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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
Bengals sunk by execution, strategy errors
Monday, October 30, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer fumbles on a sack by Patrick Kerney in the final seconds of the game as the Falcons? Josh Mallard closes in.
Bengals receiver Chad Johnson leaps into the end zone with the Falcons? Lawyer Milloy in tow in the first half.
CINCINNATI ? Yes, Michael Vick is a breathtaking player. When the Atlanta Falcons quarterback?s passes are accurate, as they were yesterday in a 29-27 victory over the Bengals, there might not be much an opponent can do.
The Bengals gave Vick his due. They said he was as good or better than advertised. They said he did things that were impossible to simulate in practice.
But the Bengals did not say Vick made it impossible to beat the Falcons yesterday in Paul Brown Stadium. They blamed themselves for the loss, which booted them out of a firstplace tie in the AFC North with Baltimore, their opponent next week.
Rudi Johnson questioned why the Bengals (4-3) abandoned the run game. After gaining 34 yards in the first quarter, Johnson carried only six more times for 12 yards.
"Our offensive line could have manhandled them all day and they know that," he said. "Up and down the field. We could have lessened the pressure on our defense."
Right tackle Willie Anderson questioned the team?s mental and physical toughness.
"When we lose games, we usually lose games because we get outsmarted and outtoughed," Anderson. "You saw this game today. They exploited us in both areas."
Perhaps the best exhibit of mental breakdowns was a seemingly small gaffe that ended up looming large. After Atlanta (5-2) scored to take the lead for good at 26-20 late in the third quarter, the Bengals had to call timeout because they had only 10 men on the kickoff-return unit.
They could have used that timeout late in the game. After Chris Henry caught a 55-yard touchdown pass with 3:41 left to make it 29-27, the Bengals allowed one first down ? on a throw under pressure by Vick ? before forcing a punt. But because of the earlier timeout, Atlanta was able to run the clock down until only 30 seconds remained. The Bengals then needed a prayer that wasn?t answered.
The Henry touchdown catch was about the only offense Cincinnati could muster in the second half. The Bengals had only 77 yards excluding that play and converted only 1 of 6 third-down chances after halftime. With the run game a non-factor, Atlanta cranked up its blitz packages and the Bengals struggled to counter.
"In the second half, we mixed up some of our looks," Falcons coach Jim Mora Jr. said. "We got a little bit more aggressive with some of our calls. We put in some new calls at halftime. We felt as coaches that it was up to us to put our players in position to make plays."
Meanwhile, the Bengals defense could do little to stop the Falcons? main playmaker. Vick, who entered the game with a 52.4 completion percentage, connected on 20 of 28 passes for 291 yards and a career-high passer rating of 140.6. He also ran for 55 yards.
The dual threat proved too much. At times, the Bengals used only three pass rushers to reduce the chance of Vick scrambling. That allowed him plenty of time to throw. When they did try to chase him down, the Bengals resembled Wile E. Coyote to Vick?s Road Runner.
"It?s like chasing a wide receiver who can throw," Bengals cornerback Keiwan Ratliff said. "He?s just as fast if not faster than most of the receivers in the NFL. He?s back there scrambling and it?s hard to ask a 300-pound guy to chase him down."
Vick continually came up big on third down, on which the Falcons converted 7 of 13 chances. He completed a 21-yarder on third-and-16 on the drive that put Atlanta ahead 29-20. Cincinnati forced one three-and-out all game.
"What I told our guys is that we didn?t make enough plays when we had opportunities to make them," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "At the end of that day, we?ll look back at third downs on both sides of the football and that will have been the difference."
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
Bengals struggle to get a grip on elusive Vick
Monday, October 30, 2006
BOB HUNTER
</IMG>
CINCINNATI ? Michael Vick has always been part ballerina, part magician, part sprinter. What he hasn?t always been is part John Elway, at least when it comes to passing.
On the days when he is ? and yesterday was one of those ? containing him is like trying to catch a hummingbird with your hands. The Bengals lunged, grabbed and then uncupped their grubby paws repeatedly. They looked inside and found nothing."On film, he looks pretty fast, but when you?re on the field with him, he looks even faster because there?s no simulation for that," Bengals defensive tackle Domata Peko said.
"In practice, we had Reggie McNeal being Michael Vick, but when you get on the field, it?s a whole different speed."
Well, sure it is. As good an athlete as the Bengals rookie receiver is, if it had been McNeal playing quarterback for Atlanta yesterday, the Bengals would have won handily.
Having McNeal prepare a defense to play Vick is a lot like having Andrew Bogut simulate the play of Lebron James in basketball.
While it?s worth a try, it probably explains why a capacity crowd in Paul Brown Stadium was forced to watch the tricky quarterback-illusionist and the Falcons beat Cincinnati 29-27 and make the Bengals? share of the AFC North lead disappear.
If the Bengals didn?t expect to get their hands on Vick, they also didn?t expect him to complete 20 of 28 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns.
"He?s usually not as accurate throwing across his body to the left side of our defense," defensive tackle John Thornton said. "We sort of contained their running game a little, even though they got 140 yards. They usually get 230.
"He just hit some big plays on third down and threw it downfield and really hurt us."
Vick made some third-down plays that were pure magic. A third-and-9 that saw him scramble in the backfield for what seemed like an eternity, make a move to get out of a triangle of tacklers and then hit former Ohio State standout Michael Jenkins for a 26-yard touchdown pass was probably the most damaging to the Bengals; it gave Atlanta a 20-17 lead. But a similar escape route on third and 16 in the fourth quarter ? he found Roddy White for 21 yards ? kept alive a drive that ended with a 39-yard Morten Andersen field goal that made it 29-20.
"That?s hard on everybody," Thornton said, "because you did what you?re supposed to do and he still makes a play because he?s faster than everybody."
With the Bengals having lost two games in the previous three weeks, the timing for a Vick visit was horrendous.
The Bengals played a decent game, probably good enough to win at home most weeks, and got burned by a guy who is capable of doing things no one else in the league can do.
Now the Bengals face a tough game in Baltimore next Sunday with a decent chance of dropping their fourth in five games and falling to 4-4.
It?s not time to panic ? this game may say more about Vick than it does the Bengals ? but it?s fair to say that what started as a banner season is slowly sliding toward mediocrity.
"They were able to keep some drives alive with some third downs and we weren?t," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said.
That reflects on the Bengals offense certainly, but it wasn?t horrible.
While the running game didn?t rack up yardage, Carson Palmer completed 24 of 36 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns.
The outcome was determined mostly by a dancing, speeding, bullet-throwing football ballerina named Vick.
As painful as it was, the Bengals know this experience was unique. They know that there are no more quarterbacks on their schedule who can do the things that Vick can.
"Nobody in this league," defensive end Robert Geathers said. "Nobody that I?ve ever played."
Bob Hunter is a sports colum nist for The Dispatch .
[email protected]
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
No clear winner in Johnson-Hall matchup
Monday, October 30, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
NEAL C . LAURON DISPATCH The Bengals? Chad Johnson, right, exchanges words with the Falcons? Edgerton Hartwell.
CINCINNATI ? Call the Chad Johnson-DeAngelo Hall duel a draw.
Johnson was back to his brash ways last week in anticipation of his showdown with the Falcons? Pro Bowl cornerback.
The Bengals receiver didn?t flop, but he didn?t dominate, either. He caught six passes for 78 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown when he caught a short pass and juked Jason Webster, not Hall, for the score.
Johnson had hoped Hall would line up almost exclusively against him, but that didn?t happen.
On the first play, Hall tried to send Johnson a message with a hard hit. Safety Chris Crocker added a second hit that drew a personal foul.
"For the first play of the game, I asked for a particular coverage to the coaches," Hall said. "I told him that was the only time I was going to be in coverage and I wanted him to feel it."
Johnson made a couple of dazzling catches, but he and quarterback Carson Palmer were out of sync on several others, which is nothing new this season. On the first play of the second half, Johnson made a double move on Hall and got behind him, but Palmer overthrew the receiver.
Johnson said he had fun going against Hall.
"I enjoyed it," he said. "It?s not every day that you get to play against one of the best in the NFL. It?s something I look forward to."
Hall had similar feelings.
"There was something about this game that motivated me," he said. "Maybe that?s just how it is when you go up against some of the best. He drew a lot of attention this week with his comments and all those other things. I definitely wanted to come out here and give him a great show."
Hall said Johnson made sure the cornerback had somebody rooting for him.
"He came over to the hotel and brought my mom tickets to the game," he said. "They had met during the Pro Bowl, so she sat with his family. He was putting on a nice show for the fans. Chad?s an entertainer."
Costly penalty
After Atlanta scored a touchdown to make it 26-20, the Bengals called timeout on the ensuing kickoff because they had only 10 players on the field. That timeout proved costly when Atlanta was able to run down the clock in the fourth quarter.
"There was a player who wasn?t on the field who was supposed to be," special-teams coach Darrin Simmons said. "He was standing on the sideline. It was a critical error in the game. It had nothing to do with any injury. We weren?t on point."
Kaesviharn hurt
Bengals defensive back Kevin Kaesviharn left the game in the third quarter because of a left knee injury sustained when he dived in an unsuccessful attempt to make an interception in the end zone.
There were no details about the severity of the injury.
Bengals bits
Defensive end Justin Smith was credited with five solo tackles and seven assists. ? Neither team committed a turnover until Palmer fumbled when hit in the final seconds as he tried to make a desperation throw. Atlanta fumbled twice but each time recovered. ? Atlanta won the time-of-possession battle by 14 minutes, 16 seconds.
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
Lewis doesn?t take the bait as players carp over play-calling
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
</IMG> NEAL C . LAURON DISPATCH Bengals running back Rudi Johnson (32) wanted more carries in Sunday?s loss to the Falcons. He finished with 12 for 46 yards.
CINCINNATI ? A day after losing for the third time in four games and a couple of players questioning the team?s strategy, coach Marvin Lewis tried to put a smiley face on the Good Ship Bengals:
The Bengals aren?t the Titanic. They?re the S.S. Minnow, soon to be fine after a three-hour detour.
Lewis spoke about the good things the Bengals did in their 29-27 loss to Atlanta. He dismissed the criticisms made by running back Rudi Johnson and offensive tackle Willie Anderson as mere frustration that comes after a loss.
"We won the first three and I was just the same," Lewis said of his upbeat demeanor. "We?re not going to change. Unfortunately, there is only one team that has gone undefeated in the NFL. You are going to come up short once in a while.
"But if we keep doing things the right way, we are going to be right where we want to be at the end of the year. We?ve got to keep doing things right, do it better, more efficiently and more often."
Johnson complained that the Bengals stopped trying to run the ball against Atlanta?s smallish defense.
"Do what works," Johnson said after the game. "I?m not saying I have to run 50,000 times, especially if it?s not working. I?m just saying you move up and down the field with what?s working. You do what you do until they find a way to stop it."
Anderson isn?t sure what type of offense the Bengals are trying to be.
"We try to figure everything out every week," he said Sunday. "We have no identity."
He added that the team?s toughness as a whole was "spotty."
"The good teams have that," Anderson said. "We don?t. Point blank, we don?t. I don?t care what everybody says tomorrow. We don?t have that. We?ve brought guys in here like that, but we don?t have enough. You?ve got to have enough guys like that."
If the comments bothered Lewis, he shrugged it off.
"It comes with the territory," he said. "It certainly doesn?t surprise me."
He did take issue with Johnson?s complaint. Lewis said the running back touched the ball on 50 percent of the snaps he played.
As for not pounding the ball after the first quarter, Lewis said, "We did pound Atlanta until they hit us for a 7-yard loss in the third quarter. Second-and-17, I don?t know how much pounding we are going to do at that point. We did pound. We went up and down the field. We do certain things on offense. I appreciate their thoughts, and if they were always 100 percent right, then we would really be in great shape."
The loss dropped Cincinnati (4-3) out of a first-place tie with Baltimore (5-2) in the AFC North, and the Ravens play host to the Bengals on Sunday. Baltimore routed the New Orleans Saints in its first game after firing offensive coordinator Jim Fassel.
Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski was the inferred target of the criticism by Johnson and Anderson. Lewis bristled when asked whether Bratkowski might face the same fate as Fassel.
Affirming that Bratkowski was safe, Lewis said, "Was that in the bottom of the useless question list?
"We?ve just got to win. That?s what it comes down to. When you win, you look kind of foolish when you are sitting in there complaining."
Injury update
Lewis said center Rich Braham, offensive left tackle Levi Jones and receiver Kelley Washington will be out again this week. Defensive back Kevin Kaesviharn will be listed as questionable with a knee bruise. [email protected]
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Dispatch
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Inconsistent offense readies for Ravens
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CINCINNATI ? For a team struggling on offense, the Baltimore Ravens would hardly be considered an ideal opponent.
The Ravens lead the NFL with 15 interceptions. They allow a leaguelow 66 rushing yards per game. Led by linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed, their defense is chock full of Pro Bowlers.
In contrast, the Bengals offense has been better on paper than on the field. After the loss to Atlanta last week, some players carped about the offense?s direction.
Yet when the Bengals travel to Baltimore for Sunday?s AFC North game, they say they will do so as a confident team.
"I think offensively we kind of play up to the level of our competition sometimes," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "When you know you?ve got the best ones coming up, you?ve got to bring your best game, and it?s happened that we?ve played very well against them.
"The other reason is that we match up very well against them. We like some of the matchups that are created when they get certain personnel groups, and we?ve been fortunate to run the ball against them, which has helped a lot with the passing game."
Palmer had his breakthrough game against the Ravens in 2004 when he led the Bengals to a 27-26 victory after trailing 20-3. It is the only time in 43 games in Brian Billick?s Ravens coaching career that Baltimore has lost after leading by at least 14 points.
Last year, the Bengals scored 63 points in their two victories over Baltimore, though Lewis and Reed were injured for both games.
"We?ve just played complete games against them," receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said.
The Bengals have not done that this season. In the first half against the Falcons, they seemed on the verge of it before faltering, which drew the ire of running back Rudi Johnson and tackle Willie Anderson.
Anderson said the team lacked an identity and needed to be tougher. Yesterday, he said his comments were misconstrued.
"I?m not complaining about the offense," Anderson said. "My thing was that in order to beat these upcoming opponents ? the Ravens, San Diego, the Saints on the road and the Ravens again? we have to play tough, physical football."
Anderson said coach Marvin Lewis? message to the team yesterday morning struck the same chord.
"Baltimore is a tough, bullying football team that?s going to find our weakest link, whether it be offense, defense or special teams," Anderson said. "We have to be in an attack mode and not sit back and get bullied."
No more mohawk
Receiver Chad Johnson has shaved off his dyed-blond mohawk after losing a bet with Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall.
"I said if we lost, I?d cut it off," Johnson said. "The ?hawk is gone. I?m back to somewhat normal."
Injury report
Linebacker Brian Simmons (neck) was listed as questionable on the injury report. He did not practice. An encouraging sign was that linebacker Rashad Jeanty (foot) was listed as probable. Jeanty, who has missed the past four games, did practice.
Defensive back Kevin Kaesviharn (knee) is listed as probable, though he did not practice.
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Inconsistent offense readies for Ravens
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CINCINNATI ? For a team struggling on offense, the Baltimore Ravens would hardly be considered an ideal opponent.
The Ravens lead the NFL with 15 interceptions. They allow a leaguelow 66 rushing yards per game. Led by linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed, their defense is chock full of Pro Bowlers.
In contrast, the Bengals offense has been better on paper than on the field. After the loss to Atlanta last week, some players carped about the offense?s direction.
Yet when the Bengals travel to Baltimore for Sunday?s AFC North game, they say they will do so as a confident team.
"I think offensively we kind of play up to the level of our competition sometimes," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "When you know you?ve got the best ones coming up, you?ve got to bring your best game, and it?s happened that we?ve played very well against them.
"The other reason is that we match up very well against them. We like some of the matchups that are created when they get certain personnel groups, and we?ve been fortunate to run the ball against them, which has helped a lot with the passing game."
Palmer had his breakthrough game against the Ravens in 2004 when he led the Bengals to a 27-26 victory after trailing 20-3. It is the only time in 43 games in Brian Billick?s Ravens coaching career that Baltimore has lost after leading by at least 14 points.
Last year, the Bengals scored 63 points in their two victories over Baltimore, though Lewis and Reed were injured for both games.
"We?ve just played complete games against them," receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said.
The Bengals have not done that this season. In the first half against the Falcons, they seemed on the verge of it before faltering, which drew the ire of running back Rudi Johnson and tackle Willie Anderson.
Anderson said the team lacked an identity and needed to be tougher. Yesterday, he said his comments were misconstrued.
"I?m not complaining about the offense," Anderson said. "My thing was that in order to beat these upcoming opponents ? the Ravens, San Diego, the Saints on the road and the Ravens again? we have to play tough, physical football."
Anderson said coach Marvin Lewis? message to the team yesterday morning struck the same chord.
"Baltimore is a tough, bullying football team that?s going to find our weakest link, whether it be offense, defense or special teams," Anderson said. "We have to be in an attack mode and not sit back and get bullied."
No more mohawk
Receiver Chad Johnson has shaved off his dyed-blond mohawk after losing a bet with Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall.
"I said if we lost, I?d cut it off," Johnson said. "The ?hawk is gone. I?m back to somewhat normal."
Injury report
Linebacker Brian Simmons (neck) was listed as questionable on the injury report. He did not practice. An encouraging sign was that linebacker Rashad Jeanty (foot) was listed as probable. Jeanty, who has missed the past four games, did practice.
Defensive back Kevin Kaesviharn (knee) is listed as probable, though he did not practice.
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Bengals | C. Johnson fined $5,000
Thu, 2 Nov 2006 20:36:57 -0800
Len Pasquarelli, of ESPN.com, reports Cincinnati Bengals WR Chad Johnson has been fined $5,000 by the league for wearing "Ocho Cinco" on a Velcro nameplate across the back of his uniform jersey before the Week 8 game. Johnson wore the nameplate over his real surname during pre-game warmups. QB Carson Palmer ripped off the "Ocho Cinco" nameplate just before kickoff. Johnson is expected to appeal the fine.
http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl
Thu, 2 Nov 2006 20:36:57 -0800
Len Pasquarelli, of ESPN.com, reports Cincinnati Bengals WR Chad Johnson has been fined $5,000 by the league for wearing "Ocho Cinco" on a Velcro nameplate across the back of his uniform jersey before the Week 8 game. Johnson wore the nameplate over his real surname during pre-game warmups. QB Carson Palmer ripped off the "Ocho Cinco" nameplate just before kickoff. Johnson is expected to appeal the fine.
http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl
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Dispatch
BENGALS
Bratkowski shrugs off criticism of play calls
Friday, November 03, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CINCINNATI ? Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski can still laugh about being on the hot seat. Everything, he knows, is relative.
The Browns? offensive coordinator, Maurice Carthon, was drummed out of town a week ago.
The Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals? opponent Sunday, parted ways with coordinator Jim Fassel a week earlier.
The Arizona Cardinals recently demoted offensive coordinator Keith Rowan.
The Bengals offense has underachieved most of this season and Bratkowski has not been immune from the resulting criticism. That became more intense after comments after a loss Sunday to the Atlanta Falcons from Rudi Johnson and Willie Anderson that seemed to be an indirect shot at Bratkowski.
Bratkowski chalked it up to the inevitable frustration after a tough loss.
"No offense taken," he said.
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis scoffed at a question about Bratkowski?s job security Monday, and there?s no indication the coordinator has reason to update his resume.
"I don?t think I?m on the head coach?s hot seat," Bratkowski said. "I don?t think I?m on the owner?s hot seat. Those are the only two that matter."
He didn?t say this defensively. In fact, he was chuckling. He understands as well as anybody that second-guessing is part of deal in his job.
If part of the allure of sports is that fans believe they?re experts, no football coach is more emulated than the offensive coordinator.
"People play a lot of video games," Bratkowski said. "They call their own plays when they play Madden. I think that?s where a lot of it comes from."
Ravens coach Brian Billick, a former offensive coordinator, believes the criticism of Bratkowski is ludicrous.
"Bob is as good an offensive coach as I?ve ever known," Billick said. "I have a huge amount of respect for Bob Bratkowski. I think Bob Bratkowski has great potential, a great future as a head coach in this league. His pedigree ? I really admire what he has done offensively over the years. To question his abilities is nonsensical to me."
But that?s what?s happened. Not long ago, Bratkowski took heat for the Bengals? seeming reluctance to stretch defenses with deep passes. After the Atlanta game, it was about the disparity of passes and runs. The Bengals ran only 18 times out of 56 snaps against a defense they believed they could manhandle.
Bratkowski said the lopsided ratio is misleading. He said the Bengals faced 10 third-down calls and 13 in the two-minute offense, in which the running game had to be abandoned.
"So when you boil it down, it was somewhere around 36-37 first- and second-down snaps," Bratkowski said. "In those snaps, we were 50-50 run-pass."
For an offensive coordinator, every call is subject to criticism. Billick said a general manager is judged largely by the few draft picks he makes each April, which may take years to evaluate definitely. A coach is judged over a 16-game season. An offensive coordinator is questioned every 30 seconds.
"As a play-caller, you?re held accountable for about 1,200 calls a year, and particularly on the offensive side," Billick said. "I don?t think defensive guys get criticized as much because what are you going to criticize. You should blitz more? You should play more zone? Offensively, (after) every call, you passed when you should have run. You drawed when you should have screened. You went vertical when you should have gone short. You thissed when you should have thatted. Every single call. And everybody ? everybody ? is an offensive expert. That adds another layer to the mix."
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer called the criticism of Bratkowski unfair. Palmer has play-calling authority when Cincinnati is in its no-huddle offense.
"A lot of people want to point their fingers at ?Brat,? but if you?re looking for somebody to point your finger at, you can point it at me because I?m calling a large percentage of the plays," Palmer said.
Bratkowski is no rookie coach. He knows he?s in a results business.
"If things aren?t going well and you?re not winning, I think every coach in the business feels at risk," he said. "But this is what we do. It is the way it is in this business and we?re all aware of it. You try to stay a step ahead."
BENGALS
Bratkowski shrugs off criticism of play calls
Friday, November 03, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CINCINNATI ? Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski can still laugh about being on the hot seat. Everything, he knows, is relative.
The Browns? offensive coordinator, Maurice Carthon, was drummed out of town a week ago.
The Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals? opponent Sunday, parted ways with coordinator Jim Fassel a week earlier.
The Arizona Cardinals recently demoted offensive coordinator Keith Rowan.
The Bengals offense has underachieved most of this season and Bratkowski has not been immune from the resulting criticism. That became more intense after comments after a loss Sunday to the Atlanta Falcons from Rudi Johnson and Willie Anderson that seemed to be an indirect shot at Bratkowski.
Bratkowski chalked it up to the inevitable frustration after a tough loss.
"No offense taken," he said.
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis scoffed at a question about Bratkowski?s job security Monday, and there?s no indication the coordinator has reason to update his resume.
"I don?t think I?m on the head coach?s hot seat," Bratkowski said. "I don?t think I?m on the owner?s hot seat. Those are the only two that matter."
He didn?t say this defensively. In fact, he was chuckling. He understands as well as anybody that second-guessing is part of deal in his job.
If part of the allure of sports is that fans believe they?re experts, no football coach is more emulated than the offensive coordinator.
"People play a lot of video games," Bratkowski said. "They call their own plays when they play Madden. I think that?s where a lot of it comes from."
Ravens coach Brian Billick, a former offensive coordinator, believes the criticism of Bratkowski is ludicrous.
"Bob is as good an offensive coach as I?ve ever known," Billick said. "I have a huge amount of respect for Bob Bratkowski. I think Bob Bratkowski has great potential, a great future as a head coach in this league. His pedigree ? I really admire what he has done offensively over the years. To question his abilities is nonsensical to me."
But that?s what?s happened. Not long ago, Bratkowski took heat for the Bengals? seeming reluctance to stretch defenses with deep passes. After the Atlanta game, it was about the disparity of passes and runs. The Bengals ran only 18 times out of 56 snaps against a defense they believed they could manhandle.
Bratkowski said the lopsided ratio is misleading. He said the Bengals faced 10 third-down calls and 13 in the two-minute offense, in which the running game had to be abandoned.
"So when you boil it down, it was somewhere around 36-37 first- and second-down snaps," Bratkowski said. "In those snaps, we were 50-50 run-pass."
For an offensive coordinator, every call is subject to criticism. Billick said a general manager is judged largely by the few draft picks he makes each April, which may take years to evaluate definitely. A coach is judged over a 16-game season. An offensive coordinator is questioned every 30 seconds.
"As a play-caller, you?re held accountable for about 1,200 calls a year, and particularly on the offensive side," Billick said. "I don?t think defensive guys get criticized as much because what are you going to criticize. You should blitz more? You should play more zone? Offensively, (after) every call, you passed when you should have run. You drawed when you should have screened. You went vertical when you should have gone short. You thissed when you should have thatted. Every single call. And everybody ? everybody ? is an offensive expert. That adds another layer to the mix."
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer called the criticism of Bratkowski unfair. Palmer has play-calling authority when Cincinnati is in its no-huddle offense.
"A lot of people want to point their fingers at ?Brat,? but if you?re looking for somebody to point your finger at, you can point it at me because I?m calling a large percentage of the plays," Palmer said.
Bratkowski is no rookie coach. He knows he?s in a results business.
"If things aren?t going well and you?re not winning, I think every coach in the business feels at risk," he said. "But this is what we do. It is the way it is in this business and we?re all aware of it. You try to stay a step ahead."
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Dispatch
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Wright says he?s ready for Ravens
Friday, November 03, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CINCINNATI ? When an emergency appendectomy put Anthony Wright out of commission three weeks ago, his timetable for return was set in his mind.
No way would he miss Cincinnati?s game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, his previous team.
"Oh, for sure," Wright said. "I told ?em I was coming back regardless for this game."
Wright started seven games for the Ravens last season and 14 in four years in Baltimore. The team did not make an attempt to resign him as a free agent.
"It was a decision they had to make and they decided to keep (Kyle) Boller," Wright said. "I didn?t have any problem with that."
Wright said he?s about 95 percent recovered from the appendectomy.
"Even if I was only 50 percent, I was coming back for this game," he said.
"I?ve been anticipating this game for most of the year, and I?m excited that it?s finally here."
Another week , another test
Bengals rookie Andrew Whitworth has acquitted himself well as a fill-in left tackle for injured Levi Jones. In three previous games, he has faced Simeon Rice, Mike Rucker and Patrick Kerney, all elite players. This week, he?ll go against Pro Bowler Terrell Suggs, one of the league?s best edge rushers.
"It?s stepping up to a challenge," said Whitworth, a second-round draft pick. "I?ve always said I loved challenges and this is going to be another one this week."
The Bengals will start the same five linemen for the third game in a row. The line seemed to be making progress in the first half of the Falcons game last week, but it was beaten several times on blitzes in the final 30 minutes.
"It?s something we didn?t really think they?d do," Whitworth. "Baltimore, we expect them do that a lot."
Hush - mandzadeh
Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh had no comment after the firing of WLW radio sports-talk host Andy Furman.
Furman was fired for comments alleging Houshmandzadeh left a racist message on his answering machine. That came after Furman harshly criticized Houshmandzadeh on the air for not showing up for a scheduled show during the bye week. The receiver said he didn?t believe he was expected to do the show that week.
As for Furman?s firing, Houshmandzadeh said, "I had nothing to do with it, so I?ve got nothing to say."
Injury update
Rookie cornerback Johnathan Joseph (ankle, probable) was added to the injury report. Pro Bowl tight end Todd Heap (thigh, questionable) and kick returner B.J. Sams (shoulder and thigh, questionable) were added to Baltimore?s injury report.
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Wright says he?s ready for Ravens
Friday, November 03, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CINCINNATI ? When an emergency appendectomy put Anthony Wright out of commission three weeks ago, his timetable for return was set in his mind.
No way would he miss Cincinnati?s game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, his previous team.
"Oh, for sure," Wright said. "I told ?em I was coming back regardless for this game."
Wright started seven games for the Ravens last season and 14 in four years in Baltimore. The team did not make an attempt to resign him as a free agent.
"It was a decision they had to make and they decided to keep (Kyle) Boller," Wright said. "I didn?t have any problem with that."
Wright said he?s about 95 percent recovered from the appendectomy.
"Even if I was only 50 percent, I was coming back for this game," he said.
"I?ve been anticipating this game for most of the year, and I?m excited that it?s finally here."
Another week , another test
Bengals rookie Andrew Whitworth has acquitted himself well as a fill-in left tackle for injured Levi Jones. In three previous games, he has faced Simeon Rice, Mike Rucker and Patrick Kerney, all elite players. This week, he?ll go against Pro Bowler Terrell Suggs, one of the league?s best edge rushers.
"It?s stepping up to a challenge," said Whitworth, a second-round draft pick. "I?ve always said I loved challenges and this is going to be another one this week."
The Bengals will start the same five linemen for the third game in a row. The line seemed to be making progress in the first half of the Falcons game last week, but it was beaten several times on blitzes in the final 30 minutes.
"It?s something we didn?t really think they?d do," Whitworth. "Baltimore, we expect them do that a lot."
Hush - mandzadeh
Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh had no comment after the firing of WLW radio sports-talk host Andy Furman.
Furman was fired for comments alleging Houshmandzadeh left a racist message on his answering machine. That came after Furman harshly criticized Houshmandzadeh on the air for not showing up for a scheduled show during the bye week. The receiver said he didn?t believe he was expected to do the show that week.
As for Furman?s firing, Houshmandzadeh said, "I had nothing to do with it, so I?ve got nothing to say."
Injury update
Rookie cornerback Johnathan Joseph (ankle, probable) was added to the injury report. Pro Bowl tight end Todd Heap (thigh, questionable) and kick returner B.J. Sams (shoulder and thigh, questionable) were added to Baltimore?s injury report.
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