WHO'-DEY!!!!

After three games, two of which the Bengals D took the opponent totally out of their game plans, comes an interesting nugget:

Bengals have just two sacks in three games.

Interesting point.

- Cols Dispatch, Rabinowitz 9/30

This is interesting and causes one to reflect on the bad old days when the only bright spots were occasional sacks and picks... which amounted to nothing much in the defensive rankings. It would be groundbreaking wake-up for the entire NFL if Bengals ended the season at top of other defensive stats yet lowest in sacks.
"See Ball, Get Ball" trumps "get QB and make him pay"... so far at any rate.
{added} Not only that.. it would be nice if one could get through an entire season triumphant and still boast that they had not put one QB out of action by injuring him, accidently or not.

And this meshes quite well with the general low-key "Do your job" attitude prevalent in the rest of the Bengals strategery.

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And, since the Bengals are trying to reduce the number of stupid penalties, assessed.. the only REAL downside of their game.. NOT having a bunch of 'roughing' calls added on to them makes it a little easier.

 

RE: WHO

The Bengals are tough. They roughed up my Bears last week. I think this team is for real. I cannot wait to see them play the Steelers.

 

Re: RE: WHO

Yeah, me too.. though my ingrained fears, from so many years of humilation at their hands, rush to the front at the thought.

We could ALWAYS look to the occasional upset of the Ravens or Browns.. but Pittsburgh only brought shudders and thoughts of impending doom.

 

RE: Re: RE: WHO

beating the ravens these days can hardly be considered an upset i'm afraid.

 

Turning the above mentioned stats around, the Bengals sacked David Carr 7 times but got only 1 turnover -tho that one proved to be crucial- as the Bengals went to 4-0 after a bad call by referees and review resulted in the stifling of a late 4th Qtr Houston drive.

Texans' QB Carr's arm was hit just as he was starting forward on pass delivery and the initial call was no forward motion, replay appeared to refute that however the nature of the arm bump's influence on the ball coming loose, where it was not absolutely clear that Carr was throwing, resulted in the field decision of fumble and Cincy recovery, standing.

Houston gave the Bengals all they could handle, though, as the team seemed rejuvenated with their Offensive Coordinator being replaced during their bye, last week.

According to Carson Palmer, the Bengals winning the ugly games as well as the good ones is just another indicator of each team member 'doing his job'.

Game Recap

I suspect, however, that the FIRST real test of the Bengals will come next Sunday night in Jacksonville.

Since 3 of the Bengals 4 wins came easily against Cleveland and hapless NFC North teams (the standings tell the story), and they struggled against Houston, it may prove time for mettle-testing when they come up against Byron Leftwich who doesnt rattle all that easily.