NFL FanHouse

Bengals WR Chris Henry Breaks Arm

FanHouse Newswire — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:35:00 EST

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Bengals receiver Chris Henry broke his left forearm Sunday when he was tackled after a catch, putting the rest of his season in doubt.

Henry caught a 10-yard pass and was tackled by Ravens cornerback Fabian Washington, who landed on him as they hit the ground. Henry immediately grabbed his left forearm, just above the wrist. The medical staff put an air cast on the forearm and brought a cart to take him off the field.

Henry was one of the Bengals' best deep threats, but was only sixth on the team in receiving this season.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Bengals WR Chris Henry Breaks Arm originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL FanHouse Preview Chat Recap

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Colts, Ravens, Saints, NFL Fans, NFL Live Blogging

Most teams will play their eighth game this week, meaning that we're hitting the halfway mark. Already, there's talk of 16-0 teams and teams that have played themselves out of serious contention.

We previewed this weekend's big games, got your predictions, and found out who you think has the better shot of running the table among the remaining unbeatens. Read all about it after the jump.

&lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;altcast_code=b2b20c2f1f" &gt;NFL FanHouse Week 9 Chat&lt;/a&gt;

NFL FanHouse Preview Chat Recap originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brutal Effort by Bears in 45-10 Thrashing

Matt Snyder — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:40:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Bengals, AFC North, NFC North

Bengals 45, Bears 10. It was 45-3 before the Bears finally got into the end zone, but the game had long been over at that point. It was one of those games that makes you wonder -- were the Bengals that good or the Bears that bad? As is usually the case when you ask that question, it was a combination of both. You have to give the Bengals credit, especially Carson Palmer for his precision passing. Well, really, the entire team deserves loads of credit.

Still, this game was more about how pathetic the Bears played. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, that was a simply despicable attempt at playing football on nearly every front. More games like that, and the playoffs won't even be a possibility come late November.

More: Check Box Score | Saints Rally, Stay Unbeaten | 'Boys Pound Falcons

The offensive line is awful, just downright atrocious. Jay Cutler has about two seconds to throw before being hit, and this was against a team who just lost its best pass rusher. Matt Forte has maybe six inches of running room on any given play. And make no mistake about it, Cutler made some awful passes, while Forte is running like he's planning on living off his rookie reputation for the rest of his career. Receivers are playing volleyball (Cutler's second pick was batted upward by his intended receiver before being intercepted) and losing fumbles (Devin Hester, though he otherwise had a nice stat-line).

The defense was an absolute sieve. Palmer had more touchdown passes (five) than incompletions (four), which sounds like a video game stat. Chad Ochocinco schooled Charles Tillman, just like he said he would. Cedric Benson proved his point, I guess (don't even get me started on him, he's still a joke of a man -- even if he's a good running back now). The defense as a whole misses tackles with alarming frequency, mostly due to trying to rip out the football instead of simply making the tackle (which is Lovie-ball -- he wants takeaways, after all). There was no pass rush.

The stats look pretty bad as well, not surprisingly. The Bears were outgained by 169 yards, earned only half as many first downs as Cincy did and turned it over four times. They allowed the Bengals to convert on eight of 12 third downs. And they can't run, rushing for just 35 yards.

Did the team not know they had a game Sunday? Were they unprepared? Were they satisfied with only losing to the Falcons by seven the previous week?

Whatever the reason, that wasn't a playoff-caliber team Sunday. Lovie Smith was outcoached, the offense sucked and the defense sucked. That wasn't even the work of a six-win team. Beating the Browns at home next week won't mean things are all of a sudden better, either. The Bears have some serious work to do in order to live up to expectations.

Brutal Effort by Bears in 45-10 Thrashing originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cedric Benson Says Bears Tried to 'Blackball' Him From NFL

Matt Snyder — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:03:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Bengals, AFC North, NFC North

Cedric Benson's time in Chicago was a tumultuous one. He was drafted by the Bears in the first round -- the fourth overall pick -- of the 2005 draft and proceeded to hold out for 36 days. After arriving, he constantly complained about being mistreated by teammates. That may have been true, as the incumbent starting running back, Thomas Jones, was well-liked by teammates. Maybe it was because Jones worked hard, cared about the team and didn't have a sense of entitlement -- all opposite traits displayed by Benson in Chicago.

Now, Benson is becoming the player many thought he could coming out of college, due to -- in my opinion -- having received a wake-up call when the Bears cut him. Although, if you hear it from him, that isn't the case at all. In fact, he claims the Bears attempted to blackball him from the NFL.

Blackball? Wow, so the Bears went to the trouble of calling every other team and telling them specifically not to sign Cedric Benson?

''No doubt,'' Benson said. ''I heard all the rumors that were said coming out of Chicago. Even the Bengals told me that they would call and inquire about me and get nothing but negative things.''

Such as?

''That I didn't work hard, that I was, I guess, a prima donna, just wasn't focused,'' he said. ''Just anything negative that they could say was said. I'm sure that contributed largely to me not getting picked up right away.''

Um, Cedric ... that's not attempting to blackball a player. That's a former employer giving an honest assessment of what you were (and, for the record, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has said Bears coach Lovie Smith "vouched for" Benson when the two discussed the Bengals possibly bringing him in).

Look, the Bears ran Jones out of town for Benson -- and, by the way, Jones is still better here in 2009. Benson rewarded them with poor work ethic, a sense of entitlement and obvious apathy. He mocked disgruntled fans in the front row behind the Bears bench during the incredibly disappointing 2007 campaign, at times shrugging his shoulders and laughing when people accused him of not caring about the team. He got arrested twice within a matter of weeks in the 2008 offseason. At that point, there wasn't a person in the world who thought the Bears should have kept Benson around. They turned the page.

Benson needs to do the same.

He is third in the NFL in rushing. He's playing for a really solid team. He's running hard, his teammates like him and he appears to care. Good for him. He's changed -- just not near as much as he needs to. You see, when I was in my early 20s, I didn't work hard at my job. If my current employers called my employers from those years to ask about me, I'm sure they'd hear I wasn't committed to the job, because I wasn't. In my current gig, I am. There are people all over the world with a similar circumstance. People can change. It's apparent Benson has morphed into a hard-working No. 1 NFL running back. It's a shame he can't just be accountable for his past indiscretions instead of levying ridiculous accusations (seriously, does he even know what "blackball" means?) against the team who did everything they could to give him a chance. You can't come full circle as a changed human being without a little accountability.

Instead, all you hear from Benson is excuse-city. He's better for the Bengals because they cleared a path for him instead of having him come in and compete, he has recently said. What a joke. If you want to compete for a job, how about not holding out for more than a month? How about just going out on the field and proving you are better than the other back? You have to earn respect, it's not a God-given right. It's just sad he still can't look back and realize his myriad mistakes during his stint in Chicago.

And has he ever done anything wrong in his life, in his own eyes? If he's sincerely apologized for any past indiscretions or admitted he could have done something even a tad bit better, I've never seen it. It's always what someone else is doing to him or who is trying to keep him down. How about being truthful with himself and trying to better himself as a person?

Of course, it still doesn't appear he's being fully truthful with himself. He claims this weekend's game against the Bears isn't about revenge or showing them what mistake they made to let him go. It's just another game. I'm not going to call him a liar, because he may be telling the truth. But, if he really doesn't care about this game more than any other, what's with all the whining and negativity toward the Bears? If it's just another game, go play it without the accusation-hurling. People don't complain about things if they don't care. Benson's grown as a player and now it's time he grew as a man.

The Bears turned the page, now it's time for Cedric to do the same.

Cedric Benson Says Bears Tried to 'Blackball' Him From NFL originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bengals Place Defensive Star Antwan Odom on Injured Reserve

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, AFC North, NFL Injuries

Though a 28-17 loss to the Houston Texans wasn't an ideal way to come off an eye-opening 4-1 start, the Cincinnati Bengals knew it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Unfortunately, the repercussions of Sunday's game at Paul Brown Stadium will be felt for the rest of the season. The club Monday announced that Antwan Odom, who entered the weekend tied for the NFL lead in quarterback sacks, will miss the rest of the season.

The move only makes official what was reported Sunday, but that is indeed a sobering reality. Odom tore through the Packers for five sacks in a Week 2 "upset" at Lambeau Field, and the Bengals pronounced themselves as a legitimate team by beating the Steelers at home in Week 3 before a win at Baltimore last Sunday. Odom had seven sacks through the first two games, the most by any NFL player in the season's first two weeks since sacks became an official NFL statistic (1982).

A torn right Achilles' tendon ends his season, and it also sends shockwaves through the Bengals defensive front. Ends Robert Geathers and Michael Johnson will have to try to pick up some of the slack. The Bengals have flourished this season in part because of Odom's play, and while he's relied on Geathers and tackles Domata Peko and Tank Johnson to take up blockers and give him space.

Young linebackers Rey Maualuga and Keith Rivers might see different schemes as offenses adjust to not having Odom around. That means veteran defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer might have to get more aggressive to create havoc in opposing backfields.

In the end, it's quite a challenge for the Bengals. However, they've handled adversity very well so far, both on and off the field. There's no reason to think they won't be okay, even though Odom's loss is a major one for them.

Bengals Place Defensive Star Antwan Odom on Injured Reserve originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's a 'Hard Knock' Life, But This Year's Bengals Can Take It

Dan Graziano — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, NFL Analysis

CINCINNATI -- As losses go, this one was a stinker. Flying high off yet another last-minute intra-divisional win, the Bengals showed up for a home game Sunday against the Texans and had just about everything go wrong. They lost, 28-17, most important, and they also saw key defensive lineman Antwan Odom and Domata Peko go down with injuries. Odom's is a torn Achilles' tendon, which means they've lost him for the season. Bad, bad loss.

But the message Bengals coach Marvin Lewis delivered to his team in the wake of this bad loss was the same, simple two-word mantra he delivered on the first night of the season, after a goofy last-minute bounce cost the Bengals a game against the Denver Broncos:

"Don't flinch."

"That's a word we always use," Lewis told me last week. "Don't flinch. Just keep playing. Something bad happens, don't flinch. Don't worry about it. Let's just go make something good happen."

It's been a while since much good happened for the Cincinnati Bengals. With one winning season since 1990, this is a franchise that has established itself as one that can do no right. Not only do they annually find themselves among the NFL's bottom-feeders, they've also built a reputation as something of an asylum for the league's questionable characters.

But this year's group swears it's out to change all of that.

"Back in minicamp, I think we all knew something was different about this group, something was special," quarterback Carson Palmer told me last week. "Just a different team, a different attitude. A little more professionalism, a more mature team."

Which is why, when they lost that season opener on that fluke bounce, it wasn't hard for the guys in the locker room to avoid sinking into that "Same Old Bengals" malaise.

"No, because we really felt, physically, like we won the football game," left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. "We felt like we were very physical the entire day and a fluke play there at the end lost us the game. Guys really felt like, 'Next week, we've got to go on the road, and Green Bay's got to pay for this.' That was the attitude we had going into the next game."

That hasn't always been what it means to be a Bengal. At least not to those who look at the organization from the outside and have come to associate it with loudmouths, louts and losing.

"That may be what it looks like from the outside," said running backs coach Jim Anderson, who's been on the Bengal coaching staff for 26 years and has seen only four winning seasons in that time. "But when you see it from the inside, you know what it means to be a Bengal. What we know here is that, in football, you're only inches away from being successful."

To Anderson, what it means to be a Bengal is not losing as much as striving. Sure, they've seen their share of hard times here. But what Anderson seemed to be saying is that being a Bengal means understanding that life in the NFL isn't easy and figuring out what to do once you've established that.

Which brings us to 2009, the year in which the Bengals found themselves featured in front of a worldwide audience on HBO's "Hard Knocks" reality show. Cable subscribers everywhere got a look at what it means to be a Bengal, and the players on the other end of the camera felt the impact of the number of eyes that were on them.

"I think it had an effect, sure," Whitworth said. "Maybe not anything anybody noticed, but if you look back, I think the idea that we were being watched maybe sort of got everybody's attention. I don't want to say it made everybody more serious, but I think it put everybody on their best behavior."

Which would be a major departure from what it's meant to be a Bengal in years past. But these days, when you ask what it means to be a Bengal, you have to factor in how hard the 2009 group is working to change the answer.

What does it mean to be a Bengal? It used to mean drama -- and nothing but the bad kind. Arrests, DUIs, general rowdiness and discontent. In 2006 alone, 10 different Bengals players were arrested in 11 separate incidents. And even when there weren't off-the-field issues, the Bengals made bad headlines. As recently as this past off-season, controversial receiver and attention magnet Chad Ochocinco was asking for a trade out of town.

But this year's Bengal story is about redemption. Players like Tank Johnson and Cedric Benson, who have flamed out elsewhere, have found homes (and peace) here. A receiver like Chris Henry, who flamed out here, is back, humbled and re-dedicated. Ochocinco has made peace with his team and his city. He's a big part of the reason Sunday's game wasn't blacked out in the home market, as he and team sponsor Motorola bought about 1,200 tickets in advance of the deadline and distributed them free to Bengals fans who lined up outside Paul Brown Stadium on Saturday. He still speaks (and tweets, and ustreams) his mind, but Ochocinco seems more than ever like one of the guys.

The only drama around here this year has been the good kind. Prior to Sunday, all five of the Bengals' games this season had been decided in the final minute. And the last four had been comeback wins.

"I do think what helps is the sense of 'team,'" Lewis said. "The sense that, regardless of whether it be offense, defense or special teams, whatever phase is out there at that particular time, the other groups are confident that they can make a play to put us in position to win a game. And then you don't have that tendency of trying to do too much."

What does it mean to be a Bengal? It used to mean accepting losing. The Bengals just lost, and that's the way it was. 8-8 was a good season, 7-9 about par for the course. But last January, when they finished a brutal season at 4-12, a couple of players, led by Whitworth, went into Lewis' office and asked, basically, if he'd make the off-season workout program tougher.

"As I met with the guys in their exit meetings, a lot of them wanted to make sure, in the off-season program, that we would ratchet it up and take a different approach," Lewis said. "That they would really have a program that addressed, by position, what they do -- that the lifting and the running and the conditioning be more tailored to them by position. And also that it be competitive within the groups, so that each day was more than just 'Blah, blah, blah, ho-hum."

So Lewis and his staff altered the off-season program to make it more intense, detailed and competitive. Lewis said it was something he and his strength coaches had been working on phasing in anyway -- tailoring specific practice and workout routines to the specific position groups (since receivers need different muscles than offensive linemen need, etc) and creating competition among the groups during practices. But when the players approached him about doing it, he saw a real opportunity.

"I think when the membership thinks it's happening that way and it's benefiting them, then that's a good thing," Lewis said. "Because you have everybody pulling their end of the rope."

What does it mean to be a Bengal? For much of this decade, it meant you couldn't stop anybody. Cincinnati's defense ranked 28th, 30th and 27th in the NFL in yards allowed from 2005-07 -- a sore spot for a coach like Lewis, who made his reputation by building a Super Bowl champion defense in Baltimore. For the problem, Lewis blames the Bengals' 2005 draft, in which they used their first two picks on linebackers David Pollack and Odell Thurman. Pollack suffered a career-ending neck injury in September of 2006, and Thurman's career drowned in a sea of drug suspensions and other legal problems.

"When you lose a first-round pick and a second-round pick, that's difficult," Lewis said. "You have to start from scratch again. It takes some time to recover."

But in 2009, being a Bengal means taking pride in your defense. Last season, Mike Zimmer's first as defensive coordinator, the defense jumped to 12th in the NFL. Through the first five games this year they ranked 17th and were feeling pretty good about themselves.

"When you thought about Cincinnati in the past, you always thought about Carson and Ocho -- the offense," defensive tackle Domata Peko said last week. "But now we're building a name for ourselves, too. Everyone on our defense has just been building chemistry since last year, learning Zimmer's schemes and just buying into it. You know the person next to you is going to be in their gap, doing their job. You learn to count on each other."

This was challenged quite severely Sunday, with the injuries to Peko and Odom. The Bengals made some good defensive plays to finish out the first half, but they collapsed in the second, when the team's offensive struggles kept the defense on the field for 22:06.

"That's our fault as an offense," Ochocinco said. "We need to do better. We need to keep our defense off the field. I've been saying all along, the way we've been playing the last four weeks is not going to last the entire season. At some point, we've got to put together four good quarters."

Being a Bengal in 2009 means not accepting losing. The group that lost Sunday's game had an angry, determined look about it as it dressed and left the building.

"This league is about bouncing back," defensive tackle Tank Johnson said. "We've got great leadership with our coaches and our players, and this is a time when I look forward to fighting back. Injuries are never good, but you've got to shake them off. Now I've got to know Peko's job. Now somebody's got to know Antwan's job. You take a minute and you figure it out and you keep on moving."

Really, that does kind of sum up what it means to be a Bengal. To be a Bengal, you have to be able to take a punch. The difference this year, these Bengals believe, is in what they do after they're punched. This was a downer of a day, but it was not, as losses always used to be around here, the end of the world. The Bengals are still in first place. They're still 3-0 against the AFC North. The baggage that always seemed to define this franchise feels banished into the past, and they all seem determined to keep it there.

"Guys are tired of losing around here," Peko said last week. "That's what's pushing a lot of us. I mean, we were horrible last year. Laughingstock of the league. And you never want to be that."

That's what it used to me mean to be a Bengal. This year's team is on a mission to change that.

It's a 'Hard Knock' Life, But This Year's Bengals Can Take It originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Sacks Co-Leader Antwan Odom Carted Off in Cincinnati

Chris Burke — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:50:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, NFL Injuries

Bengals defensive end Antwan Odom -- who is tied for the NFL lead in sacks with Elvis Dumervil at eight -- was carted off the field during Sunday's game against Houston with a right Achilles' injury. Odom did not return to the game.

Odom crumpled after being blocked and trainers quickly called for a cart to come onto the field -- Houston scored on the play on a Matt Schaub-to-Owen Daniels touchdown pass. Earlier, Odom blocked a Houston field goal attempt.

More: Texans Upset Bengals | Steelers Top Browns | Packers Blank Lions

"It's an Achilles injury," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said in his postgame press conference, "and I think it's probably pretty severe."

Odom left the stadium on crutches. The Bengals announced Sunday night that Odom had torn his Achilles, a likely season-ending diagnosis.

Cincinnati also lost defensive lineman Domata Peko in the first quarter when his ankle was rolled during a run play. Peko has started every game this season for the Bengals.

The absences of Odom and Peko came back to haunt Cincinnati on Sunday -- Houston put up 472 total yards in a 28-17 win.

NFL Sacks Co-Leader Antwan Odom Carted Off in Cincinnati originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child, Please! Ochocinco Helps Bengals Avoid Blackout

Dan Graziano — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:05:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, NFL Fans

CINCINNATI -- Chad Ochocinco is taking some of the credit for the fact that Bengals fans in this area will be able to see the team play on TV on Sunday, and it appears he does have something to do with it. On Thursday the Bengals asked for (and got) a one-day extension of the league's deadline for selling out Sunday's home game against the Houston Texans. Had they not done so by Friday afternoon, the game would have been blacked out in the local market. And as of Thursday night, about 3,000 tickets remained unsold.

But at 1:08 p.m. Eastern time, Ochocinco announced on his Twitter page that he and Motorola had bought the remaining tickets and would be giving them away. Problem solved.

More: Benson Leading Bengals' Charge | Ray Lewis Fined for Hit on Ochocinco

"Attention: On behalf of Motorola and Esteban Ocho Cinco we've purchased the remaining tickets for Sundays game= no blackout" the announcement read. It was followed by a tweet that told followers to "stay tuned" to find out how to get the tickets. Four minutes later came this:

"Again there will be no blackout this Sunday, special thanks to Motorola and The Interesting One"

He does keep things interesting, and for a while this seemed as if it were just Ocho being Ocho. But the Bengals release announcing the sellout confirms their star receiver's involvement. It appears he aided in the purchase of 1,200 of the remaining tickets.

"Motorola will give away 1,200 tickets (600 pairs of tickets) to Bengals fans for free, starting at 11:30 am Saturday at the North Ticket Office at Paul Brown Stadium," the release reads. "Motorola is a long-time sponsor of the Bengals and has a newly aligned partnership with Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco."

Ochocinco has recently been using his Twitter account as a way to give away things to fans. He's met people out for dinner at local restaurants, and later Friday night he's offering free tickets to the first 40 people to join him at a showing of "Law Abiding Citizen" at an area movie theater.

Earlier in the day, when Ocho was speaking about the way in which he's using Twitter to distribute free stuff, a Cincinnati reporter asked him for a quote about it. As expected, he delivered one:

"Oprah who?" he said.

Child, Please! Ochocinco Helps Bengals Avoid Blackout originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Resurgent Cedric Benson Leads Way as Bengals Find Stride

Dan Graziano — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:50:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, NFL Analysis

CINCINNATI -- If Cedric Benson were going to make this climb from the NFL scrap heap to the top of the rushing list, it only makes sense that he'd do it here, among the well-known collection of misfits and ne'er-do-wells that league observers and HBO subscribers know as the Bengals.

This is in many ways the perfect spot for someone like Benson, who was unwelcome in Chicago before he even arrived and who drank himself out of town without ever delivering on the promise that comes with being the No. 4 pick in the draft. Here by the muddy banks of the Ohio River, in the shadow of the creaky Roebling Bridge, a team that's had only two winning seasons in the past two decades is happy to make Benson feel at home.

More Coverage: Ochocinco Buys Tickets, Nixes Bengals Blackout

"He's feeling that we're glad he's here," longtime Bengals running backs coach Jim Anderson said. "We're happy he's here. We like that he's here. And I think that's important for him to know."

As long as Benson keeps running the ball as he has so far this year, he can count on his team to continue letting him know that. The 26-year-old running back, who signed with Cincinnati during the 2008 season after multiple complaints, disappointments and a couple of alcohol-related arrests led the Bears to release him, is currently leading the NFL with 487 rushing yards. He's a crucial reason the Bengals are sitting at 4-1 and in first place in the AFC North, and best of all he seems to be at peace.

"I'm definitely very honored and very privileged to be in a place where they believe in me and they're going to keep going to me," Benson said. "I've always seen myself as a guy who could be at the top of those charts, so it's not a surprise to me. But at the same time, it's only Week 5. We've still got a long way to go."

There's no denying Benson's talent. The Bears picked him fourth overall in the 2005 draft out of Texas and expected him to be the kind of back around whom they could build their team for years. When he's healthy, and focused, it's easy to see why.

"He's what we like to call 'Slow-to and fast-through,'" Anderson said, describing Benson's running style. "That's what he has -- that instant acceleration and that burst. That finish up the field. Explosive."

Which is part of what Bears coach Lovie Smith told Bengals coach Marvin Lewis when the two spoke by phone last year shortly before Cincinnati signed Benson. Part of it. The other parts are well documented. Benson was a training-camp holdout in his first year as a Bear, finally signing a $35 million contract and announcing himself as the starter upon his delayed arrival in the locker room.

"He wasn't accepted when he got there, and he didn't do anything to endear himself to anybody," Lewis said.

And then it got worse. Injuries, complaints in the media about playing time. Finally last year, the two arrests -- one for driving while intoxicated, the other for boating while intoxicated. Yeah that's right. BWI. Can't make this stuff up.

"Ced himself has admitted to the problems that he had and why, and the poor decisions and choices that he made, and the fact is, he was humbled," Lewis said. "And I think when a guy's sunk as low as he was sunk, he can do nothing but go up."

Benson also used the word "humbled" several times -- to describe the way he felt just before the Bengals signed him and the way they make him feel even now. He attributes his past mistakes to poor decision-making and prefers not to linger on them. And yes, he does enjoy being in a locker room full of people who feel they have something to prove to the outside world.

"That is present here, definitely," Benson said. "I think largely because of the way it went last year and knowing we have the opportunity to put that to a halt. I think we take personal pride in being that way. I think we have a lot of guys who like this position."

If motivation is what Benson needed, he's found a place where it is handed out with the cleats and the playbooks. If it's focus he lacked in Chicago, that's no longer a problem here. Since arriving in Cincinnati, Benson has worked his dreadlocks off to make sure his talent is maximized.

"Last year, he didn't know what he didn't know," Anderson said. "He was just playing on instinct and just playing football. And what he did last year, with a limited knowledge of our system and what we do, that was big. Now you take all of that and you put in the little intricate things of coaching and technique and drills and all of that, and now you've really got something."

Anderson sat Benson down in the off-season and had him watch film of the offensive line. His message was that Benson would be best served taking what the offensive line gave him, rather than trying to dictate where the blocking should go on any particular play. It sounds simple, but sometimes the simplest things still have to be spelled out. And Benson's attention to those lessons is endearing him to the big dudes in front of him.

"We feel like, with Ced, he's one of those backs that's unique in the sense that he's going to get extra yards after he's hit," tackle Andrew Whitworth said. "He's always going to fall and get a yard or two more. So we feel as an offensive line like our attitude and our mindset is to push and push and push. There's been plenty of times this season where he's been hit with a three- or four-yard gain and he's turned it into an eight-yard game just based off of effort."

Effort. Focus. Dedication. Humility. Peace. These are the things Cedric Benson lacked in Chicago, where he always had talent but so rarely had success. To find all of those things, he had to come to Cincinnati. Which sounds kind of silly, until you think about it.

Once you think about it, it all makes perfect sense.

Resurgent Cedric Benson Leads Way as Bengals Find Stride originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Fines Ray Lewis $25,000, Goodell Ignores Ochocinco's Request

Michael David Smith — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:48:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Ravens

The National Football League has fined Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis $25,000 for a hit on Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco on Sunday, ignoring Ochocinco's request that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spare Lewis a fine.

The hit happened when Ochocinco was running a pattern over the middle, and it sent Ochocinco's helmet flying and drew a 15-yard penalty, helping the Bengals get into position for their game-winning touchdown in a 17-14 victory. After the game, Ochocinco posted a direct request to Goodell on Twitter, saying there was no harm done and he didn't want to see Lewis lose money.

Goodell, however, didn't listen: ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported on Friday that Lewis's next paycheck will be $25,000 lighter. The Baltimore Sun notes that the fine represents 42.5 percent of Lewis' $58,823 weekly salary.

And while Ochocinco might not like it, this was obviously the right call: Lewis clearly led with his helmet and drilled a defenseless receiver in the chops. That's a textbook personal foul, and it's a play that gets players fined every week.

UPDATE: Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Lewis was fined for two acts: The hit on Ochocinco and kicking an opponent.

Follow sports? Follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

NFL Fines Ray Lewis $25,000, Goodell Ignores Ochocinco's Request originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zebra Report: Refs Made Correct No-Call On Redskins' Costly Muffed Punt

Matt Snyder — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Giants, Panthers, Raiders, Ravens, Redskins, NFL Referees

Zebra Report is FanHouse's analysis of actual NFL rules and how they are to be applied ... because most fans think they could do a better job than the NFL officials, yet definitely could not. Click here for an introduction as to how we do things.

One week later and we know now that the league is mandating the roughing the passer calls we discussed last week. This past week, we also learned that the league admitted error on the Mike Sims-Walker touchdown we discussed, which should help to relieve some of the tension fans are carrying about a perceived lack of accountability. I was pleased to see the league's admission. Let's get to the reviews for this week.

Antwaan Randle El is contacted by his own teammate while trying to catch a punt -- the Panthers recovered the retained the football in the aftermath. As you can see in the youtube video below, Randle El's teammate was clearly blocked into him by a member of the Panthers coverage unit. Watch and see -- the play begins at the 3:22 mark.

After the game, referee Walt Coleman explained:

"What happened was, the two guys were blocking each other. The Washington guy got blocked into his own man, so there was no interference. All we had to figure out who touched it first. If the Washington player is stationary and just standing there and not trying to block, then he can't do that. If they are both trying to block, then he can knock him into him. Because they were both engaged, then that's why there wasn't a foul or anything wrong with that play. If the Washington player is stationary and just standing there and the Carolina player had come down there and knocked him, then it would have been totally different."

Coleman is referring to a very specific and important part of Rule 10-1-1-Item 1 (it's bolded):

It is interference if a player of the kicking team contacts the receiver, or causes a passive player of either team to contact the receiver, before or simultaneous to his touching the ball.

From watching the highlight, it is very clear the Redskins player was actively attempting (attempting being the operative word because he was being physically dominated) to block the Panthers' coverage man, so he was not passive in the least. Thus, there is no penalty for kick-catching interference and the officials made the correct call.

For what it's worth, Redskins head coach Jim Zorn now understands the call but stopped short of expressing regret in wasting a challenge on the play.

"It was very difficult at that particular time, he said. "I talked to NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira about that this morning about the rule. I read the paragraph in the rule book which talks about getting the opportunity to have a fair catch. It was explained within that paragraph what the problem was. I could have saved a timeout, but it was worth it for me to challenge. That was a key play in the game. I wasn't going to save a timeout for that. It was my duty, in my mind, to challenge that."

Reader Scott submitted this play for examination:

"On an extra point try (in the Bengals-Ravens game), the ball was snapped wide of the holder and a scramble ensued. Once the ball was recovered by a Ravens player, the play was whistled dead. However, this was all rendered moot because a flag was thrown for illegal procedure, lining up over center. What exactly does that mean and what is the rule? Second, is there ever a time that a defensive team can recover a ball during a point after or two-point conversion and attempt to score?"

First of all, thanks for the submission, Scott. Both parts of the question are cut-and-dry rules, though possibly not known to many fans.

Rule 7-2-2 - During a field-goal attempt or a Kick Try, a Team B player, who is within one yard of the line of scrimmage at the snap, must have his helmet outside the snapper's shoulder pads.

There could be some confusion here because in high school and all lower levels, you can line up directly over the center, you just have to give him the opportunity to raise his head after the snap before contacting him. The NFL probably just didn't want to deal with judging what a reasonable amount of time was for the snapper to raise his head. Trust me, there are plenty of high school teams who tell their snapper to never raise his head -- then complain he was roughed when someone waits two seconds before trying to break through.

As for the second part of the question ...

Rule 11-3-2c: If the defense gains possession, the ball is dead immediately. The defensive team cannot score during a Try.

The confusion here likely stems from college football, where the defense can return an extra point attempt for two points.

Justin Fargas fumbles as his forward progress is stopped ... or is it? You can check out the video in MDS' post about Darrius Heyward-Bey's blazing speed. Fortunately this play had no bearing on the outcome of the game, as the Giants stomped a mud-hole in the Raiders. The reason I say "fortunately" is because I believe the decision on when to blow the whistle on plays like this is the most difficult thing any official has to do during any given game. Blowing the whistle a millisecond too early or too late could gravely cost either team. If a team believes their ball-carrier was about to break free, it's the fault of the official. If the defense believes they caused a fumble before the progress was stopped, but a whistle was blown, it's the fault of the official.

I actually wrote more in depth about the difficulty of when to blow the whistle last season. I firmly believe this is one of those things where you truly don't know what it's like until you've experienced it (and if you have, you know what I'm talking about).

Got a rules-related question? Whether it's elementary, high school or NFL, email TZR and he'll see what he can do.

Zebra Report: Refs Made Correct No-Call On Redskins' Costly Muffed Punt originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chad Ochocinco Tweets Request to NFL Not to Fine Ray Lewis

Michael David Smith — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Ravens

Prior to Sunday's Ravens-Bengals game, Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Ochocinco posted a link on Twitter to a video of Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis drilling him in a 2007 game, and he vowed that Lewis wouldn't be able to knock him down again.

As it turned out, it did happen again: Lewis nailed Ochocinco during the game, drawing a 15-yard personal foul penalty. But Ochocinco went back to Twitter to ask NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell not to fine Lewis for the hit.

Immediately following the game, Ochocinco tweeted:

Beautify game, Ray knock my head off, all part of the game, I love my big brother Ray Lewis, hope you all enjoyed thee event !!!!!

And then a couple hours later, Ochocinco posted another tweet, directing it to Goodell's Twitter account:

@nflcommish please don't fine Ray Lewis Mr. Roger Goodell, it was a clean hit, it's part of the game, save the fines for me, Esteban out.

Although I respect Ochocinco for not wanting to see his friend get fined, I don't think Goodell is going to listen to him. The rules are clear: Helmet-to-helmet hits on defenseless receivers are not tolerated in the NFL, and Lewis is going to get fined.

Chad Ochocinco Tweets Request to NFL Not to Fine Ray Lewis originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heartbroken Mike Zimmer Helps Guide Cincinnati to 'Uplifting' Win

Chris Burke — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, NFL Coaching

Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer could have skipped the Bengals' key AFC North game at Baltimore Sunday and not a single person would have blamed him. Instead, just three days after the sudden death of his wife, Vikki, Zimmer helped orchestrate a splendid effort by his defense that led Cincinnati to a surprising 17-14 win.

In his postgame press conference, someone asked Bengals coach Marvin Lewis what Zimmer told the team after the game.

"He said, 'You know how Vikki felt about all of you. She's up there now in heaven smiling at you,' " Lewis recalled. "Win or lose, she loved these guys. I was in their house on Thursday afternoon, and there were Post-it notes all around, treats for the players, and I reminded those guys of that Friday morning. I said that they were always on her mind."

Vikki, 50, passed away late Thursday of yet-unknown causes. According to the police report, Zimmer made an emergency call to 911 Thursday night after discovering the lifeless body of his wife at home. Lewis said that his team was "shaken" and noticeably "down" at Friday's workout -- understandable reactions, given the awful development. But by Saturday morning, Zimmer had returned to the team, and the boost was immediate.

"Man, it just lifted guys up," Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph told ESPN about the team's reaction seeing Zimmer. "Once we saw him in practice Saturday morning and knew that he was going with us, it was unbelievable the feeling I had in my stomach."

Cincinnati transferred all of that energy to the field Sunday. Playing against a Baltimore team that averaged 31 points per game during a 3-1 start, the Bengals' defense rose to the occasion. They sacked red-hot Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco twice and intercepted a pair of his passes -- including the game-clinching pick by Leon Hall on a Flacco desperation heave with nine seconds left. They limited Baltimore to just 82 yards rushing and held star Ravens receiver Derrick Mason without a catch.

"That's a good football team," Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh said after. "They are everything advertised ... and more."

They also might be tougher and more resilient than anyone believed -- they seemingly proved that with Sunday's inspiring effort.

"We are prepared for anything," Cincinnati safety Chris Crocker said, according to ESPN's James Walker. "Yes, this was sad. But it was also uplifting because we had a purpose."

Zimmer, who received the game ball, did not talk to reporters following the Bengals' win. But hopefully he was able to enjoy his team's impressive performance, if only for a moment, before being faced with harsh reality again.

"He didn't want to be a distraction to the football team," Lewis said. "That was all he was worried about."

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Cincinnati Bengals Photos

BALTIMORE - OCTOBER 11: Leon Hall #29 of the Cincinnati Bengals picks off a last second pass to effectively end the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Bengals defeated the Ravens 17-14. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Leon Hall

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Cincinnati Bengals Photos

Cincinnati Bengals' Chad Ochocinco gets the ball knock from his hands by Baltimore Ravens Ed Reed during the second quarter of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Maryland, Sunday, October 11, 2009. (Gene Sweeney Jr/Baltimore Sun/MCT)

MCT

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andre Caldwell (87) scores the winning touchdown in front of Baltimore Ravens safety Dawan Landry (26) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Maryland, Sunday, October 11, 2009. (Christopher T. Assaf/Baltimore Sun/MCT)

MCT

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Frank Walker (41) reacts after a flag was called late in the fourth quarter of their NFL football game against the as Cincinnati Bengals in Baltimore, Maryland, Sunday, October 11, 2009. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/MCT)

MCT

Baltimore Ravens Ray Rice breaks tackles from the Cincinnati Bengals and runs in for a 48-yard touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Maryland, Sunday, October 11, 2009. (Gene Sweeney Jr/Baltimore Sun/MCT)

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Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jarret Johnson stops Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson in the third quarter of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Maryland, Sunday, October 11, 2009. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/MCT)

MCT

BALTIMORE - OCTOBER 11: Carson Palmer #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals speaks to the press after the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Bengals defeated the Ravens 17-14. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carson Palmer

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BALTIMORE - OCTOBER 11: Andre Caldwell #87 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates his game winning touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Bengals defeated the Ravens 17-14. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andre Caldwell

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BALTIMORE - OCTOBER 11: Andre Caldwell #87 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs the ball in for the game winning touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Bengals defeated the Ravens 17-14. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andre Caldwell

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Heartbroken Mike Zimmer Helps Guide Cincinnati to 'Uplifting' Win originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Preview: Bengals at Ravens

R.J. White — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Ravens, AFC North, FanHouse Previews

Cincinnati (3-1) really could be 4-0 and would be, if not for the Madden-esque TD reception by Denver's Brandon Stokley in Week 1. Since that game, the Bengals traveled to Green Bay and beat a heavily-favored Packer team, took down world champion Pittsburgh at home, and just barely survived a letdown game in Cleveland last week.

Baltimore (3-1) feels like they should be 4-0, victimized by an iffy penalty in last week's game at Foxboro (if the game was at home, are the Ravens not penalized?). With Pittsburgh lurking, each of these Cincinnati-Baltimore games are critical in battling for a playoff spot. Most people see the Ravens as a contender, but the Bengals as a pretender.

Is that fair?

More Previews: Browns-Bills | Cowboys-Chiefs
Bucs-Eagles | Raiders-Giants | Steelers-Lions
Redskins-Panthers | Vikings-49ers

Three Key Questions:

1. Can Baltimore rookie Michael Oher transition smoothly to the blind side in replacing Jared Gaither, and will Marshall Yanda be able to slip right in on the right side?

2. Will Cedric Benson find any room to run against the No. 1 rushing defense in the league, one that allows less than 60 yards on the ground per game?

3. How many game-day tweets will we see from Chad Ochocinco?

Player in the Spotlight: Antwan Odom. After totaling a whopping seven sacks in the first two games of the season, Odom was held to just one sack combined against Pittsburgh and Cleveland. With Oher drawing his first start on the left side of the offensive line, it will be on Odom to create consistent pressure on Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco. The Bengals can't afford to blitz Flacco too often, as the Ravens have displayed the ability to hit any number of offensive weapons during a drive. The less people in coverage, the easier it will be for Flacco to find the open man. Odom's final line should be a reflection of the game result, when all is said and done.

Cincinnati's Path to Victory: The Bengals will try to establish a running game, but the deck is stacked against him. We know the Ravens' defense will be gunning for Ochocinco, so it's up to Carson Palmer to consistently find his secondary options in the passing game. If Laveranues Coles and Chris Henry turn in performances in line with their first four games, then the Bengals have no shot. So these secondary receivers will have to step up and come through on the road in a hostile Baltimore environment. It will be nearly impossible to play successfully from behind, so expect Palmer to try and get everyone involved early. If they can manage a halftime lead, allowing them to keep feeding Benson the rock, then they have a good shot at pulling off the win.

Baltimore's Path to Victory: Both Oher and Yanda are great run blockers, so Baltimore's prospects will be tied tot he ground game. The dynamic duo of Willis McGahee (255 yards, seven TDs) and Ray Rice (429 yards, one TD) should expect double-digit touches yet again. The Cincinnati defense features a pair of up-and-coming young cornerbacks, but the secondary has been susceptible to big games from little-known receivers (Cleveland's Mohamed Massaquoi and Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace) in recent weeks. Sure, they have to contain veteran Derrick Mason, but former Bengal Kelley Washington can be just as dangerous to this team.

Prediction: In order for Odom to work his magic, Cincinnati has to jump to an early lead. Expect a few shots down the field by Palmer in the first quarter. Baltimore will counter with a steady dose of Rice in between the 20s and McGahee in the red zone. If Bengals defensive tackle Tank Johnson isn't 100% over his foot injury, which held him out of the Browns game, the Ravens should have no problem moving the ball on the ground. Once the Bengals offense gets desperate, that's when the Ravens defense attacks. Baltimore should have no problem with Cincinnati in the second half, which should lead to an easy win for the Ravens. Baltimore 31, Cincinnati 16.

FanHouse Preview: Bengals at Ravens originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chad Ochocinco Tweets About Getting Flattened by Ray Lewis

Michael David Smith — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:20:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Ravens

Few athletes are as entertaining on Twitter as Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, who despite a previous threat to stop tweeting has continued to entertain his fans this season,140 characters at a time. And on Saturday he provided his most entertaining tweet yet, including a link to the above video of himself getting knocked on his backside by Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.

After starting a tweet with a link to that video, Ochocinco wrote the following:

this will not happen to me again, I've gained 15 pounds since this play!!!

Even if Ochocinco has really gained 15 pounds since that play (which happened in 2007, when Ochocinco's name was Chad Johnson), he's still probably about 50 pounds lighter than Lewis, and I think if the two run into each other at full speed again when the Bengals visit Baltimore on Sunday, we'll see the same result.

But I just think it's great that Ochocinco has enough of a sense of humor that he's willing to post that video of himself. That's why Ochocinco is the NFL's top Twitterer.

Chad Ochocinco Tweets About Getting Flattened by Ray Lewis originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Live Chat: Week 4 Preview

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Bengals, Browns, Buccaneers, Chargers, Jets, Lions, Packers, Redskins, Saints, Steelers, Vikings, NFL Fans, NFL Live Blogging

It's a week headlined by some old guy facing his former team, but there are other storylines in Week 4. The Browns and Buccaneers start new quarterbacks, the Lions try for their second straight win, unbeatens clash in New Orleans, and the defending Super Bowl champions arguably face a must-win Sunday night. We'll talk about all these topics and more in our weekly get-together. Read the recap.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=3c3fc41f2f&amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;a class="injectedLink" href="http://nfl.fanhouse.com/"&amp;amp;gt;NFL&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt; Week 4 Live Chat&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

FanHouse Live Chat: Week 4 Preview originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unlikely Cast of Characters Leading Bengals to Success

Thomas George — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:38:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Browns

CINCINNATI -- He was the last of the "misfits'' to leave the locker room, taking his time, putting his shirt on slowly, speaking softly, up-front with his words and in his delight. There is something unmistakably passionate about Cedric Benson now.

The Bengals turned to him when he was down. He has turned into a part of the Bengals' once-discarded core that is lifting them up.

Bengals safety Roy Williams was ditched by the Dallas Cowboys. Receiver Laveraneus Coles was allowed to split by the New York Jets. Defensive tackle Tank Johnson was tanked by Dallas and the Chicago Bears. Running back Brian Leonard was dumped by the St. Louis Rams.

There are plenty more refugees in the Bengals locker room, players that coach Marvin Lewis calls "a bunch of castoffs.'' He calls them grinders. He calls them fun.

They help form the core of that ever-elusive coaching wish -- "team," Lewis says.

Each has something to prove. The Bengals get the benefits.

It is a delicious formula when it clicks and it is clicking for the Bengals. This is clear after that disastrous opening loss to the Denver Broncos followed by a victory at the Green Bay Packers and then Sunday's exorcism.

The Bengals beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was beyond a hallelujah moment.

"Nobody wants to be dominated like that; I mean, they have been toying with the Bengals for a long time," Benson said of Pittsburgh's hands on the Bengals' throats. It was five straight Pittsburgh victories in this divisional series and eight straight right here on the Bengals' turf.

"I wanted to get 100 rushing yards on them -- they take such pride in keeping a back from that number," Benson said.

He found that 76 would do. It was a foundation of Bengals 23, Steelers 20.

It was one more stiff-arm from Benson against his troubled start in the league when he tried to become a Chicago Bears cornerstone, the back the Bears were sure would be special when they drafted him No. 4 overall in 2005. It was up and down and sideways for Benson with the Bears -- most but not all his doing --and Benson found he had to pull it together, make some changes, humble himself, mature and work even harder.

He has.

Most of the Bengals' castoffs have.

"Early in the game we were running stuff that was not our bread and butter and Pittsburgh was ready for it," Benson said. "We went to more zone runs and things started happening. We stayed with it."

Benson was a catalyst with his 23-yard scoring jaunt in the fourth quarter, a darting dash through the left side followed by an impressive sprint down the left sideline where he easily outran the Pittsburgh safeties.

"I've still got wheels," Benson said.

Like that? Who knew?

Williams and Johnson were part of the Bengals defense that kept Pittsburgh scoreless in the final quarter. Coles made a gigantic fourth-and-2 catch of 5 yards on the game-winning drive. And Leonard's spectacular fourth-and-10 catch of 11 yards later in the drive impressed Benson.

"He really laid it out there like he wanted that and he got it," Benson said.

Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones added: "He stretched out for the last yard and he made sure his knees did not touch the ground. Think about that -- he made it by a knee and saved us from being in knots."

There is nothing misfit about Carson Palmer. He remains a picturesque and dynamic quarterback. Nothing misfit about young, playmaking linebackers Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga. Nothing misfit about the supreme talent and confidence of cornerback Johnathon Joespeh.

This is so with several Bengals.

But now the Bengals have just enough misfits and castoffs to keep them grounded, Palmer says.

The team's motto is "Not Dead, Not Quit." Maualuga stressed this is something the Bengals often privately say to each other.

"We have a lot of guys that love the game and don't care about all the hoopla, drama or glitz and glamour of the NFL,'' Palmer said. "`It's fun to play with guys like that."

Lewis took it a step farther: ``I really was not concerned with this team after we lost the game against Denver on that crazy play. People may not believe it, but I really wasn't. It gave us a lot to correct. It emphasized to them something they were already understanding, that you can't win in this league without working. We're playing in a division where Pittsburgh and Baltimore have had success because they work. We're playing the NFC North this year, Chicago and Green Bay and teams like that you don't compete with unless you work in blue-collar style. I am getting that from this group.''

He is getting it from Benson.

When Fun Isn't Fun or Funny

So, a couple of Cleveland Browns decided last week they want to haze and have a little fun with rookie cornerback Coye Francies by dumping water on him. Francies responded by dumping water back at them and throwing a punch.

He told me by telephone on Monday morning: "I'm excellent. I'm still breathing. I'm working really hard trying to take advantage of my NFL opportunity. It's been a fight so far."

Obviously. Even with some of his own teammates.

"No, nothing really," Francies said. "We were just playing around."

I have never liked hazing among NFL players, among grown men. I have never understood how it creates camaraderie in a team. And given that the Browns were 0-2 on the way to 0-3 after that 34-3 beatdown at Baltimore, you would think they would focus more on winning football than tossing buckets of water and punches.

I asked Francies about his view on rookie hazing.

"I don't know,"' he said. "Everybody has individual tastes."

Some guys don't have a problem with it, some guys do. Veterans should understand the difference and cool it when it is not appropriate. Obviously with Francies, it was not appropriate.

The Browns play at home against the Bengals on Sunday. I expect they will hardly recognize the Bengals. And that the Bengals will recognize some of their old, worst habits in the Browns.

Receiver Greg Lewis Rises

It was a play and catch applauded around the league -- Brett Favre to Greg Lewis -- for the winning 32-yard pass in the closing seconds that lifted Minnesota over Green Bay.

Everyone knows Favre's story.

Here's Lewis'.

Walk-on at Illinois. Undrafted free agent who makes it with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2003 and last six Eagles seasons. Cut in camp this year by the New England Patriots. Signed by the Vikings on Sept. 10. Inactive the first two Vikings games. One catch on Sunday. The difference-making catch.

Jets cornerback Lito Sheppard knows Lewis well. This is what he had told me about the player:

"I played with him a lot in Philadelphia, every day in practice, and I always thought he was underrated. All he does is make plays. He made them in the Super Bowl for Philadelphia when he scored. I think New England cut him because they believed more in Joey Galloway. I think Greg might prove them wrong on that one. Greg has some of the best hands around. He has good speed. He's just not that big. He might weigh a buck-eighty.

"On his winning play against the Vikings, it was one of those situations where he lined up wide on the other side of the field and he got behind the back line of the defense. Once a guy gets behind you like that, coming across the field, the defense starts to play the quarterback. I think Favre was searching for Greg the whole time. He knew he was going to come free at some point coming across the back line. There was great velocity on that ball. It had to be to get it to the back before the defense could respond. To be able to catch it with that kind of heat on it is really something. But to get both feet in, too? That was a remarkable play by Greg Lewis. But if people have been paying attention, they know he has made them before.''

Freee Kicks: Of all the teams that the Detroit Lions might have snapped their ugly 19-game-losing streak against, the Washington Redskins were the perfect choice. The Redskins have dominated the series. They led it going into that game 30-10. They won 18 in a row against the Lions during one stretch. They are 3-0 against Lions in the playoffs. And the biggest game was a 41-10 shellacking in the 1991 NFC championship bout that helped ensure the Lions are one of only handful of NFL teams that have never played in a Super Bowl. So, the Lions owed the Redksins some embarrassment after years of receiving it. Accomplished. ... As soon as the final snap was made in Atlanta at New England, Tom Brady frenetically rushed to get the football and tightly tucked it under his arm for safekeeping. It sure looked like it meant something to him. And, indeed, it did. It was his second victory at home since missing all of the 2008 season due to his knee injury. Brady is relishing these renewal moments. ... Football executives around the league were surprised at Tampa Bay's poor showing vs. the Giants. Said one: "The players and the coaches may want to use the excuse that the schemes are not fitting the personnel, but that is what that is, an excuse, because this is the NFL and there is no way an NFL team shouldn't have more success than they had in that game, especially offensively. Byron Leftwich is not a good athlete. He is an OK quarterback but not a good athlete and takes too long to do everything. It's early. No Super Bowl has been won yet. But Tampa Bay is better than it is playing and I think it is the team in the league that has a chance for serious upside moving forward." Maybe the Bucs were listening. Coach Raheem Morris on Monday afternoon replaced Leftwich with more mobile Josh Johnson as the team's new starting quarterback.

Unlikely Cast of Characters Leading Bengals to Success originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bengals Rally to Kick Pittsburgh Hex

Thomas George — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:40:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Steelers

CINCINNATI -- One Bengals player said he ran into the locker room and one by one kicked over the bins that would hold the teams' soaked, stained jerseys.

"I really can't explain why I did that," linebacker Keith Rivers said. "It was so much emotion and joy that just came out that way.''

Really, a fitting act, because the Bengals had just kicked aside a harrowing hex crafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a 23-20 Bengals victory that was half-pain, half-pleasure and all therapeutic.

Pittsburgh had won five straight in the series. Cincinnati had not won here at home against its division rival since 2001.

More: Check Box Score | Colts Demolish Cardinals | Full Scoreboard

"I heard somebody say that in the locker room after the game and I thought, 'Wow, I was in the 8th-grade then,'" Bengals rookie defensive end Michael Johnson said. "I want this feeling to be natural for us. I want us to come to expect these kind of outcomes. When I came to the NFL, I had people telling me I was leaving behind the real fun and joy of football in college and that this was all business. I don't believe that. Not with the excitement right now in this place."

He was talking about Paul Brown Stadium, rocking from the start, the 64,538 fans in it hyped till the end. Did their Bengals really just beat the Steelers? Those Steelers who always trample Cincinnati on the way to bigger things?

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis was 0 for 6 in this place vs. Pittsburgh.

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"How many different ways can you hear that, say that?" Lewis asked. "So, sure, it's great to have that change. You just have to believe that some things are inevitable. That if you keep doing things right you're going to get to stand up. We want our fans to feel that way."

Lewis wants the Bengals to feel that way. A bunch of misfits, rejects and grinders, he calls his team. He loves that.

The epitome of it in this game was tailback Brian Leonard.

He made a fourth-and-10 catch of 11 yards on the Bengals' late, winning drive that was electric and memorable.

"He was the guy, after the guy, after the guy, after the guy that was supposed to get the ball on that play," Lewis said.

Hex lifted.

Before we finish there, let's replay the setup.

Pittsburgh started fast, looked confident on offense and mean on defense. In the first quarter Pittsburgh led in total yards, 152 to minus-10. But the Steelers led on the scoreboard only 10-0. They kept driving deep inside Bengals territory, but then they kept slipping. The halftime yardage was Steelers 258, Bengals 91 -- the score just 13-3.

"We made a few mistakes, but we were good at getting back on the saddle," Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga said.

"You have to find a way to put up seven points and not three," Steelers receiver Hines Ward said. "That's how you finish a team off."

Pittsburgh defensive end Brett Keisel added: "It's frustrating. I felt like all game we were in control."

In the third quarter Bengals cornerback Jonathan Joseph intercepted Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. But, in the same quarter, Roethlisberger scored on a 1-yard run and it was a 20-9 Pittsburgh lead.

The Bengals then outscored the Steelers 14-0 in the fourth quarter.

"We are unable to make significant plays at the end of the football game to secure a victory," Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. "The reality is we need to make plays in big moments."

In other words, his lament was that in the final 15 minutes of this game -- and especially after squandering early chances to be more dominant -- his Steelers looked like the Bengals and the Bengals looked like his Steelers.

Tomlin must have thought somebody pulled a switcheroo.

"It's a tough loss for us," Roethlisberger said. "It was a tough, divisional fight. Stuff happens. We need to find our character and overcome a situation like this."

That is the kind of chatter the Bengals used to always provide after Steelers games.

This time, the Bengals won it with Cedric Benson's 23-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run, with a defense that forced the Pittsburgh offense to punt four minutes later and with a masterful offensive drive against the Steelers defense that began with 5:14 left at the Cincinnati 29-yard line.

The drive took 16 plays, covered 71 yards and ended with Carson Palmer tossing a 4-yard touchdown pass to receiver Andre Caldwell with :14 seconds left.

Of those 16 plays, two were successful fourth-down conversions.

The first was Palmer to receiver Laveranues Coles on 4th-and-2 at the Pittsburgh 20. The pass was completed for 5 yards.

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CINCINNATI - SEPTEMBER 27: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs with the ball while defended by Robert Geathers #91 during the NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals 23-20. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ben Roethlisberger;Robert Geathers

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Pierre Garcon makes the catch on a reception for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)

Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell, right, and player Robert Mathis (98) celebrate a touchdown by Reggie Wayne against the Arizona Cardinals in the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 27: Steve Breaston #15 of the Arizona Cardinals is hit at the goaline by Melvin Bullitt #33 of the Indianaplis Colts after making a 16-yard catch in the second quarter during the game at University of Phoenix Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Steve Breaston;Melvin Bullitt

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 27: Quarterback Kurt Warner #13 of the Arizona Cardinals reacts at the end of the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts during the game at University of Phoenix Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kurt Warner

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 27: Wide receiver Pierre Garcon #85 of the Indianapolis Colts runs with the ball past Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie #29 of the Arizona Cardinals as Garcon makes a 53-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter during the game at University of Phoenix Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Pierre Garcon;Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

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Indianapolis Colts' Dallas Clark (44) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Arizona Cardinals with teammate Reggie Wayne (87) in the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 27: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts looks on from the sideline in the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals during the game at University of Phoenix Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Peyton Manning

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SEATTLE - SEPTEMBER 27: Lance Briggs #55 of the Chicago Bears celebrates his interception against the Seattle Seahawks at Qwest Field on September 27, 2009 in Seattle, Washington. The Bears defeated the Seahawks 26-19. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lance Briggs

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Indianapolis Colts' Peyton Manning, left, hands off to Donald Brown (31) in the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals during an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning shouts signals to teammates as they play the Arizona Cardinals in the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

The Steelers killer, the hammer to the hex, was the Palmer to Leonard 11-yard pass on fourth-and-10 from the Pittsburgh 15.

Fourth-and-10 is a lot to get in a must-get situation.

"I knew where I had to get to, I knew the yards were crucial and I got there," Leonard said of his catch of about 6 yards and run of 5 more and through the tackle of linebacker James Farrior to get the first down. To keep the drive alive. To set up the winning pass two plays later.

Palmer said: "He's just a football player. He just knows what it takes to win. He was a football player making a winning football play. It was time for something like this to happen for all of us."

The Bengals used to lose these kind of games to Pittsburgh.

Now the Steelers (1-2) are looking up at the Bengals (2-1) in their division.

"We're finding ways to lose games instead of win games," Steelers safety Tyrone Carter said. "We have to find a way to make plays to win games."

Palmer went back to Leonard.

He noted that after Leonard made that big fourth down catch, he made the two-point conversion catch and then sprinted down to cover kickoff because he is on the kickoff team. And he didn't say a word, Palmer said. He is a workhorse, said the quarterback.

He is a guy who Palmer trusts.

You need guys like that when you are pushing a team's foot off your throat. You need them all around.

And Lewis knows he has them. And Tomlin knows the Bengals now have them.

"They're the defending champs," Palmer said. "Our fans wanted it as bad as we did. It's as loud as anywhere I've played. To see everyone's hands go up and signal touchdown and to feel the roar of the stadium, you feel blessed and lucky to be wearing that uniform."

For a huge change in this series, that rare feeling came from the uniforms colored black and orange, not black and gold.

Bengals Rally to Kick Pittsburgh Hex originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What to Watch for in the Steelers-Bengals Game

JJ Cooper — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 21:33:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Steelers, AFC North, NFL Analysis

After rewatching the Bengals-Packers and the Steelers-Bears games, here are some things to keep an eye on this Sunday:

o. If the Bengals have some pass protection problems on the offensive line with right tackle Anthony Collins and left tackle Andrew Whitworth. Collins gave up two sacks against the Broncos in Week One while Whitworth gave up two sacks in Week Two against the Packers. ~~Collins~~ Whitworth (got my linemen mixed up there initially) has some problems with his footwork (he slipped and fell down a couple of times while blocking last week). That should give outside linebackers LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison a chance to create some havoc. For Steelers fans who don't follow the Bengals, first-round pick Andre Smith is out with a broken foot.o. For the first time since Tim Krumrie or Kimo Von Olhoffen was playing on the Bengals defensive line, the matchup of the Bengals front four against the Steelers offensive line looks to be a tough one for the Steelers. Even in recent years when the Steelers have given up sacks left and right, the Bengals has been two games where the offensive line could feel good about itself. Pittsburgh has given up one sack to the Bengals in the past four games, and that one sack happened when Ben Roethlisberger stepped out of bounds for no gain when he found no one open to throw to.

Pittsburgh will have a much tougher time this week. Antwan Odom leads the NFL with seven sacks, five of which came last week. But he's not the only defensive lineman capable of creating pressure. The Bengals like to use a three defensive end lineup in some passing situations, moving Odom inside to pair with Robert Geathers, Justin Fanene and/or Michael Johnson out at defensive end. Johnson, a rookie, has shown some pass rush moves while Geathers and Fanene are two solid veterans. And Cincinnati also can get pressure by blitzing outside linebackers Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga.

Inside Domata Peko has slowly developed into a legitimate defensive tackle who will give Trai Essex and Justin Hartwig some problems. He's much more effective now that Tank Johnson is lined up at the other defensive tackle spot.

o. The Bengals front seven is much improved, but if Ben Roethlisberger has time, the Steelers should find some holes in the secondary. Aaron Rodgers threw for 261 yards last week and the Packers left some plays on the field with a series of bad drops.

o. The Steelers defense was not happy with its play against the Bears, and two sacks in two games is a pretty strong sign the Steelers pass rush hasn't been what it needs to be. It will be interesting to see if the Bengals follow the Bears approach and spread Pittsburgh out to dink and dunk their way down the field with short passes. Cincinnati has had lots of success with tailback Cedric Benson running the ball this year, but if Cincinnati lines up in a lot of base formations to focus on the running game, they'll be doing Pittsburgh a favor. With Troy Polamalu out, Pittsburgh's biggest problem is covering tight ends and slot receivers with an injury-depleted secondary. Cincinnati's tight ends aren't much of a pass-catching threat, but the Bengals do have enough depth at receiver to go three and four-wide and see if Pittsburgh can cover them.

What to Watch for in the Steelers-Bengals Game originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 21:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Between the Lines: Bengals Best Packers

JJ Cooper — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:10:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Packers, NFL Analysis

As we have done since the FanHouse began, I'll be taking a look every week at some aspect of line play. You can read more features in the series here. Check back every Thursday for a new Between The Lines.

When Marvin Lewis came to Cincinnati he arrived with a reputation as a defensive genius. But Lewis' brilliance quickly seemed to fade once he became a Bengal, much like his former boss Brian Billick's offensive genius in Baltimore. In six seasons in Cincinnati Lewis' Bengals have never finished in the top half of the league in scoring defense.

But thanks to Antwan Odom, Domata Peko, Tank Johnson and Keith Rivers, Lewis is suddenly smart again. They're 1-1 with a win over the Packers and would be 2-0 if not for a flukish tipped pass to Brandon Stokely. Odom not only leads the league in sacks; he's coming off of one of the best days a pass rusher has ever had with five sacks against the Packers.

Defensive ends Robert Geathers (missed five games) and Odom (missed four games) and linebacker Keith Rivers (missed nine games) all missed significant time last year. The Bengals also added linebacker Rey Maualuga and defensive end Michael Johnson in the draft and brought in Tank Johnson through free agency. The result is the deepest and most talented front seven that Cincinnati has had in years.

They were matched up last Sunday against a Green Bay offensive line that has some issues. Against the Bears in week one, right tackle Allen Babre was beaten for a pair of sacks, left tackle Chad Clifton was beaten for one sack and the Packers gave up a fourth sack when Rodgers tried to dodge safety Daneal Manning instead of getting rid of the ball.

Green Bay's line difficulties got much worse in the second half of Sunday's game. On the Packers first play from scrimmage in the second half, Clifton sprained an ankle on a running play. No team is well equipped to lose their left tackle, and the Packers are no different. In a situation like that, the two choices are either to plug a new left tackle in or shuffle around the line to get your best five remaining linemen on the field. Green Bay chose to shuffle the line. Left guard Daryn Colledge moved to left tackle, center Jake Spitz moved to left guard and backup center Scott Wells entered the game.

This wasn't a new experience for Colledge--he had moved over from guard to start a game at left tackle and one at right tackle last year as an injury fill-in. But on Sunday, Odom seemed to get into his head.

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GREEN BAY, WI - SEPTEMBER 20: Quarterback Aaron Rogers #12 of the Green Bay Packers is sacked by defensive end Antwan Odem #98 of the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field on September 20, 2009 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Bengals defeated the Packers 31-24. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Aaron Rogers;Antwan Odem

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GREEN BAY, WI - SEPTEMBER 20: Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals jumps in the stands to celebrate a touchdown as he does the Lambeau Leap against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on September 20, 2009 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Bengals defeated the Packers 31-24.

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Green Bay Packers Aaron Kampman tries to stop Cincinnati Bengals Andre Caldwell during the second half at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers Ryan Grant scores a touchdown in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers Aaron Rogers gets off a pass in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers is sacked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers Chad Clifton is injured during the second half against Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers Cullen Jenkins tries to block a pass by Cincinnati Bengals Carson Palmer at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers Jermichael Finley pulls in a pass during the second half against Cincinnati Bengals Keith Rivers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers Cullen Jenkins walks off the field after the Packers 31-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco is brought down by Green Bay Packers Aaron Rouse (37) and Jarrett Bush in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (John Klein/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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The Packers problems actually began while Clifton was still in the game. In the second quarter, Cincinnati brought a five-man pass rush on first and 10 at the Packers 30. As far as play calling, Green Bay would seem to be extremely well set up for the extra rusher, as the Packers went max protect, keeping in two running backs and a tight end to help out the pass blocking.

With eight to block five, the Packers would seem to have the advantage. But the Bengals rush showed some of the disadvantages of going max protect--you often end up with blockers standing around doing nothing.

The Bengals sent an overload blitz from the Packers' left side. Left defensive end Robert Geathers dropped into a short zone which left tight end Donald Lee and right tackle Allen Babre looking for someone to block. Defensive tackle Pat Sims was picked up by right guard Josh Sitton, center Jason Spitz locked up defensive tackle Tank Johnson and left guard Colledge tried to slow down defensive end Jonathan Fanene, who had looped inside to help set up the outside blitz.

Fanene got around Colledge's inside shoulder to get some pressure up the middle. Safety Roy Williams tried to blitz through the left tackle/left guard gap left vacated by Fanene's twist, but he was picked up by both Clifton and running back Ryan Grant.

All of that got the Bengals what they wanted -- Maualuga coming off the edge with only a fullback to beat. Despite having three more blockers than the Bengals had rushers, Cincinnati had managed to get one of its best athletes lined up against fullback Corey Hall. That happened because the max protect left two Packers blockers blocking no one, while the only double team was a waste--two Packers blocking a safety.

Maualuga stutter stepped as he neared Hall, caught Hall lunging forward trying to make the block, did a quick side step and was by him to nail Rodgers from the backside for a sack and a forced fumble.

That sack showed how the Bengals can now create some mismatches with blitzes. The rest of the five sacks were much more straightforward. On four of Odom's five sacks, Cincinnati sent only four rushers. Odom lined up inside at defensive tackle on his first sack and sorted his way through traffic to make a sack that had to be blamed on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers -- he held the ball for 3.6 seconds before Odom got to him.

Heading into the half, Green Bay had given up two sacks, but they were tied 21-21 and seemed to be in good shape. Clifton's injury is where it all started to fall apart, and the blame can be shared between the offensive line and Rodgers.

Rodgers has excellent mobility for a quarterback and unlike many QBs he's comfortable throwing on the run. On multiple plays against the Bengals, Rodgers showed that he could throw accurately without ever setting his feet. But that also leads Rodgers to hold the ball longer than most quarterbacks in hopes that he can make a big play. On the first two sacks of the second half, Rodgers held the ball for 3.92 and 4.18 seconds. When you're playing with a resorted offensive line, that's asking too much.

On Odom's second sack, Colledge got a good initial punch on Odom, but he wasn't able to lock him up. Eventually Odom slipped off the block, but Rodgers had time to get rid of the ball. The next sack was a combination of poor play design and Rodgers tendency to hold onto the ball. Odom was initially blocked by tight end Lee, but Lee then released him to run a pass route. That left tailback Ryan Grant to try to block Odom -- a mismatch the Bengals will take every time. Odom slipped off of Grant's block quickly, but once again Rodgers had time to get rid of the ball.

Even though at this point Colledge had not really had any awful blown assignments at left tackle, it looks like Odom beat him mentally. Odom's final two sacks were completely Colledge's fault. In both cases, Colledge worried so much about Odom beating him to the outside that he was left vulnerable to a combination move. Odom would fire to the outside at the snap, and let Colledge hurry to try to keep up. As soon as Colledge had gotten a little off balance, Odom gave a little crossover step and beat Colledge to the inside. Both of these sacks were completely on Colledge -- Rodgers had less than 2.5 sacks from snap to sack in both cases.

Odom needs only one more sack to equal his career high in sacks. Obviously he won't keep up his current pace, but the Bengals now have enough pass rushers on the defensive line to keep teams from focusing on Odom. And Odom's success isn't a fluke -- he also had a pair of quarterback hurries against Green Bay as well. Fellow defensive end Robert Geathers also had a hurry and rookie defensive end Michael Johnson showed better football instincts than he showed at Georgia Tech.

The depth at defensive end has helped give Odom additional opportunities. Two of his seven sacks have come when Cincinnati has slid him inside to defensive tackle in pass rushing situations while Johnson and Geathers played defensive end.

Cincinnati may not end up leading the league in sacks like they do now, but they aren't the pushover they have been in past years. Green Bay won't have Clifton back for at least a week, which is a cause for concern. While Babre played better this past week, Green Bay goes into next week's game having to worry about how well Babre will play at right tackle and how well Colledge will play at left tackle.

Between the Lines: Bengals Best Packers originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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