News, here’s my story on Bengals rookie cornerback Simeon Castille, whose father — immortal Denver Broncos cornerback Jeremiah Castille — caused “The Fumble” in Cleveland Browns lore===
http://www.journal-news.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/bengals/2008/09/27/ddn092708spbengals.html
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Fitzpatrick on high alert
Backup QB Ryan Fitzpatrick remains on high alert in case he’s needed in relief of starter Carson Palmer, who is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the visiting Browns with a tender elbow in his right throwing arm.
Palmer alerted the coaches and trainers he was experiencing some discomfort during practice on Thursday, so he was limited on Friday.
Palmer was the only NFL QB in 2007 to take every offensive snap for his team, but the streak ended in a Week 2 loss to the Titans when Fitzpatrick played the final series (no pass attempts).
There’s plenty of concern at cornerback, too.
With LCB Johnathan Joseph (ankle) doubtful and backup David Jones (knee) questionable, the team will lean on rookie Simeon Castille and journeyman Jamar Fletcher for support.
Fletcher, an eight-year veteran who played for the Dolphins (2001-03), Chargers (2004-05), Lions (2006) and Texans (2007), was signed earlier in the week to shore up the depth at corner.
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Bengals-Browns: 4 areas to watch
RUNNING GAME
This is the game TB Chris Perry breaks the 100-yard barrier because of his ability to bounce outside and get to the perimeter, where the Browns are most vulnerable. Inside? You can pretty much forget it because DL Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams are formidable run-stuffers. Bengals C Eric Ghiaciuc will need help from LG Andrew Whitworth and RG Bobbie Williams getting leverage against the Browns monsters in the middle. That’s where FB Reagan Maui’a comes in. He’ll be the lead blocker for Perry, who is doing a much better job of staying patient and following his blocks. Perry’s strength, quickness and speed will serve him well against the Browns, who are struggling at OSLB.
PASSING GAME
Now that his No. 1 nemesis — CB Leigh Bodden — is gone, traded to the Detroit Lions, Bengals five-time Pro Bowl WR Chad Ocho Cinco is salivating at the thought of going against inexperienced Brandon McDonald and the Browns’ suspect secondary. Ocho Cinco (8 catches, 88 yards) is due for a breakout game, and should be able to get it as long as the Bengals OL can keep QB Carson Palmer protected. Enemy defenses are double- and triple-teaming Ocho Cinco, allowing WRs T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Antonio Chatman to excel in single coverage. If the Bengals can run the ball effectively, and they believe they can, look for Palmer to go deep.
THE BLITZ
The Browns will try and confuse Palmer with numerous looks in the 3-4 scheme in an attempt to keep him off-balance and guessing. and bait him into throwing into coverage, which could yield an interception or two. They’ll mix things up with a variety of blitzes, but they’ll be careful, too, because a QB as experienced as Palmer will burn them if they become reckless. The Bengals yielded six sacks against the Giants, an inexcusable amount for an OL with this much talent and experience. LT Levi Jones struggled last week, getting whistled for two false starts and giving up two sacks. Jones must seal off the edge and RT Stacy Andrews has to keep an eye on the very dangerous OLB Kamerion Wimbley blitzing off the corner.
IN THE RED ZONE
The Bengals charged into the red zone four times against the New York Giants only to come away with one TD and three field goals. So there’s a major emphasis in practice this week to finish with TDs. They’ll attempt to stay balanced with TB Perry and WR Houshmandzadeh causing the most concern for the Browns because of their elusiveness. Perry has explosive quickness through the line of scrimmage and Houshmandzadeh has a knack for getting open in traffic. Don’t be surprised if the Bengals put more speed on the field and utilize TBs Kenny Watson and DeDe Dorsey in close because of their ability to reach the pylon quickly.
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Bengals-Browns: 4 reasons to watch
ONE
With the Browns and Bengals preparing to collide at Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Stadium with identical 0-3 records on Sunday, Sept. 28, the losing coach is a candidate to be fired as early as Monday, Sept. 29. Neither team plays hard all the time and both squads have dramatically underachieved. The pressure on Cleveland’s Romeo Crennel and Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis to win and get their seasons turned around has never been more intense.
TWO
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, since the NFL instituted its current playoff format in 1990, only three of 90 teams that started a season 0-3 have gone on to qualify for the postseason. They are the 1992 San Diego Chargers, the 1995 Detroit Lions and the 1998 Buffalo Bills. The Bengals-Browns winner will have an opportunity to become playoff qualifier No. 4 after stumbling out of the starting gate at 0-3.
THREE
A year ago in a Week 2 shoot-out (Browns 51, Bengals 45), QBs Carson Palmer (6) and Derek Anderson (5) combined for 11 TD passes in a game that featured 1,085 yards of total offense. Can the fireworks be repeated? It’s doubtful, considering both QBs have thrown more INTs than TD passes. The Bengals are averaging 13.3 points a game to the Browns’ 8.7.
FOUR
Bengals rookie CB Simeon Castille, who made the active roster as a college free agent from Alabama, is the son of former Denver Broncos star Jeremiah Castille, who stripped Earnest Byner near the goal line in the AFC Championship Game (Jan. 17, 1988), causing what has become known as “The Fumble” in Browns lore, helping Denver reach the Super Bowl.
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1980 rewind: Take it from Rutigliano, Brown-Modell hatred was very real
FINAL GAME OF 1980 SEASON
SENT BROWNS TO PLAYOFFS;
BUT SET TONE FOR BENGALS’
1981 SUPER BOWL SEASON
===LUDWIG AT LARGE would like to thank the Cleveland Browns and Steve King, who covers the Browns for ClevelandBrowns.com … This story is reprinted with permission from the Cleveland Browns.===
By STEVE KING
ClevelandBrowns.com
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been perceived for quite some time now as the Browns’ biggest rivals.
That’s probably true.
However, that was never really the case for the original Browns franchise — or at least the team’s owner, Art Modell. For him, the club’s biggest rival was the Cincinnati Bengals. And for the Bengals, the biggest rival was the Browns.
Modell fired Browns founding head coach — and Pro Football Hall of Famer — Paul Brown after the 1962 season after they had disagreed on a number of issues. Brown was out of football for the next five seasons and then helped bring pro football to Cincinnati with the Bengals in 1968. That was the year after he had enshrined in the HOF.
He served as their founding head coach, too, for eight years, through the 1975 season, before stepping down to assume full-time duties as general manager until his death on Aug. 5, 1991.
To say Modell and Brown did not like each other is like saying Cleveland and Cincinnati are both located in the state of Ohio. That is, it’s obvious.
MODELL FIRED BROWN & GREGG
Modell wanted to beat the Bengals more than any other team. And Brown wanted to beat the Browns — the club named for him — more than any other team.
Former Browns head coach Sam Rutigliano tells a story that epitomizes how Modell viewed the rivalry.
It occurred Dec. 21, 1980 — the Kardiac Kids year — as the Browns were getting ready to play the Cincinnati Bengals that afternoon at Riverfront Stadium in the season finale.
The Browns were 10-5 after having lost 28-23 to the Minnesota Vikings the previous week on a Hail Mary pass from Tommy Kramer to Ahmad Rashad on the game’s final play. The Browns could have clinched a playoff berth with a win, but as a result of the stunning loss, they now could not get in as a wild card. They had to win the AFC Central title to make it, and to do that, they had to defeat the Bengals.
It was very simple: Either win or go home.
A LITTLE CHAT ON THE BUS
The Browns had won the first meeting between the teams 31-7 at Cleveland a month earlier, but they knew it would be much tougher this time. The Bengals had been out of contention for a while, and at 6-9 had guaranteed themselves of a third straight losing season. But they were set to give the Browns all they wanted. Brown and Bengals first-year head coach Forrest Gregg, who was fired as head coach of the Browns with one game left in the 1977 season, would see to that.
On the morning of the game, the Browns were boarding the team bus at the hotel in Downtown Cincinnati for the short ride of just a few blocks to Riverfront. You could cut the tension with a knife. The importance of the game was not lost on anyone with the Browns.
“I was sitting in the front seat of the bus when Art got on,” Rutigliano recalled. “When he saw me, he patted me on the back.
“He said to me, ‘Sam, no matter what happens today, I want you to know that this season has already been a big success. You’ve turned the team around in your three years here, and we set an attendance record this season. Everything is looking up.’
‘ART! YOU’RE FULL OF IT!’
“He started to say something else, and I stopped him in mid-sentence. I told him, ‘Baloney, Art! You’re full of it!’
“He looked at me kind of stunned that I would talk to the owner of the team like that, but I didn’t care.
“I said to him, ‘Look, the owner of that team we’re playing today is Paul Brown. You fired him, remember? And the head coach of that team is Forrest Gregg, You fired him, too, remember? Those two guys would like nothing better than to win today and deny the Browns — but especially you — a chance to go to the playoffs.
” ‘And in turn, you know you want to go to the playoffs by beating them more than you love life itself. So don’t give me all that junk about this season already being a success no matter what happens out there today.’
“With that, he smiled, chuckled a little bit and then sat down. He knew full well that I was right.”
As it turned out, the Bengals did rise up and play a whale of a game. It was a classic, in fact.
The Browns fell behind 10-0 right away and then went ahead 24-17 midway through the third quarter on two Brian Sipe TD passes to little-used wide receiver Ricky Feacher, the self-proclaimed “Hollywood Dude” who was playing for the injured Dave Logan.
The Bengals rallied to the game 24-24 later in the third quarter, though, and then Don Cockroft kicked the game-winning 22-yard field goal with 1:25 left in the game.
KREIDER ‘PINNED’ TO GROUND
But it wasn’t over yet. The game ended with Browns cornerback Ron Bolton tackling — and then pinning down — Steve Kreider in bounds at the Cleveland 14 after the wide receiver had hauled in a 21-yard pass from Ken Anderson, who was hurt but was inserted into the game by Gregg as he pulled out all the stops to win.
The Bengals, out of time-outs, rushed down the field to try to set up for another play, but were unable to do so before the final gun sounded.
The win gave the Browns their first division title in nine years, and their first playoff berth in eight seasons, and made 1980 an unqualified success in every way, shape and form in everybody’s eyes.
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QB Carson Palmer surfaces on injury report with soreness in his right elbow
LISTED AS QUESTIONABLE
VS. BROWNS ON SUNDAY
MARVIN LEWIS CLAIMS CARSON
IS ‘GOING TO BE READY TO PLAY’
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer was added to the club’s Injury Report on Friday, Sept. 26, because of soreness in his right elbow.
He’s listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Cleveland.
The Bengals reported in a news release that Palmer has experienced soreness in his right elbow (throwing arm) during practice this week.
“Carson has told us he’s going to be ready to play, but he developed some carryover soreness from last week’s game (against the New York Giants),” Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. “We are backing him off a little in practice today, so he has to be listed on the report.”
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‘The Hit:’ Darden’s crushing tackle of McInally is defining moment in rivalry
KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS,
McINALLY CAME BACK TO
CATCH TD PASS IN 1980
PLAYERS, COACHES, FANS
‘THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD’
===LUDWIG AT LARGE was watching the game at home with his mom, dad, brothers and sisters. If you’re old enough to remember, you’ll never forget where you were when Thom Darden delivered the devastating “HIT” on Pat McInally.===
Cincinnati’s Pat McInally and Cleveland’s Thom Darden.
You can’t mention one without the other.
“The Hit” the Browns free safety delivered on the Bengals wide receiver and punter on Dec. 21, 1980, in Cincinnati is regarded as the most memorable play in the “Battle of Ohio” series — the moment that defined the intensity of the rivalry.
Knocked out by Darden’s vicious hit on the Bengals’ first series, McInally — who was unconscious for 30 minutes — returned in the second quarter and caught a 59-yard TD pass from Jack Thompson late in the game.
The Browns won, 27-24, but McInally earned a prominent place in Cincinnati folklore for his heroic and courageous performance.
Many in the crowd of 50,058 at Riverfront Stadium thought McInally was paralyzed by “The Hit.”
“He almost got decapitated,” Bengals guard Dave Lapham said.
“We thought he was dead,” Browns receiver Dave Logan added.
The Bengals had spread the field with four wideouts and McInally was lined up in a three-receiver cluster to the left. While the other two sped downfield, McInally released to the inside, over the middle, where Darden was waiting.
“I ran into both of his forearms,” McInally said.
Darden said he remembers the play “like it was yesterday.
“We had a coverage designed for that specific play where I would fake like I was going deep-middle, then I would come up in the linebacker area,” Darden said. “As fate would have it, they ran the exact play we were looking for.
“McInally comes underneath. Jack doesn’t even see me. I creep up inside and I have a decision to make. Do I go for the ball or do I go for him because we’re both coming at the same angle. I decided I was going for him because I couldn’t get to the ball.”
Darden was called to league headquarters in New York and fined by NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle.
Darden, from the University of Michigan, said he’s never spoken to McInally since “The Hit.”
“The first thing I’d say to him is that I’m glad he was OK, then I’d be mad at him because he came back and caught a touchdown pass,” Darden said.
McInally lives in the Southern California city of Corona del Mar. He created the “Starting Lineup” toy line of action figures for Kenner and runs a company, “Good Sports for Life,” which helps parents with young athletes.
Darden is president of The Darden Group, Inc., in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a management and investment company that handles mortgage back securities.
Chick Ludwig asks that you please send all Bengals alumni information to cludwig@daytondailynews.com or (937) 225-2253
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No real biggie if Bengals lose
BENGALS ARE JUST ‘DOIN’
WHAT COMES NATUR’LLY’
WINNING FOOTBALL GAMES
IS TOO MUCH OF A HASSLE
So what happens to the Cincinnati Bengals if they lose to the Cleveland Browns at Cincy’s Paul Brown Stadium?
Well, let’s face it: They’ll have to board an airplane bound for Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, Oct. 4, with an 0-4 record.
And likely return home 0-5 as they prepare for a return trip to New York for an Oct. 12 game against the Jets.
Losing to the Browns would give the Bengals their first 0-4 start since 2002 when Dick LeBeau’s squad went 2-14.
I, for one, won’t be shocked if the Browns knock off the Bengals.
The Bengals struggle at home. Their best home mark under head coach Marvin Lewis is 5-3. They’re 0-1 at PBS this year, courtesy of the Tennessee Titans, who scored a wind-aided 24-7 victory on Sept. 14, a game that featured a 50-to-80 mph breeze that had debris swirling in the football yard.
LUDWIG AT LARGE believes there ain’t no shame in losin’ for the Bengals.
Why? Because winning is a hassle.
Winning causes too much commotion. There’s too much fan excitement. Too much merchandise to sell. The waiting list for season ticket buyers gets too long. The demand for tickets gets too out of control. The local restaurants & taverns do too much business.
Going 2-7 at the Nov. 9 bye would be much better. Then the focus can shift to college basketball and Cincinnati sports fans can eagerly await Reds Spring Training.
And Bengals fans can start looking forward to 2009 free agency and the NFL Draft.
Seriously, folks, I won’t be surprised at all if the Bengals lay down like a dormat and have Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Jamal Lewis, Jerome Harrison, Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow pull their tiger tails.
After all, like my favorite song in the musical Annie Get Your Gun, the Bengals are just “Doin What Comes Natur’lly.”
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Stebbins’ Ron Coleman, breast cancer survivor, to be honored at PBS Sunday
STEBBINS’ ADMINISTRATOR
MORE THAN JUST A COACH
AND FRIEND; HE’S MY HERO
I like to call Ron Coleman “coach.”
I also like to call him a man for all seasons.
He’s seen a lot and done a lot.
He was Central State University’s men’s basketball coach.
He was the color analyst for Wright State University men’s basketball on the Raiders radio network.
He was head boys basketball coach at Stebbins High School in Dayton.
Nowadays, he’s an assistant principal at Stebbins and the father of Ohio State football player Kurt Coleman, a star safety for the Buckeyes.
Of all the things he’s seen & done, Ron’s greatest accomplishment is his fighting spirit, dogged determination and positive attitude as a breast cancer survivor.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, breast cancer afflicts men, too.
Ron and other breast cancer survivors will be honored by the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 28, prior to the Bengals-Cleveland Browns game as part of the Cincinnati Bengals Breast Cancer Survivor Event, sponsored by National City.
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis and Bengals cornerback Leon Hall are heavily involved in this event, and I applaud the Bengals for their commitment to this most worthy project.
Congratulations, Ron, on being selected from over 450 nominated survivors to take part in this event to raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer.
Ron, you’re a prince in gym shoes and I’m not afraid or ashamed to call you something else.
My hero.
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Bengals: 3 keys to success
PROTECTION FOR CARSON PALMER
The Bengals have already yielded nine sacks this year. They’re on pace to give up 48, nearly triple their 2007 total when they set a franchise record for pass protection with only 17 sacks allowed. The line, tight ends and backs are all responsible for Palmer getting pummeled. If the protection doesn’t improve, the losses will continue to mount.
CONTAIN THE RUN (SLOW DOWN JAMAL)
Browns tailback Jamal Lewis has been a one-man wrecking crew against Cincinnati during his career. In 13 games against the Bengals for Baltimore and Cleveland, Lewis averages 119.3 rushing yards per game (1,551 total). He ripped through the Bengals’ porous defense for 308 yards in two games (216, 92) in 2007. The defense’s goal is to gang-tackle Lewis and keep him under 100 yards. By creating some third-and-long opportunities, the Bengals have a chance to add to their pitiful total of one sack in three games.
SPECIAL TEAMS MUST BE SPECIAL
Kickoff returner Glenn Holt (24.9 average) and punt returner Antonio Chatman (10.5) have been pleasant surprises in the return game so far. Both have come extremely close to busting home runs and it’s a credit to the blocking scheme orchestrated by the tireless work ethic of special teams coach Darrin Simmons. Holt and Chatman are fast, quick players who do a good job of communicating with their blockers and darting through openings in the coverage. Their continued progress is a key factor in setting the table for an offensive explosion.
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Chickster’s bleary-eyed look
UP LATE, UP EARLY,
AND, OF COURSE,
IT WAS WORTH IT
Please excuse my bleary eyes this morning (Friday, Sept. 26).
I didn’t go “nighty-night” until 1 a.m. because I watched Oregon State’s scintillating, stunning and spectacular 27-21 upset of the No. 1 University of Southern California Trojans.
Then I was up at 6 a.m. for my weekly telephone interview on the “Married With Microphones” show with Cincinnati’s first couple of radio — Chris O’Brien and Janeen Coyle — on WGRR-FM (103.5).
Yes, Mr. Psychostats, the coffee pot in ON in the Miamisburg War Room as I blog away on LUDWIG AT LARGE, bringing you the best in Cincinnati Bengals coverage.
You know, you get what you deserve in football, and the mighty Trojans of USC deserved to lose and the Beavers of Oregon State deserved to win.
“OSU” exploded to a 21-0 halftime lead. USC clawed back to within 21-14 and 27-21, but the Beavers recovered an onside kick and lined up in the “Victory Formation” for the big win.
THREE QUICK HITTERS
—-Back in training camp at Georgetown College, I was discussing the Ohio State-USC game with former Buckeyes coach John Cooper.
I told “Coop” that even if the Buckeyes lost the game — and they did — I believe they could rebound and make a run to the national championship.
He disagreed, saying the Buckeyes would have a difficult time recovering psychologically from a loss at USC.
Now that the Trojans have lost to Oregon State, the national title is wide-fricking-open.
I have only one thing to say to the Buckeyes: “Just win, baby.”
—-The Sporting News, now based in Charlotte, N.C., asked me to get a quote from Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer on his pick for the Heisman Trophy.
The magazine is doing an early-season piece on the candidates, and the editors wanted Palmer’s opinion because he’s a former Heisman winner.
As fate would have it, I got Palmer’s pick on Thursday … just hours before his Trojans went down. He likes USC quarterback Mark Sanchez.
“When they put his total numbers up against some other guys, they may not look that great,” Palmer said about Sanchez. “But he shouldn’t be penalized for playing on the best team. He is the best player.”
—-Now here’s a picture of WGRR’s Janeen Coyle, who earned her black belt in karate.
I can mess with one J.C. (John Cooper).
But I ain’t messin’ with the other J.C. (Janeen Coyle).
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Browns-Bengals: It’s high time we take a little football trip down memory lane
IS DAYTON, OHIO,
BENGALS’ TOWN
OR BROWNS’ TOWN?
SADLY, THE ‘BATTLE OF OHIO’
JUST ISN’T THE SAME ANYMORE
===LUDWIG AT LARGE remembers collecting Coca-Cola bottle caps of Cleveland Browns players, using Elmer’s Glue to fasten them on a large paper mat and mailing them in. In return, I received a football, sweatshirt, buttons and all sorts of Browns paraphernalia. Who out there remembers Lindsey Nelson’s Notre Dame highlights? Jack Moran’s “King of TV Bowling?” Glier’s Goetta cookin’ in the skillet? If you’re like me, then we LIVE FOR SUNDAYS AT 1 O’CLOCK!===
Before I ask who’s going to win the big game — no capitalization or boldface or italics are necessary because, frankly, it just ain’t all that big anymore — LUDWIG AT LARGE would like to ask loyal readers a more pressing question:
Is Dayton (“OH”…”IO!”) a Cincinnati Bengals town or a Cleveland Browns town?
And while I’m at it …
Whatever happened to the Bengals-Browns rivalry?
I hate to use the word hate, but the Browns and Bengals used to hate one another. It’s because Browns owner Art Modell fired Paul Brown as Browns head coach on January 9, 1963, only to have Brown return as the Bengals founder and first head coach in 1968.
The blood war lasted until Brown’s death (August 5, 1991). Modell moved the Cleveland Browns team to Baltimore after the 1995 season; the Cleveland Browns resurrected as an expansion franchise in 1999; and the “Battle of Ohio” rivalry hasn’t been the same since.
But let’s go back, back, back to 1964.
As a kid growing up in the Price Hill section of Cincinnati — Linneman’s Delicatessen, The Taffy House, the Sunset Lounge, St. William School (The Chickster won the contest for nicknaming the school’s athletic teams; “The Barons”) — I used to run home from “St. Bill’s” church on Sundays to hear the immortal words …
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, this is Frank Gleiber and Warren Lahr, live from Municipal Stadium for today’s game between the Cleveland Browns and the … “
I was 10 years old and the Cleveland Browns were champions of the NFL. The names will always be magic.
Head Coach Blanton Collier and … in alphabetical order …
DB/RB-Walter Beach
FB-Jim Brown
T/DT/DE-Monte Clark
WR/P-Gary Collins
LB-Vince Costello
DB-Ross Fichtner
LB-Galen Fiss
DE/C/T-Bill Glass
RB/FB-Ernie Green
T/DT/K-Lou Groza
G-Gene Hickerson
LB/DE-Jim Houston
DT-Jim Kanicki
RB-Leroy Kelly
LB-Mike Lucci
DT-Dick Modzelewski
DB-Bernie Parrish
QB-Frank Ryan
T/G/DE-Dick Schafrath
WR-Paul Warfield
DE-Paul Wiggin
G-John Wooten
Sunday’s were awesome. There was Lindsey Nelson doing the Notre Dame highlight show. There was Jack Moran’s “King of TV Bowling.” There was bacon, eggs and Glier’s Goetta cookin’ in the skillet.
And there were the Cleveland Browns … until the Cincinnati Bengals came along in 1968.
Then my rooting interest changed to Virgil Carter, Bob Trumpy, Paul Robinson, Essex Johnson, Mike Reid, Bob Johnson, Speedy Thomas, Tommy Casanova, Ken Riley and Lemar Parrish.
Ahh, the memories.
Let’s relive some right here, right now …
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Hunting for more than “1” sack
ANTWAN ODOM
HAS BENGALS’
ONLY SACK
FROM LEAGUE-LOW 22
IN 2007; TO LEAGUE-LOW
‘ONE’ SO FAR IN 2008
One sack.
Are you kidding me?
One lousy, measly quarterback sack.
What’s up with that?
Folks, it better change — in a hurry — if the Cincinnati Bengals hope, wish, plan and want to win a football game.
The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants have 13 sacks each. They’re at the top of the leaderboard.
The Bungleoids have uno.
“There’s a sense of urgency,” defensive end Frostee Rucker said.
Good to hear because if the Bengals don’t sack Cleveland’s lame duck quarterback, Derek Anderson, then they’ll have to board a plane to Dallas at 0-4, attempt to kidnap Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and bring him back as their next head coach.
Antwan Odom, who has the lone sack, claims the unit — which is still adjusting to new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s scheme — needs to “stop thinking so much and just go.”
Hey, studs, it’s high time you pin your ears back and pin Anderson’s No. 3 jersey in the FieldTurf.
With the Bengals’ luck, they’ll knock Anderson out of the game in the first half and Brady Quinn will come in, toss the pig all over the yard, and throw a TD pass to Braylon Edwards with 18 seconds to go for a Browns’ victory.
Then Quinn will start every game for the next 15 years and become a first ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.
IN MARVIN LEWIS’ WORDS:
“Those things come in bunches within the NFL season all the time if you look at how they come as you keep doing things the correct way, and then all of a sudden those balls start to bounce your way and you get the pressures you need. You just keep going and keep executing and your timing’s got to be good and your takeoffs and things like that, and being in the right spots and the right pressure points at the right times.
“It’s a mentality that most defensive players have and I think it’s when you become sure of your job and your responsibilities, then you’re in the right spots a little quicker, and that’s what happens, and you get more of those, and our guys have been very good at that. We’ve gone through droughts before, and then things turn around. You just keep doing it the way you’re doing it and good things will happen for you.”
ALL OF THIS ‘COACHSPEAK’ REMINDS ME OF A SONG …
TO HONOR THE BENGALS’ SACK PACK …
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Romeo: ‘It’s not over’
ROMEO CRENNEL
TRANSCRIPT WITH
BENGALS MEDIA
Q. How are you?
A. Nothing a win wouldn’t cure, you know.
Q. Can you believe you are both 0-3?
A. I can not believe it. I can’t. I know what kind of team (the Bengals) have, the potential of the offense. I know what kind of coach Marvin is. It’s totally surprising. Likewise, I am surprised by our situation as well. I thought we would be a lot better than we are.
Q. Who starts at QB?
A. Yes, I am starting Derek Sunday. Quinn is going to be ready. That’s what I just finished telling our media. I told the team this morning. I also told them I am not answering questions about what, when, why, how, how many, what-if kind of questions as it relates to the quarterback.
Q. Derek had opposite games last season against Bengals.
A. I’m not exactly sure (why). I think the first one, he had just gotten the job, so he was just kind of gun-slinging out there, and guys made plays for him. It turned out to be a big offensive production day for us. Down at your place, it was more of a defensive struggle. The conditions were a little different. We ended up throwing some interceptions that cost us. Now we have a game and we look at both teams who are similar teams. Both teams want to win. Need a win. It should be a good football game.
Q. Did your loss in December stick with you into the offseason?
A. No, not really. We had our chances at the game. We didn’t take advantage of it. We did win the game following that, which gave us a 10-win season. Then we were kind of wishing and hoping as far as the playoffs were concerned. And when you depend on somebody else, it rarely works out the way you want it to work out.
Q. Talk about pressure, and how important is Sunday’s game to your future in Cleveland?
A. Any coach who doesn’t win … pressure. There’s pressure on coaches when you win. When you don’t win there is more pressure. Only time will tell about the outcome of Sunday’s game and how it impacts my future in Cleveland. All I know is that if I can win the ballgame I have a better chance of staying here than if I don’t win the ballgame.
Q. What about the division race?
A. I think whoever wins the game is not totally out of it. It looks like the division is going to be a tough division. Everybody is playing tough teams. So it’s not over by probably a long shot. So if you can get a division win, you’re not out of it.
Q. How close were you to pulling Anderson last season against the Bengals in Cleveland? Things did not start well.
A. Last year is last year, and my thoughts about last year don’t mean anything or amount to a hill of beans. What I am concentrating on is getting these guys ready to play this game Sunday.
Q. How long of a leash does Anderson have?
A. That’s one of those what-ifs and I’m not answering what-if questions about our quarterback.
Q. How’s your young secondary coming along?
A. You know, the defense after the first game, they have been improved, playing a little bit better football. We do have young guys in the secondary and they’re still learning as they play, but they do compete and I like that about them. They really haven’t backed down from anybody to date and they enjoy the game, so I think they will enjoy the challenge of Sunday.
Q. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow have started slow? Is it because of injuries or the defenses you’ve faced?
A. I think it’s both of them. We’ve played some pretty good defenses to start with and then we had some injuries and all of those guys other than Winslow have missed time. You had your quarterback, he missed some time, wide receiver missed some time, running back missed some time, offensive guard missed some time — so key guys have missed time. We haven’t been together playing as a unit the way we were able to play last year.
Q. Two ex-Bengals, LG Eric Steinbach and DE Shaun “The Hamburglar” Smith, play for you. How are they doing?
A. Well, Shaun has come in and done a real nice job for us. He has some position versatility. We play him at nose and at end. He started at both the left end, the right end and the nose in his tenure here. He brings a little bit to the table for us, because he’s a strong guy on the inside and can get some things done. Steinbach has helped solidify our offensive line. He does have a shoulder issue, he’s trying to get that ready and hopes he can play this week, but if he’s not able to play this week, then hopefully we’ll have him the following week. Both guys, I think they would love to play this game if they’re capable, it probably means a lot, just like any player who goes from one team to another team and then he’s playing the team he left, he’d like to have a good performance.
Q. How do you keep your players’ heads up and stop them from panicking?
A. The thing is, there’s ability on the team. You just try to pull them in together, rally around each other and then try to get that ability to play better. Because generally, when you’re not winning, there are positions that are not playing up to their capabilities. We need to play better, if we can get them to rally and play better, that’s what’s going to give us a chance.
Q. Does the same hold true for the Bengals?
A. Basically yes. Because as you look at it, they were not offensively in sync in the first game, you had the wind game the second game, but they looked a lot better against New York in New York, to be able to take the Super Bowl champs into overtime, that says a lot right there. I think defensively they’re beginning to adapt to the system and what Zimmer wants from them and they’re playing more consistent on that side of the ball as well.
Q. Cleveland fans are impatient. How do you cope with that?
A. I think fans everywhere are demanding, not only up here. What they want is they want to see a team that tries hard, looks like they know what they’re doing and is able to win some ball games.
Q. Is this an elimination game with the loser’s season over?
A. No, it’s not it. But, you know they’ve got a long way to come. Whoever doesn’t win this one has a long way to go. With that being said, a lot of things happen in the NFL. You know, like last year, the Giants were off to a bad start, but they were able to get it turned around and even to the point where they needed to win at the end of the season just to make it to the playoffs, which they did and then they went all the way to the Super Bowl. It’s never over when you still have games to play.
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Browns coach Crennel names Derek Anderson the starter against Bengals
CRENNEL FIRMLY BELIEVES
ANDERSON WILL GET
JOB DONE VS. BENGALS
Despite having his confidence shaken to the point where he was near tears after losing at Baltimore, Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson will start against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 28.
Browns head coach Romeo Crennel named Anderson his starter in a conference call with Bengals media on Wednesday morning, spurning backup QB Brady Quinn, who’s been waiting in the wings since being plucked as a first-round draft pick in 2007.
“Anderson,” Crennel said.
How long is his leash?
“That’s one of those ‘what ifs,’ and I’m not answering ‘what ifs’ about the quarterback,” Crennel added.
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Browns legend Jim Brown speaks out: Time for a ‘change of pace’ to Brady Quinn
BROWNS NEED A SPARK;
TIME TO UNLEASH QUINN
The Chickster’s friend, Brian Harrington, sends along this snippet of what Pro Football Hall of Fame legend Jim Brown had to say about the Browns quarterback situation on the Pro Football Central Radio Show. Brown makes it clear it’s time for a change from Derek Anderson to Brady Quinn.
JIM BROWN QUICKIE Q & A
Jim Giles: “Before I let you go, Jim, I just need to get your opinion. Can you give us any insight as to where this organization sits right now?”
Jim Brown: “If the coach makes one move this week, you’ll know what it is. If they don’t, I don’t know what will happen. I’ve been in meetings all day. I’ve met with the coach, the president of the organization, team captains, individual players. We all seem to be in one accord, But it’s up to the coach to make the final decision on his lineup this week. But if he makes the right decision on the lineup, I think we can be out of this terrible slump we’re in.”
Jim Giles: “Could the guy be one player with the initials B.Q. (Brady Quinn)?”
Jim Brown: “Players are sensitive, I don’t want to look like I’m choosing one or the other. But if it is (Quinn), no one’s going to cry. We don’t have a superstar quarterback. We have two quarterbacks with tremendous potential. One has played a lot more than the other has, Successfully, and also had some failure. If we try Brady this week, it’s a change of pace, Why not have a change of pace that might bring you a spark? And if he doesn’t cut it, we can bring the other guy back, and we can bring Brady back. We haven’t decided. We have a major superstar, and if he sits down a quarter, we’ll have broken his heart. This is professional football. These guys are getting paid and sometimes you need a spark.”
http://www.profootballcentral.com/audio/PFCRadio24.mp3
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The List of 28 deceased Bengals players
LET THE BELL TOLL
28 TIMES IN HONOR
OF THESE PLAYERS
===This entry will remain at the top of my blog page for 24 hours. LUDWIG AT LARGE encourages all Bengals fans to tell their favorite stories of these players in the comments portion of my blog. Note: Cause of death is listed where known.===
Cincinnati Bengals fans asked for it, so here it is.
“The List” of deceased Bengals players.
LUDWIG AT LARGE research shows there are 28 dead Bengals in the 41-year history of the franchise.
I would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their friendship and support in helping me pursue my passion of finding, and staying in touch with, Bengals alumni players.
Isaac Curtis, Bob Trumpy, John Bennett, Patrick Scoggin, John Turney, Ange Coniglio, Eric Ball, Jim Anderson and Tadd McGuire.
The NFL Alumni Association and Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, have aided my research greatly.
LUDWIG AT LARGE wants loyal readers to know that this list will stand for 24 hours at the top of my blog.
The names of the men you are about to read are too important to me to be shoved down the page … and lost in cyberspace.
Please send all Bengals alumni information to Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com or 937-225-2253
“28 DEAD BENGALS”
LB DOUG ADAMS (1971-74), Ohio State — Died Aug. 9, 1997 (age 47); hit by car riding his bicycle
S JERRY ANDERSON (1977), Oklahoma — Died May 27, 1989 (age 35); drowning victim
TE/WR DON BASS (1978-81), Houston — Died Oct. 26, 1989 (age 33); gunshot wound
CB LEWIS BILLUPS (1986-91), North Alabama — Died April 9, 1994 (age 30); car crash
DB MIKE BRIM (1993-95), Virginia Union — Died April 19, 2005 (age 39); gunshot wound
DT ROBERT BROWN (1975-76), Arkansas-Pine Bluff — Died Dec. 10, 1998 (age 58)
LB FRANK BUNCOM (1968), Southern California — Died Sept. 14, 1969 (age 29); died in his sleep
DT STEVE CHOMYSZAK (1968-73), Syracuse — Died Jan. 25, 1988 (age 43); pancreatic cancer
FB BOOBIE CLARK (1973-78), Bethune-Cookman — Died Oct. 25, 1988 (age 38); blood clot in lungs
LB SHERRILL HEADRICK (1968), Texas Christian — Died Sept. 10, 2008 (age 71); cancer
DB JO JO HEATH (1980), Pittsburgh — Died Dec. 29, 2002 (age 45); stabbed to death
OT VERN HOLLAND (1971-79), Tennessee State — Died April 20, 1998 (age 49)
DB BERNARD JACKSON (1972-76), Washington State — Died May 26, 1997 (age 46); liver cancer
DT WALTER JOHNSON (1977), Cal State-Los Angeles — Died June 29, 1999 (age 57)
DB BOBBY KEMP (1981-86), Cal State-Fullerton — Teammates confirm cause of death as suicide; date still being researched
RB RON LAMB (1968-71), South Carolina — Died June 20, 2000 (age 56)
OT RUFUS MAYES (1970-78), Ohio State — Died Jan. 1, 1990 (age 42); bacterial meningitis.
LB WAYNE McCLURE (1968, ‘70), Mississippi — Died June 12, 2005 (age 62)
PK HORST MUHLMANN (1969-74), No college, native of Dortmund, Germany — Died Nov. 17, 1991 (age 51)
WR CHIP MYERS (1969-76), Northwestern Oklahoma — Died Feb. 23, 1999 (age 53); heart attack
G PETE PERREAULT (1969), Boston U. — Died Dec. 8, 2001 (age 62)
LB BRIAN PILLMAN (1984), Miami of Ohio — Died Oct. 5, 1997 (age 35); heart disease
DE NICK ROMAN (1970-71), Ohio State — Died May 18, 2003 (age 55); heart attack
TE DAN ROSS (1979-83, ‘85), Northeastern — Died May 16, 2006 (age 49); heart attack
WR SPEEDY THOMAS (1969-72), Utah — Died July 29, 2003 (age 56)
DT WILSON WHITLEY (1977-82), Houston — Died Oct. 25, 1992 (age 37); heart condition
WR MONK WILLIAMS (1968), Arkansas-Pine Bluff — Died March 18, 2003 (age 58)
OT ERNIE WRIGHT (1968-71), Ohio State — Died March 20, 2007 (age 67)
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Bengals vs. Browns: A ‘Battle of Ohio’ defeat could cost a coach his job
SHOULD CRENNEL OR LEWIS
GET FIRED AFTER 0-4 START?
NFL IS A BOTTOM-LINE BUSINESS;
BOTH TEAMS HAVE UNDERACHIEVED;
AX COULD FALL ON LOSING COACH
With the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns preparing to collide at Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Stadium with identical 0-3 records on Sunday, Sept. 28, the losing coach is a candidate to be fired on Monday, Sept. 29.
Both teams had high expectations and playoff aspirations when the 2008 season started, yet neither team plays hard all the time and both squads have dramatically underachieved.
The pressure is on Cleveland’s Romeo Crennel and Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis to win like never before.
Lewis told his team back in the spring that there’s enough talent “in this room” to win the Super Bowl. That was before Willie Anderson, Rudi Johnson and Deltha O’Neal were “knifed” in final cuts.
The Browns were expected to contend for the AFC North Division title after a 10-6 season in 2007, but they’ve fallen flat on their faces, and they’re trying to get up.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, since the NFL instituted its current playoff format in 1990, only three of 90 teams that started a season 0-3 have gone on to qualify for the postseason.
They are the 1992 San Diego Chargers, the 1995 Detroit Lions and the 1998 Buffalo Bills.
The Bengals-Browns winner will have an opportunity to become playoff qualifier No. 4 after stumbling out of the starting gate at 0-3.
The game spells doom for the loser. But it could serve as a springboard for the winner.
The “Battle of Ohio” is more like “Armageddon Sunday.”
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Tasty leftovers: Good, Bad & Ugly
SOME FALLOUT FROM
BENGALS’ 26-23 OT LOSS
TO THE NEW YORK GIANTS
THE GOOD
Chris Perry’s 25-yard touchdown run was the Bengals’ longest TD run since Rudi Johnson’s 36 yarder against Denver on Oct. 25, 2004 — a 23-10 Bengals victory on Monday Night Football.
The Bengals held the New York Giants to 117 rushing yards — 60 below the Giants’ average (177) after two games.
The Bengals responded well to adversity. They trailed three times before OT (7-3, 16-13 and 23-20) and fought back to tie or take the lead each time.
THE BAD
The Bengals defense yielded a season-high 406 yards — 117 on the ground; 289 in the air. After the Bengals took a 20-16 lead with 4:39 to go, the defense looked tired & uninspired as the Giants easily drove 68 yards in 9 plays for the go-ahead TD with 1:50 to go in regulation.
Chad Ocho Cinco has deteriorated into a decoy. He has eight catches for 88 yards in three games.
The Bengals couldn’t finish in the red zone. They drove to the Giants’ 4-, 12-, 17- and 3-yard lines, and scored just one TD. They had to settle for Shayne Graham field goals of 22, 30 and 21 yards.
THE UGLY
The offensive play-calling in the extra session was deplorable. The Bengals went three-and-out with 3 lousy plays — a 2-yard run, a run for no gain and a Carson Palmer incompletion to T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
The offense yielded six quarterback sacks. Palmer has been sacked 9 times so far this year after going down 17 times during all of 2007.
The Bengals are 0-3 for the first time since 2003, Marvin Lewis’ first season as head coach.
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Giants (3-0) find a way to win, while the Bengals (0-3) find ways to lose
FIELD GOALS DON’T BEAT
THE N.Y. GIANTS; TD’S DO
FOUR TRIPS INSIDE RED ZONE
YIELD 1 TD, 3 FIELD GOALS
The visiting Cincinnati Bengals learned a BRUTAL lesson in a 26-23 overtime loss to the New York Giants at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J. on Sunday, Sept. 21.
More than anything, they discovered that TDs are needed to beat the Giants — not field goals.
The Bengals had a chance to pull off the stunning upset, but couldn’t finish in the red zone.
They drove to the Giants’ 4-, 12-, 17- and 3-yard lines, but scored just one TD … quarterback Carson Palmer’s 17-yard pass to wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. It was Palmer’s first TD pass of 2008 and Houshmandzadeh’s first scoring reception of the season.
The Bengals had to settle for Shayne Graham field goals of 22, 30 and 21 yards.
That strategy kept them in the game, but stopped them from winning.
The Giants pressured Palmer relentlessly, sacking him six times — the same number of sacks they generated a week ago against Marc Bulger in a 41-13 victory at St. Louis.
New York’s secondary also did a great job of keeping the Bengals receivers in front of them, forcing Palmer to throw underneath.
Instead of gambling on the deep ball and risking interceptions, the Bengals were content to take what New York gave them. They played conservative, leaned on Graham’s field goals, and they weren’t enough.
Giants QB Eli Manning didn’t go down once. The Bengals have just one sack this year, courtesy of defensive end Antwan Odom.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin praised the Bengals’ pressure. But from my viewpoint in the press box high atop Giants Stadium, Giants QB Eli Manning had enough time to smoke a cigar and sip a cup of coffee.
“Give credit where credit is due to Cincinnati,” Coughlin said. “They played well. They came in here, they were 0-2, their coach said they were going to play hard, and they did play hard. They were physical. They hadn’t shown that kind of pressure in any of their previous games. They really did a nice job of that. We had our hands full and we found a way to win.”
And that’s the difference between the 3-0 Giants and the 0-3 Bengals.
Bottom line: Winners win and losers lose.
The Giants are winners. They find a way to win.
The Bengals are losers. They find a way to lose.
UNTIL NEXT TIME …
This is Chick Ludwig, signing off from New York with a message: “Make love, not war; give peace a chance; and strawberry fields forever.”
And thank you for reading “LUDWIG AT LARGE.”
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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FINAL: Giants 26, Bengals 23 (OT)
John Carney’s 22-yard field goal at 8:43 of overtime lifted the New York Giants to a 26-23 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008, at Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.
The Giants improved to 3-0 while the Bengals (0-3) are still looking for victory No. 1 of the 2008 season.
GIANTS 26, BENGALS 23, OT
Cincinnati Bengals 3 10 0 10 0 — 23
New York Giants 0 10 3 10 3— 26
FIRST QUARTER
Cincinnati — Shayne Graham, 22 FG, 0:38 to go; Bengals lead, 3-0. (Drive:12 plays, 59 yards. Key plays: Antonio Chatman 21 punt return to Bengals’ 37; Carson Palmer 15 run to Giants’ 5).
SECOND QUARTER
New York — Brandon Jacobs, 1 run (John Carney kick), 10:36 to go; Giants lead, 7-3 (Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards. Key plays: Bengals CB David Jones pass interference vs. Plaxico Burress for 12 yards to Bengals 36. QB Eli Manning passes of 21 and 9 yards to TE Kevin Boss to Bengals 1).
Cincinnati — Chris Perry, 25 run (Graham kick), 7:20 to go. Bengals lead, 10-7. (Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards. Key play: Palmer 25 pass to Chatman at Bengals 25).
New York — Carney, 24 FG, 3:55 to go. Score tied, 10-10. (Drive: 7 plays, 51 yards. Key plays: Manning 26 pass to Boss; Derrick Ward 22 run to Bengals’ 7)
Cincinnati — Graham, 30 FG, 0:32 to go. Bengals lead, 13-10. (Drive: 13 plays, 66 yards. Key plays: Palmer passes of 9 and 7 to Chatman, and 26 and 15 to T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
THIRD QUARTER
New York — Carney, 46 FG, 6:23 to go. Score tied, 13-13. (Drive: 9 plays, 30 yards. Key plays: Manning 12 pass to Domenik Hixon and Derrick Ward 13 run)
FOURTH QUARTER
New York — Carney, 26 FG, 11:32 to go. Giants lead, 16-13. (Drive: 9 plays, 30 yards. Key plays: Manning 15 pass to Steve Smith on 3rd and 14 for a first down conversion.
Cincinnati — Houshmandzadeh, 17 pass from Palmer (Graham kick), 4:39 to go. Bengals lead 20-16. (Drive: 12 plays, 82 yards). Key plays: Palmer 16 pass to Chad Ocho Cinco on flea flicker.)
New York — Boss, 4 pass from Manning (Carney kick), 1:50 to go. Giants lead, 23-20. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards.
Cincinnati — Graham, 21 FG, 0:00 to go. Score tied 23-all. Drive: 10 plays, 71 yards. OVERTIME
New York — Carney, 22 FG, 8:43 of OT. Giants win 26-23 in overtime.
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Halftime: Bengals 13, Giants 10
BENGALS 13, GIANTS 10
Cincinnati Bengals 3 10 — 13
New York Giants 0 10 — 10
FIRST QUARTER
Cincinnati — Shayne Graham, 22 FG, 0:38 to go; Bengals lead, 3-0. (Drive:12 plays, 59 yards. Key plays: Antonio Chatman 21 punt return to Bengals’ 37; Carson Palmer 15 run to Giants’ 5).
SECOND QUARTER
New York — Brandon Jacobs, 1 run (John Carney kick), 10:36 to go; Giants lead, 7-3 (Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards. Key plays: Bengals CB David Jones pass interference vs. Plaxico Burress for 12 yards to Bengals 36. QB Eli Manning passes of 21 and 9 yards to TE Kevin Boss to Bengals 1).
Cincinnati — Chris Perry, 25 run (Graham kick), 7:20 to go. Bengals lead, 10-7. (Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards. Key play: Palmer 25 pass to Chatman at Bengals 25).
New York — Carney, 24 FG, 3:55 to go. Score tied, 10-10. (Drive: 7 plays, 51 yards. Key plays: Manning 26 pass to Boss; Derrick Ward 22 run to Bengals’ 7)
Cincinnati — Graham, 30 FG, 0:32 to go. Bengals lead, 13-10. (Drive: 13 plays, 66 yards. Key plays: Palmer passes of 9 and 7 to Chatman, and 26 and 15 to T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
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Inactives: Joseph, Utecht & Simpson
BENGALS PRE-GAME INACTIVES
OUT FOR TODAY’S GAME
QB Jordan Palmer is the designated third quarterback.
CB Johnathan Joseph
SS Dexter Jackson
FS Herana-Daze Jones
TE Ben Utecht
WR Jerome Simpson
DT Pat Sims
DT Jason Shirley
LINEUP CHANGES
LCB David Jones starts in place of Joseph
SS Chinedum Ndukwe starts in place of Jackson.
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Pre-game intensity: Yankeees, Giants, Bengals and the Akron ‘Zits’
YANKEE STADIUM FINALE;
UGLY MEMORIES OF 1997;
IT’S AKRON ZIPS, NOT ‘ZITS’
YANKS NEW HOME ‘THE HOUSE
THAT RUTHLESS PEOPLE BUILT’
Good morning, studs & studettes.
I’m seated in the press box high atop Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J., and I’m wondering:
Just how many media will show up for today’s 1 p.m. Cincinnati Bengals-New York Giants game.
Today is the final baseball game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City, and fans are allowed on the periphery of Yankee Stadium’s field from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. as the crescendo builds for tonight’s final first pitch at Yankee Stadium.
A reporter from The Bergen Record was asked, “If Yankee Stadium is ‘The House That Ruth Built,’ what will the new stadium be called?”
His response: “The House That Ruthless People Built.”
I ALMOST wish I was in the Bronx and NOT in East Rutherford because I don’t expect the Cincinnati Bengals to put up much of a fight against the defending Super Bowl champions.
The only way the Bengals can win?
Clearchannel Cincinnati blogger C. Trent Rosecrans said it best: “Divine Intervention.”
UGLY MEMORIES OF 1997 …
My thoughts go back to OCT. 26, 1997 — my first year on the Bengals beat and my first game at the Meadowlands.
Eric Bieniemy had a 102-yard kickoff return and the Bengals built a lead, but blew it and lost, 29-27.
Afterward, I remember standing outside the Cincinnati locker room, watching an angry, seething, monumentally-upset Bengals quarterback Jeff Blake pacing back and forth as the equipment men loaded the truck.
Finally, Blake went inside.
According to Dave Lapham, Blake wiped out a table full of paper cups and chewing gum … then things got even uglier.
The media didn’t notice because we were shielded from the commotion with a longer-than-usual wait outside.
As I was leaving the locker room after interviews, I noticed linebacker Tom Tumulty seated in front of his locker in a trance-like state.
I asked him if he was OK and he said, “No. You should’ve seen it in here. It was ugly.”
Tumulty told me that players and coaches were fighting and had to be separated, and wide receiver Carl Pickens was in the middle of it.
Ahh, the memories …
DID YOU KNOW … —-Giants starting right offensive guard Chris Snee is head coach Tom Coughlin’s son-in-law.
—-A sports anchor for WWOR-TV, a Fox affiliate, said Army lost to the Akron “Zits” on Saturday.
—-Heather Mills — Sir Paul McCartney’s ex-wife — was in the Bronx on Saturday, feeding hungry families. She donated $1 million worth of vegan food to one of the poorest neighborhoods in New York City.
She can afford it. She got a $50 million settlement in her divorce from McCartney.
ONE LAST THING
Go Elder! Beat X!
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‘Giant’ turnaround came a year ago
GIANTS WENT FROM 0-2
TO SUPER BOWL CHAMPS;
THE JUMP-START CAME AT
WASHINGTON SEPT. 23, 2007
How did he do it?
How did head coach Touchdown Tommy Coughlin turn the 2007 New York Giants from an 0-2 squad into Super Bowl XLII champions?
It all started — ALMOST A YEAR AGO TO TODAY — on Sept. 23, 2007, with a come-from-behind 24-17 victory at Washington in Game 3.
The Giants trailed 17-3 at halftime, then outscored the Redskins 21-zip in the second half with New York’s defense stuffing Redskins running back Ladell Betts at the goal line on third and fourth down in the final minute to secure the road victory.
The Giants went on to post a 10-6 regular-season record, then sprinted through the postseason with triumphs over Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay — Brett Favre’s final game as a Packer — to win the NFC championship. Then came arguably the biggest upset in NFL history — the Giants’ 17-14 victory over 18-0 New England in the Super Bowl at Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 3, 2008.
So … Tom … what did you do at 0-2 to get it all turned around?
IN TOM COUGHLIN’S WORDS:
“I can’t tell you exactly what our approach was, other than we had a game (at Washington) we really needed to win. It was a divisional game on the road. We knew it was something that had to be accomplished. The one thing that did come about was that a lot of the preaching about team became a factor. At halftime, down 17-3 in that third game, we didn’t panic and came out and got ourselves back in the game, and a great goal-line stand at the end. It gave us a nice boost.
“We knew we had a better football team than we were playing. We had a brand new defensive coordinator and scheme, and the communication wasn’t quite what it was going to be in the future. We also knew we needed to play better on offense than we were playing. That having been said, there was no panic. What everyone was saying on the outside was the same thing they said at the end of the ‘06 season: ‘Fire the coach. Fire the quarterback. Get rid of the players.’ But that’s not the way we felt.”
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Bengals-Giants: 4 areas to watch
RUNNING GAME
Staying committed to the run is a high priority, and there are signs this phase of the offense is coming around. TB Chris Perry, who entered the season not having played since November 2006, has shaken off the rust and doing a much better job of staying patient, finding holes and making cuts. He has good quickness, speed and vision, and is finally taming his anxiousness. The OL is working to improve its blocking angles and technique. It’s important for C Eric Ghiaciuc, LG Andrew Whitworth and RG Bobbie Williams to get good leverage against the Giants’ DTs Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield so Perry can reach the second level of the defense.
PASSING GAME
QB Carson Palmer, who owns the lowest passer rating in the league among starting QBs (37.0), admits that he and WRs Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh must “pick it up” for the team to get its season turned around. All three are healthy now, and in their third straight week of practicing together, so the pass offense should improve and look more crisp. Giants CBs Sam Madison and Aaron Ross are quick and physical, but Johnson and Houshmandzadeh are fast and tough enough not to get re-routed as the line of scrimmage. The pressure’s on LT Levi Jones and RT Stacy Andrews to contain pass rushers Mathias Kiwanuka and Justin Tuck so Palmer has time to unveil the downfield passing game.
THE BLITZ
The Giants are a team that knows how to rush the quarterback and confuse the passer with multiple formations. They’re so physical and athletic up front — with Robbins and Cofield pushing up the middle and DEs Kiwanuka and Tuck charging from the perimeter — that they don’t have to blitz much. The Bengals need blocking TE Reggie Kelly to play a great game, and they need Perry and backup TB Kenny Watson to help RT Andrews by chipping on Tuck, who has three sacks and an interception return for a TD. Tuck is a one-man wrecking ball, but the Bengals can’t forget about Kiwanuka, a player they passed on in the 2006 draft when they selected CB Johnathan Joseph.
IN THE RED ZONE
This is one of the Bengals’ biggest areas of concern because three trips inside the opponents’ 20-yard line in two games leaves the team very little opportunity of scoring enough points to win. The Bengals will spread the field and keep the defense guessing as they utilize Perry’s inside running, Watson’s pass-catching ability out of the backfield, and look to spring both WRs Houshmandzadeh and Antonio Chatman free over the middle against the Giants’ linebackers and safeties. Rookie WR Jerome Simpson is still looking for his first NFL reception. This is the Bengals’ opportunity to unleash him on a fade route in the corner of the end zone.
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LUDWIG AT LARGE ALERT: ‘27 DEAD BENGALS’ COMING TUESDAY, SEPT. 23, 2008
Middle linebacker Sherrill Headrick (1968) became the 27th deceased Cincinnati Bengals player on Sept. 10, 2008. Cancer claimed his life at age 71.
Chick Ludwig unveils “The List” on Tuesday.
I’d like to thank the NFL Alumni Association, Bengals alumni Bob Trumpy and Isaac Curtis, and pro football researchers and friends John Bennett, Patrick Scoggin and Tadd McGuire for helping me track Bengals alumni and identify the franchise’s deceased players.
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Bengals CB Joseph ‘doubtful’
BENGALS IN BIG TROUBLE
IF ‘JOHN-JOE’ CAN’T PLAY
DAVID JONES MUST
‘STEP UP MY GAME’
AGAINST GIANTS
The Cincinnati Bengals’ defense will suffer a crippling blow if left cornerback Johnathan Joseph (sprained ankle) can’t play. He’s listed as doubtful on the injury report.
Who’s going to cover New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress when he lines up on that side of the field? Cornerback David Jones? That’s a big ol’ ouch!
Jones told LUDWIG AT LARGE:
“It’s like with anything. You’ve got to be ready when it’s your time. I have to step my game up and fill the role the coaches want me to fill.
“We’ve got to be disciplined with our technique, our assignments and our reads, and play football like we know how to play.”
Here’s the Injury Report for both clubs:
CINCINNATI BENGALS
OUT
SS Dexter Jackson-Thumb
FS Herana-Daze Jones-Hamstring
DOUBTFUL
CB Johnathan Joseph-Ankle
TE Ben Utecht-Chest
PROBABLE
SS Kyries Hebert-Hamstring
TE Reggie Kelly-Head
SS Chinedum Ndukwe-Knee
QB Carson Palmer-Ankle
DT John Thornton-Knee
NEW YORK GIANTS
DOUBTFUL
CB R.W. McQuarters-Calf
QUESTIONABLE
CB Terrell Thomas-Hamstring
PK Lawrence Tynes-Left Knee
PROBABLE
FS Michael Johnson-Neck
DE Mathias Kiwanuka-Ankle
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Perry getting his act together
PERRY LEARNING FROM HIS
MISTAKES, PROMISES MORE
YARDS AND TOUCHDOWNS
===Chris Perry has carried the ball 40 times for 106 yards (a 2.7 average) and one touchdown, a 13-yarder against Tennessee that represents his first NFL rushing TD. At this rate, he projects to an 848-yard season. “That would be horrible,” he told LUDWIG AT LARGE.===
Cincinnati Bengals tailback Chris Perry is gaining more and more confidence with every snap in practice and in games.
Now that he’s spent two weeks scraping the rust off from a November 2006 injury (fractured and dislocated right ankle), the fifth-year NFL veteran is ready for a breakout game because he’s in better sync with quarterback Carson Palmer and the offensive line.
Will it come Sunday, Sept. 21, here at Giants Stadium at the New Jersey Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.?
I can’t wait to find out.
Perry was so eager to succeed early on against Baltimore and Tennessee that when he spotted openings, he’d leave blocks early and attempt to dart through holes that closed quickly.
But Bengals fans should know this:
Perry has learned from his mistakes.
He’s more patient now. He’s doing a better job of using his vision and reading his keys, following his blockers and letting plays develop before he turns on his speed, quickness and cutback ability.
“I feel like I’ve left some runs out there on the field because some of ‘em should have been a lot longer,” Perry told me. “It’s just a matter of getting everything back in sync. We’re figuring it out.”
Yes, indeed, he’s had several runs that should have been long gainers.
But Perry will get plenty of chances to make up for lost time.
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XU ready to swim in Shark-filled waters
XAVIER U. CLUB FOOTBALL TEAM
FACES THE TRI-STATE SHARKES
TUESDAY, LOCKLAND STADIUM
Xavier University Club Football Head Coach Tom “Tower Of” Powers asked me to spread the word — and that’s what I’m doing, folks.
XU’s 2008 season-opener against the Tri-State Sharks will take place Tuesday, Sept. 23, at Cincinnati’s Lockland Stadium. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $4 for adults, $2 for kids/students and XU students with a valid school ID are admitted free of charge.
To keep abreast of XU football, go to:
http://www.xavier.edu/football/
For more information on how you can get involved in XU football — as a fan, a prospective player, sponsor and radio “Home of the Musketeers” — contact XU Club Football President Andrew Dornbrook (dornbrooka@xavier.edu) or Head Coach Tom Powers Jr. (tepowersjr@yahoo.com).
The Tri-State Sharks are members of the Mid-Ohio Football League and operate out of Colerain High School. Participation is open to all players in the Tri-State area, 18 years of age and older. For more information on the Tri-State Sharks, go to:
http://www.tri-statesharks.com/Home_Page.html
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5 ‘Fab-YOU-lous’ Hot Chick Items
COMING UP TUESDAY:
CHICK’S LIST OF 27
DECEASED BENGALS
NOW READ ABOUT JUSTIN TUCK,
WVU’S CHOKE-JOB, RYDER CUP
AND ELI MANNING’S ‘POPS’
1. Coming to LUDWIG AT LARGE on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 9 a.m.: Chick Ludwig’s list of 27 deceased Cincinnati Bengals players.
2. Thirty-two NFL teams missed out on Justin Tuck — TWICE! — in the 2005 NFL draft. The Bengals selected David Pollack (No. 17) and Odell Thurman (No. 48) in the first and second rounds. Tuck went No. 74 overall — the 10th pick in the third round — to the New York Giants. Tuck has five sacks in his last three games (including Super Bowl XLII).
3. West Virginia’s clock management in a 17-14 OT loss at Colorado on Thursday night, Sept. 18, was the worst I’ve ever witnessed in a college football game.
The score’s tied at 14 … the Mountaineers drive to midfield with more than a minute to play … they have two time-outs to burn. AND THEY DON’T USE THEM! Worse, they’re runnin’ the ball and throwin’ the ball, and STAYING IN-BOUNDS! What’s up with that?
Finally, they call a time-out with 4 seconds remaining and Pat White’s Hail Mary falls woefully short of the end zone.
In OT, the ‘Neers drive to the shadow of the Buffaloes’ goal line, but settle for a field goal attempt — severe left-to-right angle — that splatters against the left upright.
Colorado boots a FG to win it and every student from Boulder to Fort Collins to Grand Junction is on the field, celebrating a win over No. 21 WVU as if the ‘Neers were Bud Wilkinson’s Oklahoma unit that won 47 straight games from 1953 to 1957,
WVU coach Bill Stewart — who just signed a six-year contract that will pay him $800,000 this year with an annual increase of $50,000 — looked as confused as a first grader boarding a school bus for the first time. And I give a huge Thumbs Down to Pat White’s draft stock.
Stewart & White reminded me of Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels in “Dumb & Dumber” (1994).
4. Does anybody actually give a rat about the Ryder Cup? I can’t watch it today because I know in my heart that if I start, I won’t be able to stop. However, I’m as confident about a kick-butt European romp as I am about a Giants’ blowout victory over the Bengals on Sunday at the Meadowlands.
I TOTALLY AGREE with Andy North: The Ryder Cup captains — Paul Azinger and Nick Faldo — get way, Way, WAY too much attention. Last I checked, neither cat was teeing it up.
I’m much more concerned about what’s happenin’ at the Viking Classic at Annandale Golf Club in Madison, Miss. My main man Frank Lickliter II needs a big Fall Finish to keep his Tour card and avoid Q School. (p.s. When you spell check “Lickliter,” it comes out “Wildcatter.”)
5. Love this quote from Giants QB Eli Manning when asked about his dad, Archie, the immortal Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints star: “I don’t talk much football to Pops any more, But he’s there to keep you updated a little bit with what might be going on. I don’t read the paper much, so he keeps me up with what’s kind of happening.”
I dig Eli. He’s got that aw-shucks, corn-pone demeanor. But underneath that blue No. 10 Giants jersey beats the heart of a football quarterback killer.
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How do you solve a problem like the Giants?
TO WIN, THE BENGALS
MUST HAVE SUCCESS
RUNNING THE BALL
PROTECTING PALMER
IS THE NO. ! PRIORITY;
POINTS WOULD HELP, TOO
LUDWIG AT LARGE hates to have to say this but I very firmly feel the New York Giants are so loaded up front that their worst defensive lineman is probably better than the Bengals’ best.
Seattle leads the NFL with 9 sacks, followed by the Titans (8) and the Giants (7). Cincinnati is dead last with 1. The league average is 4.4.
The Giants LOSE Michael Strahan to retirement and Osi Umenyiora (Injured Reserve) to a knee injury, but they still rush the quarterback in waves with ends Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka and Renaldo Wynn; tackles Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield and Jay Alford; and middle linebacker Antonio Pierce.
Tuck and Robbins had two sacks each last week as the Giants buried St. Louis QB Marc Bulger six times and pummeled the Rams, 41-13. Tuck’s 41-yard interception return for a TD in the fourth quarter sealed the win.
Tuck, a 6-foot-5, 274-pounder in his fourth NFL season out of Notre Dame, has three sacks. That’s two more than the Bengals entire defense.
“He’s a tough player,” Bengals right offensive tackle Stacy Andrews said. “He has a non-stop motor and comes at you hard at all times. I’ve just got to get to him, stick to him and block him. He has a few good (moves). I’ve just got to work my technique and it’ll take care of itself. I’ve got to keep him away from the pocket.”
HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE THE GIANTS?
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Keys to a Bengals’ turnaround: Buried jersey, rosary beads & dining out
TRIPLE THREAT
COULD HELP
TURN SEASON
===Chad Ocho Cinco claims the secret to a Bengals turnaround is something as simple as the offense going out to dinner together. Only trouble is: Willie Anderson’s not here to pick up the tab. I can see it now: Twenty-something guys stuffed in the lobby, ordering burgers, fries & sodas. DINNER WITH CHAD AT McDONALD’S!===
1. As reported on LUDWIG AT LARGE earlier this week, my friend Chris Hughes is in Ecuador, mountain biking and bungee jumping.
“I talked to an Ecuadorian priest on the trip who told me to hike up the Cotopaxi volcano and bury my Carson Palmer jersey high up the mountain for good luck for the team,” Chris said.
I told Palmer about Chris’ plan, and Carson got a real kick out of it.
“Does he have a jersey?” Carson asked. “If not, I’ll send him one.”
2. Eric Ball, director of player relations for the Bengals, needs to call the College of Mount Saint Joseph in Delhi and have the nuns start a prayer chain for the Bengals. Hey, it can’t hurt.
3. Chad Ocho Psycho checks in with a solution to the Bengals’ woes:
“We’re still together. We haven’t split in any way. We’re still here. One of the things that we did in ’05, I don’t know if it was Thursdays or Fridays, but as an offense we would all go to dinner. I think Big Willie used to do that. I’m going to tell Carson we need to get back to that…
“That would mean I would have to foot the bill, man. I can’t do that. I’m just saying, we need to start doing that. Every week for 16 weeks we went out to eat as an offense to get that chemistry. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, but whatever it was, it was working. Whatever it is going to take to get us back.”
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Immoveable Object vs. Irresistible Force
BENGALS-GIANTS
BEST MATCHUP:
ANDREWS VS. TUCK
Cincinnati Bengals right offensive tackle Stacy Andrews was tagged the club’s franchise player for a game like this.
He’ll earn one-seventeenth of his $7.455 million base salary by blocking Giants left defensive end Justin Tuck, whose three sacks are two more than the entire Bengals defense.
Ahh. An immoveable object (Andrews) vs. an irresistible force (Tuck).
For my money, the matchup shapes up as the game’s most intriguing battle.
The massive Andrews is blessed with great strength, long arms and quick feet.
He has the size to engulf opponents at the point of attack.
He rarely gets beat off the edge in pass protection because his huge, powerful hands are like clamps.
To harness the explosive Tuck, Andrews must take good angles, get good leverage, give him a good punch and use his strong arms to ride Tuck to the outside, past the pocket.
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Carson douses fire on Marvin’s hot seat
PALMER DEFENDS LEWIS
IN FACE OF CRITICISM
AFTER TEAM’S 0-2 START
‘IN NO WAY HAS MARVIN
LOST THIS LOCKER ROOM’
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis should continue standing.
Wherever he sits, the seat is hot, Hot, H-O-T.
Quarterback Carson Palmer has rushed to Lewis’ defense. The head coach is getting blistered with criticism in the wake of the club’s 0-2 start.
In fan voting on ESPN’s SportsNation, Lewis and the St. Louis Rams’ Scott Linehan are tied for 30th in the “NFL Head Coach Approval Ratings” with 8 percent approval.
Minnesota’s Brad Childress is 32nd and dead last with a 6 percent rating.
Buffalo Bills head coach Dick Jauron — who played safety for the Bengals from 1978-81 — is No. 1 at 94 percent.
Lewis is also getting heat from CBS Sports commentators who wonder if he’s “lost” the locker room.
“What somebody says on the outside, who has no idea what’s going on here, all he sees is 0-2, it’s kind of an easy thing to throw out there,” Palmer said. “In no way has Marvin lost this locker room or lost any attention from players.
“We’re going about it as business. It seems like it’s the end of the world to a lot of people, but this team still has a lot of hope left. We have a lot to play for, a lot of pride. The Giants started 0-2 (in 2007 and won the Super Bowl). A lot can be done from 0-2.
“Definitely, the season can keep going downhill. It happens to a lot of people. But this team is going to fight and scratch and try to get ourselves back into this.”
NOTE — In the 41-year history of Cincinnati’s franchise, Dick Jauron and tight end Nate Lawrie are the only Bengals players from Ivy League power Yale University.
Check out the “NFL Coach Approval Ratings” at:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/sportsnation/ratings?seasonYear=2008&seasonType=2&week=2
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And now, a few words about Michigan’s road whites: Muck, Cluck, Yuk!
MICHIGAN FACES ‘UNIFORM
TAMPERING’ CHARGES
FROM ‘THE CHICKSTER’
JUST CALL THE WOLVERINES
THE MICHIGAN ‘MOUNTAINEERS’
LUDWIG AT LARGE wants to know … what’s up with Michigan’s uniforms?
I can’t believe the Wolverines have turned into the Michigan “Mountaineers” with those extra West-Virginia-Mountain-Mama stripes on the road whites.
I love West Virginia. The state AND the city of Morgantown. Here’s hoping the Mountaineers barge into Boulder, Colo., and trample the Colorado Buffaloes TONIGHT, Sept. 18, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern (ESPN).
But ex-WVA coach Rich Rodriguez’s stamp on the University of Michigan should be on the field, not on the sacred Wolverine unis. West Virginia’s uniforms are sacred, too, and shouldn’t be copied.
I loved reading Paul Lukas’ column — “Uni Watch: Back-to-school edition” — on ESPN.com.
Here’s Lukas’ take:
“Michigan has switched from Nike to adidas. No major changes to the home jersey (unless you count the little inspirational messages stitched into the inner fabric), but the road whites now have some unfortunate wraparound piping (which offends some fans because they think it looks too much like West Virginia, but offends Uni Watch because it just looks idiotic).”
Check out the story at:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/080828
Check out Michigan’s road whites at:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3165/2667362305ee4d3d929cb.jpg
And now … drum roll, please … here’s a huge, massive, intense, fired-up, belligerent “Ludwig At Large” dedication to all West Virginia fans:
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Andy Furman — unleashed on WONE!
IMMORTAL ‘FUR BALL’
TO DISCUSS LIFE & TIMES
IN & OUT OF RADIO
MARK SCHLEMMER’S GUEST
HITS RADIO AIRWAVES IN
DAYTON AND BEYOND
===LUDWIG AT LARGE salutes Mark “The Skipper” Schlemmer, host of WONE-AM radio’s Sportstalk 980, for delivering a sports talk show that Dayton can be proud of. The caller-driven show has emerged as the most-talked-about radio program in “The Gem City,” covering the Reds, Bengals, Browns, Flyers, Raiders … and so much more. When “Mike from Fairfield” calls, you KNOW it’s good. Here’s hoping WONE can hold on to Schlemmer, who is fast becoming one of the region’s hottest radio personalities with his quick wit, sharp tongue, spicy commentary and ocean-deep knowledge of sports. “The Skipper” loves slaving over a hot microphone.===
Andy Furman, one of the daddy-Os of Cincinnati sports-talk radio, will be Mark “The Skipper” Schlemmer’s guest on WONE-AM (Sportstalk 980) radio tonight — Thursday, Sept. 18 — from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
With the two-year anniversary of Furman’s dismissal as host of 700 WLW Sportstalk fast approaching, the immortal Brooklyn-born “Fur Ball” will discuss his life & times as the former WLW-AM (700) and WFTK-FM (96.5) sports talk radio host.
Furman enjoys his new role as “Internet Director” for Jake Sweeney Automotive in Cincinnati. But he’d love to get back into radio. He’ll discuss what’s holding him back, so be sure to tune in.
Check out Andy Furman at:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=265114057
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A baker’s dozen (lean, mean 13) predictions & observations on the Cincinnati Bengals
MASSIVE CHANGES
COMIN’ TO THE
BENGALS ROSTER
===LUDWIG AT LARGE is curious: Why did the Bengals draft WR Jerome Simpson when other WRs such as DeSean Jackson (Eagles) and Dexter Jackson (Bucs) had kick-return ability? Why did they let RT Willie Anderson go when they practiced with the “Jurassic Line” so much in the preseason? Why did they re-sign WR Chris Henry knowing it would impede the progress of Andre Caldwell and Simpson? Why? Why? Why?===
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who is in his contract year, will not be back with the Bengals next season. He’s a candidate for the franchise tag. My prediction is the club will let him “walk” in free agency.
WR Chad Ocho Cinco will not be back with the Bengals next season. He’ll be traded in the offseason. Something is definitely “up.” He’s being too nice, too kind, too mellow, too much of a perfect prince.
RT Stacy Andrews will not be back with the Bengals next season. He’s too expensive as a franchise player (he’s making $7.455 million this season) and, just like Justin Smith, he’ll bolt in free agency. The club tried for several years to sign him long term, and failed. What makes anybody think he’ll sign for the long haul now, with the season going down the tubes?
TE Ben Utecht is starting to remind me of Tony McGee. Heart of gold. Hands of stone.
SS Dexter Jackson, who is signed through 2009, will not be back next year. He’s lost a step and is injury-prone.
DT John Thornton will not be re-signed. He enters the final season of a six-year deal he signed when Marvin Lewis came on board as the head coach in 2003. He’ll leave in free agency.
C Eric Ghiaciuc will not be back in 2009. Four years is enough. He’ll be allowed to leave in free agency.
PK Shayne Graham will be re-signed. And if he’s not, he’ll be a Jacksonville Jaguar.
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will be a starter in the NFL in 2009, just not with the Bengals. He’ll leave via free agency. He’s too good to be a backup.
Top two draft priorities in 2009 — offensive tackle and defensive tackle.
The Bengals will get blown out on Sunday at the New York Giants. Cincinnati is a whopping 13-and-a-half-point underdog. Take the Giants. Give the points. Cash in. Take your wife or girl friend to dinner on “The Chickster.”
The Bengals will be 2-7 at their bye week (Nov. 9) with victories over Cleveland and Houston.
The next head coach of the Bengals — I won’t dare guess when because Lewis’ contract runs through 2010 — will have an offensive background.
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Round 2 WRs: Tale of the Tape
TALE OF 10 WIDEOUTS
ALL CHOSEN IN ROUND 2
OF 2008 NFL DRAFT
BENGALS’ JEROME SIMPSON,
STEELERS’ LIMAS SWEED
LOOKING FOR 1ST ‘TOUCH’
===LUDWIG AT LARGE research shows the Bengals’ Jerome Simpson and the Steelers’ Limas Sweed are the only wideouts drafted in the second round who haven’t touched the ball in the 2008 regular season. Furthermore, Sweed’s deactivation the first two games means Simpson is the only one of the 10 to play and NOT touch the football.===
HOW THEY’VE FARED SO FAR
(Draft number, player, team, school)
33 — Donnie Avery, Rams, University of Houston — 0 catches, 0 yards; 1 kickoff return for 21 yards (Rams are 0-2).
34 — Devin Thomas, Redskins, Michigan State — 1 catch, 5 yards, 0 TDs (Redskins are 1-1)
36 — Jordy Nelson, Packers, Kansas State — 1 catch, 29 yards, 1 TD (Packers are 2-0)
41 — James Hardy, Bills, Indiana University — 2 catches, 12 yards, 6.0 average (Bills are 2-0)
42 — Eddie Royal Broncos, Virginia Tech — 14 catches, 183 yards, 13.1 average, 2 TDs (Broncos are 2-0).
46 — Jerome Simpson, Bengals, Coastal Carolina — 0 catches, 0 yards (Bengals are 0-2). Note — Led club in receptions (11), yards (157) and yards-per-catch average (14.3) in the preseason.
49 — DeSean Jackson, Eagles, California — 12 catches, 216 yards, 18.0 average, 0 TDs (Eagles are 1-1)
51 — Malcolm Kelly, Redskins, Oklahoma — 1 catch, 6 yards, 0 TDs (Redskins are 1-1)
53 — Limas Sweed Steelers, Texas — 0 catches, 0 yards, inactive 2 straight games (Steelers are 2-0).
58 — Dexter Jackson, Buccaneers, Appalachian State — 0 catches, 0 yards; 7 punt returns (no fair catches) for 4.1 average, long gain 14; 6 kickoff returns for 145 yards for 24.2 average, long gain 33 yards; (Bucs are 1-1). Note — Had 82 yard punt return TD vs. Houston in preseason.
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C’mon, Keith Rivers, let’s go
RIVERS SHOWING PRODUCTION;
CAN THE ‘D’ FOLLOW HIS LEAD?
DHANI JONES, KEITH RIVERS
TOP TACKLERS ON BENGALS
WITH 23 AND 22 STOPS
Slowly, but surely, Cincinnati Bengals rookie weakside linebacker Keith Rivers is living up to his reputation as a hard-worker and leader.
He’s showing the production that made him a first-round draft pick.
His job now is to pull his defensive teammates along and make sure they play hard and smart for 60 minutes.
The unit needs a peak performance against the New York Giants, who have great offensive balance.
The Bengals’ front seven must have more discipline in order to contain the run.
If not, the defense will get exploited by the Giants’ play-action and quarterback Eli Manning’s ability to go throw deep.
The Bengals yield too many explosive plays. That’s why they’re searching for their first win.
IN MARVIN LEWIS’ WORDS:
“Keith’s gotten an indoctrination by fire in the NFL, which is good. I’m pleased with the things he’s doing. He wanted to tackle better after the first week, and he worked his tail off last week on the practice field, and did a much better job in the game, and will continue to be a very conscientious player. He’s having fun. He’s being productive. He’s making plays. And I think he’ll just keep getting better and better.”
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Shoulda, coulda, woulda been a Bengal
KEEP AN EYE ON
GIANTS RIGHT END
MATHIAS KIWANUKA
Back in 2006, “The Chickster” predicted the Cincinnati Bengals would draft Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka in the first round.
I figured the Bengals needed a pass-rusher because Justin Smith was on his way out.
Instead, the Bengals selected cornerback Johnathan Joseph with the No. 24 overall pick in the first round of the NFL draft.
My man, Mathias, went to the Giants at No. 32.
Johnathan Joseph has a sprained ankle and likely won’t play Sunday.
I look for Kiwanuka to get at least two sacks.
Here are the eight studs taken AFTER “JohnJoe:”
25 — Santonio Holmes, WR, Steelers
26 — John McCargo, DT, Bills
27 — DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers
28 — Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jaguars
29 — Nick Mangold, C, Jets
30 — Joseph Addai, RB, Colts
31 — Kelly Jennings, DB, Seahawks
32 — Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Giants
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A long way from Coastal Carolina
JEROME SIMPSON GETS
TOSSED UNDER THE BUS,
THEN HELPED TO CURB
===NOT PRACTICING: Ben Utecht, Johnathan Joseph, Reggie Kelly, Dexter Jackson and Herana-Daze Jones.===
LUDWIG AT LARGE asked quarterback Carson Palmer about rookie wide receiver Jerome Simpson. And away we go …
When can the wraps come off Jerome Simpson?
“Uh, he’s still a young guy, still young-minded from the mind set of seeing a whole different type of football, a whole different game. Slowly, though, I think we’ll try to work him in very cautiously in certain situations. But until he proves that he can go out and be perfect with assignments, blocking, lining up in the right spot and always running the right route … once he gets all that together and that part of his game comes along, he can be a very effective player for us. But it’s still going to be a slow process.”
Do you see the athleticism and talent?
“Oh, yeah, definitely. He’s got a lot of potential. But you’ve got to be ready for this stage. Especially when … are you going to put him in for Chad, T.J. or ‘Tone? We’ve got very consistent guys that understand our game plans and do a good job. He’s come along. He’s made a lot of strides in that area, and he just needs to keep doing it.
“Our mindset is we just need something to get us going. Chad has plenty of that capability. T.J. has that capability. Antonio has that in him. Chris Perry has that in him. So it’s not like we need somebody else or we don’t have enough and got to find a way to get Jerome in the game. But we’d love to get Jerome in there because he is a big play maker, but we’ve got plenty of guys and plenty of firepower. We just need to hit on a couple of plays and have the right play at the right time and execute it correctly and perfectly and we’ll get going.”
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Bengals’ ‘luck’ about to change
CARSON’S NO. 9 JERSEY
BURIED IN ECUADOR
AT COTOPAXI VOLCANO
LUDWIG AT LARGE salutes Chris Hughes, who “triples” as a friend, fellow stud journalist and fellow stud graduate of Elder High School in Cincinnati (Go You Panthers, GO!).
Naturally, we met at Cincinnati Bengals training camp in Georgetown, Ky, where he was sports editor of the Georgetown News-Graphic.
Chris checks in from Ecuador, the democratic republic in South America, where he’s on sabbatical, lovin’ life & livin’ large .. and, like many of us, wondering how the Cincinnati Bengals got this bad, and searching for answers as to how his hometown team can get its season turned around.
NOTE, courtesy of Wikipedia — “At 5,897 meters above sea level, and rising majestically above the Andean mountains, the Cotopaxi mountain is Ecuador’s highest active volcano as well as being one of the most active volcanoes anywhere in Ecuador.”
IN CHRIS HUGHES’ WORDS:
“Hey, Chick: Hola from Ecuador! Wow, the Bengals appear to be doing poorly. I just found out several days ago Willie Anderson is a Raven. That’s a shocker! Looks like another 3-13 or 4-12 season, huh?
“I spent last weekend in Banos, mountain biking and bungee jumping off a bridge — good thing I didn’t see the Bengals play … otherwise, I might not have used the rope when leaping off the bridge! Ha-ha!
“Anyway, I talked to an Ecuadorian priest on the trip who told me to hike up the Cotopaxi volcano and bury my Carson Palmer jersey high up the mountain for good luck for the team.
“He said he did it for the 2006 World Cup and it helped Ecuador’s national team advance to the knockout round where the team suffered a tough 1-0 loss to powerhouse England. Not sure it will help, but it can’t hurt, right?
“Have a good one,”
Chris Hughes
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‘The most hated man in Cleveland’
RAVENS VS. BROWNS
SUNDAY IN BALTIMORE
MEANS BAD BLOOD
IT OPENS WOUND CAUSED
BY MR. ARTHUR B. MODELL
===LUDWIG AT LARGE wants this question answered by Cleveland Browns fans: With Art Modell in failing health at age 83, has your feelings of hatred softened for the man who moved the Browns to Baltimore in 1996?===
Fact: The Browns won seven AAFC and NFL championships prior to Art Modell’s arrival in ‘61.
Fact: Art Modell fired Paul Brown as Browns head coach on January 9, 1963.
Fact: A week later, Modell named Brown’s assistant, Blanton Collier, head coach.
Fact: The Browns won the 1964 NFL championship with Paul Brown’s players.
Fact: During the next 30 years in Cleveland, not a single Modell team won the league title.
Note — The above information courtesy of NFL Record & Fact Book, Cleveland Browns media guide and Wikipedia.
LUDWIG AT LARGE has something he’d like to get off his not-so-hairy chest.
The last thing I need to see or hear or read is Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh pandering to former Browns and Ravens owner Arthur B. Modell, the grinch who stole football from Cleveland for three years (1996-98) and anointed himself savior of the Port of Baltimore and the great state of Maryland.
I’ve heard, read and seen all the arguments attempting to exonerate Modell for moving the Browns to Baltimore after the ‘95 season; how he supposedly and allegedly did all he could to keep the team in Cleveland, and I don’t buy ‘em.
Modell had promised many times he’d never move the team from Cleveland, and he lied.
All Modell would’ve had to do is call a news conference in the early 1990s, with every important media outlet in Northeast Ohio present, look into the TV cameras and say, “If the Cleveland Browns don’t get a new stadium, the franchise will be moving.”
Instead, he sat in one of Alfred Lerner’s jets and struck a deal with Maryland authorities to move the club.
The city of Cleveland will never forget or forgive Modell, considered to this day to be the most hated man in Cleveland. That’s why he hasn’t returned to the city since 1996. Even when Lou “The Toe” Groza died on Nov. 29, 2000, at the age of 76 — his Browns’ uniform number — Modell didn’t attend the funeral because he feared for his safety.
So it really comes as no surprise that Harbaugh — when asked, “What do you think of the rivalry between the Browns and the Ravens?” — washes Modell’s feet with his tears and dries them with his hair.
IN HARBAUGH’S WORDS:
“Art Modell has become a mentor, and we’ve had a chance to spend some time with he and his wife Pat. So we’ve had a chance to go through some of the history, and I grew up with the history just like you (media) did.
“What he’s done for Baltimore, and the way that whole thing played out (moving the Browns team to Baltimore), I think it’s played out in a real positive way, in a way that nobody could have anticipated.
“It’s been so great for this city and for this region. And I think he’s a hero in so many ways. He did everything he could to keep the franchise in Cleveland, and providence didn’t make that happen. And so, he made the best of it, came here and made a bunch of people really happy.
“I’m proud to be a part of this organization now and be in Baltimore. He’s a hero in my mind.”
For more information on Art Modell, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Modell
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AFC North: Big Ben & Big Willie
ROETHLISBERGER GIVES
NBC REPORTER KREMER
THE OL’ STIFF ARM
NBC Sports reporter Andrea Kremer kept hammering away.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger kept giving her a Heisman Trophy-like stiff arm.
No way was he going to address his shoulder injury after Pittsburgh’s 10-6 victory at Cleveland on Sunday night.
The Steelers reported the shoulder as “sore” before the game. NBC called it “separated.”
Somehow, Roethlisberger completed 12 of 19 passes for 186 yards and improved to 10-0 in his home state of Ohio.
Kremer pressed Roethlisberger about the shoulder three times in a post-game interview. He rebuffed her each time, choosing to praise his offensive line and tailback Willie Parker (28 carries, 105 yards) instead. It was Parker’s 23rd career 100-yard rushing game.
“(For the) last time — how did your separated shoulder hold up?” Kremer asked.
“My O-line’s waiting for me,” Roethlisberger said. “They did a great job. Let me go congratulate them.”
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s reaction?
“They (NBC Sports) know more than I did,” he said. “That’s good television, I guess. He’s hurting pretty bad, but he’s a tough character. Is he 100 percent? No. But no one plays as hard as he does without getting banged up.”
BROWNS: NOT PANICKING AT ALL
Quarterback Derek Anderson was plagued by more than a brutal wind against the Steelers.
Braylon Edwards (3 catches, 32 yards) dropped three balls and Kellen Winslow (game-high 7 catches, 55 yards) dropped one.
“People want to look at dropped passes as a problem, but it’s not just that,” Anderson said. “I’ve also made some bad throws.”
He’s 29 of 56 passing for 280 yards, one TD and two picks for a 57.1 passer rating.
“We’ve put the Dallas game behind us, and now we’re putting this game behind us,” linebacker Willie McGinest said. “We’re not panicking, not at all. We’re not putting our heads down. We’re going to keep fighting.”
RAVENS: LOVIN’ BIG WILLIE
Baltimore’s Week 2 bye — forced by Hurricane Ike — could be a blessing in disguise. Right offensive tackle Willie Anderson got more practice snaps. The ex-Bengal is fast becoming a locker room leader.
“Willie is doing a nice job,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He looks better every day. You can see why he’s got the reputation that he’s had. What I’ve been impressed with is he’s really gone out of his way to become a Raven and to mentor those young linemen. He’s been good for our team from that standpoint — kind of in the Lorenzo Neal mold.”
Oops, Neal’s ANOTHER ex-Bengal.
Harbaugh said Big Willie “plays as a real mauler. But his personality is kind of quiet and cerebral — a student of the game. He’s been great with our guys as far as some of those fine points that only a player of his caliber could really give to the younger players.”
BENGALS: NEXT MAN UP
Left cornerback Johnathan Joseph’s sprained ankle means second-year vet David Jones will get more practice reps and could start against the Giants.
Jones got beat in the front left corner of the end zone by Titans wideout Justin Gage for an 11-yard TD at 0:38 of the second quarter in the Bengals’ 24-7 loss.
“It was a mistake on my part,” Jones said. “You’ve got to have a short memory playing corner. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. You make a good play, you’ve got to forget about it. Same with a bad play.”
Contact Chick Ludwig at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com
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Joseph’s ankle triggers shakeup
CLUB NEEDED A CORNER,
SO POPE GETS PROMOTION
Bengals’ left cornerback Johnathan Joseph’s sprained ankle triggered a series of moves on Tuesday, Sept. 16, as the club signed cornerback Geoffrey Pope off the practice squad and released guard Frank Davis from the 53-man active roster.
The club also added two players to the practice squad — third-year linebacker Abdul Hodge and first-year offensive tackle Dennis Roland.
Pope’s promotion, coupled with linebacker Dan Howell’s release from the practice squad, created two practice squad openings.
THE COMPLETE RUNDOWN
OF BENGALS’ ROSTER MOVES
—-Signed CB Geoffrey Pope to the 53-man active roster from the Bengals practice squad.
Pope (6-0, 186; Howard) is a first-year NFL player. He spent most of last season on the N.Y. Giants practice squad, and played in two postseason games for New York after being signed to the roster following the conclusion of the regular season.
He was waived by the Giants in ’08 final roster cuts and was signed to the Bengals practice squad on Sept. 3.
—-Waived G Frank Davis, a third-year player from South Florida. Davis joined the Bengals on Aug. 31 as a waiver acquisition from Detroit. He was a game day inactive for the first two games.
BENGALS PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES:
—-Signed LB Abdul Hodge (6-0, 236), a third-year player from Iowa.
Hodge entered the NFL in 2006 as a third-round draft choice of Green Bay.
He played in eight Packers games in ’06 and was on Green Bay’s Reserve/Injured list (knee) last season. He played in all four Packers 2008 preseason games (20 tackles) and was waived by Green Bay on Sept. 1.
—-Signed OT Dennis Roland (6-9, 325), first-year player from Georgia.
Roland was originally signed to the practice squad on Sept. 3, but had been released on Sept. 11.
Roland entered the NFL in 2006 as a college free agent signee with Dallas. He spent most of 2006 and 2007 on Tampa Bay’s practice squad. He was on Tampa Bay’s 53-player roster for two games in 2007 (game-day inactive). He was waived by Tampa Bay during 2008 final roster cuts.
—-Released LB Dan Howell, a rookie from Washington. Howell was with the Bengals in preseason, was waived on Aug. 30, and was signed to the practice squad on Aug. 31.
NOTE — The Bengals had two practice squad spots open, because in addition to the waiving of Howell, a spot was opened when CB Geoffrey Pope was signed from the practice squad to the roster.
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Was WR Simpson an ‘08 draft mistake?
EAGLES STAR DeSEAN JACKSON
WENT 3 PICKS AFTER SIMPSON
===Today’s subject is Jerome Simpson. LUDWIG AT LARGE wants to know: What in the world are the Cincinnati Bengals waiting for? The club needs to do one of two things. Either admit you made a mistake in drafting him … or … JUST THROW HIM THE DAMN BALL!!!===
A quick check of the numbers shows the Cincinnati Bengals made a huge mistake in the 2008 NFL Draft.
With the 46th overall pick in the second round, they selected Coastal Carolina wide receiver Jerome Simpson, He’s only had a cup of coffee on the field so far in two games and is still looking for his first NFL reception.
Three picks later at No. 49 in the second round, the Philadelphia Eagles grabbed University of California wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
In two games for the 1-1 Eagles, Jackson has 12 catches for 216 yards, a whopping 18.0 yards-per-receptions average, with a long gain of 60.
That said, Jackson made the biggest bonehead play of the 2008 season in the Eagles’ 41-37 loss at Dallas on Monday Night Football.
He sprinted past the Cowboys secondary, caught a bomb from Donovan McNabb and dashed into the end zone for what appeared to be a 61-yard TD reception.
But the knucklehead rookie flipped the ball backward at the 1-yard line, costing him his first NFL touchdown.
Replays showed the hot-dogging Jackson clearly released the ball before crossing the goal line.
The Eagles were given the ball on the 1 and scored on the next play, taking Jackson off the hook.
The sad thing is: Had the Bengals selected Jackson instead of Simpson, they’d have buried him behind Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh just like they’re doing to Simpson.
I feel sorry for Simpson. He’s a great talent who’s not being used right by the Bengals. What are they waiting for? UNLEASH HIM!!! Right now, Simpson is a pretty expensive ornament on the sidelines. What’s his mind set?
“I’m just waiting for my number to get called,” Simpson said.
Hey, Bengals, just in case you forgot.
The number is “89.”
Peace out.
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Marvin’s drafts (by the numbers)
MARVIN LEWIS was named the Cincinnati Bengals head coach on Jan. 14, 2003.
A quick glance at his drafts.
BY THE NUMBERS
53 — total players selected in 6 seasons.
21 — drafted Bengals currently on the 53-man roster.
12 — drafted Bengals are currently starters.
5 — current Bengals starters are first-round draft picks (QB Carson Palmer, TB Chris Perry, CB Johnathan Joseph, CB Leon Hall and LB Keith Rivers).
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Palmer has lowest QB rating of NFL starters
Carson Palmer is hanging in there, despite having the lowest passer rating of all 32 NFL starting quarterbacks at 37.0.
The two-time Pro Bowler (2005-06) has completed just 25-of-51 passes (49 percent) for 228 yards, no TDs, three interceptions and three sacks.
With a trip to the Meadowlands for a showdown against the Super Bowl champion New York Giants on the agenda, the only bowl the Bengals seem headed for in 2008 is the Toilet Bowl. They’re 0-2 for the first time since 2003 and three of the next four games are on the road.
“We just need to try to find a way to stay positive,” Palmer said. “The best way to look at our situation is that we’re 0-2; we’re by no means out of the playoffs, and we’ve got a definite uphill battle ahead of us.
“Who better to get your mind-set back than going into the defending world champion’s home and getting a win? For confidence, for momentum, for the rest of the year … get our first win, try to get on a roll and see what can happen.”
Two fourth-quarter interceptions in Sunday’s 24-7 loss to Tennessee sent Palmer’s passer rating plummeting to 41.3 from 83.8.
On first down at the Titans’ 31, Palmer’s pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh down the left sideline was under-thrown, and cornerback Cortland Finnegan picked it off at the 7-yard line. Later, Palmer overthrew Reggie Kelly. Safety Michael Griffin gobbled it up.
“He had one bad throw (toward Houshmandzadeh),” Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. “He knew better than to make that pass. We had the ball at their 31-yard line. We should have waited to let other things happen before making that throw.
“His effectiveness is not where it needs to be. He has handled making the mistakes well, though. We just don’t want him to press. The team doesn’t need to press, because when you press, that’s when you make mistakes.”
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TE Utech likely out this week
Strong safety Dexter Jackson (thumb) and free safety Herana-Daze Jones (hamstring) will be sidelined for a second straight week when the Cincinnati Bengals visit the New York Giants on Sunday, Sept. 21.
Tight end Ben Utecht will probably be shelved after sustaining a chest injury on the first play from scrimmage in the Bengals’ 24-7 loss to Tennessee.
“We’ll see where he is, but he’s unlikely to play,” head coach Marvin Lewis said on Monday, adding that cornerback Johnathan Joseph has an ankle sprain “and might be (out) a little longer.”
Frustration sets in
“I’m pretty sure some frustration is getting built up,” tailback Chris Perry said about the team’s 0-2 start. “But it’s something you have to let go as soon as Wednesday comes around because you have to start practicing for the next team.
“I would be lying if I said there’s not frustration. But it’s not something that’s going to dwell with us. We’ll look at it on film, and then get rid of it.”
Flags fly
Among the Bengals’ five penalties for 35 yards: The defense had 12 men on the field; the offense had 12 men in the huddle; and Chad Ocho Cinco was hit with offensive holding.
“We’re inconsistent and we’re not getting the job done,” right guard Bobbie Williams said. “We have to do better, plain and simple. There’s not a whole lot of explaining. We put it out there on film, and it’s not pretty.”
Quick hitters
- Glenn Holt’s 30.7-yard average on three kickoff returns was a positive.
“My blockers really help me out a lot,” Holt said. “I tell ‘em: ‘I just read the block. Take ‘em which way you want to take ‘em and I’ll read it.’”
- Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck blocked Kyle Larson’s punt, then recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.
“I needed to one-step the ball and get it off, and I two-stepped it,” Larson said.
- Chad Ocho Cinco has at least one catch in 94 straight games, a club record.
Quote machine
“We’re 0-2 and we’re going to get to work, and we’re going to go beat the New York Giants. That’s all we can do. We’re not going to sit here and whine about it. We lost the game. We didn’t play good enough to win, so we didn’t deserve to win. We’re going to take the criticism and we’re going to get it corrected. We’re going to work better and get after it.” — Marvin Lewis.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@coxohio.com.
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A busy, BRUTAL day for ‘The Chickster’
SHUTTING BLOG DOWN EARLY
DUE TO ‘WAR ROOM’ DAMAGE
XAVIER CLUB FOOTBALL TEAM’S
OPENER VS. MSJ POSTPONED
===LUDWIG AT LARGE alert: The Miamisburg War Room sustained substantial damage from high winds on Sunday, Sept. 14. Because of it, this will be my sixth and final blog posting for Monday, Sept. 15. “The Chickster” would like to thank all loyal readers for making “Ludwig At Large” one of the most popular blogs at DaytonDailyNews.com===
Xavier University Club Football Coach Tom (Tower Of) Powers Jr. telephoned me this morning to report that XU’s season-opening game against the College of Mount Saint Joseph Junior Varsity has been postponed because of a power outage at Withrow High School’s stadium in Cincinnati.
The game was originally scheduled for tonight, Monday, Sept. 15, 2008, at 7 at Withrow — A.K.A. “The ‘Row.”
Powers is working feverishly with the coaching staff of The Mount to get the game rescheduled.
For updates on XU football, go to:
http://www.xavier.edu/football/
THEY SAID IT …
“When I go to DaytonDailyNews.com and read The Chickster’s prose, you know what I do? I dim the lights, pour myself some chardonnay and cuddle up by the fire.” — Tim Carley, St. Louis-based sports publicist
“Ludwig At Large is one of the most entertaining and informative blogs on The Web.” — Joe Starkey, ESPN radio sports talk show host, Pittsburgh.
“Ludwig At Large is a must-read every day.” — Ken Broo, WLWT-TV sports director, Cincinnati.
“I love The Chickster!” — Alan Cutler, WCKY-AM (1530 Homer, The Sports Animal) sports talk show host.
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ESPN’s Eric Allen is a genius
EX-EAGLE TURNED ANALYST
PREDICTED BENGALS WOULD
DISINTEGRATE INTO 3-13
Twelve men are in the huddle. You’re allowed only 11.
Twelve men are on the field on defense. You’re allowed only 11.
Fair catch interference.
Offensive holding by a wide receiver.
The 2008 Cincinnati Bengals of Marvin Lewis are reminding me of the 2002 Cincinnati Bengals of Dick LeBeau.
I thought ESPN’s Eric Allen was insane when he predicted the Bengals would go 3-13.
Now he’s looking like a genius.
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No-name QBs become Hall of Famers
‘BUNGLES’ HAVE STORIED HISTORY
OF TURNING DUDS INTO STUDS
It all started on Sept. 20, 1992, when second-year quarterback Brett Favre relieved injured starter Don “Majik” Majkowski and led the Green Bay Packers to a stunning 24-23 victory with a 35-yard laser to Kitrick Taylor with 13 seconds remaining at Lambeau Field.
Since then, the Bengals have graciously turned no-name quarterbacks — youngsters and journeymen — into Pro Football Hall of Famers. Here’s a list of knucklehead QBs who have beaten The Bungles:
Brett Favre, Packers
Eric Zeier, Browns
Donald Hollas, Raiders
Billy Volek, Titans
Bruce Gradkowski, Buccaneers
Jay Cutler, Broncos
Derek Anderson, Browns
Damon Huard, Chiefs
Shaun Hill, 49ers
Joe Flacco, Ravens
Kerry Collins, Titans
… And the beat goes on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU10TZs1ow0&feature=related
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Aiming for (and missing) the ‘Trifecta’
ELDER PANTHERS’ TRIUMPH
SUBS FOR BUCKEYES, BENGALS
Each weekend during the football season, “The Chickster” wonders about the “trifecta” — victories for Elder High School, Ohio State and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Three wins never-ever-ever happens. Take this weekend for example:
The Elder Panthers held up their end, pounding the LaSalle Lancers in “The Pit” at Elder Stadium.
But Ohio State got smothered by the Southern California Trojans, 35-3, at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Then the Bengals got embarrassed by the Tennessee Titans, 24-7, at Paul Brown Stadium.
Former Elder quarterback Bob Kramer (Class of ‘72) taught the Elder student body this song at a pep rally prior to a big Elder-LaSalle showdown:
Blood on the saddle,
Blood on the ground,
Great big puddles of blood all around …
Pity the Lancer,
Bloody in red,
A great big Panther done stomped on his head.
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Hentrich belongs in Paleozoic Museum
TITANS PUNTER HENTRICH
A DYNAMITE DINOSAUR
In terms of NFL “years,” Tennessee Titans veteran punter Craig Hentrich is a dinosaur.
He’s 37 years old, stands 6-foot-3, weighs 213 pounds, has thinning hair … and a smile on his face.
The Alton, Ill., native — who attended Marquette High School in Ottawa, Ill., and the University of Notre Dame — is in his 15th NFL season.
It only seems like he’s been punting in the league since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
Hentrich fumbled a punt snap, had another punt get deflected … then boomed a 70-yard punt — the fifth-longest AGAINST CINCINNATI IN THE 41-YEAR HISTORY OF THE BENGALS FRANCHISE.
The ball trickled out of bounds at the Bengals’ 2-yard line.
It was THAT kind of day for the Bengals, who are fast becoming the gang that couldn’t shoot straight.
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In Marvin’s words: Read ‘em & weep
ADMITS ‘BONE HEAD’ PLAY;
PUNT BLOCK ‘RIDICULOUS’
===LUDWIG AT LARGE alert: If “The Chickster” hears the word “INCONSISTENT” one more time, I’m headed for the bath tub with a knife & razor blade.===
Bang, smack or click line below for Marvin’s post-game comments
IN MARVIN LEWIS’ WORDS:
After the way we played a week ago, to come back and have some of the same things kind of bite us in the butt a little bit … to be inconsistent on offense, to be inconsistent on defense, and then as well on special teams … all three phases … we lost as a football team today. There was not one phase that played consistently well enough for 60 minutes.
We had the bonehead play before halftime … and you have a punt blocked — that’s ridiculous. It was just a poor play. We don’t make enough plays consistently enough and we’re sitting here 0-2.
We have to go back and grind harder. You’ve got to grind harder and you’ve got to grind smarter. We’ve got to play smarter. I told ‘em whether it be our quarterback, whether it be our wide receivers, whether it be our back who fumbled the ball twice in the game early, whether it be our cornerbacks … we’ve got to go back and grind harder, coach harder and play harder.
We had 12 men on the field (on defense). We had a guy injured and that’s no excuse for it. So we’re down a sub and we’ve got to go back with another sub. But we had a guy stay out on the field who’s not supposed to be out there — point blank.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE OFFENSE?
It goes to the fundamentals of what you’re doing. You’ve got to block ‘em, you’ve got to throw. You’ve got to catch it and you’ve got to run it. You can’t be one-dimensional. We’re not consistently executing well enough right now. It was hard to really get the passing offense going today in the wind. That one’s hard for me to evaluate.
What you did last year really doesn’t matter or the year before that. You’ve got to come in and get ready to play. You’ve got to go put out this year. This is the ‘08 version. and you’ve got to be up to that. I do think our perimeter guys (Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh) that hadn’t had much time (together), they were back and played better and were playing faster. We’ve got to keep building on that. We just didn’t get many opportunities because of the wind.
Chris (Perry) got to get some things going and got to feel good and comfortable in there. We’ve just got to keep going.
DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWN AT END OF HALF
We’ve got to play smarter. It’s second and whatever (7). Everybody knew — other than maybe the 11 guys on the field — they were going to run the draw because they don’t want to give the ball back to us. It’s going to be a running play there. They have the ball. They’re getting the ball coming out after halftime. They’re probably going to play a little more conservatively. We’ve got to play smarter, and then we miss the tackle. We wind up giving up not three points, but seven points before halftime.
We’ve got to play smarter. Obviously, we’ve got to play better physically, but play smarter — understand situations in the game and make better plays in critical areas.
We’re 0-2 and we’re going to get to work and we’re going to go beat the New York Giants in New York. That’s all we can do. We’re not going to sit here and whine about it. We lost the football game. We didn’t play good enough to win, point blank. So we didn’t deserve to win. We’re going to take the criticism and we’re going to get it corrected. We’re going to get back to work. We’re going to work better, and get after it.
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Cincinnati Bengals implode, fall to Titans, 24-7; go from bad to worse
THINGS ARE GETTING UGLY:
KISS THE SEASON GOODBYE
AS BENGALS FALL TO 0-2
WITH 3 OF NEXT 4 ON ROAD
And you thought the Cincinnati Bengals’ performance at Baltimore last week was bad.
This week’s home opener was worse.
The Bengals — taking a page out of Ohio State’s playbook (the Buckeyes spent Saturday night pooping in their pants and peeing down their legs in the Los Angeles Coliseum) — laid a Ostrich-sized egg in a 24-7 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Sept. 14.
Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck trash-talked all week, then backed it up. He blocked a Kyle Larson punt in the end zone and recovered it for a touchdown — the game’s final points.
LenDale White scored on a 1-yard plunge; Kerry Collins tossed an 11-yard TD pass to Justin Gage; Rob Bironas booted a 34-yard field goal; and Craig Hentrich unleased a 70-yard punt.
Time was stopped when a fan threw a full beer bottle on the field with 14:05 to go.
Fans flooded the exits at the start of the fourth quarter so they could go home to their power-less houses.
More than 400,000 homes in the Tri-State area are without power. Wind gusts are anywhere from 50 to 80 mph.
Trash swirled around Paul Brown Stadium most of the game.
There was plenty of garbage on the offensive side of the field … when the Bengals had the ball.
Their only touchdown came on Chris Perry’s first career rushing TD in the second quarter.
Carson Palmer tossed two interceptions — under throwing T.J. Houshmandzadeh and over-throwing Reggie Kelly — and was replaced the final minute and a half by backup Ryan Fitzpatrick
Palmer completed 16 of 27 passes for 134 yards, two picks, no TDs and a 41.3 passser rating.
Tight end Ben Utecht suffered a chest injury on the first play from scrimmage … and it was all downhill from there.
TENNESSEE TITANS 24, CINCINNATI BENGALS 7
Tennessee Titans 0-14-3-7 — 24
Cincinnati Bengals 0-7-0-0 — 7
FIRST QUARTER
No scoring.
SECOND QUARTER
Titans — LenDale White, 1 run (Rob Bironas kick), 11:06 to go, Tennessee leads, 7-0.
Bengals — Chris Perry, 13 run (Shayne Graham kick), 3:13 to go. Score tied, 7-7.
Titans — Justin Gage, 11 pass from Kerry Collins (Bironas kick), 0:38 to go. Tennessee leads, 14-7.
THIRD QUARTER
Titans — Bironas, 34 FG, 4:49 to go. Tennessee leads, 17-7.
FOURTH QUARTER
Titans — Keith Bulluck, recovered blocked punt in end zone (Bironas kick), 14:05 to go. Tennessee leads, 24-7.
Attendance — 64,540
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Halftime: Titans 14, Bengals 7
Chris Perry’s first career rushing touchdown came on a fourth-and-1 burst off right tackle from 13 yards out with 3:16 remaining in the second quarter.
But the Tennessee Titans came roaring back, blowing down the field with a 7-play, 80-yard drive that QB Kerry Collins finished with an 11-yard pass to Justin Gage in the left front corner of the end zone at 0:38, giving the Titans a 14-7 halftime lead.
Tailback LenDale White’s 1-yard plunge put Tennessee ahead 7-0 at 11:06 of the second quarter.
Cincinnati tied the score at 7 with Perry’s third career TD (first rushing).
What was so disturbing about the Titans’ final drive of the half was that five plays were runs of 2, 2, 3, 51 and 9 yards.
Chris Johnson’s 51-yard burst over right guard came on second-and-12 from the Titans’ 29 to the Bengals’ 20.
On the big play, Bengals strong safety Chinedum Ndukwe got faked out and whiffed on a tackle.
Two plays later, Gage got loose on the perimeter and beat cornerback David Jones for the TD.
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View from the press box…
No score at the end of the first quarter.
I see a No. 34 “Kevin Kaesviharn” Bengals jersey in the stands.
I see a No. 86 “Carl Pickens” Titans jersey in the stands.
The Bengals look awful because they’re going into a wind that’s gusting 21 to 31 mph.
Bengals’ gunner Kyries Hebert committed Cincinnati’s first stupid penalty of the game — fair catch interference, allowing the Titans to set up the final drive of the first quarter at their 39-yard line.
Ben Utecht will not return the remainder of the half, and the Bengals’ PR staff just announced that Utecht’s second-half return is doubtful.
The Titans are on Cincy’s 16-yard line and it’s so quiet in this joint I can hear a pin drop
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TE Ben Utecht hurt on 1st play
BENGALS’ BEN UTECHT
SUFFERS CHEST INJURY
RETURN TO GAME
IS QUESTIONABLE
BENGALS tight end Ben Utecht crumpled to the ground on the first play from scrimmage in Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans.
Carson Palmer’s 5-yard pass bounced off Utecht’s hands and he went down hard, holding up the game for several minutes.
Utecht was diagnosed with a chest injury, and his return is questionable. He was helped off the field by two members of the Bengals medical staff.
SUNDAY’S INACTIVES
CINCINNATI BENGALS
QB Jordan Palmer
SS Dexter Jackson
FB Reagan Maui’a
FS Herana-Daze Jones
LG Frank Davis
WR Andre Caldwell
DT Pat Sims
DT Jason Shirley
LINEUP CHANGES — RDE Frostee Rucker, SLB Darryl Blackstock and SS Chinedum Ndukwe start in place of Antwan Odom, Rashad Jeanty and Dexter Jackson.
TENNESSEE TITANS
QB Vince Young
WR Paul Williams
RB Quinton Ganther
RB Chris Henry
LB Stanford Keglar
OT Mike Otto
DE Jacob Ford
WR Lavelle Hawkins
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Bengals-Titans: The Chickster’s ‘Punishing Pigskin Preview’ from PBS
WILL TITANS GET REVENGE?
WILL BENGALS REBOUND?
ANSWERS COME SUNDAY
FROM THE ‘NATI AT 4:20 P.M.
===LUDWIG AT LARGE wants to know from loyal readers: Are you fired up for today’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans? Here’s some info I hope you’ll enjoy.===
3 KEYS TO BENGALS’ SUCCESS
Pass protection: The OL has to tighten up against a rugged Titans defense that sacked Jaguars QB David Garrard seven times. The Bengals will get hit in the mouth, and their challenge is to respond. The line, tight ends and backs are all to blame for the shaky blitz pickup. This issue must be fixed now.
Defensive discipline: The defense lacks toughness and discipline. All it takes is one player trying to do too much and it gets the entire unit into trouble. The slightest hesitation or departure from a gap in a formation adjustment will allow the Titans to exploit the mistake and win with an explosive play.
Punt coverage: Kyle Larson unleashed some great punts — seven for a 45.1-yard average, including two inside-the-20 jobs — at Baltimore. But there was a problem. The coverage was slow getting down the field, and the Ravens’ Yamon Figurs got loose on four returns for 56 yards, a 14.0 average. The coverage must be swift and sound in order for the Bengals to defeat the Titans.
AHH, AREAS OF CONCERN
RUNNING GAME — The Bengals are in trouble here because of the physicality of the Titans front seven led by DT Albert Haynesworth, DE Kyle Vanden Bosch and OLB Keith Bulluck. Haynesworth’s absence helped trigger the Bengals’ 35-6 victory a year ago. He’s a monster who uses his great strength to get leverage and penetration at the point of attack. The Bengals have a physical and experienced OL, but it needs to operate with a faster tempo and allow TB Chris Perry to get in better rhythm. The Bengals can open holes, but they close too quickly because of the line’s inability to reach the second level. The stretch play? Scrap it because it doesn’t work.
PASSING GAME — Seven sacks against the Jaguars is an indication of just how formidable the Titans’ defense has become. The challenge this week is to contain the rush and give QB Carson Palmer time to deliver the ball accurately. WRs Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh must be physical against CBs Cortland Finnegan and Nick Harper, and find holes in the defense. The weak link on the OL is center Eric Ghiaciuc. If he struggles to neutralize DTs Haynesworth and Tony Brown, there won’t be a pocket for Palmer to step into because of the push coming up the middle. Before Palmer can throw it down the field, the protection must be there. The containment of pass-rushing ends Vanden Bosch and Jevon Kearse is priority No. 1 because Palmer needs time to spread the ball around.
THE BLITZ — The Titans don’t have to blitz much because the front four is so physically skilled at applying pressure on their own that the defense doesn’t have to scheme in order to get heat on the quarterback. After watching film of how the Ravens used their athletic personnel to attack the Bengals from all angles, Tennessee will likely add some wrinkles of pressure. When that happens, TEs Reggie Kelly and Ben Utecht, and RBs Perry and Kenny Watson, need to be important contributors in blitz pickup, which hasn’t happened so far this season. The line, backs and TEs have all played a part in putting Palmer in harm’s way.
IN THE RED ZONE — Before the Bengals can get in the end, they first must worry about getting in the red zone. Once they do claw inside the Titans’ 20-yard line, they must get creative. Of course, they’ll try to slice Perry and Watson through the line of scrimmage. If that doesn’t work, they’ll need to try Houshmandzadeh and Utecht over the middle or send Chad Johnson and rookie Jerome Simpson to the corners on fade patterns. The Bengals drafted Simpson in the second round for a reason. Throw the ball up and away. With his superb hands and leaping ability, Simpson has the skills to go get it.
BOTTOM LINE PREDICTION
Tennessee runs the ball better and has a stronger defense than Cincinnati. Plus, the Bengals have a long history of falling apart against QBs who are either young, inexperienced players or journeyman veterans. The Titans’ Kerry Collins will join a growing list of Bengals’ slayers that includes Brett Favre, Eric Zeier, Donald Hollas, Billy Volek, Bruce Gradkowski, Ben Roethlisberger, Jay Cutler, Derek Anderson, Damon Huard, Shaun Hill and Joe Flacco. So why am I picking the Bengals to win (23-20)? Two reasons. The Bengals are at home, and The Chickster is insane.
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Hurricane Ike hits Bengals’ schedule
BENGALS WILL PLAY
AT HOUSTON OCT. 26;
BYE IS NOW NOV. 9
HURRICANE IKE FORCES
TEXANS, RAVENS TO HAVE
THEIR BYES THIS WEEKEND
NFL’S REVISED SCHEDULES
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Oct. 26, at Houston Texans, 4:05 p.m.
Nov. 9, Bye
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Sept. 14, Bye
Nov. 9, at Houston Texans, 1 p.m.
HOUSTON TEXANS
Sept. 14, Bye
Oct. 26, Cincinnati Bengals, 4:05 p.m.
Nov. 9, Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.
The NFL announced Saturday, Sept. 13, that the Bengals’ scheduled game at the Houston Texans, originally set for Sunday, Nov. 9, has been changed to Sunday, Oct. 26 at 4:05 p.m.
The Bengals originally had a bye for the weekend of Oct. 26, but Cincinnati’s bye will now be the weekend of Nov. 9.
The changes were made as part of a three-team rescheduling shufffled caused by damage in Houston from Hurricane Ike, including significant damage to Houston’s Reliant Stadium.
Because conditions in Houston will prevent this weekend’s Baltimore at Houston game from being played, the Baltimore-Houston game has been rescheduled for Nov. 9.
The Ravens and Texans will now have their byes this weekend.
Baltimore’s bye had orginally been scheduled the weekend of Nov. 9, and Houston’s bye had originally been scheduled the weekend of Oct. 26.
For more information, go to:
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The injury that hurts the most
HERANA-DAZE JONES
WILL BE SORELY MISSED
IF HE CANNOT PLAY
AGAINST THE TITANS
The injury that hurts the Bengals the most is backup FS Herana-Daze Jones’ strained hamstring because he’s the squad’s No. 1 wrecking ball in kick coverage on special teams.
Jones, who is listed as doubtful, hasn’t practiced this week and will likely be deactivated against the Titans.
Jones is a joy to watch because he’s a fast, fearless and tough defender who brings unbridled enthusiasm to the field.
He’s strong enough to fight off double-team blocks, swift enough to get downfield quickly and instinctive enough to find the ball and deliver hits with authority.
He’s a wrap-up tackler, skilled at wrestling ball carriers to the ground.
The Bengals are better with SS Chinedum Ndukwe replacing aging veteran Dexter Jackson (thumb).
CB David Jones (concussion) is questionable. If he can’t play, rookie FS Corey Lynch should be utilized in the nickel package because of his ball-hawking skills.
RE Frostee Rucker played his best game in three seasons in the opener at Baltimore — he was active and rugged — but a foot injury makes him questionable against the Titans, opening the door for RE Antwan Odom to start against his former team.
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Some levity, courtesy of ‘Spellcheck’
‘SPELLCHECK’ IS FUN STUFF
BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT YOU’RE GONNA GET
HAVE A GOOD SPELLCHECK TALE?
PLEASE SEND IT ‘CHICKSTER’
OR IS IT REALLY CHICHESTER?
===LUDWIG AT LARGE is a big “spellcheck” guy. Being a spelling stickler dates to my sophomore year at The Ohio State University when journalism professor John Clarke scolded our J-201 editing class: “YOUR PROBLEM ISN’T WRITING! IT’S SPELLING!” Thanks, Dr. C. You’re a true prince in gym shoes.===
First, the real word … then the first “spellcheck” option … then the Web-based dictionary definition, courtesy of Wikipedia & Answers.com & others:
Haynesworth … Unseaworthy (“Unfit for a voyage.”)
Ghiaciuc … Gliacyte (“Pathology: A branching glial cell found in the neuroglia.”)
von Oelhoffen … Yellowfin (“Tuna, dark with strong flavour; may reach 400 pounds; eaten by humans as food.”)
Utecht … Hatchet (“Tomahawk: weapon consisting of a fighting ax; used by North American Indians.”)
Chickster … Chichester (“A municipal borough of southern England near the English Channel east of Southampton. Called Regnum by the Romans, it was a major port in the Middle Ages. Population: 27,400. Chichester is noted for its early Norman cathedral, begun in the late 11th century, and for its pastoral landscapes.”)
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PBS: ‘Home, Sour Home’
OPPONENTS DON’T FEAR
ENTERING ‘THE JUNGLE;’
THE QUESTION IS, WHY?
TOO MANY DISTRACTIONS
HAUNT BENGALS AT HOME
===LUDWIG AT LARGE alert: Coming Sunday morning…drum roll, please…The Chickster’s Punishing Pigskin Preview of the Bengals-Titans. It includes the Bengals’ Keys to Success, Areas of Concern and Bottom Line prediction. So puh-LEEZE check back before the 1 p.m. kickoff!===
Inquiring minds want to know:
Why can’t the Cincinnati Bengals win consistently at home?
I believe there are too many distractions for the Bengals players at home games. I believe they let down at home, thinking opponents are going to lay down. I believe that if the Bengals don’t win on Sunday, they’ll be 0-7 at their Oct. 26 bye week.
Have a theory? Send it my way.
“HOME, SOUR HOME”
BENGALS HOME RECORD
AT PAUL BROWN STADIUM
Year-Coach-Record (Overall)
2000-*Bruce Coslet-3-5 (4-12)
2001-Dick LeBeau-4-4 (6-10)
2002-Dick LeBeau-1-7 (2-14)
2003-Marvin Lewis-5-3 (8-8)
2004-Marvin Lewis-5-3 (8-8)
2005-Marvin Lewis-5-3 (11-5)
2006-Marvin Lewis-4-4 (8-8)
2007-Marvin Lewis-5-3 (7-9)
Note 1 — Coslet resigned 3 games into 2000, the inaugural season at PBS, and was replaced by LeBeau.
Note 2 — The last time the Bengals went undefeated at home (8-0) was the Super Bowl season of 1988.
Note 3 — The last time they went 6-2 at home was 1997 under Coslet.
Note 4 — Despite schedule expansion to 16 games in 1978, the Bengals have never gone 7-1 at home.
TORNADO WARNING
(From Anthony Haley)
“NEW TORNADO POLICY for the Cincinnati and nearby areas:
“In case of possible tornadoes sweeping through the Cincinnati and nearby areas, we ask that all residents take shelter at Paul Brown Stadium.
“We are certain that a touchdown will not occur there.
“Thank you for your cooperation,
“Nacional Wetter Bureau”
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Bengals-Titans: 4 reasons why you should watch Cincy’s home opener
CAN PALMER BOUNCE BACK?
THAT’S CINCY QB’S CHALLENGE
The Paul Brown Stadium crowd’s reaction to Bengals WR Chad Ocho Cinco will be worth the price of admission. His trade demand fell on deaf ears in the offseason. Now he’s asking the fans for forgiveness. Will there be cheers, boos or a mixture of both? The fans’ treatment of one of the greatest players in franchise history will be an interesting dynamic.
“The Jungle” has been way too friendly for enemies. The Bengals’ best home record in Marvin Lewis’ five previous seasons — even during their 2005 playoff run — was 5-3 (4 times). With a Sept. 21 road date with the New York Giants looming, Sunday’s home opener against Tennessee finds the Bengals in a must-win situation.
Titans rookie tailback Chris Johnson, the No. 24 overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft from East Carolina, hits town. Johnson is an exciting player who runs hard and has the kind of rare speed needed to take a handoff to the house when he finds a crease. And his running mate, LenDale White, knows how to finish at the goal line.
The Bengals’ Carson Palmer is one of the league’s best quarterbacks. But he suffered through one of the worst performances of his career in a 17-10 loss at Baltimore when he completed only 10 of 25 passes for 99 yards, an interception that wasn’t his fault, and a 35.2 passer rating. Can he bounce back? He usually does. Yes, that’s his challenge.
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Chinny’s back: ‘Doom’s Day’ on Sunday
DEXTER JACKSON OUT;
CHINNY ‘DOOM’ IS IN
NDUKWE GETS FIRST ACTION
SINCE TRAINING CAMP INJURY
Cincinnati Bengals strong safety Dexter Jackson is OUT with a thumb injury, and that means Chinedum Ndukwe is IN.
LUDWIG AT LARGE wants to know from loyal readers if this scenario hurts or helps the Bengals in their quest to defeat Tennessee in their home opener on Sunday, Sept.14.
So … what do you think? Lay it on me, studs & studettes. Personally, I believe Ndukwe is a HUGE ASSET to the squad. He’s big, fast, strong, has good range, communicates well, is smart and — on top of it all — a great leader.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
OUT
SS Dexter Jackson-Thumb
DOUBTFUL
S Herana-Daze Jones (DNP) Hamstring
QUESTIONABLE
WR Andre Caldwell-Toe
CB David Jones-Head
DE Frostee Rucker-Foot
DT Pat Sims-Toe
PROBABLE
C Kyle Cook-Illness
LB Brandon Johnson-Hamstring
CB Johnathan Joseph-Hamstring
S Chinedum Ndukwe-Knee
DT Jason Shirley-Heel
TENNESSEE TITANS
OUT
QB Vince Young -Knee/Hamstring
QUESTIONABLE
DE Jacob Ford-Chest
RB Quinton Ganther-Hamstring
DT Albert Haynesworth-Concussion
PROBABLE
LB David Thornton-Shoulder
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XU Club Football — UNLEASHED!
XAVIER UNIVERSITY
CLUB FOOTBALL TEAM
OCCUPIES ‘TABLE ONE’
IN THE CHICKSTER’S HEART
SEASON KICKS OFF MONDAY
VS. MSJ AT WITHROW H.S. (7 P.M.)
===The Xavier University Club Football Team seeks a home on the AM or FM radio dial to call its own. Radio station GMs, program directors and producers, please listen up: Here’s your chance to land a quality product with a proud, loyal and intense following that will bring positive ratings to your station and some cash to your pocket. Interested? Contact XU head football coach Tom “Tower Of” Powers Jr. at this E-mail address: tepowersjr@yahoo.com===
LUDWIG AT LARGE salutes Tom “Tower of” Powers Jr., (Villanova, ‘81), head coach of the Xavier University Club Football Team. The Musketeers open the 2008 season against the College of Mount Saint Joseph Junior Varsity on Monday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. at Withrow High School in Cincinnati.
Talk about a bang for your buck, how does this sound? Tickets are $4 for adults, $2 for students and free to XU students with a school ID.
Oct. 11 is circled on my calendar because that’s the day the Muskies invade Jefferson City, Mo., for a 2 p.m. game against the Blue Tigers of Lincoln University, coached by My Main Man, the immortal Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Leapin’ Lemar Parrish.
Xavier football will always have a seat at Table One in The Chickster’s heart.
As a growing up in Price Hill on Cincinnati’s West Side, I was a member of the Musketeer Club. Five bucks got me a season pass, and the honor of watching Xavier beat Dayton once upon a time with 12 Musketeers on the field.
I remember two great coaches, the Flyers’ John McVey and the Muskies’ Ed Biles, going to battle. And who can forget those Saturday night games against the Quantico Marines? Now THAT was fun.
And the names — wide receiver Danny Abramowicz, tailback Billy Waller, right guard John Shinners, quarterbacks Carroll Williams and Jerry Buckmaster, and offensive tackle Ken Blackwell — will always be magic to me.
If you remember the good ol’ days of football along Victory Parkway, then you’ll come out and support the Xavier Club Football Team. The Musketeers didn’t just dream of a football renaissance. They made a resurrection a reality.
To keep abreast of XU football, go to:
http://www.xavier.edu/football/
For more information on how you can get involved in this worthwhile cause to keep XU football alive — as a fan, a prospective player, sponsor and radio “Home of the Musketeers” — contact XU Club Football President Andrew Dornbrook (dornbrooka@xavier.edu) or Head Coach Tom Powers Jr. (tepowersjr@yahoo.com).
“WHY XAVIER FOOTBALL? BECAUSE IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO HARNESS A DREAM.” — Chick Ludwig
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Playing better asleep than awake
ALBERT HAYNESWORTH:
‘I REMEMBER LAST PLAY …
AND THAT’S ABOUT IT’
Tennessee Titans right defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is awake and alert now, but that wasn’t the case last Sunday.
He registered two sacks in the Titans’ 17-10 victory over Jacksonville. The thing is, he doesn’t recall most of it because he played with a concussion.
“I remember the last play of the game and that’s about it,” he told The Tennessean.
Proof, once again, that the Titans play better asleep than the Bengals play awake.
My question is: Shouldn’t the Titans have known about Albert’s concussion and pulled him from the lineup? After all, he showed symptoms of distress during the game.
Here’s hoping Albert’s brain isn’t a jelly-filled donut by the time he’s 40.
Bengals QB Carson Palmer calls Haynesworth un-block-able.
So how do you deal with this monster in the middle?
“You get into him before he gets into you and you keep your feet moving,” Bengals right guard Bobbie Williams said. “He’s one of the best out there. They’re going to do some things with him. But we’ve got to isolate him. Regardless of who he is or how good he is, we’ve got an objective, and that’s to give Carson time. and open up holes.”
Check out the story at:
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080907/SPORTS01/80907011/1027
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NFL’s ‘Upstairs, Downstairs:’ Who calls the plays & where (sidelines or press box)
BENGALS’ ‘COACH BRAT’
AMONG MINORITY (9)
WHO CALL PLAYS FROM
‘UPSTAIRS’ PRESS BOX
===LUDWIG AT LARGE salutes Darin Gantt, who covers the Carolina Panthers for The Herald in Rock Hill, S.C. With a little help from his friends (like “The Chickster”), Darin put together this list of “Who Calls The Plays” and “Where They Do Their Work” — the press box or the sidelines.===
Panthers offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson moved to the sidelines this year, joining a majority of play-callers (23) who like being close to the action.
Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski is in the minority (9), preferring the press box, where he can see the entire field.
So, my question to Loyal Ludwig At Large readers: If you were calling the plays, would you choose “upstairs” or “downstairs?”
CLICK NEXT LINE FOR ‘SKINNY’ ON THE PLAY-CALLERS
WHO CALLS THE PLAYS &
WHERE THEY DO THEIR WORK
ON THE SIDELINES (23)
AFC
Baltimore OC Cam Cameron
Buffalo OC Turk Schonert
Denver HC Mike Shanahan
Houston HC Gary Kubiak
Indianapolis OC Tom Moore
Jacksonville OC Dirk Koetter
New England OC Josh McDaniels
Pittsburgh OC Bruce Arians
San Diego HC Norv Turner
Tennessee OC Mike Heimerdinger
NFC
Arizona OC Todd Haley
Atlanta OC Mike Mularkey
Carolina OC Jeff Davidson
Dallas OC Jason Garrett
Green Bay HC Mike McCarthy
Minnesota OC Darrell Bevell
New Orleans HC Sean Payton
N.Y. Giants OC Kevin Gilbride
Philadelphia HC Andy Reid
San Francisco OC Mike Martz
Seattle HC Mike Holmgren
Tampa Bay HC Jon Gruden
Washington HC Jim Zorn
IN THE PRESS BOX (9)
AFC:
Cincinnati OC Bob Bratkowski
Cleveland OC Rob Chudzinski
Kansas City OC Chan Gailey
Miami OC Dan Henning
N.Y. Jets OC Brian Schottenheimer
Oakland OC Greg Knapp
NFC
Chicago OC Ron Turner
Detroit OC Jim Colletto
St. Louis OC Al Saunders
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The Cincinnati Bengals (NFL’s ‘Cinderfellas’) get a special theme song
‘IMPOSSIBLE … IT’S POSSIBLE’
FOR THE CINCINNATI BENGALS
TO BEAT THE 1-0 TITANS
(EN ROUTE TO WINNING SEASON)
===LUDWIG AT LARGE believes the 2008 Cincinnati Bengals need and deserve a theme song. They’ve been bruised, derided, cursed, defiled for so long — especially since Sunday’s 17-10 opening loss at Baltimore — that it’s time for a major pick-me-up. Naturally, I’ve chosen the music of Richard Rodgers and the lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II from the timeless classic CINDERELLA.===
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Carson Palmer explains to Chick Ludwig why the USC Trojans will win
CARSON PALMER:
TROJANS’ TALENT,
PLUS COACHING
GIVES USC THE EDGE
LUDWIG AT LARGE alert: Chick Ludwig (Ohio State, ‘76) sat down with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer (Southern California, ‘03) to hear his explanation as to why the Trojans will defeat the Buckeyes on Saturday night at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Chick Ludwig believes in Ohio State QB Todd Boeckman, along with the Buckeyes’ skill position players and the Buckeyes’ senior-laden defense. Together, they will prevail.
Ludwig’s prediction: Ohio State 24, Southern Cal 23
Palmer’s prediction: Southern Cal 42, Ohio State 17
WHY THE TROJANS WILL WIN
By Carson Palmer (as told to Chick Ludwig):
“They’re the best-coached team in the country, hands down.
“They’re extremely athletic. They’re fast. They have a whole bunch of No. 1 recruiting classes year after year, so you know they’ve got talent.
“I know Ohio State’s in the same boat. They’ve had No. 1, 2 and 3 recruiting classes. But anytime you combine some of the best talent with the best coaching … SC has the edge.
“They have coaches that you just love to play for, coaches that you love to win for, coaches that you lay it all on the line for. From technique and philosophy and game-planning and game-scheming wise, it’s as good as it gets at that level.
“Quarterback Mark Sanchez is a great player. Ohio State’s got a good quarterback, too, (in Todd Boeckman). Sanchez is just so athletic. He has such a nice arm and he’s got so much good stuff around him with the offensive line, three tailbacks who could all be starters, and good receivers.
“They’re young receivers, but immensely talented receivers. They might not be the best in the county right now because they are young. But once they’re with that coaching staff and really buy into that system and understand it, they’re going to be real good.
“There’s just so much talent all over the field.”
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Chiefs, Bengals LB Headrick dead at 71
CHIEFS MOURN THE LOSS
OF LB SHERRILL HEADRICK;
MEMBER OF ‘68 BENGALS
===LUDWIG AT LARGE joins the Kansas City Chiefs in mourning the loss of linebacker Sherrill Headrick. But let us not forget Mr. Headrick’s career was not confined to the Dallas Texans and Kansas City Chiefs. He was a member of the original 1968 Cincinnati Bengals after being selected in the 1968 AFL Expansion Draft. Headrick played in eight games and had one interception in ‘68. My research shows there are 27 deceased Bengals in the 41-year history of the franchise.===
From AFL historian Ange Coniglio — Dear AFL Fans and former players: It’s my sad duty to pass on this news release from the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Kansas City Chiefs lost a treasured member of its history on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008, when Chiefs Hall of Fame linebacker Sherrill Headrick died after a long battle with cancer. Mr. Headrick was 71.
Headrick, from Waco, Texas, was a Chief from 1960-67. He earned the nickname “Psycho” from his teammates for his rambunctious nature and intense style of play. Headrick was named to five All-AFL squads (’61-62, ’64-66) and appeared in 108 regular season games as one of the league’s best middle linebackers.
Inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in ’93, Headrick posted 14 interceptions during his eight-year Texans/Chiefs career, returning three for touchdowns. He played in both the ’62 and ’66 AFL title game wins, as well as Super Bowl I. Prior to joining the Chiefs, Headrick played one season at offensive guard, center and linebacker in Canada (’59). He played collegiately at TCU.
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Calming fears & drying tears
CHAD MAKES MOST SENSE
AFTER WEEK 1 DEBACLE
===LUDWIG AT LARGE salutes Bengals wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco (nee Johnson) for making the most sense in explaining the team’s rat performance at Baltimore.===
IN CHAD’S WORDS:
We’re 0 and 1. We’ll be fine. It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon.
People keep forgetting who the hell we just played, man. We don’t have to deal with that every week. If last week was a game of chess, that would be the hardest it gets. So everything gets easier until we get to them again.
And now that we’ve seen what they’re doing, the chess match gets a little bit easier for us because now we know how to play against ‘em.
What the Ravens threw at us was completely different from everything we’ve seen the past seven years. It’s like they’ve never been able to figure us out, and all of a sudden, BOOM!, year eight, they got it. You feeling me where I’m coming from?
So now we make our adjustments and it won’t be the same next time. People just have to understand that.
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Marvin ignites firestorm with fans
FANS DESERVE MORE
RESPECT, EMPATHY
THAN COACH SHOWED
LEWIS APPRECIATES FANS,
BUT SOMETIMES SUFFERS FROM
FOOT-IN-MOUTH DISEASE
===LUDWIG AT LARGE’S take: It’s my honest belief that Marvin Lewis appreciates Bengals fans. He just doesn’t know how to express his feelings at times. One of those times was Wednesday when he showed very little empathy for fans. He certainly could have chosen his words better. He has to remember: Without Bengals fans, there would be no franchise in Cincinnati. Without the fans, there would be no NFL. Marv needs to look around his beautiful office and thank Hamilton County tax payers for it. My, oh my, how soon we forget who foot the bill for that monument to football on the Ohio River. It’s the Taj Mahal of football. But the product inside is mediocre at best.===
As soon as the words came out of Marvin Lewis’ mouth in his Wednesday, Sept. 10, news conference, I knew there would be trouble.
Sure enough, there was.
The telephone calls started pouring in to the Lance McAlister Show on WCKY-AM (1530 Homer, The Sports Animal) from angry fans.
After discussing the importance of winning at home, I asked Marvin if he had any advice for fans “on the ledge” after his team’s loss at Baltimore.
“Do what you’ve got to do,” he said. “That’s what the focus is. If you’re a fan, then be a fan. You get to determine that.”
Another question from a colleague — How do you motivate players as a coach-psychologist? — triggered this 384 word filibuster from Lewis:
I cranked out the transcript, and it WORE ME OUT!!!
IN MARVIN’S WORDS:
“We just lost one game. Unfortunately, 16 teams lost a game. That’s all you do is get back up and go. We lost one football game. Every time you go out here in the NFL, there’s an opportunity to lose. And if you don’t play good enough, then you lose. That’s what you get for it. You learn from it. You pull back together. You get back to work.
“You correct the things that need to be corrected. You try to do things more positive. The things that are positive, you keep trying to build upon and then you get ready and you go look at the opponent and see where the things are where we ailed this week. We’ve got to overcome some injuries like we talked about and so do everybody else. And as you get going, you just get back to work. But you don’t sit there and worry about it.
“Last week, it’s gone. You don’t get anything back from it. You learned a lesson. You got hit in the mouth and you didn’t win the football game. We sat there in the fourth quarter, waiting to make a play. To make one offensive play, one offensive touchdown, we win the game. We couldn’t do it. So this week, let’s score some points and let’s win the football game. Plain and simple. That’s what it comes down to.
“We did a lot of good things, but not things good enough where we could score points. And that’s what counts. We had opportunities. We had third and one, we had fourth and one, we had field position, we had chances on defense to stop ‘em, and we didn’t get it done. We had chances in the kicking game to make bigger plays. We didn’t get it done. We did a lot of good things. We downed some balls inside (the 20). We tackled well on the kickoff team. We punted the football as well as we punted. We covered the punts other than the one they hit us in the back at the point of attack, and did well.
“But lessons learned. You’ve got to come back and you’ve got to play. It goes right back to those simple points, and you get it done. Somebody made the statement — that’s not here in this room because he doesn’t show up here — about cliches. Well, that’s what it is. It’s not a cliche. It’s simple things. Simple facts. That’s what you do. You go back to work and get better at the things you’ve got to get better at, and this week will present new challenges, and that’s the thing that this is all about.”
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Wednesday Injury Report
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Did Not Participate in Practice
C Kyle Cook-Illness
S Dexter Jackson-Thumb
CB David Jones-Head
S Herana-Daze Jones-Hamstring
DE Frostee Rucker-Foot
Limited Participation in Practice
LB Brandon Johnson-Hamstring
CB Johnathan Joseph-Hamstring
S Chinedum Ndukwe-Knee
DT Jason Shirley-Heel
DT Pat Sims-Toe
TENNESSEE TITANS
Did Not Participate in Practice
DE Jacob Ford-Chest
RB Quinton Ganther-Hamstring
DT Albert Haynesworth-Concussion
QB Vince Young-Knee/Hamstring
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Carson talks major smack (about USC bashing the Buckeyes, of course)
PALMER’S PREDICTION:
TROJANS 42, OSU 17
HE BELIEVES USC WILL
PULL AWAY IN 2ND HALF
===LUDWIG AT LARGE is a proud 1976 graduate of THE Ohio State University and I’m tired of people referring to my alma mater as “Runner-up U.” I like the Buckeyes to win. I like their defense. I like their skill-position players. And I think the Trojans will be rusty because of last week’s bye. My prediction: Ohio State 27, Southern Cal 24.===
No news conference with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer would be complete — especially this week — without some smack talk about the Buckeyes.
Palmer, a Heisman Trophy winner at USC before the Bengals selected him No. 1 overall in the 2003 NFL draft, predicts a blowout victory for the Trojans when they meet Ohio State on Saturday night, Sept. 13, in the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Q. Any bets on the Trojans and the Buckeyes?
A. It’s been tough to find a bet. It’s been tough. (Paul) Daugherty didn’t show up today. He’s the only bet I made. We don’t have any Ohio State guys on the team. Mike Vrabel won’t call me and place a bet. There’s a number of guys I know who don’t want to mess with a bet, points or not, no matter what the spread is, people are worried.
Q. How about Mike Brown?
A. I’m not going to make a bet with him. I’m going to pass on that one.
Q. So what’s your prediction for Saturday?
A. Uh, I made a prediction with somebody.
Q. You told the Columbus Dispatch USC will win 38-14.
A. 38-14? I should have said 42-17. Whatever you guys want to write is fine. It’s college football, anything can happen. I’m, of course, dying to see SC win. I think it’ll be a close game early and I think SC will pull away in the third and fourth quarter.
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Young’s safety concerns Titans
WORRIED ENOUGH
TO CALL POLICE
YOUNG OUT FOR GAME
WITH SPRAINED KNEE
The Tennessee Titans have more than the Cincinnati Bengals to worry about this week in preparation for Sunday’s game.
The Titans are worried about the mental state of quarterback Vince Young, who was injured and booed during Tennessee’s season-opening 17-10 victory over visiting Jacksonville.
Titans head coach Jeff Fisher said the team was forced to call police for help in finding Young on Monday night because the team was worried about Young’s safety.
The Associated Press reported that Young eventually contacted the Titans and met with Fisher, a psychologist and police crisis negotiators at the team’s headquarters before driving himself home.
“I was given some information from people (who) were close to him late afternoon, early evening that was quite honestly very concerning to me,” Fisher told the Nashville media on Tuesday. “I’m not going to go into specifics, but it was concerning to me.”
Young has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, and Fisher said Young will not play at Cincinnati on Sunday.
For more information, go to:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/10/SPK412R3T5.DTL
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Tailgaters, this one’s for you
NEW PRODUCT HITS STORES:
‘FUNKY COLORED FLAMES’
This just in from my friend Kim Zaharias at Massachusetts-based CWR & Partners public relations firm:
Chick,
Football season has begun, let the tailgating begin. What began as a few sandwiches and beers before a game has launched into an American sports tradition. Drop the tailgates, set the grills ablaze and stick to your pre-game rituals or maybe it’s time to try something new.
Winlow Products would like to introduce Funky Colored Flames to all of the tailgaters out there. Light up your campfire, drop a packet or two onto a well-established fire, and start your own pre-game show. Made of food-grade salts and sulphates, Funky Colored Flames are non-toxic and environmentally friendly, and offer a brilliant display of blues, greens, and purples to make your next tailgate party the best one ever.
Funky Colored Flames are available at WalMart, Target and Camping Worlds stores across the country and retail for $4.99/box of 3 packets.
Warm regards,
Kim
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Panic? No; Must-win? Yes
BENGALS CAN’T AFFORD
TO START SEASON 0-2
===LUDWIG AT LARGE alert: Cincinnati Bengals fans should not panic. Hey, it’s just one game. However, Bengals aficionados have my permission to call the 2008 home opener against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008, a “must win.” After all, that’s what I’m calling it.===
The Cincinnati Bengals abso-tively, posi-lutely cannot afford to absorb a second straight defeat to start the season and believe they have any chance at making the playoffs.
What makes a victory over Tennessee vital is the mere fact that three of the Bengals’ next four games are on the road starting with the New York Football Giants at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sept. 21.
Cincinnati hosts Cleveland (Sept. 28), then the Bengals visit the Dallas Cowboys (Oct. 5) and New York Jets (Oct. 12) — yep, two trips to New York in a 21-day stretch.
To top off the latest chapter of “Misery,” the Pittsburgh Steelers pay a visit to Cincinnati on Oct. 19.
The Bengals could be 2-5 or worse by their Oct. 26 bye.
New York is the city that never sleeps. If the Bengals lose to Tennessee, Cincinnati head coach Marvin Lewis will be the coach that never sleeps.
And when he does sleep, I’ve got a feeling it’ll be with one eye opened and his bags packed.
A triumph over Tennessee won’t come easy. The Titans seek revenge after absorbing a 35-6 beating in Cincinnati a year ago — the Bengals’ most lopsided victory of 2007.
DID YOU KNOW …
Only three teams in NFL history have won the Super Bowl after an 0-2 start — the 1993 Dallas Cowboys; the 2001 New England Patriots and 2007 New York Giants.
The Bengals have reached the postseason eight times in 40 seasons — 1970, ‘73, ‘75, ‘81, ‘82, ‘88, ‘90 and 2005. None of those teams began the season 0-2.
The Bengals’ best home record in five previous seasons under head coach Marvin Lewis is 5-3 (four times). The team was 4-4 at home in 2006.
Tennessee let defensive tackle John Thornton (2003) and defensive end Antwan Odom (2008) go to free agency. Both signed with Cincinnati.
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Super Bowl trivia ‘Quick Hitter’
This question comes from “Touchdown Troy” in Hillsboro, OH-IO:
How many NFL teams have never been to the Super Bowl?
The answer, courtesy of WikiAnswers in: Football — American, Super Bowl:
Six NFL teams have never been to the Super Bowl. They are as follows: Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints.
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Imagine being gone for 6 months…
… AND YOU CAME BACK TO THIS …
Willie Anderson, Rudi Johnson, Deltha O’Neal and Ahmad Brooks are gone from the Cincinnati Bengals, and they’re now playing for Baltimore (1-0), Detroit (0-1), New England (1-0) and San Francisco (0-1).
Chris Henry is back with the Bengals.
Tom Brady is out for the year in New England.
Brett Favre is quarterbacking the New York Jets.
Aaron Rodgers has the Packers 1-0.
And we’re about to have a woman — Sarah Palin — as vice president of the United States of America.
I’d love to get a pair of her eye-glasses, but you can’t find ‘em anywhere. They’ve absolutely flown off the shelves.
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A ‘Must-Win?’ Absolutely
TITANS HAVE PROBLEMS,
BUT THEY’RE MASKED
BY THE ALMIGHTY ‘W’
Every team in the NFL has problems.
The Bengals certainly do, and so do the Tennessee Titans.
It’s just that winning masks everything, cures everything and dismisses everything.
It’s laughable to hear Bengals wide receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh say their absence from the offseason workout program — and all the missed time they experienced during training camp and the preseason — had no impact in Sunday’s 17-10 loss at Baltimore.
Head coach Marvin Lewis acknowledged that it certainly did have an effect.
“They weren’t sharp at all on offense on the perimeter,” Lewis said. “We’ve got to do better than that.”
Meanwhile, down in Nashville, the Titans’ 17-10 win over Jacksonville masks numerous problems. But it sure doesn’t erase them.
David Climer’s column in The Tennessean details the soap opera on the sidelines featuring quarterback Vince Young and head coach Jeff Fisher.
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080908/COLUMNIST0202/809080334
The Titans have trouble scoring, too, and they’re searching for answers.
They went 10-6 in 2007 and earned a wild-card playoff berth despite averaging just 18.8 points a game. But they run the ball well, have a great defense and an All-Pro kicker in Rob Bironas, who led the NFL with 35 field goals and set a record with eight field goals in one game last year.
Kerry Collins, a 14-year veteran from Penn State, will likely be in control of the Titans offense on Sunday, Sept. 14.
Check out Collins’ 44-yard pass to tight end Bo Scaife.
http://www.nfl.com/players/kerrycollins/profile?id=COL620367
Scaife’s real name is Oliver Edward Scaife III. No wonder he goes by “Bo.”
Bengals fans also will get to see an exciting tailback in Chris Johnson, a Titans’ rookie from East Carolina picked No. 24 overall in the 2008 draft.
It’s not too early to call this game a “Must-Win” for the Bengals. They need a victory to get to 1-1 and then they play three of their next four games on the road … at the New York Giants (Sept.. 21), home to Cleveland (Sept. 28), at Dallas (Oct. 5) and at the New York Jets (Oct. 12).
And for dessert, the Pittsburgh Steelers visit Paul Brown Stadium on Oct. 19.
The Bengals could be staring at 2-5 or worse at their Oct. 26 bye.
RATING THE CHEERLEADERS
Hey, let’s face it, cheerleaders are a part of the game, too.
So who do you like better, the Cincinnati Ben-Gals or the Tennessee Titans cheerleaders?
Check out the Ben-Gals cheerleaders at:
http://www.bengals.com/cheerleaders/index.asp
Check out the Tennessee Titans cheerleaders at:
http://www.titansonline.com/team/cheerleaders/index.php
ON A PERSONAL NOTE …
Sunday’s game is a battle between teams that have among the ugliest uniforms in the league.
The other ugliest “unis” belong to the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns.
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Shaun may not be a Bengal, after all
THE DAY AFTER
BENGALS TURN
INTO BUNGLES
MARVIN: ‘IT WOULD
SURPRISE ME’ IF CLUB
SIGNS ALEXANDER
===LUDWIG AT LARGE alert: Lewis said he didn’t notice any deflation when the Bengals couldn’t score early on short fields. I interviewed numerous players after the game, and each said the failure to score early was upsetting.===
Chad Johnson: “Anytime you get in their territory and not come away with points, especially going against a defense like this when opportunities really come very slim, it’s frustrating.”
Chris Perry: “It’s always disappointing when you don’t take advantage of your opportunities.”
OPENING COMMENTS
Regarding injuries, some of the guys who have been banged up came through the game all right. David Jones sustained a concussion and couldn’t return, and we’ll know more about him later in the week.
After watching the tape, the biggest disappoint is still there, our inability to play consistently and get anything going offensively for very long. To be one out of eight in the first half on third down, and then follow that up with one out of eight in the second half doesn’t give your team an opportunity to sustain any drives. On the other side of the ball, six out eight wins on third down in the first half was good, but then to let it go down the drain in the fourth quarter seemed to be the big difference. Our inability to convert in the short yardage situations and their ability to sustain the drives were big.
Obviously we had problems throwing the ball, on which we’ll spread out the blame. We need to do better. The two explosive they made on us defensively were very poor. And the final drive, where we allowed them to keep the ball for the remanding six minutes, that pierces you. I’ve been on the other side of something like that, but never on this side.
Special teams, other than our first kickoff, did a nice job. The punt return team needs to improve on getting to their leverage point. Luckily the block in the back got a long punt return called back. Then we have one where we get a guy going and then make a block that we don’t have to make, and we get a penalty.
We didn’t play as smart as we needed to play, and we need to improve in all three phases our football team. We got a little unnerved with the crowd, and we’ve got to guard against that. We have been there before with some of the guys, but some of them are new. We’ve got to be able to handle that situation better and be able to realign, focus, refocus, and go out and execute. We knew it would come down to the fourth quarter, and we didn’t finish the game off like we needed to in order to win.
Q. The offensive line has been a strength here. I know you have said there were problems during the preseason with backs and tight ends picking up blitzes.
A. It stayed the same yesterday. We had the inability to move it around. I thought we did some really good things in the running game; and we did some things that weren’t very good. They jumped around us, jumped under us and did some things movement-wise that were a little unconventional. But we’ve got to block them off. We’ve been there before. That (offensive line) group, those five guys, played a lot of football together last year. We’ve got one new guy in the front at the tight end position and a new fullback at times. We spread the responsibility around. We spread it to receivers, we spread it to quarterback. We’ve got to do a better job with recognition of those things and being where we need to be. We got off to a slow start with it, very similar to last year: We got off to a slow start, and we found a way to get it right. We’ve got to do the same thing this year.
Q. Have the breakdowns been more physical or mental?
A. I’m not going to sit here and belabor it. We’ve got to play better. I’m not going to go any further than that.
Q. You play a similar team Sunday in the Titans.
A. A little different, but very physical, aggressive up front. That’s important. They’ll get after you, and they rotate some guys up front. Defensively, they are very, very strong and aggressive up front. Offensively, they can run the football effectively. They (have) two fine backs.
Q. Were the right adjustments not being made on offense?
A. I said the adjustments were made. I didn’t say they weren’t made. I said we needed to make sure we were tighter on unconventional things when a guy comes underneath or behind you.
Q. Scheme or technique?
A. More technique.
Q. Chris Perry took the blame for the run game.
A. That’s good of Chris. But it doesn’t come down to one thing or one guy. But we have to do a better job. We didn’t convert the big plays. Lesson learned. Let’s do better next time. If you’re going to lose a football game you better learn something from it. Our football team needs to learn something from this.
Q. Do you have confidence they will?
A. Yes, I do.
Q. Offensively , when the first couple of short fields weren’t taken advantage of, did you notice any deflation?
A. I didn’t notice any deflation. You have to take advantage and get points on the board when you have the chance. We had them backed up, got the turnover. Backed them up again, with the three-and-out, and you want to take advantage of those things. And get some points put on the board at that point.
Q. Were you happy with what Chris Perry did, even though running game wasn’t good?
A. I thought Chris for the most part did some good things. He ran the ball hard and downhill. When he got a crease, he made a guy miss in the hole if he had to and got to the second level. Now we can work harder at the second level and make something go beyond there. We hade some eight, eight and a half, nine-yard gains. Now let’s turn those into 12, 15, 16, 20 and 30-yard gains. We weren’t disappointed. He was in the right spot. He has to be a little cleaner on some of our passing game areas. But that happens in the scope of a football game.
Q. It seemed like (Joe) Flacco had a lot of time in the pocket.
A. I don’t think so. I think we got pretty good pressure on him. If you go back and watch the tape, I thought we did a nice job, a not-bad job. They had seven or eight guys in protection for most of the day, which makes a big difference. So they weren’t going to allow him to be hit. We were able to get the ball out of his hand a couple of times and he made a couple of throws. Again, in the first part of the game, the defense did a nice job. We did a good job on third down and we were able to get the ball out of his hand quickly, and we’ve got to do better in the second part.
Q. Their linebackers were in coverage.
A. That’s nothing different than what they’ve ever done. Those situations occur when they roll the coverage the other way. It’s just a replacement, it’s no different than a team lining up, and you just convert. You’re just moving one guy to one position and that guy’s reading back inside. It’s cover two. It’s another way of playing cover two. It’s no different than we’ve seen before. We’ve seen it a lot of ways from 3-4 teams.
Q. Did you think the receivers got off all right when their linebackers were out there?
A. Well, we got grabbed a couple of times. We’ve got to do a better job. We allowed them to grab us and throw us to the ground a couple of times, and a couple of times we got calls. We need to do a better job, be more consistent with it and really make plays out of that, against that.
Q. Shaun Alexander said he’s been in continuous contact with the Bengals and it wouldn’t surprise him if he got a call. Would it surprise you?
A. It would surprise me.
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Hey, Bengals fans, listen up …
WHINING & CRYING SURE
DOESN’T DO ANY GOOD;
THE NFL SEASON IS A
MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT
REMEMBER WHAT SAM SAID:
‘YOU DON’T LIVE IN CLEVELAND!
YOU LIVE IN CINCINNATI!’
I just arrived home safely from Baltimore, Md. — just in time to talk Cincinnati Bengals fans down from whatever ledge you’re on.
Maybe it’s the rooftop of your office building, Maybe it’s the ceiling of your home. Maybe it’s the window of an apartment building or condo complex. Maybe it’s a bridge or a viaduct over or near the Ohio River.
Wherever it is, “C’MON DOWN!!!!”
Yes, you’re angry, upset, mad, frustrated, bewildered, stark-raving-bonkers and ready to drop kick the TV, lamp or pet after what happened on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008 … Ravens 17, Bengals 10.
Don’t do anything crazy.
Take one 20 milligram tablet of Lexapro and chill.
I’ve got some coffee on, so come sit with me for a spell in the Miamisburg War Room, and let’s have a chat.
Yes, the Bengals’ performance was Pepto-Abysmal. The offense and defense and special teams’ punt coverage units stink, stank and stunk.
But let’s look at the bright side.
The Baltimore Ravens and their vaunted defense are out of the way until Nov. 30, so the Bengals won’t have to see ‘em for a while.
And, let’s face it, because misery loves company, the Bengals are in the same “BOAT” as the Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers. Opps, I forgot to mention Cleveland. Yep, the Cleveland Browns.
The Bengals could’ve opened with a softy, like the Browns or the Texans or the Chiefs.
But noooo. They got fed to the best defense in the NFL. and couldn’t do a darn thang against ‘em.
True, they looked morose and moribund, pathetic and pusillanimous.
BUT IT IS ONLY ONE GAME!
I agree that it’s Armageddon. But Armageddon can disappear with a victory over the Tennessee Titans at home on Sunday, Sept. 14.
All they need to do is block, tackle, throw, run, catch and cover better than the Titans.
That’s all.
I know it’s a tall order.
After all, the Titans defense sacked Jags QB David Garrard seven times, picked off two passes, recovered a fumble and held the J-Villains to 33 rushing yards … and the mighty, mighty Titans are BETTER WITHOUT Vince Young.
But please quit whining & crying.
Remember: You don’t live in Cleveland … You live in Cincinnati.
ROBERT YOUNG … Sent this reminder:
To Quote Jim Mora:
“Playoffs? Don’t talk about playoffs. Are you kidding me? Playoffs? I’m just hoping we can win a game, another game.
“We couldn’t do diddly-pooh offensively. We couldn’t make a first down. We didn’t run the ball. We didn’t try to run the ball. We couldn’t complete a pass. We sucked. We sucked. It was a horseass performance in the second half. Horseass!”
ANTHONY HALEY sent this link to Jim Borgman’s cartoon:
http://borgman.cincinnati.com/Search.aspx?id=1943
Plus this message:
I can’t do this anymore …… I really want to get on the waiting list for season tickets…… but I see better than I hear and there is no way I could even consider putting money down for that product…..any product associated with this team. I know Marvin will probably pull another one of his “the fans aren’t smart enough to understand” quotes out somewhere along this season……after 17 years and one playoff appearance……heck how long has it been since we had a playoff win…..there is something that fans DO understand……..bad football. And, that’s what we’re seeing AGAIN this year. It doesn’t take an NFL coach to recognize poor effort. This entire team looks like it is just waiting for its chance to test the free agent market. Pathetic would be a gracious description for this team. Has anyone ever explained to Mike Brown that he will make more money if the team wins ? That hiring a GM wouldn’t mean giving up family control of the team ???? How many RPMs do you think Paul is pulling rolling over in his grave right now ???? Being a fan isn’t supposed to hurt.
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Bengals-Ravens: By The Numbers
358 — Baltimore’s total net yards gained
154 — Cincinnati’s total net yards gained
8 — Bengals first downs (two by penalty)
4 — Passes completed to Bengals wideouts
2.1 — Chris Perry’s average yards per rush
7:15 — Time consumed on Ravens’ final drive
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Injury Report: Jones & Jones & Rucker
RDE Frostee Rucker and backup CB David Jones are questionable for the home opener against Tennessee on Sunday because of injuries sustained in a 17-10 loss at Baltimore.
Jones suffered a mild concussion when he took a blow to the head in punt coverage at 9:27 of the second quarter and didn’t return.
Rucker, who started in place of Antwan Odom, forced a turnover on the game’s opening possession when he put a jarring hit on Ravens TE Todd Heap after a 9-yard gain.
LDE Robert Geathers made the recovery of Heap’s fumble.
But Rucker surfaced on crutches after the game with an undisclosed leg or foot injury.
MLB Dhani Jones exited at 2:47 of the third quarter because of dehydration. He received intravenous fluid and returned to action.
Look for Odom to start in place of Rucker, while non-drafted rookie CB Simeon Castille fills in for Jones.
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You know it’s bad when …
Your only offensive points come via a field goal … that came with 5 second remaining in the first half … that came in a hurry-up, two-minute situation … that came as a result of two defensive penalties — both on Ravens cornerback Chris McAlister for pass interference.
Your star quarterback, Carson Palmer, throws 25 passes, completes only 10 for 99 yards, gets sacked twice and hit on nearly every play, throws an interception that wasn’t his fault, and finishes the game with a 35.2 passer rating.
Your offense praises the crap out of its defense, which yields a whopping 358 yards — 229 on the ground — including TD runs of 42 yards by a wide receiver (Mark Clayton) and 38 yards by a slow-footed quarterback (Joe Flacco).
Your only TD comes from the defense. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph picked up a fumble by the Ravens’ Ray Rice and ran 65 yards for the game’s final points with 10:15 to go.
Your Pro Bowl wide receivers — T.J. Houshmandzadeh (3) and Chad Johnson (1) — account for four receptions for 66 yards.
Your tailback (Chris Perry) gets held to 37 yards on 18 carries — a 2.1 average — and one of those carries goes for 9 yards. He fumbles once and gets stuffed for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-one at the Ravens’ 25-yard line with 7:19 to go.
Your defense can’t get a stop the final 7:15 as Ravens’ Ray Rice (1) and Le’Ron McClain (3) account for four first downs as Baltimore kills the clock with a 13-play, 62-yard drive.
Your average drive start in 12 possessions is your 34-yard line. But you manage only eight first downs — two by penalty — and 154 yards. The drives end like this: Seven punts, one field goal, one interception, one fumble and twice the ball is given up on downs.
Your opposing quarterback, an untested rookie from the University of Delaware (Joe Flacco), turns into Joe Namath and Joe Montana. His 38-yard TD run — Bengals first-round draft pick Keith Rivers gambled and blew outside contain — was longer than any run he made in college as a Blue Hen.
Your time of possession is 23 minutes, 45 seconds and the opponent’s is 36:15.
Your most sure-handed receiver (T.J. Houshmandzadeh) can’t snare a pass at the Ravens’ 6-yard line at 5:29 of the first quarter with the score 0-0. The ball hits his shoulder pads, bounces in the air and Ravens cornerback Chris McAlister pulls off the interception.
Your defense gets caught flat-footed and allows an opposing wide receiver (Mark Clayton) to score on a 42-yard double reverse.
Your offense converts only 2 of 13 third-down opportunities into first downs and scores only 3 points on six trips into enemy territory, with the closest penetration being Baltimore’s 17-yard line.
RAVENS’ NEW MARKETING SLOGAN:
“I’M WACKO FOR FLACCO!”
RAVENS’ 2008 THEME:
“FOOTLOOSE!”
BENGALS SLOGAN:
Forget “NOW”
How ‘bout “LATER”
HEY BENGALS FANS…
Is it Armageddon yet?
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Final: Ravens 17, Bengals 10
The over-hyped and overrated Cincinnati Bengals offense didn’t score a touchdown, and the Baltimore Ravens hung on for a 17-10 victory at M & T. Bank Stadium.
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco becomes a winner in his first career start, joining the likes of Brett Favre, Eric Zeier, Donald Hollas, Billy Volek, Bruce Gradkowski, Jay Cutler, Derek Anderson, Damon Huard and Shaun Hill to victimize the Bengals.
SCORING SUMMARY
BALTIMORE RAVENS 17,
CINCINNATI BENGALS 10
Bengals 0-3-0-7 — 10
Ravens 7-3-7-0 — 17
FIRST QUARTER
Baltimore — Clayton, 42 run (Stover kick), 2:12
SECOND QUARTER
Baltimore — Stover, 21 FG, 1:43
Cincinnati — Graham, 43 FG, 0:05
THIRD QUARTER
Baltimore — Flacco, 38 run (Stover kick), 0:15
FOURTH QUARTER
Cincinnati — Joseph, 65 fumble return (Graham kick), 10:15
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Halftime: Ravens lead, 10-3
BUT CINCINNATI KEEPS
ON HANGING AROUND
It’s halftime and the Bengals trail, 10-3.
Anybody out there still awake?
Sure is a great afternoon for a nap.
Baltimore scored all 10 points off two Bengals turnovers — a Carson Palmer interception and Chris Perry fumble.
The Bengals generated only 84 yards of offense on six first downs the first 30 minutes.
Two first downs came via penalty on the final drive of the half, enabling Shayne Graham to kick a 43-yard field goal with five seconds remaining.
Ravens 10, Bengals 3
FIRST QUARTER
Baltimore — Clayton, 42 run (Stover kick), 2:12
SECOND QUARTER
Baltimore — Stover, 21 FG 1:43
Cincinnati — Graham, 43 FG 0:05
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Controversy over Chad’s name
CHAD FORCED TO
WEAR ‘JOHNSON’
ON HIS JERSEY
The NFL wouldn’t allow Bengals wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco to wear “Ocho Cinco” on his jersey nameplate at Baltimore on Sunday, Sept. 7, because of his financial obligations to clothing manufacturer Reebok.
Ocho Cinco is wearing “Johnson” on his nameplate for the season opener.
The Bengals issued this statement prior to kickoff:
“While the NFL has recognized the legal name change of Chad Johnson to Chad Ocho Cinco, the league informed the Bengals today that certain issues remain to be resolved before Ocho Cinco will be permitted to wear his new surname on his jersey.
“He will wear the name Johnson on his jersey today and will be referred to as Chad Johnson on the official play-by-play sheet.”
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Pre-Game Fast Facts
SIMS, SHIRLEY INACTIVE;
FROSTEE RUCKER STARTS
WILLIE WEARS “79” FOR
RAVENS, BUT WON’T PLAY;
KELLY GREGG INACTIVE
FAST FACTS
—-Ex-Bengal Willie Anderson is wearing uniform number 79 for the Baltimore Ravens
—-The Bengals are wearing black jerseys and white pants. They’re 9-11 overall in that color combination since uniforms were redesigned in 2004.
—-The referee is Scott Green. Umpire—Scott Dawson, Head Linesman—Jerry Bergman; Line Judge—Tom Symonette; Field Judge—Doug rosenbaum; Side Judge—Larry Rose; Back Judge—Billy Smith; Supervisor—Johnny Grier.
BENGALS INACTIVES
QB Jordan Palmer
SS Chinedum Ndukwe
FS Corey Lynch
LG Frank Davis
WR Andre Caldwell
DT Pat Sims
DT Jason Shirley
FB Reagan Maui’a
LINEUP CHANGES
FB Daniel Coats starts in place of Jeremi Johnson, who is out for the year with a knee injury.
RDE Frostee Rucker starts in place of Antwan Odom, but Odom is ACTIVE and will play.
WLB Keith Rivers wears uniform No. 55, not 58.
WR Chad Johnson is now Chad Ocho Cinco.
RAVENS INACTIVES
QB Troy Smith
CB Evan Oglesby
LB Tavares Gooden
OT Oniel Cousins
LG David Hale
RT Willie Anderson
WR Marcus Smith
NT Kelly Gregg
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Bengals-Ravens: 3 key matchups
Bengals C Eric Ghiaciuc vs. Ravens NT Kelly Gregg — Talk about a tone-setter, this is it. Ghiaciuc has to get good leverage and neutralize the powerful nose tackle. If Gregg consistently gets penetration, the Bengals running game will be in trouble and the pass protection will break down. Ghiaciuc has the ability to be a solid center, but his physical strength at the point of attack is a question mark.
Bengals RE Antwan Odom vs. Ravens LT Jared Gaither — Odom, who is finally healthy after sustaining a sprained foot on the first day of training camp, is an important catalyst on the DL. He has the size, quickness and agility to beat the massive Gaither. If Odom wins the battle, the Bengals’ secondary will get an opportunity at multiple INTs.
Bengals WLB Keith Rivers vs. Ravens TBs Willis McGahee and Ray Rice — The first player the Ravens’ OL wants to chop down is the playmaking Rivers, who attacks the run with good speed, range and instincts. The first-round draft pick is still adjusting to the speed of the game. The slightest hesitation in a formation adjustment will allow the Ravens’ running game to win with an explosive play.
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Bengals-Ravens: 4 areas to watch
RUNNING GAME
The Bengals’ inconsistent ground game is a major cause for concern against the Ravens, who are built to stop the run with a rugged DL and swift LBs led by Ray Lewis. The Bengals’ massive OL has great size and strength, but is extremely slow and will have difficulty getting the leverage it needs to create running room for TBs Chris Perry and Kenny Watson. The best way to attack the Ravens is with zone blocking, which will allow Perry to plow into the line of scrimmage and use his quickness, strength and vision to pick a hole. Look for the Bengals to run out of a multi-receiver formation. It’s important to spread the Ravens defense out, and for guards Andrew Whitworth and Bobbie Williams to cut off ILBs Lewis and Bart Scott.
PASSING GAME
There’s plenty of intrigue here because Bengals WRs Chad Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh have struggled with injuries, just like Ravens cornerbacks Samari Rolle and Chris McAlister. The “Big Three” of QB Carson Palmer, Ocho Cinco and Houshmandzadeh practiced together this week for the first time since the 2007 season finale. The passing game will be scaled back with the emphasis on ball control instead of “home runs.” TE Ben Utecht and WRs Jerome Simpson and Glenn Holt will play major roles because they’ve spent the most time with Palmer. With the proper protection, Palmer should be able to exploit the Ravens’ injury-riddled secondary.
THE BLITZ
The Ravens defense is like a plate of spaghetti. It’s everywhere with defenders coming from all directions in an attempt to wreak havoc. The player to watch is ROLB Terrell Suggs. One of the swiftest and most dangerous pass rushers in the league, Suggs possesses an explosive first step and has the kind of quickness and strong hands needed to get to Palmer. The pressure’s on Bengals LT Levi Jones to contain him. Jones is an athletic tackle with quick feet and arms long enough to ride Suggs away from the pocket. Look for the Bengals to mass protect Palmer on passing downs with five OL, a TE and a RB who will chip-block. The strategy is designed to give Palmer the time he needs to get rid of the ball.
IN THE RED ZONE
The Bengals have had difficulty scoring in close against the Ravens. Case in point: Shayne Graham’s club-record seven field goals were the difference in the Bengals’ 21-7 victory at Baltimore in ‘07. The key this year is the addition of two weapons — Perry and rookie WR Jerome Simpson. Perry is quick, strong and elusive. If he can’t pound the ball into the end zone, look for a fade pattern or alley-oop authored by Simpson, who is known for his massive hands, leaping ability and acrobatic catches. Houshmandzadeh is famous for his curl patterns at the goal line and his ability to muscle into the end zone. If he draws double coverage, Palmer-to-Simpson in the deep left or right corner is the way to go.
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Baltimore: I made it; I can relax for a few minutes
BEAUTY, CONVENIENCE
MAKE BALTIMORE SPECIAL;
NOW, LET’S PLAY FOOTBALL
FROM THE ‘LIGHT RAIL’
TO THE INNER HARBOR.
IT’S MY FAVORITE TRIP
It’s 5:21 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6, and I just opened the curtains of my 25th floor room at the Marriott Waterfront to a dazzling view of the city of Baltimore, Md., from downtown and beyond.
The rain that had been pelting the city — courtesy of Tropical Storm Hanna — has finally stopped. The clouds are breaking up. The sun is fighting through. And what’s that I see on the horizon? A cinnamon-gold-lime-aqua rainbow arched across the sky. (If my gigantic picture window were a clock, the rainbow stretches from “9 o’clock” to “12 o’clock.”)
The Marriott Waterfront is located on the edge of the historic Inner Harbor and is part of Baltimore’s newest neighborhood, Harbor East,
There’s lots of construction going on around here, but the massive yellow Schuster “Armada Hoeffler” crane outside my window doesn’t obstruct my spectacular view of Chesapeake Bay. I see several ships anchored in the distance, but, sadly, hundreds, maybe thousands, of boats are docked — silenced by Hanna’s powerful rage … which had me a bit worried that I wouldn’t get here in the first place.
I am here for Sunday’s NFL 2008 season opener between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens at M & T Bank Stadium, and the Bengals were concerned enough about the scary weather reports to fly out here on Friday night.
I stuck with my original plans and came out on Saturday afternoon — AirTran Airways flight 724 — and, for the most part, everything went smooth. Except for that last 100 or so miles when the visibility in our Boeing 717 was “ZERO!”
I am a creature of habit and my ground transportation of choice from BWI is always the “Light Rail.” For $1.60, you get a train ride.
Folks, here are the stops, in order from the BWI airport: BWI Business Park, Cromwell, Ferndale, Linthicum, North Linthicum, Nursery Road, Baltimore Highlands, Patapsco, Cherry Hill, Westport, Hamburg Street, Camden Yards, and — my stop — Convention Center.
Baltimore is my favorite trip every football season because of its beauty and convenience.
I just did a mile jaunt on the “Heritage Walk” bricks that decorate the perimeter of this beautiful harbor, which has to be the Maritime capital of the universe.
It’s 75 degrees, but the wind is so strong that I had to tug on my “Dayton Dragons” ball cap to keep from losing it.
“Batten down the hatches!” yelled a man in a Warren Sapp Oakland Raiders jersey, turning sideways against the wind while clutching a young girl’s hand.
I passed under the bow of the USS Constellation, paused at the National Aquarium and Maryland Science Center, and said a silent prayer on my stop at “Taney,” the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter which is famous for being the last ship floating that fought in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The best part of traveling to cover the Cincinnati Bengals is the opportunity to meet people and make new friends. Some of the folks on the plane not only recognized my face, but my John Facenda-like voice that they hear from time to time on the radio.
As I approach the hotel, I bump into “Coach C” — Charles Collins, who is working with the Bengals wide receivers in his role as an NFL Minority Coaching intern. He said he’s all over Chad Ocho Cinco, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the other wideouts, imploring them to attack the Ravens from the opening snap.
As the Bengals’ 41st season gets ready to kick off, I have absolutely no idea of what to expect except the unexpected.
The Bengals could go 10-6 or 4-12.
And, now, if you’ll pardon me, I’m going somewhere to stuff my face with a Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with lemon-cream sauce.
It’s been a year, and I’m committed to satisfying my intense craving.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Willie told Bengals he wanted out
‘I DIDN’T WANT TO
PLAY THERE ANYMORE’
HE GOT TIRED OF
DEALING WITH
OFF-FIELD ISSUES
In the end, Willie Anderson had had enough.
Enough of Chad Ocho Cinco’s antics. Enough of Chris Henry’s arrests. Enough of the daily drama, trauma and soap opera known as the Cincinnati Bengals.
The 13-year NFL veteran was fed up to the point of being sick and tired of it all.
He spoke his mind, got released and eventually signed with the AFC North Division rival Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals’ opening day opponent on Sunday, Sept. 7. Adam Terry is due to start at right offensive tackle for the Ravens, but you know, just know, Willie’s going to play.
After signing a three-year, $11 million contract with the Ravens on Friday, Anderson practiced with the squad, then told The Baltimore Sun:
“They didn’t cut me because I couldn’t play,” Anderson said. “They cut me because I said I didn’t want to play there anymore. After 13 years, you get tired of dealing with non-football issues.”
See the story at:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravensnotes06sep06,0,3243874.story
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Next Bengal: Shaun Alexander
EX-SEATTLE SEAHAWK
TELLS ASSOCIATED PRESS
SIGNING IS IMMINENT
FAMILY IN NORTHERN KY.
IS TEASING HIM ABOUT
NAME CHANGE: ‘TRES SIETE’
Is Shaun Alexander about to become the newest member of the Cincinnati Bengals?
It sure sounds like it.
The free agent tailback, who was dumped by the Seattle Seahawks in April, told the Associated Press in Seattle on Friday, Sept. 5, that he believes his signing is “imminent.”
Alexander has worked out for the Bengals, New Orleans Saints, and the Denver Broncos have also shown interest.
Alexander attended Boone County High School in Florence, Ky., and the University of Alabama. His extended family in Northern Kentucky wants him to come back home …
… With a new name … in honor of his No. 37 uniform number.
“They want me to be Tres Siete,” Alexander told the Associated Press.
Check out the story at:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80a8e90e&template=with-video&confirm=true
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Bengals, Ravens Friday Injury Report
CINCINNATI BENGALS
OUT
FB Jeremi Johnson (Knee-IR)
SS Chinedum Ndukwe (Knee)
DT Pat Sims (Toe)
DOUBTFUL
WR Andre Caldwell (Toe)
PROBABLE
DE Jonathan Fanene (Illness)
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Hamstring)
LB Brandon Johnson (Hamstring)
WR Chad Ocho Cinco (Shoulder)
DE Antwan Odom (Foot)
QB Carson Palmer (Nose)
DT John Thornton (Knee)
TB Kenny Watson (Hamstring)
BALTIMORE RAVENS
OUT
QB Troy Smith (Illness)
DOUBTFUL
DT Kelly Gregg (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE
FS Ed Reed (Neck)
PROBABLE
OT Oniel Counsins (Back)
TE Todd Heap (Knee)
TB Willis McGahee (Knee)
G Marshal Yanda (Thumb)
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Number switch! Rivers drives “55”
PAYS OFF REEBOK
AT $11,000-PLUS
FOR FABLED “55”
Where Keith Rivers comes from — the University of Southern California — uniform No. 55 is sacred.
Linebackers Junior Seau. Willie McGinest, Chris Claiborne and Rivers all wore the number as Trojans.
Now Rivers — who had been saddled with number “58” — will wear the fabled “55” for the Cincinnati Bengals.
It wasn’t easy getting the new number.
First, he tried to coax “55” away from Ahmad Brooks. No deal.
Brooks got whacked last Saturday and was quickly claimed off waivers by the San Francisco 49ers.
Still, Rivers found another dam as he flowed toward “55.”
Reebok had been manufacturing No. 58 Rivers’ jerseys. The company wanted Rivers to cough up over $11,000 before he could make the switch to No. 55.
Rivers signed a five-year, $23 million contract this summer as the Bengals’ first-round draft pick, so “Eleven Large” is basically chump change.
He’ll be in “55” on Sunday … right where he should’ve been all along.
It’s the same number worn by the immortal Bengal, Jim LeClair.
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Your chance to meet ‘The Chickster’
Let’s make it happen TODAY — Friday, Sept. 5.
I’ll be Lance McAlister’s guest on the “Bengals Breakdown” show from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Buffalo Wings and Rings Tri-County. If you can’t make it in person, tune in to WCKY-AM (!530 Homer, The Sports Animal).
Former Bengals Pro Bowl safety David Fulcher joins Lance from 3-4:30 p.m., then “The Chickster” is in the house. Lance will interview Haruki Nakamura, the Ravens’ rookie safety from the University of Cincinnati, at 5:30 p.m.
Address: 11305 Princeton Pike, Springdale, Ohio 45246
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Fantasy football: Good or bad?
LOST PRODUCTIVITY IS
OFFSET BY MORALE BOOST
A story by Ty West in the Birmingham Business Journal claims fantasy football costs employers approximately $9.2 billion in productivity during the 17-week NFL season.
Despite the staggering loss in revenue from the 13.6 million Americans expected to play the virtual game this season, the report quotes human resource managers saying fantasy football boosts morale and worker relationships. See the story at:
http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2008/08/25/focus2.html?b=1219636800%5E1688714
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Bengals-Ravens: 3 keys to success
PASS PROTECTION — The Bengals yielded double-digit sacks in the preseason after giving up 17 all of 2007. The visual of QB Carson Palmer with a broken nose, cut lip and bloody face won’t soon be forgotten. If the line, tight ends and backs don’t tighten up the protection, Palmer will end up in a hospital.
ESTABLISH THE RUN — Palmer’s best friend is a solid running game. The Bengals need to control the line of scrimmage and give Chris Perry and Kenny Watson room to run. It’ll set up play-action, allowing Palmer to take some shots down the field.
RUN DEFENSE — The one-two punch of Willis McGahee and Ray Rice presents a formidable challenge. DTs Domata Peko and John Thornton, and DEs Antwan Odom and Robert Geathers, must be gap sound, allowing the LBs to run with freedom to the ball. The defense had better gang tackle. McGahee and Rice are slippery and explosive.
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Hey, Willie: You’re so ‘Raven’
WILLIE VS. BENGALS?
SAY IT AIN’T SO
It’s almost like it was meant to be — like Willie Anderson was listening to T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
On “Cutdown Day” — Saturday, Aug. 30 — after Anderson was released by the Bengals, Houshmandzadeh said: “He’s going to go to another team and be very successful. I just hope he doesn’t come back and play against us.”
As fate would have it, the “other team” is the Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals’ opening day opponent on Sunday, Sept. 7.
Big Willie will be wearing the Ravens’ purple and white after agreeing to a three-year, $11 million contract that includes a $1.67 million signing bonus on Thursday. It marks the fourth big contract Anderson has signed in his 13-year NFL career.
I’d bet my last dollar that Big Willie will play on Sunday. The Ravens aren’t stuffing his pockets full o’ cash so he can be a sideline statue.
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Thursday (Sept. 4) Injury Report
OUT
SS Chinedum Ndukwe (Knee)
DT Pat Sims (Toe)
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
DE Jonathan Fanene (Illness)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
WR Andre Caldwell (Toe)
LB Brandon Johnson (Hamstring)
DT John Thornton (Knee)
HB Kenny Watson (Hamstring)
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NFL approves ‘Chad Ocho Cinco’
CHAD WILL WEAR
‘OCHO CINCO’
The NFL’s judge and jury — in this case, Commissioner Roger Goodell and his trusty lieutenants — have ruled:
Chad Johnson is now Chad Ocho Cinco.
Here’s the Bengals’ news release:
“PLAYER NAME CHANGE”
Effective today (Thursday, Sept. 4), the Bengals begin the process of listing the former Chad Johnson as Chad Ocho Cinco for all club business, per the legal change of his surname effected in Florida.
The list of appropriate changes will include Ocho Cinco wearing his new surname on the back of his jersey for Sunday’s season opener.
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Learnin’ to love Chad again
RAY-RAY TELLS CHAD:
‘PUT MIND ON GOD’
We know they’re as “thick as thieves;” as close as a razor blade on a face full of shaving creaM; as tight as Ludwig drums.
So it comes as no surprise that Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis has made a significant impact on the life of the Bengals wide receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson, who legally changed his name to Chad Javon Ocho Cinco.
Chad turned to Ray-Ray, who told him to turn to “God.”
Had Chad asked my advice, I could’ve saved him some cash on his phone bill.
All he had to do was go down a few lockers to tight end Reggie Kelly, who is the club’s resident “Prince in Gym Shoes.”
LUDWIG AT LARGE wants to know: Will you accept Chad back? Will we learn to — ahem — love “85” again?
Here’s a Q & A with Ray-Ray regarding Chad:
Q. Did you talk some sense into Chad?
A. Of course, whatever was personal, what he didn’t want to me to share, I won’t. But what I will share is that I just told him to put his mind on God. He should focus more on God and the true blessings you have to be a role model for so many kids, so many people who want to do what you do and can’t do what you do and don’t have the ability to do what you do. So I told him every time you step out on the football field, every time you step anywhere in life let the image of God be shown through you. Let that be your image, let that be your stepping stone. After that, life is going to bring you ups and downs. Life is going to bring you differences and after you’ve prayed about it, let them be. There’s certain things, don’t take everything to everybody, because everybody can’t handle everything that you feel sometimes, even good or bad. A lot of times I try to explain to people all the training I do, but sometimes you can’t. You can’t get it across to people. That was the same message I relayed to him and a couple of other guys around the league that were going through the same thing. I was like: Keep your peace. Let the business side of the business side take care of itself, but keep your peace and always stay who Chad is, and that’s just loving the game of football, and that, in a nutshell, is pretty much what I told him.
Q. What motivated you to give him a call?
A. There’s no one reason to give him the call, we always talk. It’s been three or four years since Chad’s been with Cincinnati we’ve had the same type of conversation. It’s like a father to children, sometimes you have to let them go off and do their own thing and just be there for him. That’s the same situation I have this time. We talk every other day. I try to keep him up in his Bible, keep him up in His Word, I send him scriptures just to try to pull him over every day, pull us through every day. Just like the calls I send out to many guys. They say, ‘Give me a word, talk to me or whatever.’ These are the things I try to reach out and give back to most of these guys.
Q. Have you turned into a mentor for other players?
A. Absolutely. You can’t shy away from it. That’s one of the things that even (Baltimore head coach) John Harbaugh’s father spoke about. He told a couple of different stories about why do you play this game? If you realize that I’ve only played this game for the respect, for the respect of your peers, for the respect of the people that you play with and things like that. That respect, coming from them knowing that I’m the person that’s been in this league for a long time and has excelled in so many different areas. I’ve been through down times in my life, I’ve been challenged in my life but I’ve found a way to trust God completely through it all and so if that’s my role as a man to relate God’s word and get the Word out there that you take everything to him and just live. If that’s my job, then I’m definitely excited about doing it.
Q. Has Chad taken your advice to heart?
A. Absolutely. Absolutely. And all you have to do is watch him. He’s Chad and that’s what I told him. Don’t stop being Chad. Be Chad. But when Chad has got something to say that Chad wants to say, keep it to Chad. Keep it to Chad and God and let everything else take care of itself. Don’t get into all of these war of words with whoever it is. I don’t care who it is. If it’s somebody out on the street that wants a war with you then, ‘OK, brother, you win. I’m good. I’ll smile.’ But these are the things that he has grabbed onto to say that life is life. Life is good. I can be a true role model to some people and show people what life is about and when you really challenge yourself to be great every day. For me, just his talent alone proves that he wants to be the best in this game. You can’t ever hate him for wanting to be the best in this game and wanting to win. A lot of times you get the bad side of people when those two things aren’t happening and Chad is one of those people.
Q. What do you think of Chad’s name change to Chad Javon Ocho Cinco?
A. I kind of knew about that before anybody ever thought about it. People do that all of the time. Didn’t John Wayne do that? Yeah. So some of the great ones have done that. I don’t think it’s a big issue. It’s publicized everywhere but it’s whatever it is. If that’s the way he feels he wants to be called then let him go by that. Muhammad Ali was one of the greatest ever and he did the same thing. So whatever belief he has just roll with it and deal with you as a man, deal with you and God and everything else will take care of itself.
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‘Hanna’ forces team to leave Friday
CINCINNATI BENGALS YIELD
TO THE POWER & MUSCLE OF
TROPICAL STORM HANNA
Due to potential weather issues on the East Coast, the Cincinnati Bengals have decided to leave for Baltimore on Friday, Sept. 5, instead of Saturday as originally planned.
Blame it on Tropical Storm Hanna — which could become a hurricane — blasting up the Atlantic Coast.
The club will board a Delta charter out of Northern Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. on Friday with an arrival time in Baltimore at 8:10 p.m.
Kickoff at Baltimore’s M & T Bank Stadium is Sunday, Sept. 7, at 1 p.m.
Prior to the announcement that the club will leave early, quarterback Carson Palmer was asked:
Q. Football players are so schedule-oriented. If you would have to leave Friday instead of Saturday, will that disrupt the team?
A. “I don’t think it’ll be an issue whatsoever. Plus, we stay at a great hotel when we go there with comfortable beds, so that’s a plus. Good food. Good restaurants right around where we stay. I don’t think it’ll be an issue for this team. We’ve dealt with training camp, in and out, breaking out of Georgetown, coming back here (to Cincinnati), staying at the hotel here, so I kind of look forward to it. I think it would be fun if we did.”
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The woman is a champ
SARAH PALIN
WAS ONCE A
SPORTSCASTER
LUDWIG AT LARGE believes she’s equal parts bulldog, pit bull, beauty queen and barracuda.
And at this point in time, I would like to pause and take this opportunity to say that Republic Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s speech was a smashing success at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night.
She didn’t just hit a home run.
She smoked a grand slam …
… way, Way WAY outta the park in St. Paul, Minn.
I’ve been wondering the last couple days …
How in the world did she get THIS GORGEOUS?!
I love the hair, the eyes, the face, the glasses …
… the walk and the talk.
She doesn’t know it, but she just became a member of The Chickster’s “IPH” — International Platonic Harem.
i didn’t realize Mrs. Palin was once a sportscaster.
See “now” and “then” photos at:
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20222714,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines
I’d like to nominate her for President of the United States in 2012.
But first, I’d like to dedicate this song to her.
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‘The Redeemer’ strikes again
THE NEWEST BENGAL,
‘JUGGERNAUT’ MAUI’A,
ARRESTED IN APRIL,
DUMPED BY DOLPHINS
===LUDWIG AT LARGE offers this comprehensive look at the Bengals’ “Arrested Development.” So, please, read on, loyal studs & studettes:===
The Cincinnati Bengals just can’t help themselves.
In their search for talent, they snapped up another arrested dude.
After the Bengals announced the signing of ex-Miami Dolphins fullback Reagan Maui’a on Wednesday, Sept. 3, word spread quickly that Maui’a had been arrested on Friday, April 11, in Weston, Fla., by the Broward Sheriff’s Office on a charge of misdemeanor battery.
Check out the story at:
http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/04/11/fins-fullback-busted-for-face-punch/
Now for some real entertainment and amusement, check out this unflattering video of Maui’a, who goes by the nickname, “Juggernaut.”
http://nationallampoonsplog.com/index.php/2008/04/11/juggernaut-mauia-arrested/
BENGALS PRESIDENT MIKE BROWN
ON JULY 22, 2008, AT BENGALS’
PRE-TRAINING CAMP LUNCHEON:
“The world is divided up between redeemers and non-redeemers. I happen to be a redeemer. I believe people can be made better and right. If that’s a fault, so be it. These guys misstep. They’ve paid prices for it that have been verging on ruinous …
“We don’t want that kind of behavior. We’ve tried to be more conscious of the guys we bring in than maybe we were before. We’re going forward and will try to go forward with the kind of guys we can count on, who are not just good players, but good citizens.”
ACCORDING TO CHICK LUDWIG’S RESEARCH…
From Dec. 15, 2005, to June 18, 2007 — a span of 19 months — 10 Bengals players were arrested in a total of 15 incidents.
The offenders and number of incidents were:
WR Chris Henry-4, LB Odell Thurman-2, LB A.J. Nicholson-2 and ONE EACH for DE Frostee Rucker, DT Matthias Askew, LG Eric Steinbach, WR Reggie McNeal, CB Deltha O’Neal, CB Johnathan Joseph and TB Quincy Wilson.
Of the “CINCINNATI 10” — the 10 players arrested since December 2005 — seven are no longer with the team.
LONG GONE: Thurman, O’Neal, McNeal, Nicholson, Askew, Steinbach and Wilson.
STILL HERE: Henry, Rucker and Joseph.
CINCINNATI BENGALS THEME
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,..”
http://www.libertystatepark.com/emma.htm
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Bengals sign FB Reagan Maui’a
SAMOAN BORN
EX-MIAMI DOLPHIN
IS NEWEST BENGAL
PEKO, FANENE AND
MAUI’A COMPRISE
‘SAMOAN CONNECTION’
Reagan Maui’a, a former Miami Dolphins fullback and University of Hawaii star, became the newest member of the Cincinnati Bengals on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
He takes over the roster spot previously occupied by fullback Jeremi Johnson, who was placed on Injured Reserve following knee surgery.
Miami’s sixth-round draft pick in 2007, Maui’a started nine games and played in all 16 for the Dolphins his rookie season. He rushed four times for five yards and caught two passes for five yards.
The 6-foot, 260-pounder was born in American Samoa and attended Tokay High School in Lodi, Calif.
Maui’a joins DE Jonathan Fanene and DT Domata Peko as current Bengals from American Samoa.
For more information on Maui’a, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reagan_Mauia
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Jeremi Johnson on IR, out for year
KNEE SCOPE WEDNESDAY
ENDS JEREMI’S SEASON;
COATS BECOMES STARTER
Bengals fullback Jeremi Johnson’s season has ended before it even had a chance to begin.
The sixth-year veteran from Western Kentucky — who battled weight problems all of training camp — was placed on Injured Reserve on Wednesday, Sept. 3, ending his playing eligibility for 2008.
What happened to Jeremi?
“He injured himself, his knee, at practice on Monday,” head coach Marvin Lewis revealed at his post-practice news conference. “He actually finished the practice, ironically, but he had a knee scope this morning.”
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the roster spot had not been filled.
Johnson’s exit means converted tight end Daniel Coats is the starting fullback.
Q: So Dan Coats will block Ray Lewis in his first game?
Marvin: “Ray Lewis and Bart Scott and whoever else they line up where you’re supposed to go block.”
Q: So you’re going to find out about the kid right away.
Marvin: “Daniel played last year against them over there. He and Nate Lawrie were our tight ends, so he’ll be all right.”
Q: You seem pretty confident in him.
Marvin: “Yeah, I am. Very confident in Daniel.”
CHAD JOHNSON …
… wants to be known as Chad Ocho Cinco.
“That’s my legal name,” he said. “That’s what I want to be called.”
INJURY REPORT
FOR SUNDAY
AT BALTIMORE
OUT
FB Jeremi Johnson (Knee)
S Chinedum Ndukwe (Knee)
DT Pat Sims (Toe)
Did Not Participate in Practice
DE Jonathan Fanene (Illness)
Limited Participation in Practice
WR Andre Caldwell Toe
LB Brandon Johnson Hamstring
Full Participation in Practice
WR Chad Johnson Shoulder
QB Carson Palmer Nose
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Revenge! Bell steals Rudi’s luggage
EYE IN SKY DOESN’T LIE:
TATUM BELL GETS CUT, THEN
SWIPES RUDI’S LUGGAGE
News flash out of The Motor City:
Talk about an outrageous way to get revenge, this is it:
After tailback Rudi Johnson stole Tatum Bell’s job, Bell stole Rudi’s luggage.
Detroit Lions’ surveillance tapes show it.
Check out the story at:
http://larrybrownsports.com/football/tatum-bell-revenge-rudi-johnson-steals-bags/2393
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Odom, T.J., Chad are on the practice field
BENGALS UPDATE:
FULL STRENGTH
EXCEPT FOR TWO
NDUKWE & SIMS
NOT PRACTICING
WR Chad Johnson (shoulder), WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hamstring), WR Andre Caldwell (foot) and DE Antwan Odom (foot) are practicing.
SS Chinedum Ndukwe (knee) and DT Pat Sims (toe) are NOT practicing.
Caldwell showed up on the field without a helmet and pads … rushed back inside … and was back on the field in helmet and pads.
Interpretation: He got cleared to participate.
CARSON PALMER … loves playing on the road, and really, really likes M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
P.S. Baltimore is LUDWIG AT LARGE’S favorite road trip and favorite “hut” (stadium).
IN CARSON’S WORDS:
“Baltimore has as great a stadium and fan participation as there is in this league. You walk into that stadium and it’s going nuts. Beautiful stadium. It’s huge. You guys know. You’ve seen the big screen. The starting introductions. It’s the real deal.
“Everything is very classy. Very first rate. You get that feel playing against them, and then knowing guys on their team and hearing things that go on there. You just get that when you walk in. It just feels good to be on that field. Plus, you throw in their rowdy crowd.
“It’s such a hostile environment. Even during the day for a 1 o’clock game, that place is rockin’ and rollin’. And then Ray (Lewis) comes out and does his dance. You’re just in awe of the situation. Add on top of that it’s opening day. It’s just a great experience.”
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Another Chad (Jackson) hits town
EX-PATRIOT VISITS
CINCY FOR A TRYOUT
NOT ONLY A WIDE RECEIVER;
HE’S A KICK-RETURNER, TOO;
ARE 2 CHADS BETTER THAN 1?
===LUDWIG AT LARGE wants to know: Should the Bengals sign Chad Jackson? They’re looking at him as more than just a wide receiver, but a kick-returner, too. If the Bengals sign him, look for rookie Andre Caldwell (sprained foot) to go on Injured Reserve. One Chad’s enough. Are two too many?===
Carlos “Big C” Holmes of BigCProFootball.com — and a DaytonDailyNews.com blogger — is reporting that former New England Patriots wide receiver Chad Jackson will visit Cincinnati on Wednesday, Sept. 3, and work out for the Bengals.
Jackson, a 6-foot-1, 215-pounder and third-year veteran from the University of Florida, had a tryout with Oakland on Tuesday, but left town without a contract. A day earlier, the Raiders signed wide receiver Ashley Lelie to a one-year deal to help boost their downfield passing attack.
Jackson endured two turbulent, injury-riddled seasons in New England, spending most of his time locked inside head coach Bill Belichick’s doghouse.
He finally got released, ending a disappointing stint with the Patriots, who had high hopes for him. So high, they packaged their second- and third-round draft picks (Nos. 52 and 75) in a trade with Green Bay to move up 16 spots (to the Packers’ No. 36) to grab Jackson in 2006.
Jackson had 13 catches for 152 yards (11.7) with a long gain of 35 yards (for a touchdown) and 3 TDs in 2006 as hamstring and knee injuries ruined his rookie season.
He opened 2007 on the PUP list; was activated on Nov. 8; and didn’t catch a pass all season. Jackson’s nine kickoff returns netted 163 yards for an 18.1 average with a long gain of 39. He added two punt returns for a total of 7 yards.
Mike Reiss of The Boston Globe wrote: “I believe Jackson had not won over the trust of Tom Brady, plain and simple. Brady couldn’t rely on him to be in the right place consistently. Jackson had generated a lot of discussion … in recent months and I think it’s now fair to call that draft pick — and the investment of trading up to acquire Jackson — a poor decision.”
For more information on Chad Wolfegang Jackson, a native of Birmingham, Ala., go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_Jackson
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Yes, it’s finally Chris Perry’s time
HE’S RUNNING DOWNHILL
WITHOUT RUDI’S SPECTRE
HOVERING OVER HIM
CAN PERRY EMERGE
AS 3-DOWN BACK
TEAM ENVISIONED?
===LUDWIG AT LARGE notices a change in Chris Perry. The ‘Tude is gone. The confidence is here.===
Hey, Bengals fans.
What time is it?
According to my watch — the alarm is set for Sunday, Sept. 7, at 1 p.m. — it’s time for Chris Perry to start running with the football tucked under his arm.
Sure has been a while.
November 26, 2006, to be exact.
On his first “touch” in the Bengals’ 30-0 slaughter of the Browns in Cleveland that day, Perry burst through the line of scrimmage for a 10-yard gain only to get his right ankle crushed.
Now he’s fully mended and he no longer has the spectre of Rudi Johnson hovering over him like a helicopter.
And that’s causing Perry to run the way he wants to run … downhill … like he did at Michigan.
In four NFL seasons, four long, agonizing, injury-plagued seasons, he’s played in 22 games with 3 starts, rushed for 337 yards on 73 carries for a 4.6 average with a long gain of 30 and zero touchdowns.
But he’s caught 63 passes for 403 yards (6.4) and two TDs.
Once considered an easily breakable China Doll with an attitude, Perry has grown up. He’s more mature, more humble and more appreciative than ever before for this opportunity.
The big questions:
Can he stay healthy?
Will we see the Chris Perry we anticipated and expected when he became the Bengals’ first-round draft pick in 2004?
Or will he get injured and fade away, again, as Bengals fans mutter the words, “Coulda had Steven Jackson!!!???”
Pretty soon it’ll be 1 o’clock at M&T Bank Stadium in B-more near the Inner Harbor.
It’s time.
Chris Perry’s time.
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Bengals’ Opening Day Depth Chart
LINEUP CHANGES
FOR 2008 OPENER
AT BALTIMORE
For the Cincinnati Bengals, this year’s opening day lineup at Baltimore will be different from a year ago when they opened at home against the Ravens on Monday Night Football, Sept. 10, 2007.
Last year’s lineup had Andrew Whitworth at left tackle and Stacy Andrews at left guard with Willie Anderson at right tackle, Rudi Johnson at tailback and Daniel Coats as a second tight end, subbing for fullback Jeremi Johnson.
This year? Levi Jones is your left tackle with Whitworth at left guard and Andrews at right tackle. Chris Perry will start at tailback with Jeremi Johnson the likely starter at fullback.
HERE’S THE 2008
CINCINNATI BENGALS
DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
WR: Chad Johnson, Jerome Simpson, Glenn Holt
LT: Levi Jones, Andrew Whitworth, Anthony Collins
LG: Andrew Whitworth, Frank Davis, Scott Kooistra
C: Eric Ghiaciuc, Kyle Cook, Bobbie Williams
RG: Bobbie Williams, Scott Kooistra, Frank Davis
RT: Stacy Andrews, Scott Kooistra
TE: Reggie Kelly, Ben Utecht, Daniel Coats
WR: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Antonio Chatman, Andre Caldwell
QB: Carson Palmer, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jordan Palmer
TB: Chris Perry, Kenny Watson, DeDe Dorsey
FB: Jeremi Johnson, Daniel Coats
DEFENSE
LE: Robert Geathers, Frostee Rucker
LDT: Domata Peko, Jason Shirley
RDT: John Thornton, Orien Harris, Pat Sims
RE: Antwan Odom, Jonathan Fanene
SLB: Rashad Jeanty, Darryl Blackstock
MLB: Dhani Jones, Corey Mays
WLB: Keith Rivers, Brandon Johnson
LCB: Johnathan Joseph, Simeon Castille
RCB: Leon Hall, David Jones
SS: Dexter Jackson, Chinedum Ndukwe, Herana-Daze Jones
FS: Marvin White, Kyries Hebert, Corey Lynch
SPECIALISTS
K: Shayne Graham, Kyle Larson
P: Kyle Larson, Shayne Graham
KR: Glenn Holt, DeDe Dorsey
PR: Antonio Chatman, DeDe Dorsey
LS: Brad St. Louis, Ben Utecht
H: Kyle Larson, Ryan Fitzpatrick
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‘The Great Mistake’ of 2008
BENGALS UNDERESTIMATE
WILLIE ANDERSON’S POWER
ON FIELD, IN LOCKER ROOM
HIS LEADERSHIP
IS EXACTLY
WHAT’S MISSING
===LUDWIG AT LARGE believes the Cincinnati Bengals should re-sign Willie Anderson NOW.===
Back in 2003, Cincinnati Bengals first-year head coach Marvin Lewis had a brainstorm.
The idea came sealed with offensive line coach Paul Alexander’s blessing.
It went like this:
LET’S MAKE MIKE GOFF THE CENTER!
Goff — now a member of the soon-to-be Super Bowl champion San Diego Chargers — was an outstanding right guard in Cincinnati, and the club wanted his toughness and athleticism in the middle of the offensive line.
The incumbent center, Richie Braham, was a warrior. He was aging, and had lost some of his flexibility, but none of his toughness.
So the team let loose the trial balloon in training camp.
Goff started all four preseason games at center — the Bengals went 1-3 — and he started the 2003 regular-season opener at center.
It was Marvin’s inaugural game as head coach.
The final: Broncos 30, Bengals 10.
Braham was back at center the following week.
Moving him out to begin with was a disaster.
So was Saturday’s release of right offensive tackle Willie Anderson.
Bengals management and coaches underestimate Willie’s influence in the locker room.
Even Chad Ocho Cinco doesn’t understand it.
“Usually, you’re able to give a reason why it (getting cut) happens to certain people,” Chad said. “But I don’t have a reason why you let Willie Anderson go.”
The club realized its blunder in 2003.
Now it must realize its GREAT MISTAKE OF ‘08.
It’s time to restore some order.
Bring Willie back … now.
And if the Bengals don’t, I wish them luck filling his size 19-EEE shoes.
Hey, Willie, one final time:
“WAR EAGLE!”
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Rudi roarin’ to go with Lions
RUDI JOHNSON
SIGNS 1-YEAR
DEAL WITH LIONS
A pair of ex-Cincinnati Bengals found new homes on Monday, Sept. 1.
Hours after cornerback Deltha O’Neal signed with the New England Patriots, tailback Rudi Johnson landed in Detroit, signing a one-year contract with the Lions.
At the heart of Rudi’s deal was Sheldon White. The former Bengals cornerback (1993) from Dayton Meadowdale High School is the Lions’ director of pro personnel.
Neither the Lions nor the Broncos are on Cincinnati’s 2008 schedule.
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O’Neal signs with Patriots; Rudi works out for Lions
BENGALS CHOOSE 5
TEAM CAPTAINS;
HENDERSON LANDS
ON PRACTICE SQUAD
SURE DIDN’T TAKE LONG
FOR DELTHA O’NEAL TO
LAND IN NEW ENGLAND
“FLY DELTHA”
Deltha O’Neal signed with the New England Patriots on Monday, Sept. 1.
It’s amazing that O’Neal is good enough for the Pats, but not good enough for the Bengals.
RUD-EEE! RUD-EEE!
Rudi Johnson arrived in Detroit on Sunday, Aug. 31, and worked out for the Lions on Monday, Sept. 1. According to the Associated Press, Detroit coach Rod Marinelli said Johnson was impressive, but isn’t sure if the team will sign him.
AS FOR THE BENGALS …
Monday, Sept. 1, was “Picture Day” for the 2008 Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.
The players also voted for team captains before heading to practice at 2 p.m.
There are a whopping five captains. They are WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, SS Dexter Jackson, LB Dhani Jones, QB Carson Palmer and RG Bobbie Williams.
“This is a great representation of the veteran leadership of our team,” head coach Marvin Lewis said. “It represents a diversity of positions, and we’ll be looking to these guys many times for their professionalism in giving direction to the younger segment of our roster.”
The Bengals also will designate a special teams captain for each week’s game.
PRACTICE SQUAD ADDITION
Defensive end Eric Henderson, a second-year player from Georgia Tech, was signed to the practice squad. Henderson was with the Bengals for the entire preseason and was waived in final roster cuts on Saturday, Aug. 30.
The Bengals now have seven players on the practice squad.
The team is permitted a maximum of nine, including International Practice Squad player Carl-Johan Bjork of Sweden.
The others:
LB Dan Howell, rookie from Washington
TB James Johnson, rookie from Kansas State
G Nate Livings, first-year player from Louisiana State
WR Maurice Purify, rookie from Nebraska
WR Mario Urrutia, rookie from Louisville
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Labor Day lasts 17 weeks
LUDWIG AT LARGE
PAUSES, GIVES THANKS
TO LOYAL READERS
BENGALS HAVE TALENT,
BUT LACK ESSENTIALS
(BRAINS & HEART) TO
REACH THE PLAYOFFS
===Paul Daugherty of The Enquirer and 700 WLW’s Sports Talk is right. Bad football is better than no football.===
On this Labor Day Weekend, LUDWIG AT LARGE would like to pause and say thank you to all my loyal disciples for your intensely loyal readership.
You’ve thrown me under the bus and you’ve helped me to my feet.
And you — YES, EVEN YOU, “PSYCHOSTATS” — have encouraged me to keep plugging away.
The late Dick Schaap once said that you can write about the beauty of boxing or the brutality of chess — just don’t be boring.
My goal, here at LUDWIG AT LARGE, is to NOT BE BORING.
My goal is to comfort the afflicted. And to afflict the comfortable.
My goal is to supplement what I write for the Dayton Daily News newspaper with fact, opinion, analysis and insight into the most confounding (and arguably the most irrelevant) franchise is all of sports — the Cincinnati Bengals.
The NFL preaches parity. The worst teams get the highest draft picks and two games worth of easier schedules. Yet the Bengals continue to flounder, flap and grope like live fish that somehow wash up on sandy beaches.
One measly playoff berth in 17 seasons.
Amazing, eh?
Well, not really.
Not when you’re a franchise that continually makes mistakes and refuses to learn from them.
The Bengals remind me of the dog chasing its tail around the tree.
They have an idea of what they want, but can never reach it.
Folks, the Bengals have the athletic talent to reach the postseason.
Now … point to your head, and then point to your heart.
That’s what’s been missing.
The beauty of the NFL is there are only 32 teams. Fortunes can get turned around quickly. That’s what keeps fans coming back for more.
Year after year.
The Bengals are aiming for the AFC North title.
Is it dangling like a carrot on a string with the Steelers, Br