Bengals tidbits

[sandgk]

Right now the Bengals are not lighting it up on offense, hence moving backward 5 and 10 yards at each punt.

However, what I wanted to post here was just how horrible of an announcer Gumbel is for the NFL network (which game is also being simulcast in HD locally on NBC).

Gumbel is simply awful, atrocious, beyond inept. Any casual fan watching will be doing a better job of calling the plays and outcomes than he, an avid fan should be sending in his resume and a tape.

 

[sandgk]

Though they have had two long extended drives against the Ravens, all the Bengals have netted is 6 points, on two field goals.

Bengals offense is being keyed on a fast passing game - they are doing their best to avoid Palmer taking a hit on a late developing pattern.

EDIT -- Horrible, horrible injury incurred by Sams the big-time Kick Returner for the Ravens out of McNeese State - ankle simply disjointed or broken.

 

[sandgk]

Lewis called a TO right when Stover was in his motion to address the ball, before the snap.

His 1st FG attempt goes dead center.

Next one? Not so good - hooked left. End of the half and the Bengals still up by six points.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

There?s D in Bengals
Friday, December 1, 2006
By JOE KAY AP Sports Writer

Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer threw a 40-yard flea-flicker pass to receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh for Cincinnati?s lone touchdown in a 13-7 win over the Ravens on Thursday.
​

CINCINNATI Maybe T.J. Houshmandzadeh is right after all.
Houshmandzadeh caught a 40-yard touchdown pass on a flea-flicker that caught Baltimore off-guard, sparking Cincinnati to a 13-7 victory Thursday night that kept the AFC North title up for grabs.
?It?s huge,? quarterback Carson Palmer said. ?We?re rolling now. Hopefully we?ll wind up getting a spot in the playoffs.?
A surprisingly stout Bengals defense is keeping them in contention.
Coming off a 30-0 shutout in Cleveland, one of the NFL?s lowest-ranked defenses held Baltimore (9-3) scoreless until Steve McNair threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Mason with 1:01 to play. No Cincinnati defense had ever gone seven quarters without allowing a point.
With a chance to win the AFC North title outright, Baltimore?s offense came apart, crossing midfield only once in the first three quarters. Keiwan Ratliff clinched it by recovering the onside kick after Baltimore?s late score.
All of it supported Houshmandzadeh?s main point: Right now, Cincinnati (7-5) just might be the better team.
After the Ravens won 26-20 on Nov. 5, the long-haired receiver insisted that everyone knows the Bengals are better. He repeated it again this week, getting a rise out of some of the Ravens. Safety Ed Reed suggested that Houshmandzadeh should just shut up.
The Ravens were in no position to argue after Houshmandzadeh caught 10 passes for a season-high 106 yards, including the trick-play touchdown that made it 13-0 early in the second half and allowed the defense to dig in on a rainy night.
?I thought we played great in every area tonight,? Palmer said. ?They didn?t do a whole lot different. We just played better.?
The Bengals don?t usually resort to trick plays ? their offense has enough firepower to beat teams straight-up. They did something different against one of the league?s nastiest defenses.
On their first drive of the second half, Palmer handed off to Rudi Johnson, who then lateralled the ball back to him. Houshmandzadeh was well beyond the coverage when Palmer let fly with the flea-flicker pass.
Reed was the only player close to Houshmandzadeh when he caught the ball at the 12-yard line and ran untouched into the end zone.
Palmer had a solid showing against a defense that led the league in interceptions, ranked second in sacks and was third in points allowed. The Ravens rarely got to Palmer, who was on the mark on a rainy night ? 21-of-32 for 234 yards with only two sacks.
More stunning was the Bengals defense.
Cincinnati?s defense plummeted to last in the league rankings after giving up 42 second-half points to San Diego and nearly 600 yards to New Orleans. The defense got itself straightened out during the shutout in Cleveland, its first in 17 years.
It was even more impressive against Baltimore.
Baltimore crossed midfield only in the first half, and came away empty when Matt Stover missed a 29-yard field goal in the closing seconds. He made the kick on his first try, but the Bengals strategically called timeout just before the snap.
On the second try, holder Sam Koch struggled with a bad snap and the kick went to the left, only Stover?s second miss in 21 tries this season.
The Ravens knew then that it wasn?t their day.
By contrast, Shayne Graham connected from 23 and 27 yards in the first half, giving the Bengals an early lead and a chance to relax. Baltimore played the second half without returner B.J. Sams, who broke the fibula in his lower right leg while returning the kickoff. His right foot twisted awkwardly, and he was taken off the field on a cart with his right ankle in a protective brace.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Bengals defense rattles Ravens
Much-maligned unit posts second straight solid outing
Friday, December 01, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



CINCINNATI ? A bullying defense dominated last night?s Bengals-Baltimore Ravens game. Just not the one everyone expected.
The Bengals? oft-criticized defense smothered the Ravens last night in a 13-7 victory in rainy Paul Brown Stadium, keeping alive Cincinnati?s faint chances of defending their AFC North title and giving a major boost to its wild-card hopes.
When the Bengals (7-5) smothered the Browns last week, the shutout was attributed mainly to Cleveland?s ineptitude. A second straight similar performance can?t be dismissed as a fluke. Cincinnati came within 61 seconds of logging back-to-back shutouts for the first time in team history.
Riding a five-game winning streak, Baltimore (9-3) could have clinched the divisional title with a victory. Cincinnati?s defense made sure that didn?t happen.
In the Bengals-Ravens game Nov. 5, Baltimore took advantage of two early Cincinnati turnovers to open a 14-0 lead on the way to a 26-20 victory. Last night, the Bengals didn?t commit a turnover.
Cincinnati?s defense didn?t get one either, though rookie Johnathan Joseph had several chances for interceptions. Usually, the Bengals defense wilts when it doesn?t cause turnovers. Not last night.
"Guys are just playing their responsibilities," linebacker Brian Simmons said. "We?re just playing 60 minutes. Before, we might have put it together for a half or three quarters and then done something stupid."
Last night, it wasn?t quite 60 minutes, but it was close enough. Cincinnati blanked Baltimore until Derrick Mason got away with a push on Bengals cornerback Tory James and caught a 36-yard touchdown pass with 1:01 left.
But that one blip provided nothing more than tem- porary heartburn on the Bengals sideline. Cincinnati recovered the onside kick to clinch the victory.
Cincinnati didn?t sack Baltimore quarterback Steve McNair, but it didn?t allow the big plays that have so often been its downfall this season. Other than Mason?s touchdown catch, the Ravens? longest play was 19 yards. Jamal Lewis ran for only 61 yards.
With such a defensive effort, the Bengals didn?t need much offense. They didn?t get a lot against the NFL?s second-ranked defense.
The Bengals? only touchdown came on a 40-yard flea-flicker from Carson Palmer to T.J. Houshmandzadeh that gave Cincinnati a 13-0 lead early in the third quarter.
The Bengals maintained that cushion almost the whole way.
Before he was burned on Mason?s touchdown, Tory James broke up a fourth-down pass to Mark Clayton from the Bengals 11 with 6:20 left.
The Bengals took a 6-0 lead into halftime after driving 77 and 60 yards to set up short Shayne Graham field goals.
Baltimore didn?t get past its 43-yard line until its final drive of the half. Poor clock management forced the Ravens to attempt a field goal with 12 seconds left and the ball at the 11. Matt Stover kicked a 29-yard field goal, but the Bengals called timeout just before the snap. That seemed like delaying the inevitable because Stover is nearly automatic from that range. But on the retry, Matt Katula?s snap was low and holder Sam Koch couldn?t get the ball placed correctly. Stover?s kick hooked left, keeping it a 6-0 game.
Palmer finished 21 of 32 for 234 yards. He was sacked twice early but was provided superb protection the rest of the game. Houshmandzadeh caught 10 passes for 106 yards. Chad Johnson had 91 receiving yards on eight catches, all but one coming in the first half.
Rudi Johnson was almost a sacrificial lamb running the ball against the rugged Ravens defense. He finished with 47 yards on 16 carries, with 21 of the yards coming in the fourth quarter.
"We were sloppy on a couple of occasions but did a good job overall," Palmer said. "When your defense plays the way they did and holds them to as few points as they did, you can get away with being sloppy here and there."
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

COMMENTARY
Bengals put on show for lucky few who saw it
Friday, December 01, 2006

ROB OLLER

</IMG> Bengals receiver Chad Johnson makes a leaping catch as the Ravens? Adalius Thomas looks on.

</IMG>


CINCINNATI ? Nick Lachey sang the national anthem. See, you didn?t miss as much as you thought.
Oh, there was also that fraternizingwith-the-enemy moment when Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson hugged Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis during a TV timeout, but the NFL Network wasn?t about to highlight that bit of potential controversy anyway, so no loss there.
As for the game itself, well, the Bengals gave those lucky enough to watch the game ? and that was not most of you, thanks to NFL greed and cable TV gluttony ? a nearly flawless performance.
Unlike most of you, the Bengals barely missed a thing in their 13-7 win. Their offense clicked against a supposedly overpowering Ravens defense. Their defense turned Baltimore into the Cleveland Browns, coming 61 seconds from a second consecutive shutout.
The Bengals played with more desperation than a fan in Columbus trying to find a place to watch the game, because they had no other choice. A loss would have dropped them to 6-6 and severely damaged their playoff hopes. It also would have clinched the AFC North title for Baltimore.
The Bengals play host to hapless Oakland next week before back-toback road games in Indianapolis and Denver. They knew they had to win last night ? or else.
These kind of gulp games aren?t exactly old hat for a franchise that is still trying to get comfortable in its successful striped skin. The only pressure games Cincinnati faced during the 1990s were ones that determined which terrible team would get the first pick in the draft.
As the Bengals have improved under coach Marvin Lewis, they?ve found themselves in games that actually matter, including some that could be considered must-wins. This was one of those. And Cincinnati delivered.
"Kansas City is there. Denver is there. The Jets. In order for us to be in the playoffs, we?ve got to win every game," receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. "We?re desperate every game."
Only a desperate Bengals offensive line could protect quarterback Carson Palmer against an attacking defense that boasts four players with six sacks or more and 39 overall. The Ravens twice got to Palmer, but the pressure wasn?t nearly enough, and he picked the secondary apart.
Desperate? Bengals center Eric Ghiaciuc suffered a knee injury in the second quarter, left for the locker room and returned minutes later. He lasted one play before limping off and slamming his helmet to the turf.
Desperate? The Bengals defense manhandled the Ravens, who on Sunday had mauled Pittsburgh 27-0.
"We don?t want to get down the stretch and be in a (playoffs) guessing game," cornerback Johnathan Joseph said. "We had a sense of urgency."
What does this victory say about Cincinnati? Namely, that it is learning, or perhaps has fully learned, what it takes to win when the alternative likely means spending the holidays at home.
Last season, the Bengals followed a painful loss to Indianapolis with an impressive win over Baltimore. A week later, they won in Pittsburgh in what could be considered a breakthrough win. But it wasn?t a make-or-break situation.
This was.
The Bengals could have folded, could have allowed the pressure and sense of desperation do them in. Instead, they used the anxiety to their benefit. They made nearly every play necessary to keep Baltimore at bay. Unlike most Columbus viewers, they didn?t miss a trick.

Rob Oller is a sports reporter for The Dispatch
.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Wilkerson has tenuous hold on job as center

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




Ben Wilkerson made his NFL debut in the Bengals? 13-7 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night.
Whether that will be a cameo or the start of a lengthy run is unclear. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said he expects the two centers ahead of Wilkerson on the depth chart ? Eric Ghiaciuc and Rich Braham ? to be listed as questionable for the game next week against the Oakland Raiders.
Wilkerson took over for Ghiaciuc on the Bengals? second snap of the third quarter against the Ravens. Ghiaciuc suffered a sprained right knee late in the first half. He finished that series but took himself out after one snap in the second half.
Questionable is supposed to indicate a player has a 50-50 chance of playing. Given the Bengals? recent history, the odds of Ghiaciuc returning next week are worse than that. The past three weeks, Lewis has listed 13 players as questionable at the start of practice that week. Only three played.
Braham was among those players. He was unable to finish practice Tuesday and was deactivated for the game.
It?s a clich? for players to say they hate getting their chance because of a teammate?s injury, but Wilkerson has good reason to have mixed feelings about his path to the field. He was projected to be a high draft pick before he suffered a torn tendon in his left knee as a senior at LSU in 2004.
The Bengals signed Wilkerson as a free agent. He spent last year on injured reserve and the first half of this season on the practice squad.
Lewis declined to give an assessment of Wilkerson?s play. That shouldn?t be interpreted as veiled criticism. Lewis often deflects such questions.
Wilkerson had some key blocks on his first series, which resulted in Cincinnati?s only touchdown.
Ratliff relieved

Keiwan Ratliff has struggled as a punt returner the past two seasons. The Whitehall graduate averaged 5.6 yards per return last year ? 2.5 below the league average ? and had the same average in part-time duty this season.
But Ratliff finally broke one Thursday night when he returned a third-quarter Ravens punt 38 yards.
He has tended to run sideways after fielding punts instead of darting upfield. Ratliff said he hasn?t had much choice.
"It?s hard to just go when there are guys 4 or 5 yards away from you," Ratliff said. "You have to make them miss before you can go. Sometimes you hope the punter outkicks the coverage or the guys get great push on the line to keep them back. That was one of those kicks where I could catch it and actually get my eyes down the field and look for the hole."
In fact, Bengals blockers may have done their job too well. Ratliff was tackled by Ovie Mughelli, a gunner blocked so thoroughly that he couldn?t get downfield.
Ratliff?s return gave Cincinnati possession at the Ravens 25, but the Bengals squandered a chance to add to their 13-0 lead when Palmer slipped while backpedaling into the pocket on third down, forcing a punt.
Bengals healing

Lewis said right guard Bobbie Williams (appendix), cornerback Deltha O?Neal (shoulder) and receiver Kelley Washington (hamstring) are expected back for the Raiders game. He said defensive tackle John Thornton (knee) should be probable and left tackle Levi Jones (knee) questionable.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Defense recharges after debacle against Chargers

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




Three weeks ago, the Bengals defense seemed on the verge of imploding.
Cincinnati collapsed against San Diego on Nov. 12, allowing a staggering 42 second-half points in a 49-41 loss. In the locker room, safety Dexter Jackson accused teammates of quitting.
But in that disaster were the seeds of rebirth. That week, the Bengals had a players-only meeting to hash out problems and demand accountability from each other.
The next Sunday, Cincinnati yielded a ridiculous 510 passing yards to New Orleans but held the Saints to two touchdowns in a 31-16 win.
The Bengals followed that with a shutout of Cleveland and nearly matched that performance in a 13-7 victory over Baltimore on Thursday.
Linebacker Brian Simmons pointed to the San Diego debacle as the turning point.
"It was embarrassing, frankly," said Simmons, who missed that game with a neck stinger. "When you get down that low, there?s only one thing to do and that?s to come up from it and go to work harder and get it corrected."
Simmons said the Chargers game drove home the importance of playing hard for 60 minutes.
"Against San Diego, I think we were looking at the scoreboard a little too early," he said. "They were still playing another half of football and we kind of packed it in, thinking we were going to get the win. That game right there really turned a lot of guys in here. We have a lot of guys with a lot of pride."
Coach Marvin Lewis remains miffed that Jackson aired dirty laundry in public, but at least some players believe the bluntness was needed.
"Everybody knew it," cornerback Keiwan Ratliff said. "Somebody had to say it. He was the one who said it. Any time you get called out like that, you want to make sure the finger?s not being pointed at you any more."
Simmons and Ratliff said there is a newfound dedication to preparation before and to communication and responsibility during games.
"Guys are on the same page out there now," Ratliff said. "There?s no indecision, where some guys are playing one defense and some others are playing something else because they?re not communicating. Even a guy like (safety) Madieu (Williams), who?s normally quiet out there, you hear him screaming out sets and giving guys signals. Guys are on the same page and jelling and hopefully we can keep that going."
It also helps that the Bengals are healing. Defensive tackle Sam Adams? troublesome knee is better, and he has been disruptive at the line of scrimmage. Simmons? return Thursday brought much-needed experience to the linebackers corps. Jackson, who missed time with a sprained ankle, adds a leader?s fire.
Add key contributions from players such as safety Kevin Kaesviharn, rookie defensive tackle Domata Peko and rookie cornerback Johnathan Joseph, and a defense that ranked last two weeks ago now looks formidable.
But given their roller coaster of a season, the Bengals know complacency isn?t an option. Adams said the Ravens? 36-yard touchdown pass with 61 seconds left shows there?s plenty of room for improvement.
"You can?t play for 59 minutes and win a championship," Adams said.
Still, it?s a lot closer to perfection than anyone would have dreamed in the aftermath of the Chargers game three weeks ago.
[email protected]

 

[DaytonBuck]

McNeal pushes officer, charged with resisting arrest


HOUSTON -- Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Reggie McNeal was arrested and charged with resisting arrest after being refused entrance to a nightclub early Sunday.
McNeal, a former Texas A&M quarterback, was arrested outside The Red Door, said Houston police spokesman Gabe Ortiz on Monday.


Ortiz said McNeal approached two officers who were standing near the entrance and became unruly when the officers told him the club was closing. McNeal "became aggressive and started using profanity" when the officers refused to let him enter, Ortiz said.

McNeal walked away, then approached the officers again and elbowed one of them in the chest. Officers detected "a strong odor of alcohol" from McNeal, police said.


McNeal was taken to jail, then released on a $1,000 bond. He was due in Harris County district court on Friday.

Link

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Bengals get a little rest, a lot of help
Tuesday, December 5, 2006


CINCINNATI (AP) ? The weekend turned out perfectly for the Cincinnati Bengals. They got a little rest, and got a lot of help.
Returning to practice on Monday, the Bengals (7-5) were in better shape than at any time since the opening month of the season. Several injured veterans could be back for the next game against Oakland.
And, with the way Sunday?s games turned out, the last four are going to mean a whole lot more.
The two teams they trailed for the AFC wild-card berths ? Kansas City and Denver ? both lost Sunday while the Bengals were home watching on television. They?re now in a five-way tie with the Jets, Jaguars, the Chiefs and the Broncos for those two spots.
?It?s a good break,? said right guard Bobbie Williams, who is expected back for the first time since his appendectomy. ?We definitely appreciate it. The thing is, our destiny is in our own hands, and we?re going to make sure we take care of that. It?s there for the taking.?
The Bengals prolonged the AFC North race by beating first-place Baltimore 13-7 on Thursday night, preventing the Ravens (9-3) from clinching. Then, coach Marvin Lewis gave the players a weekend off to relax and recover.
Their playoff chances got a huge boost on Sunday when lowly Cleveland beat Kansas City 31-28 in overtime. Then, Seattle beat struggling Denver 23-20, turning it into a five-team gridlock for the two wild cards.
If the season ended now, the Bengals would get one of the two wild cards based on the tiebreakers, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Bengals have a favorable conference record (5-3) and a game left in Denver.
After slipping out of contention at 4-5, the Bengals have won three in a row to get back into it. They finish the season at home against Oakland, at Indianapolis, at Denver and at home against Pittsburgh.
?We?ve been talking about controlling our own destiny since the second half of the season has been here,? receiver Chad Johnson said. ?If we win these next four, we?re going to be in there anyway.?
There are three reasons for them to be hopeful. Quarterback Carson Palmer is back in form 11 months after his reconstructive knee surgery, the defense has allowed only seven points in the last two games, and several injured starters could be back for a run at the playoffs.
Williams has missed the last three games because of an appendectomy, but is expected to start Sunday against Oakland. He was one of three starters missing from the line against Baltimore.
Williams watched the Bengals change from a down-and-out team to a confident one while he healed from the operation.
?You know what? I see the same guys there, but I just see a switch flipped on,? Williams said. ?It?s more of a sense of urgency, a sense of professionalism.?
Center Rich Braham and left tackle Levi Jones are questionable for the Oakland game, but getting closer to returning from knee injuries. Second-string center Eric Ghiaciuc also is considered questionable because of a sprained knee suffered during the first half of the win over Baltimore.
Receiver Kelley Washington, cornerback Deltha O?Neal and defensive tackle John Thornton are expected back from injuries this week. Linebacker Brian Simmons continues to improve from a limiting neck injury.
?Hopefully we?ll get everybody back,? receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. ?We?ve been banged up a lot this year. The negative is that we had to take a couple of losses while guys were out.?
On the surface, it appears that things are coming together for the defending AFC North champions. ?I see it coming at the right time, too,? Williams said.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

BENGALS
Playoff prospects receive unexpected boost
Losses by Chiefs, Broncos aid cause

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG>


Marvin Lewis might have been tempted to send flowers to Romeo Crennel on Sunday.
Lewis, the Cincinnati Bengals coach, also might have wanted to send some to Mike Holmgren.
On a Sunday in which the Bengals were idle, they managed to have a very good day thanks to Crennel?s Cleveland Browns and Holmgren?s Seattle Seahawks.
Its playoff hopes on life support four weeks ago after losing five of six games, Cincinnati has gotten off the canvas with three straight victories. But a team that endures a slump such as the Bengals? usually requires help to make the playoffs.
On Sunday, the Bengals got it.
Humiliated by their 30-0 loss to Cincinnati the previous week, the Browns stunned the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime. Then, in the Sunday night game, Seattle beat the Denver Broncos, another team ahead of the Bengals in the wild-card chase.
Now, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Denver, Jacksonville and the New York Jets have 7-5 records. Barring a collapse by any of the four division leaders, those five teams will battle for the two wild-card spots.
If the season ended now, the Bengals would get one of the spots because of a superior conference record. Cincinnati has only three losses against AFC teams.
That could change quickly. After a home game Sunday against the abysmal Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati goes on the road against Indianapolis and Denver before finishing in Paul Brown Stadium against Pittsburgh.
If the Bengals can beat the Broncos, they?ll have the head-to-head advantage over Denver and the Chiefs, whom Cincinnati beat in the season opener.
Denver is tough to beat at home, but the Broncos are breaking in rookie quarterback Jay Cutler, who had a dismal debut against the Seahawks.
Based on remaining schedule, the surprising Jets could be the toughest team for the Bengals to outlast. New York finishes with four teams under .500 ? Buffalo, Minnesota, Miami and Oakland.
The Broncos play at AFC West-leading San Diego next week. Their other games are against Arizona, Cincinnati and San Francisco.
Kansas City and Jacksonville face the toughest road. The Chiefs already have five conference losses and must play Baltimore, San Diego and Jacksonville along with Oakland. The Jaguars play Indianapolis, suddenly-formidable Tennessee, New England and Kansas City.
What does all this mean for the Bengals? Probably that they can survive one more loss and still make the playoffs. Considering that that they?ll be decided underdogs against the Colts and favored in their two home games, the Bengals? playoff fate could depend on their game against the Broncos.
Even with Cutler at quarterback, that won?t necessarily be an easy game. But if the playoff road goes through Denver, it?s an easier path than the Bengals could have anticipated four weeks ago ? or even three days ago.
McNeal arrested

Rookie receiver Reggie McNeal became the seventh Bengals player arrested in 2006 when he was cited for resisting arrest outside a Houston nightclub at 2 a.m. Sunday.
McNeal faces a Friday court date after allegedly striking an off-duty officer in the chest with an elbow and becoming verbally abusive.
McNeal, a converted quarterback drafted in the sixth round, has played sparingly this season.
He was in Houston after Lewis gave his players the weekend off following Thursday?s 13-7 victory over Baltimore.
Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan said the team had no comment on McNeal?s arrest because the case remains unresolved.
This is the second time McNeal has been involved in a legal issue with the Bengals. He was with Odell Thurman and Chris Henry on Sept. 25 when Thurman was arrested for drunken driving. Thurman told the police he was driving because Henry and McNeal were even more intoxicated. [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Raiders are no patsy, Bengals say
Cincinnati showing respect despite opponent?s record
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



CINCINNATI ? The Oakland Raiders are not known for humility.
The cover of their media guide reads, "The Team of The Decades."
If there were truth in advertising, it might read, The Team of The Decayed.
These are not your father?s Raiders, nor even your older brother?s. Since going to the Super Bowl four years ago, Al Davis? team has fallen on hard times. Their 15-45 record heading into a game at the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, including 2-10 this year, is the worst in the NFL.
You?d never guess that from talking to the Bengals this week. If the Raiders are in need of hearing someone else puff them up, they can just listen to the Bengals.
"Oakland?s a talented football team and I think that, yes, they?re a better football team than their record indicates," coach Marvin Lewis said. "They?ve had a lot of close football games. They?ve not necessarily been out of many games at all. So we have to play great football in all three phases."
It?s easy to chalk that up to simple coach-talk, but there?s some truth to it. Yes, the Raiders offense is dreadful. Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter have shared time at quarterback, neither distinguishing himself in part because of a bad offensive line.
Oakland ranks last in the league with an average of 245 yards. The offense has been particularly awful in the fourth quarter. It has scored only 10 points and has been shut out in its past eight games.
But the offensive futility has masked superb play by its defense, which is ranked third in the league, first against the pass.
"It?s a great challenge for us, especially at this point in the season when it?s easy to slack off and say we?ve got a 2-9 team coming in," Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer said. "It?s a great challenge to stay focused and not keep thinking about the future. We?ve got to worry about the Oakland Raiders and only the Oakland Raiders right now."
If the Bengals would be tempted to look ahead to their final three regular-season games against Indianapolis, Denver and Pittsburgh, their late stumble last season provides a splash of cold water to the face.
A week after clinching the AFC North, the Bengals sleepwalked through a home loss to the 4-10 Buffalo Bills and then lost their final two games.
Unlike in 2005, the Bengals don?t have a cushion in the standings. At 7-5, they control their playoff destiny but can?t afford a letdown, particularly against a team such as the Raiders.
The Bengals believe the maturity gained from last year and the addition of seasoned veterans will keep that from happening.
"We?ve been here and done this before, have a team come into our place that we expect to beat," Palmer said. "It?s a lot like Buffalo last year. We expected to beat Buffalo and ended up getting a loss at the end of the game. We need to come out and play great football and not worry about who we have left. We need to worry about the Oakland Raiders right now."
Injury report

Left tackle Levi Jones (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday. Center Rich Braham (knee) is doubtful. Receiver Kelley Washington (hamstring) said he will "definitely" play, but he did not practice in team drills and was listed as questionable. Center Eric Ghiaciuc (knee) also didn?t practice and is questionable.
Cornerback Deltha O?Neal (shoulder) and defensive tackle John Thornton (knee) are not listed on the injury report.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Raiders DBs are more than man enough
Cornerbacks can go one-on-one with best
Friday, December 08, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG> PAUL SAKUMA ASSOCIATED PRESS Nnamdi Asomugha, returning an interception for a score against the Steelers, and fellow Raiders cornerback Fabian Washington are showing they can play man-to-man coverage in the NFL.


CINCINNATI ? Normally, the Bengals would be drooling about the prospect of playing an opponent with the defensive philosophy of the Oakland Raiders.
With its high-powered offense, Cincinnati is used to facing teams intent on confusing it with complex zone coverages designed to prevent big plays. In their defensive scheme, as with most things, the Raiders aren?t like the rest of the NFL.
Oakland will line up cornerbacks Fabian Washington and Nnamdi Asomugha against Bengals receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh and essentially say, "May the better men win."
Asked whether the Raiders defense reminded him of any other team, Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer replied, "Nobody that we?ve seen. We?re so used to getting so much Cover-2 and 2-high coverage, and they like to play a lot of man and leave a safety in the middle of the field. It?s a defense that we haven?t faced. They have a great pass rush, fast, physical linebackers, and these corners are probably two of the best corners we?ve seen so far. It?s a great challenge for us."
Palmer isn?t just blowing smoke. The Raiders are 2-10, but their pass defense is ranked first in the league, allowing 143 yards per game. Bad teams sometimes have misleading pass-defense numbers because opponents are content to run the ball while nursing a lead, but the Raiders have not been blown out since their second game. Their ranking is not a mirage.
"The reason a lot of people don?t play man-to-man is because they can?t and these guys can," Palmer said.
Washington and Asomugha (pronounced Asso-Moo-WAH) are former first-round picks who?ve lived up to their draft billing. The Raiders? front seven is also formidable. Their linebackers are fast and their line is punishing, led by end Derrick Burgess and tackle Warren Sapp, who have combined for 17 sacks.
"When behind that (front seven), you?ve got guys that can cover for three or four seconds, you?ve got your hands full offensively," Palmer said.
Still, the Bengals? receivers aren?t exactly slugs. Johnson, Houshmandzadeh and Chris Henry rank among the top trios in the league. Coming off four big games, Johnson leads the NFL with 1,146 yards. Houshmandzadeh is on pace for his first 1,000-yard season.
"You can?t say enough about Chad and the rest of those guys," Raiders coach Art Shell said. "Our kids like a challenge, so it (should be) a good football game between our defense and their offense."
Johnson and Houshmandzadeh aren?t above asserting their prowess, but they?ve been subdued about this matchup.
Johnson?s eyes normally light up when he gets a rare chance to face man coverage. Yesterday, though, he wouldn?t bite.
"I would get more lit up about double coverage than man-to-man," he said.
Houshmandzadeh is confident Cincinnati can attack the Raiders, but he recognizes other teams have felt the same way, only to struggle.
"I think everybody they play, their eyes light up, but they haven?t been able to capitalize on it as much as they would like," Houshmandzadeh said. "I think we have guys here who that?s our best asset ? going against guys that play man-toman. That?s their best asset, so we?ll see."
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Dispatch

BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Cold numbs brains on coaching staff

Friday, December 08, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



CINCINNATI ? The Bengals practiced in Paul Brown Stadium yesterday in 23-degree temperatures and 10-degree wind chill. Most players and coaches bundled up, but offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski and defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan stuck with their normal attire ? shorts.
Looking at Bresnahan at the start of practice, offensive line coach Paul Alexander said, "I think he?s an idiot."
He added with a laugh, "Football is a tough game played by tough men coached by men who think they are tougher than they really are."
Told of Alexander?s "idiot" comment, Bratkowski answered with a smile, "Consider the source."
After practice, Bresnahan said he hadn?t dwelled on the weather.
"I?m too busy thinking," he quipped.
Running backs coach Jim Anderson said, "They?re my heroes."
Bratkowski grew up in Green Bay and Bresnahan served in the Navy in Alaska?s Aleutian Islands.
Washington?s return iffy

On Wednesday, Kelley Washington was sure he?d return this week after missing seven games because of a hamstring injury.
"I?ll definitely be out there this weekend," Washington said.
That was then. Now the receiver?s comeback isn?t so certain. For the second straight day, Washington did not participate in team drills. He is listed as questionable.
Asked before practice whether the "definitely" still applied, he deferred to the team?s medical staff, which doesn?t comment about player injuries. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis did not provide an update.
Washington was injured Oct. 22 against Carolina.
"The specific spot where I had my injury ? up near my buttocks area ? takes a little bit longer than a regular tweak or strain," Washington said. "Hamstrings aren?t something you want to go out too early from because you can reinjure it. I wanted to make sure it was close to 100 percent, so I could help the team down the stretch."
McNeal due in court today

Receiver Reggie McNeal has a scheduled court appearance today in Houston. He was arrested at 2 a.m. Sunday and charged with resisting arrest after allegedly elbowing a police officer in the chest outside a nightclub.
Lewis termed the incident "unfortunate" but said the case could be similar to that of defensive tackle Matthias Askew. Askew, later released by the Bengals, was arrested in July on charges that included resisting arrest but were subsequently dropped.
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Dispatch

BENGALS
Sapp?s motor, mouth still run

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




CINCINNATI ? Three weeks after an appendectomy, Bengals right guard Bobbie Williams pronounced himself "102 percent" for the game Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.
He might wish his ears were zero percent. That?s because he?ll line up against defensive tackle Warren Yapp, er, Sapp. Sapp might be at the tail end of his career, but his mouth will never stop.
"He?s going to be talking even when he?s retired," said Williams, who as a Philadelphia Eagle faced Sapp with Tampa Bay. "That?s what he does. It?s part of his game.
"You take it for what it?s worth, but you can?t let it get you out of your game."
Williams is an easygoing guy, always quick with a hearty chuckle. He won?t try to match Sapp?s mouth.
"Not at all," he said. "What you see is what you get. I look and I smile and then I go back to work."
Sapp and Williams could have been teammates. As a free agent in 2004, Sapp thought he was coming to Cincinnati.
"They snatched the offer off the table," Sapp said in a conference call with Bengals media. "I called back in 57 minutes and they took the offer off the table. They said they were bidding against themselves."
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis had no desire to explain what happened.
"That?s old news," he said.
If Sapp retains any bitterness, he is keeping it to himself. He said he won?t have extra motivation Sunday. After all, it?s not the first time Sapp has faced rejection.
Reports of a failed drug test caused him to fall to 12 th in the 1995 draft when he was expected to be among the first few picks.
"I learned a long time ago, about 12 years ago, that people have a tendency to pick what they think they need or what fits their situation better," he said. "I guess I didn?t fit their situation."
Perceived to have slipped as a player in recent years, Sapp has shown with his seven sacks this year his tank is not empty.
"He?s not the old Warren Sapp, but he?s still one of the premier pass-rushers in the league," Williams said.
Given his ultra-competitive nature, it?s easy to imagine Sapp being miserable on a 2-10 team. But he said he endures by concentrating on each down and each game and in setting an example for younger teammates.
Raiders coach Art Shell described him as a "true treasure" for his team.
"He?s like a coach out on the field," Shell said. "He?s helping these young guys learn how to play defensive line.
"He?s teaching them technique. He also goes to the offensive linemen and talks to them about things they?re doing that will help their games. He?s a very good person to have on our team."
McNeal faces added charge

Receiver Reggie McNeal?s scheduled court date yesterday in Houston on charges of resisting arrest was postponed until Tuesday.
McNeal also will face an additional charge of possession of a dangerous drug after police found him with Promethazine, a prescription antihistamine. The new charge is a Class A misdemeanor.
Injury update

Center Eric Ghiaciuc (knee) practiced in team drills for the first time this week. He remains listed as questionable. Receiver Kelley Washington (hamstring) was downgraded to doubtful.
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