Thread: Bengals Preview

Hi all, I am a Bengals fan and looking forward to the game this week. Wanted to give you guys a quick preview of our team and answer any questions you have about us (and hopefully you guys can answer some of my questions about the Vikes). Anyways, a quick team preview:

Offensive Strengths
1. The passing offense is really good. Over the second half of last year, Carson really came into his own and we were able to move the ball against some really good Ds (Over 450 yards at New England and at Baltimore). Chad is one of the league's best WRs, leading the AFC in yards the past 2 seasons. TJ Houshmanzadeh is a solid #2 who makes the tough catches over the middle and in traffic.
2. We have good balance with a solid running game also. Rudi Johnson is surprisingly shifty and breaks a lot of tackles. Last year's first rounder, Chris Perry, missed all of last year but looked great in the preseason and will get a decent amount of carries and also should catch a few passes.
3. The line is above average, led by RT Willie Anderson.

Offensive Weaknesses
1. Carson makes too many boneheaded mistakes. Hopefully it is just youth (this is only his 15th start), but even after he really came on at the end of last year, he still seemed to throw one really bad pick every game, many of which were returned for TDs. He did this last week too, throwing an INT into the endzone when all we needed was to run clock and kick a field goal late in the game and he had another Pick 6 that luckily came back due to a questionable call on Cleveland away from the play.
2. Chad can get frustrated if he doesn't get the ball and we have a tendency to try and force it to him sometimes.
3. Our interior O Line sometimes can struggle against penetrating DTs (Kevin Williams) and LT Levi Jones has been hobbling a bit after offseason knee surgery.
4. Our TEs basically just block and aren't much of a threat in the passing game.

Defensive Strengths
1. For the first time in a while, we have a solid player at every position, wtih the possible exception of SS.
2. Rookie MLB Odell Thurman is the real deal. He will make a run at Defensive ROY. He is a force against the run, something we haven't had since Takeo Spikes left town. I think Odell will be better than Takeo, and soon.
3. Second year FS Madieu Williams is another great young player on our D. He will make a Pro Bowl soon, if not this year.
4. Our corners have good hands and ball skills, and we get a lot of picks (Tory James had 8 last year, Deltha O'Neal had 4 and 2nd year Keiwan Ratliff had one last week).

Defensive Weaknesses
1. No real difference makers on the D line. Justin Smith is very solid against the run, but doesn't get a ton of pressure on the QB.
2. When our D Line struggles getting pressure, our secondary can be vulnerable against the pass. Over the last couple years, we have feasted on bad QBs, but really struggled against good QBs.
3. Our linebackers sometimes struggle in coverage, and we tend to give up a lot of plays to opposing TEs over the middle.


Overall, we are an improving young team. I think we can go 10-6 this year, but are not a real Super Bowl threat until Carson cuts back on his mistakes, the young D matures and a playmaker or 2 is added to the D Line.

hey odell! nice first post! yoru goin down on sunday. stick around the site

Lotza, thanks, I will check back regularly over the next week. Should be a good game Sunday. It is our toughest early season game, and with a win we have a good shot at a 4-0 start (after the Vikes we get the Bears on the road and Texans at home).

I am a bit surprised that we are 3 point favorites (thought it would be a pick or we would be 1 or 2 point underdogs).

Welcome odell. Vikings will have their hands full with TJ and Chad, if Palmer can get the ball out. Definitely don't expect this to be a walk like alot of Vikings fans do. I think I'll be flying in for the game on Sat. night, looking forward to it.

Welcome, hope your Bengals lose on sunday :grin:

Welcome!

You are right, Thurman is the real deal! Wow!

You don't mind if I forward this to the Vikes coaching staff do you?
Good stuff!

A couple questions for you guys:

Erasmus James was one of the guys I hoping for in the draft. I think I saw that he didn't play in the first game. What's going on with him? How did he look in the preseason?

Who do you think will cover Chad, Smoot or Winfield(who by the way is one of my favorite buckeyes of all time)?

What is your primary offensive set? 2 wide, 3 wide? 1 back or 2?

Thanks

Hey odell, you obviously know a lot more about the Bengals than I do and have been following them pretty closely, so I have a little question for you.

How is David Pollack doing so far??

I was really hoping he'd fall down to us at 18 but you guys snatched him up just before us. I saw that he held out for a long time too (just like Eraser) so I figure he missed a lot of development there, but how has he picked it up since? :?:

I think the trench battles will determine who wins this game, if our Oline plays well, no offence, but the bengals dont have a chance. if our oline plays like shiz like last weak (not a typo), it could be a long game for Cpep... And if we can get good pressure on Palmer, night night, he'll get frusterated and start lobbing up the picks.


but i'll be there and im hoping for a really good game, GO VIKINGS!




(PS any idea where the away team enters/ leaves P.B.S.? and is it open to the public?)

"odell" wrote:

A couple questions for you guys:

Erasmus James was one of the guys I hoping for in the draft. I think I saw that he didn't play in the first game. What's going on with him? How did he look in the preseason?

Who do you think will cover Chad, Smoot or Winfield(who by the way is one of my favorite buckeyes of all time)?

What is your primary offensive set? 2 wide, 3 wide? 1 back or 2?

Thanks

1. no idea, but he looked alright in the preseason

2. I think Winfield will have him the most, but He should get doubles, so Smoot/Winfield plus Sharper

3. last week it loked like a 3wide shotgun (but i could be wrong)