"Who Dey"

by Trevor Freeman

As background, I need to let everybody watching at home know how I spend my NFL Sundays.  My typical Sunday involves pitchers of beer and platters of wings at my local bar, McCann’s, which has the NFL Sunday Ticket.  Some may call this bar the United Nations of NFL fans as each team is represented.  From the Steelers to the Cowboys to the Bengals to the 49ers, the chants fly.  
Well last Sunday, I asked the resident Cincinnati Bengal fan at McCann’s, we’ll call him “Krumrie” as he has donned the Krumrie jersey every Sunday since I have known him about the Bengals.  He said and I quote, “We’ve been called the NFL’s Cinderella so much it’s like we’re the NFL’s whore.”  That is why I’m not going to call this Cincinnati team a Cinderella or sleeper.  I’m going to call them a bona fide contender for the AFC crown, because that is the way they have looked so far this season.  

I know what people at home are saying.  “But Trevor……….these are the Bengals” or “but look at who these guys have played”.  Granted their first three opponents were Cleveland, Minnesota, and Chicago.  However, take a peek at the scores.  The Bengals have outscored those three teams by a combined total of 88-28.  Averaging beating your opponent by 20 points a game counts for something in a parity driven NFL.

The Cincinnati Bengal offense is rapidly becoming one of the toughest to stop in the NFL.  It begins with former Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer taking the leap so many predicted for him in his third NFL season.  Palmer has 786 yards passing with 8 TD’s and only 2 INT’s to start off the year.  Palmer has a big play target as well in Chad Johnson.  Johnson, who may have had the funniest end zone dance in awhile against Chicago, is averaging 100 yards a game receiving and a touchdown over his first three games.  Not too shabby.  While Palmer and Johnson are the glitz of the Bengal attack, Rudi Johnson is the gash.  It is the presence of a big back like Rudi Johnson that really makes the Bengals a deadly fourth quarter team.  The 225-pound Johnson is averaging 100 yards a game on the ground and is exactly the kind of back you need to beat a New England.

The bread and butter of a team that is coached by Marvin Lewis will always be the defense and this Bengal group of no-names is quietly putting together a stout enough to unit to support the offense.  Cincinnati has made a living thus far on forcing turnovers as they lead the NFL with 16 takeaways.  The leader has been former Pro Bowler Deltha O’Neal who was discarded by the Broncos.  O’Neal has four interceptions and serves a dual purpose as he can take a pick to the house.  Raider castoff Tory James has two interceptions and is providing solid veteran stability at the other corner.  Former Florida Gator standout Keiwan Ratliff has two interceptions and is making the splash that so many people predicted.  This defense also has some major upside down the stretch, as rookie Defensive End David Pollack hasn’t done anything yet.  I watched David Pollack play for four years at Georgia and he’s an impact guy.  Believe me when I tell you that he will breakout at some point this season.  

The Bengals are no joke anymore and with the recent injuries to Rodney Harrison and Chad Pennington; they have to be considered a contender to win the AFC.  It is nice to see the team that gave us Ken Anderson, Tim Krumrie, Anthony Munoz, Stanford Jennings, and Boomer Esiasion back.  For the last ten to fifteen years the Bengals had been like your friend that constantly got too drunk and kept striking out with the ladies.  Now the Bengals have busted out of that stint at AA and are back…………..and perhaps this time they’ll finally bag the prom queen.

If you have any questions or comments feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].