Chris Henry, Bengals: Cincinnati Suffers Blow as Wide Receiver Passes Away

The Bengals had a very strong 2005 NFL Draft which helped them have great success and make it to the playoffs that season. 

Their first draft pick was defensive end David Pollack, the second was linebacker Odell Thurman, and the third was wide receiver Chris Henry.

Sadly now, none of those three players remain in Cincinnati. Pollack injured his spine and decided not to return to the NFL. Odell Thurman got in trouble with drugs, and after his second shot, couldn’t play to his full potential. And now Chris Henry is also gone.

Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver Chris Henry died this morning, after sustaining injuries to the head from falling off a moving pick-up truck driven by fiancée Loleini Tonga, yesterday.

Tonga was released from custody after questioning, and seemingly isn’t being charged, after the couple got into an argument which led to the accident.

Henry was only 26-years-old and was finally heading on the right path, after major off-the-field problems early in his career.

Henry was no stranger to being in the news, but for once this is not something that will tarnish the team.

He is a great loss for the Bengals. The Bengals didn’t use him as much as they could have this season. But if they had realized what they had, it would have been a key matchup to look out for.

Although he was out for the rest of the current season with a forearm injury, the Bengals will miss him down the road.

Henry was not short on talent and he could have been the best receiver on the team if given the opportunity. But sadly, he won’t have another chance to make it on the field.

He will be widely missed by an organization that took him in and believed in him when no one else did. The Bengals gave him many second chances and helped him be the man he went on to be.

This should be motivation for the offense to get things going and to win for the second person to pass away in this organization this season.

Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s wife past away earlier in the season, and the Bengals responded well with a big win against Baltimore.

I expect a No. 15 sticker on the helmets of the players this Sunday and for the Bengals to win the game for Chris Henry.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Bengals: Keys to Beating Super Bowl Champs

The last five times the Bengals have met the Steelers, it hasn’t ended well. Ever since the 2005 playoffs, the Bengals have been in a losing slump against Pittsburgh.

 

After losing last week to the Chicago Bears, you know Pittsburgh is going to come into Cincinnati hungry and ready to play.

 

The Bengals have got to fix their mistakes from a close win last week and make sure they hold their home field better than last time they played at Paul Brown Stadium against the Broncos.

 

In order for the Bengals to beat the former Super Bowl Champs, they have to come in firing on all cylinders.

 

They can’t shoot themselves in the foot with penalties like last week, and quarterback Carson Palmer has to make sure he gets the ball to his receivers and not the Steelers’ defense.

 

This is certainly a winnable game for the Bengals because they have a lot of talent, but they have got to play 60 minutes of smash-mouth football instead of two or three quarters.

 

The Bengals’ running game looks like they’re picking it up from the 2005 season, and the they are undefeated when Cedric Benson rushes for over 100 yards. It is extremely important for Cincy to establish the run early and try to make it easier on Palmer in the passing game.

 

The biggest thing I haven’t seen the Bengals transition from preseason to regular season is the use of Chris Henry. He was the MVP of this offense in the preseason, but they haven’t used him like they should in the slot.

 

There has been talk about him being injured, but he has been coming on the field. I would really like to see the Bengals get him the ball, and in return I think it will open up other mismatches they can capitalize on.

 

Another player I’d like to see more of this game and more throughout the season is young Bernard Scott. It’s going to be a tough day for the offense going against one of the best defenses in the NFL, and they will need fresh legs.

 

Defensively, they have got to watch the Steelers’ running game. It hasn’t been there and the Steelers haven’t been as productive without it. They might look to try and force the run in this game. If Cincy is worried about the pass too much then they will get burned.

 

I look for Antwan Odom to be a huge factor in this game. He drew a lot of eyes last week by recording five sacks, and the Steelers want to make sure this doesn’t happen to them.

 

I wouldn’t be surprised if they try and double team him, and it would be a mistake not to watch rookie Michael Johnson or Robert Geathers on the other end.

 

The Packers exposed the alkali’s heal of the Bengals safeties in the fact that they’re great in run support, but they haven’t been great at shutting receivers down.

 

This is a concern when you have two Super Bowl MVPs lined up at the receiver position on the other side of the ball.

 

The best way to cover Santonio Holmes and Heinz Ward is to make sure you disrupt everything with the pass rush. Ben Roethlisberger is known for extending the play, and the defense simply can’t let him do it.

 

They have been great at getting pressure on Kyle Orton and Aaron Rodgers, but they need to take it a little bit further this week in order to mess up Big Ben’s timing.

 

Special teams are also always a factor in games like this, and if Quan Cosby can have a game like he did last week, then it will help the Bengals just that much more.

 

Roethlisberger is undefeated when he has returned to his home state of Ohio, and the Bengals have got to do what it takes to make it a not so happy homecoming.

 

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Arizona Cardinals: Give Beanie Wells the Rock

The Arizona Cardinals haven’t been known to be a running team as of late.

The last time they had a 1,000-yard runner was in 2007 with Edgerrin James. That season, the Cardinals were a mediocre 8-8 team.

Last season, they were brought to the playoffs on Kurt Warner’s 4,583 passing yards. They still barely got into the playoffs with nine wins, and it wasn’t until they found out how to establish the run that they made it to the Super Bowl.

This season, the Cardinals began with a loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Warner went 26 of 44 for 288 yards.

The next game, he rebounded with a phenomenal game in which he was 24 of 26 for 246 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The big stat from the first game is the Cardinals only had 17 rushing attempts, two of which were by quarterbacks. In turn, they only had 40 rushing yards for the whole game.

Against the Jaguars, the Cardinals had 28 rushing attempts, four of them by Matt Leinart and Warner. Tim Hightower had a game-high 72 yards, and the running game made this win happen.

Warner played great, but it always helps your play fakes if you can establish some sort of running game.

Despite Hightower’s 72 yards, Beanie Wells did a great job when he kept the ball in his hands.

In his first four rushes, Wells gained 40 yards, but went on a downhill slope after that, only getting three more carries and coughing up two fumbles.

There is definitely a lot of potential for Wells to be a great back in the NFL. Of course, he needs to keep his hands on the ball and not give it up like he did against the Jaguars.

The Cardinals have been a passing team, but when you have a weapon like Wells, you can’t simply put him in there for blocking and play fakes.

Wells wasn’t drafted for being a great receiver out of the backfield or a great pass protector. He was drafted because, with the ball in his hands, he is one of the deadliest weapons you can have on the field.

He’s got the power of a fullback and has speed to bypass defenders. He has a killer stiff arm, and is all around hard to tackle.

Using him will only help the passing game, because if you don’t put more men in the box to stop him, he will burn you.

When teams do put extra men in the box to stop Wells, Anquan Boldin or Larry Fitzgerald will be open in single coverage.

Once this team finally figures it out by putting Hightower in for more of the passing downs and Wells in for more of the running packages, there will be a lot of problems for opponents.

In the Big Ten, Wells was used to carrying the load for his team and that may have caused more injuries for him. In this type of offense, they don’t need the run…they have a great quarterback.

In a big win like they had against Jacksonville on Sunday, the Cardinals need to work Wells into the game a lot more, especially in the fourth quarter. When the defense is getting tired, this is the guy you want to get the ball to.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Bengals: Pros And Cons Of Their Running Game, and Should Rudi Return?

Marvin Lewis has continued to stress the importance of a balanced running game in the time that he’s been coaching in Cincinnati. He knows that if the Bengals can have a good running game then it helps out the passing game that much more.

Bu the Bengals hasn’t had a thousand yard rusher since 2006 before Rudi Johnson injured his hamstring.

Since then the Bengals haven’t been able to do much on the ground. They expected big things out of Chris Perry, but he was a bust being injured most of his time in Cincy and fumbling the ball in key moments when he was on the field.

So far this season the running game looks to be pretty decent. The Bengals resigned Cedric Benson who was the only back to rush for over 100 yards for the Bengals last season.

They also brought in a controversial player in Bernard Scott who has a past that the Bengals were supposed to going away from.

He was a great division two college player rushing for 2,000 yards in two seasons and winning their version of the Heisman.

Last night was the Bengals first preseason game against the New Orleans Saints. Like any other preseason game you don’t really care about the outcome as long as your key players don’t get banged up before the games count.

Cedric Benson started at tailback and he looked pretty solid in his first preseason game with the Bengals. The only problem is he made the same mistake former first round pick Chris Perry did and he coughed up the ball.

The Bengals had a lot of turnovers and penalties in the game last night, and if they want to win they need to get more disciplined.

Benson ran well last night, but he needs to make sure he handles the ball a lot better from now on.

The player I was most impressed with last night was Bernard Scott. He was one of those players covered with questions, but I can see why the Bengals drafted him.

Scott ran the ball six times gaining 30 yards which is an average of five yards a carry, and he caught a screen pass and took it for twelve more yards.

I don’t think that Scott will be the starting running back just yet in Cincy, but that was certainly the effort fans are looking for.

The only thing I would like to see the team do is bring in a free agent running back. There are a lot out there that I’d like to see the team give a shot like Warrick Dunn. He would be a great asset for teaching the younger players and in the passing game.

A player that I really hated to watch leave last season was Rudi Johnson. The fans loved Rudi, and I was stunned when they let him go because there was no one to fit his role.

Now that Rudi is a free agent I think they need to bring him in and let him workout with the team to see if his hamstring is still an issue.

Having Rudi on this team was one of the biggest things that got them to the playoffs because he was such a bruiser and if you did not respect the run he would get the eight yards before you realized what happened.

I was an advocate of the Bengals drafting Chris “Beanie” Wells in the first round just because it takes a big back that can break tackles to play in this division.

Since they grabbed Andre Smith they still need a player that can break tackles when they need it, and if Rudi can be that guy then they need to bring him in.

I don’t think we will see over a 1,000 yards out of Rudi, but a lot of teams are going split backs and each of these players the Bengals would have would bring something to the table.

Scott is a speed guy who is very explosive, Benson is the guy who runs hard and has a great change in direction, and Rudi would be their guy who could pound it up the middle.

One of the things that has driven me nuts about the Bengals is they haven’t found a new offensive coordinator. Running the ball three times is not a great idea and he needs to figure that out. That is another reason that the Bengals haven’t been getting good yardage they don’t have a bruiser like Rudi anymore.   

Overall I think so far the Bengals have a good running game, but we need one more player just to make it interesting. If Benson or Scott gets hurt then they have no one else because Dede Dorsey is not a running back that can take the load.

For the future, if Scott keeps on growing as a running back I think he will be the guy and this just shows you the value of the draft.

Bengals: Pros And Cons Of Their Running Game, and Should Rudi Return?

Marvin Lewis has continued to stress the importance of a balanced running game in the time that he’s been coaching in Cincinnati. He knows that if the Bengals can have a good running game then it helps out the passing game that much more.

Bu the Bengals hasn’t had a thousand yard rusher since 2006 before Rudi Johnson injured his hamstring.

Since then the Bengals haven’t been able to do much on the ground. They expected big things out of Chris Perry, but he was a bust being injured most of his time in Cincy and fumbling the ball in key moments when he was on the field.

So far this season the running game looks to be pretty decent. The Bengals resigned Cedric Benson who was the only back to rush for over 100 yards for the Bengals last season.

They also brought in a controversial player in Bernard Scott who has a past that the Bengals were supposed to going away from.

He was a great division two college player rushing for 2,000 yards in two seasons and winning their version of the Heisman.

Last night was the Bengals first preseason game against the New Orleans Saints. Like any other preseason game you don’t really care about the outcome as long as your key players don’t get banged up before the games count.

Cedric Benson started at tailback and he looked pretty solid in his first preseason game with the Bengals. The only problem is he made the same mistake former first round pick Chris Perry did and he coughed up the ball.

The Bengals had a lot of turnovers and penalties in the game last night, and if they want to win they need to get more disciplined.

Benson ran well last night, but he needs to make sure he handles the ball a lot better from now on.

The player I was most impressed with last night was Bernard Scott. He was one of those players covered with questions, but I can see why the Bengals drafted him.

Scott ran the ball six times gaining 30 yards which is an average of five yards a carry, and he caught a screen pass and took it for twelve more yards.

I don’t think that Scott will be the starting running back just yet in Cincy, but that was certainly the effort fans are looking for.

The only thing I would like to see the team do is bring in a free agent running back. There are a lot out there that I’d like to see the team give a shot like Warrick Dunn. He would be a great asset for teaching the younger players and in the passing game.

A player that I really hated to watch leave last season was Rudi Johnson. The fans loved Rudi, and I was stunned when they let him go because there was no one to fit his role.

Now that Rudi is a free agent I think they need to bring him in and let him workout with the team to see if his hamstring is still an issue.

Having Rudi on this team was one of the biggest things that got them to the playoffs because he was such a bruiser and if you did not respect the run he would get the eight yards before you realized what happened.

I was an advocate of the Bengals drafting Chris “Beanie” Wells in the first round just because it takes a big back that can break tackles to play in this division.

Since they grabbed Andre Smith they still need a player that can break tackles when they need it, and if Rudi can be that guy then they need to bring him in.

I don’t think we will see over a 1,000 yards out of Rudi, but a lot of teams are going split backs and each of these players the Bengals would have would bring something to the table.

Scott is a speed guy who is very explosive, Benson is the guy who runs hard and has a great change in direction, and Rudi would be their guy who could pound it up the middle.

One of the things that has driven me nuts about the Bengals is they haven’t found a new offensive coordinator. Running the ball three times is not a great idea and he needs to figure that out. That is another reason that the Bengals haven’t been getting good yardage they don’t have a bruiser like Rudi anymore.   

Overall I think so far the Bengals have a good running game, but we need one more player just to make it interesting. If Benson or Scott gets hurt then they have no one else because Dede Dorsey is not a running back that can take the load.

For the future, if Scott keeps on growing as a running back I think he will be the guy and this just shows you the value of the draft.

Michael Vick with the Ravens? I Don’t Think So

Michael Vick has certainly has went through a lot to make himself able to return to the NFL after being released from prison earlier this year.

There is no doubt in my mind that since he has taken all the necessary steps to return to the field, he should be given a second chance.

The question is who will be the person to give Vick this controversial second chance?

It has been said that Vick is expected to be signed by the end of the week, but no one knows to what team or who is interested.

Among the list that hasn’t completely shut the door on the idea is the Baltimore Ravens.

With everyone starting up this phase with the wildcat offense, it looks like Vick would be a boost to an offense, but for the people who say Vick fits in Baltimore, they are definitely wrong.

ESPN speculated that the team may be a good fit, but they are wrong in many different reasons.

First, the Ravens already have their franchise player in Joe Flacco and it doesn’t appear like they would give the job up to someone who’s been away from the game for so long.

It has been noted that Vick doesn’t expect to step in and be the starting guy from day one, but Vick would never be the starting guy in Baltimore and would sit the bench like former Heisman winner Troy Smith.

Which leads me to my next point. The Ravens have a Heisman Trophy winner already sitting on their sidelines who could complete a wildcat type of offense, so why would you bring in a guy who’s been gone for so long?

Smith has better arm strength at this point and is overall a lot more accurate than Vick ever was.

I can see why ESPN is playing guessing games because no one will know until Vick is signed where he will go, but one thing is for sure, that place isn’t Baltimore.

Troy Smith: Triangle Offense All By Himself

Troy Smith hasn’t had the most luck in his career at the quarterback position. He has proven himself to be a big time play maker, but nothing has come easy for the former Heisman Trophy winner.

He had his worst game of his career in the most important game of his life in the 2007 National Championship game when he threw for 35 yards on a 4-14 passing day getting sacked five times.

Then just as he’s about to take the reins of the Baltimore Ravens offense he comes down with a rare tonsil infection, and loses his job to rookie quarterback Joe Flacco who stepped up big time for the Ravens last season almost getting them to a Super Bowl.

Troy Smith has had all the odds stacked against him, but the coaches see something in him that they love because they keep on playing around with the idea of using Mr. Smith in their offense.

This season their emphasis has been on expanding their roles, and a player that has stepped up and said okay is Troy Smith.

In his limited time last season, he threw a 45 yard dart to his quarterback, and ran the ball in what coaches called the “Suggs Package.”

Terrelle Suggs had faith that Smith could play apart in the Ravens winning games, and I believe that he was their key to making it to the Super Bowl last season.

One thing about a key is if you don’t use it, it won’t open the door. The Ravens failed to use him against the Steelers, and the lost a nail biting game.

I think the coaches noticed that, because not only is Smith running and throwing, but he’s added a third element which is pass catching.

The wildcat offense became famous when Miami defeated the Patriots with it, and Troy Smith is the Ravens wildcat player who will be able to do anything the coaches ask him because he’s a leader as well as a stellar athlete.

With this third element in Troy it opens up a lot of possibilities for this offense, as well as Troy if he succeeds in doing it.

Originally, Smith didn’t want to do anything with receiver, but I think he’ll do anything just to get himself on the field so he can make a difference for his team.

When asked about expanding his role Smith said, “Well, it’s expanded role camp, definitely, when they put you in a situation where you get a chance to do something different and expand your role, you just step up and rise to the occasion.

“I’m not opposed to it,” he said. “I didn’t get here catching balls. … I play quarterback. That’s what I do. I guess sometimes when you’re blessed to a certain extent to do different things, the power of the pen and pad takes over.

“Coming from where I come from in Ohio – Columbus and Cleveland – it’s about taking care of business with the task at hand. Everything in front of you is the most important thing. All of that stuff on the side will take care of itself. What’s most important now is the Baltimore Ravens.”

This is who Troy Smith is. He’s not going to complain, he’s not going to say how much he doesn’t like it, he’s going to go out there and give it all he’s got. In that stand point he’s more mature than most NFL players.

When head coach John Harbaugh was asked about Smith and his new position he said, “Troy looked very good, he made a nice catch over the middle. Without making a big, huge story out of it, I’m quite sure Troy will be lined up in some different places this year.”

This is how much confidence Harbaugh has in his quarterback, he thinks he’s a good enough athlete to line up anywhere he asks him to and make plays.

One day, Smith will be a starting quarterback for someone. He has the talent, the leadership, and the attitude that coaches love and it won’t keep him on the bench for too much longer.

I think that he is a phenomenal player and will continue to get better no matter where he plays.

Would the Bengals Do Better in the NFC North?

The Bengals have been a team that has been very talented but have failed to bring that great talent on the field on a consistent basis, whether it’s players not coming to play or players getting injured.

When you look at last season’s record, you see a team that struggled all season to win games, even against weak competition that they should have blown out of the water.

There is an interesting statistic from last season: Against NFC East teams, the Bengals were 1-2-1. This doesn’t look like much because they only have one win, but these are games you had to have watched.

Against NFC teams last season, the Bengals went neck and neck with Dallas, Philadelphia, and the New York Giants. They played hard in these games and came close enough to scare each team in one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL.

The Bengals have been struggling the past three seasons, but the one positive that remains is their success against NFC teams. They haven’t won them all, but a few losses have come down to the wire.

The division they dominated the most was the NFC North. In 2005, the Bengals were undefeated by NFC teams and caused an average of five interceptions in each game they played against the Lions, Bears, Vikings, and Packers, who were then quarterbacked by Brett Favre.

The Bengals, on the other hand, haven’t won their division since that fantastic season and have been embarrassing because of their lack of strength ever since.

Would it be better for competition if the Bengals were moved to the NFC North and a team like the Bears, who have been pretty good the last couple of seasons, into the AFC North division?

The Bears have a good defense and like to run the ball, which complements the AFC North’s toughness and could be more exciting for fans to see.

On the other hand, it would give the Bengals a chance for once to be in competition for the playoffs. Not only do I think they would be in competition, but I think they could dominate this division.

Instead of them only winning two games in their division, they would be able to win up to four or five games.

Bengals have been working on their defense, but when you think of the Bengals, you know Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, and Chris Henry, who are all offensive players.

When you think of the Packers, it’s Aaron Rodgers, for the Vikings it’s Adrian Peterson, and well, when it comes to Detroit, you just think of losing.

The Bears player that first comes to mind is Brian Urlacher. The Ravens’ Ray Lewis is brought up next. It would be the more appropriate switch, and it could help more viewers come to the games.

As a Bengals fan, I look at the team the Bengals have, and I have no idea how they don’t win at least nine games each season, but I look at some teams in the NFC getting into the playoffs with the same record as the Bengals.

You look at a division like the AFC East, and there were three teams that should have made the playoffs.

I think the NFL should try to switch up the competition, not only with the Bengals, but also within the entire league.

This will probably not happen, but it should be considered. There are teams other than the Bengals whose fans have had enough of watching their team be consistently one of the worst in the league.

Andre Caldwell: TJ Houshmandzadeh’s Protégé?

Andre Caldwell arrived in Cincinnati last season coming from a talented Florida Gators team that a year before won the National Championship.

He was one of the many talented players on the team, and was a hybrid player with receiving and running ability.

He didn’t make the biggest impact as a rookie with stars like TJ Houshmandzadeh and Chad Ochocinco on the roster spot in front of him, and his main job was to learn.

He had to learn to be able to fill in the position when the time came. When his time did come, and both Chad and TJ were out with injuries, Caldwell had a very productive game with five catches for 34 yards, and four runs for 49 yards.

Now he is coming into his second season with the Bengals and says he feels like a better athlete based on what TJ Houshmandzadeh taught him.

Not only has he taught him how to play the position better, but also how to be a better player in general.

This season the Bengals will need one of their second year receivers to step up after shipping TJ off to Seattle, and I think that Caldwell can do the job.

In the news they’ve said that Chris Henry has had a very productive offseason and that Chad is looking as good as he once was. But those are the down field receivers that have been known to catch the deep ball instead of running into traffic for a third down catch.

Caldwell had a bigger frame than both Ochocinco and Henry and that can only help his chances at playing time.

The Bengals could utilize his abilities and I think he can be a great player for this team to compliment aging wide outs Ochocinco and Laveranues Coles.

Caldwell also opens up a wildcat offense for the Bengals, but that’s only if the offensive coordinator (who should have been fired a couple years ago) discovers plays that work.

This season, even after the loss of TJ, the Bengals have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball and I think they will be a lot more balanced this season.

Bob Bratkowski needs to learn very fast how to use the weapons on his team instead of trying to force plays to happen. Mainly running the ball three times in a row, or everytime Carson calls an audible it not being a running play up the middle.

In losing TJ it may open a space for young Caldwell to step in and be very affective for a Bengals team who was cold last season, after being so hot in previous years.

If Caldwell, Ochocinco, Henry, and Coles can all be affective this season then the Bengals will be a force to be reckoned with on offense once again.

The Bengals made a gamble in grabbing Jerome Simpson in the second round last season, and that doesn’t seem to be paying off.

If they can somehow get Simpson to be disciplined and ready to go, then if injuries occur, this team will be ready for them. Something they have lacked in the former seasons.

Look for Caldwell to be making big third down catches this season, and for the Bengals to once again be in the talk of best offense in the league.

Chad Ochocinco: Best Receiver for the Bengals, or Ochostinko?

At one point and time, there was a point that no one wanted to guard Chad Johnson. He was a fast receiver with excellent hands and a threat for defenses in deep ball situations.

 

Everyone in Cincinnati can see that Chad has not been the dominant player he once was. Having more drops than touchdowns, it tarnished one of the best receivers in the NFL to another thing to laugh about the Bengals.

 

Last season, he tried to make a statement, but it failed miserably and his stats dropped lower and lower. Some was due to the injury to starting quarterback Carson Palmer, but then again he wasn’t having huge games before he was injured.

 

He changed his name, but last season, he didn’t change anything for the good. This year, you can sense some determination.

 

It’s been stated that Chad Ochocinco is in the best shape since the Bengals’ 2005 season, which was the last time the Bengals made it to the playoffs.

 

Chad has gained 17 pounds, now weighing 195 compared to last years 178. He’s back to a 4.5 40-yard dash time, which means on the field he’s going to be quicker this year.

 

A lot of people have criticized him not being at voluntary practice, and Carson has a right to make the statement, but he did it to work out by himself to make himself a better player.

 

Does that mean he’s making himself better for Cincinnati? No, it may have no affect at all. Chad has seen how much he’s dropped in the public eye, and with him always wanting attention it hurts him.

 

He’s looking for his ticket to get away from Cincinnati, but he’s got to perform well enough for the Bengals to get anything for him in a trade.

 

Last season teams were thinking of trading their first round picks, this season they were lucky if they heard a deal for a second round pick in the draft.

 

Who cares if he’s doing that right now if he’s a Bengals fan? This only means that the younger players are getting more reps in practice to get better and better. If Chad comes in and is better than he ever was, that only helps the team more on the way to the playoffs.

 

Another great thing you can notice is Chadhasn’t been in many if any interviews this offseason. He’s been focusing on walking the walk, because when he did all his talking nothing good came out of it. Maybe he’s finally reached the point to shut up and play.

 

Touchdown celebrations can be funny and entertaining, but I want to see him catch 10 touchdown passes before he does his next celebration. Chad hasn’t been in the news for his ankle injury he was suffering in last year’s offseason. Supposedly it has fully healed and he’s injury free coming into mandatory workouts.

 

There is no telling if Chad will be amazing this season, or if he’ll stink it up, but coming towards the end of the off-season he shows good signs that he will be better physically.

 

The next challenge he needs to achieve is catching the ball. Once the best hands in the league, last season and even the season before that he just wasn’t the same Chad.

 

Without T.J Houshmandzadeh being their clutch receiver, Palmer needs someone he can trust to catch the ball in a third and long situation. He needs to work to be a threat down the field, and everywhere else, because the Bengals are young in their receiving core.

 

The best view of this is that Chad is trying to get better; he’s not shooting his mouth off. I hope he can get the rest of his act together, because he could be a key player in the Bengals making the playoffs this season.

Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010