Chad OchoCinco is the subject of much debate for fans of the Bengals and for pretty much everyone else.  It seems people either love him or hate him. A lot of people love to blame him for the problems the Bengals have, but we at WhoDeyFans are Chad fans. People that claim he only cares about himself have forgotten what he has done for the fans of the Bengals. The video above was from the Super Bowl fan zone last Friday at the McDonalds tent. He also gave away 85 of the snack wraps to the fans in attendance.

Chad also took the time to list  “Top Ten Reasons the NFL Changed Its Mind and Invited Me to the Pro Bowl.”.

#10: After all of my fines this year, it’s the least they could do!

#9: With the Pro Bowl back in Miami, they needed the hometown boy to Tweet about it.

#8: Did you really think I wouldn’t show up anyway? I mean, it’s South Beach.

#7: McDonald’s knows that I alone can give them a sales boost in the Miami area – morning, noon and night, baby!

#6: I offered to pay for my own travel… I mean, I took a bus down here. I’m not joking.

#5: You think Revis shut me down? Child Please. I had Mac Snack Wraps on my mind…

#4: Let’s face it, there’s really no game without me in it.

#3: If I wasn’t invited, I would’ve changed my name to Matt Schaub so I was on the roster. I mean it’s not the first time…

#2: They wanted to see Esteban OchoCinco again. Although he didn’t take the field, our team was still victorioso!

#1: If I wasn’t here, who’d hand-out the free Mac Snack Wraps? McDonald’s needs me just like the NFL needs me – You better kiss da baby!

So Chad again makes a bunch of fans happy and I hope he made a couple bucks for it.

I checked out the Dayton Daily news and read that Boomer Esiason decided to open his mouth and join the "Let's hate on Chad" crowd.

"Boomer said that he’s “not a fan of Ochocinco” and that Chad is all about Chad — not the team. He went on to say how he believes Chad’s antics leading up to games each week — like trash-talking defensive backs — get other teams focused because they don’t want to be shown up.

He said the Bengals should part ways with Ochocinco now, but pointed out that head coach Marvin Lewis probably doesn’t have the authority to cut or even properly discipline Chad because of heavy handed owner Mike Brown.

Boomer talked about how teams like the Cowboys and Eagles got better after they got rid of a wide receiver with a similar personality, Terrell Owens."

Let me start by saying I used to have a Boomer Esiason poster on my wall.  I still have a ratty old t-shirt from the early 90's with his face on it. That Boomer Esiason will always have a special place in my heart.

The Boomer Esiason that continues to run his mouth about the Bengals is a tool. I hate how Boomer has become the media voice of the Bengals on the pregame shows. This guy has not been a part of the Bengals for a long time and to think he still has some insight on the operations of this current team is a joke. Boomer has not been a fan of Chad Ochocinco for some time. He thinks Chad is a guy that is all about himself and not the team. This is a popular opinion of people that DO NOT FOLLOW THE BENGALS.

Does Chad do some crazy things and does he like media attention?  Absolutely. Does he also work harder than most wide outs in the NFL and does he produce year in and year out? Yep. Chad wants to win as much as anyone. Does he want to win for himself? Of course. In order for Chad to win, the team has to win, pretty simple concept.

So what is going on with Boomer? Is he a Bengal fan? I have a few theories based off some popular movies of the 80's.

1. The Pretty Woman version:

          Scenario: Boomer is the character of Richard Gere and Chad is Julia Roberts. Chad is a flamboyant guy just trying to make a few dollars and Boomer gets close to him because he needs what Chad has. (In this case it is being close to one of the most popular sports media topics, the Cincinnati Bengals. However, lumping Chad in with the other street walkers (NFL diva receivers) and listening to some of his friends and business partners (other media a-holes), he lashes out at Chad.

          Resolution: Boomer will learn the error of his ways and woo Chad with a limo ride and some roses. he probably will make a public statement claiming to care about the wide out and only want the best for the Cincinnati Bengals.

2. The Footloose version:

         Scenario: Boomer is the character of Jon Lithgow and Chad is Kevin Bacon. Chad is an individual that just doesn't quite fit in. He wants to have some fun in a place where his kind of fun is frowned upon. Even though what he does is harmless, Boomer leads the charge to get him to change his ways.

         Resolution: Boomer decides to let Chad do it his way and the Bengals end up having a successful dance (Super Bowl).

3. The Iron Eagle Version:

      Scenario: Boomer is Louis Gossett Jr and Chad is Jason Gedrick. Chad has a goal of saving his father (winning the big game) and Boomer begins by telling him he is not good enough, it can't be done. Chad continues to do it his way and even has his closest friends (the other wide outs) help him to prove to Boomer that his way can work.

      Resolution: This motivates Chad and Boomer, so together they do what is necessary to bring dear old dad (the ring) home.

Personally I like the Iron Eagle version, I still tear up a little when Doug finally gets to hug his dad at the end, and smile when we find out Chappy really didn't die.

Boomer needs to focus on his NY radio show and whatever he still does for the pre-game shows. To give this guy more credit when he says something about the Bengals just because he used to be number 7 is pretty dumb. Now, he is just another mouth on TV and radio.

If you took all of the starting quarterbacks from the NFL and lined them up according to skill, where would Carson Palmer be?  Would you have him next to Peyton Manning and Drew Brees in front, in the middle with the likes of Matt Ryan and Jay Cutler, or in the rear of the line with JaMarcus Russel and Brady Quinn?  The 2009 stats say that he belongs in the middle of the pack.  He tossed for 3,094 yards in the regular season which is 18th in the NFL (the middle) and he had a 83.6 passer rating which is 16th in the NFL (exactly the middle).  We all know, though, that a quarterback's passer rating and yards in one year don't necessarily decide where he stands among the other quarterbacks.

So what does?  I don't think that there is a formula to figure out which QB's are good and which QB's aren't.  I think that most people that know football just know.  It's not hard to see that Peyton Manning is greater than his numbers will ever say he is.  It's not hard to see that JaMarcus Russel isn't even as good as the bad numbers he puts up.  There is an X-Factor that good quarterbacks possess.  It's a culmination of leadership, arm strength, accuracy, intuition, intelligence, the ability to inspire, and a thousand other qualities that make a great quarterback.  The vast majority of quarterbacks in the NFL don't have all or most of these qualities..... only a few do.  Carson Palmer does.

He had a bad year; I agree with that.  He's much better than he played this past year, I agree with that too.  What I don't agree with is every person who thinks they know football when they say that Carson should be let go or that he's a bust.  Carson Palmer has the ability to be as great as we want him to be.  Personally, I put Palmer not in front of the line, but not far behind Manning, Brees, Brady, Rivers, and Warner.  He doesn't belong in the middle and he certaintly doesn't belong in the rear.  Don't believe me or think I don't know what I'm talking about?  Dan Marino and Boomer Esiason agree. 

Think about it for a few minutes.  If you think that Carson belongs in the middle of the pack of NFL quarterbacks then the only person who can change your mind is Carson.... it doesn't matter what I say.  I have a feeling that he'll be changing a lot of minds next season.

Most off-season's at this time there is not much to talk about.  However, there is some interesting news right now concerning the Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County Ohio. The Bengals have opened the door for the county to come back to the negotiating table to renegotiate a contract that was made between the county and the Bengals when Paul Brown Stadium was built. I was not sure about how I was going to comment on this situation until I read the latest post on the Bengals "fan" site WhoDeyRevolution.

I usually enjoy the articles this particular author writes, he obviously has great football knowledge and can usually drive a point about the Bengals that I may not have thought of.  However, in his latest post it seems he is ripping apart a letter from Troy Blackburn of the Bengals front office to the County Administrator of Hamilton County. The very short version of the letter says that the Bengals are willing to make some concessions in order for the county to make some money but there will be some concessions the county must make in order to receive these changes to the current contract.  The writer for WDR focuses on the introduction and attempts to discredit Troy Blackburn as being a totally evil human that will attempt to bully and manipulate the negotiations. It comes off as rather petty and lame.

Below I will detail the meat of the letter and show the concessions the Bengals are making and what is expected of Hamilton County: (quotes from the letter will be in BOLD)

Short-term Assistance

1. The Bengals would agree to annual rent for the 2010 through 2014 seasons of $1,000,000 (total $5 million) paid as currently set forth in the lease. If there is a labor stoppage during 2011 (or another season), then the unpaid rent obligations would be deferred until the next season when football was fully reinstated.

This is unchanged from the current deal I believe.

2. By the end of the 2011 season, the Bengals would agree to perform the following capital repairs on behalf of the County: (a) replace the existing point-of-sale system, (b) replace field level carpeting, (c) install an electronic ticketing system, and (d) contribute towards the stadium field replacement.  These contributions would be capped at $2 million, which represents real savings for the stadium fund. The items would be accepted (when completed) by the County as additional rent above and beyond any other payments.

The current deal calls for the county to make these repairs as long as they are present in a percentage of the other 31 NFL stadiums. Here the Bengals are making a real monetary concession to the County.

Long-Term  Assistance

3. Starting in 2017, the Bengals would relieve the County of the obligation to make "out year payments." This would generate savings to the stadium fund approximately $30 million. These years would instead become team option years on the terms set forth in section 5.5 of the lease; the current options for 2026-2035 would be unaffected with the Bengals receiving additional options through 2045. Throughout the term, we would appreciate clarification that, if our Club is selected to play an international game, there are no issues under the lease.

4. Commencing January 1, 2010, stadium management would proceed as set forth in Section 11.1 of the Lease, and the County would reduce its staff accordingly (we estimate that this staffing reduction would save roughly $2 million over the next 15 years). In addition, the Bengals would continue funding the staffing costs we cover today; which would save the stadium fund $3 million over the next 15 years.

I cannot claim to know the staffing needs and numbers at Paul Brown Stadium.  However, you can take a look at other government run institutions and know that staffing numbers set by the government are rarely accurate. While the Bengals are not making concessions here, they are aiding the county by telling them they are wasting money on over staffing.

5. In consideration for the above financial commitments to Hamilton County, effective January 1, 2010 the County would grant the following to the Bengals (a) relinquish its suite to the team, (b) give the team the County's portion of "other event revenue”, and (c) surrender its small remainder interest in naming rights. On this last point, as you recognized when we met, even if naming rights were sold today, the County would not likely receive any revenues for a decade (if ever), and it is simply not practical to think that naming rights could be sold anytime soon in this economy.

6. The County would provide non-economic cooperation to the team – including procuring unused City billboard credits - to help the team build an indoor practice facility and to expand advertising opportunities at Paul Brown Stadium.

If I can no longer pay my bill to the Bengals they are going to take my seats too.  It is no one else's fault and no matter how many people whine, it is the right thing to do. Here the Bengals are outlining what it is going to cost the county, their suite, their other event revenue and naming rights. The Bengals are also telling the county that they want to use the revenue from billboards the county has not used. Again, this is something the county would "give up" for this new deal.

9. As you suggested last week, we would also need assurance that the County is committed to a constructive long-term relationship with our organization. Naturally, public comments are an important part of that, and we would need assurances that the County will pursue a more positive route. While we would ask you to consider what form that can take, one element would be an agreement that future disputes would avoid public bickering and would instead be subject to binding private arbitration between the parties.

I am sure this last point is going to make some waves.  This is the institution of the "Carl Pickens Clause" into the deal. I am not against this. The fact that the County did smear the Bengals in the court of public opinion when the Bengals were bound to the same deal that the County negotiated was not right. The Bengals have lost a lot of football games in recent history and the county jumped on the fact that fans were upset and used that to sway the public into blaming Mike Brown. It wasn't hard to do when the fans were disgruntled anyway.  Some so called fans blame Mike Brown for them losing their job, keys girlfriend and the snow that may come this weekend. These people are morons.

Lastly Troy states:

The dollars are significant and total roughly $40 million. We have not included a new ticket tax as you requested because we do not think - in these economic times - it is appropriate to increase ticket prices for Bengals fans.

Take it for what it is worth.  However, the bottom line is the Bengals are making concessions when they are not forced too. They are considering the fans in this last point and this flies in the face of the "Down with Brown" crowd.  You will get no argument from me about the ownership performance of the last 19 years.  However, I think this post is just another item in the growing list of the things that the front office for the Cincinnati Bengals has done in the last year + that is proving to me the organization is focused on winning.

The 2005 Bengals season was the most successful season in recent franchise history but it was overshadowed by multiple arrensts by A.J. Nickolson, Odell Thurman, Matthias Askew, and Chris Henry (version 1.0).  The press was more interested in talking about the Bengals off the field than what they were accomplishing on the field.  The Bengals have worked hard to change their image of the "bad boys" of the NFL.  They dumped players like Thurman, Nickolson, and Askew.  They brought back Chris Henry (version 2.0.... RIP) and they stayed away from troubled players in the draft and free agancy.  The players that the Bengals have brought to Cincinnati that have had some trouble in the past such as Cedric Benson, Bernard Scott and Tank Johnson seem to have changed their ways and have found a home here. 

Just when it seemed that the Bengals had finally shed their skin and traded their devils horns and pitchforks for angels wings and halos, Rey Maualuga puts them right back on the front page of the countries sports pages.  It wasn't for their 10-6 record or for the fact that they went back to the playoffs; it was because another Bengal player was in trouble with the law.  Rey got a DUI and pled guilty today in court.  He was sentenced by a district judge in Kenton County today but will probably face a harsher penalty fron the NFL. 

I don't understand.  I know that people make mistakes and I'm not willing to burn Rey at the steak for this one.  I know that if any of us "normal people" would have gotten a DUI, we wouldn't be on the cover of the sports pages or ESPN.com.  I feel bad sometimes for players who make one mistake and get plastered all over the news for a month.  Tiger, Kobe, and countless other athelets have gone through the same thing... or worse things.  At the same time though, if I was making millions to play a game, I would pay a guy to carry me home when I'm drunk.  Seriously, hire somebody to drive your dumb ass around.  I'll do it for a very reasonable price.

WhoDeyFans decided to continue the tradition that CincyJungle started last year (link) and do a sort of round table including the Cincinnati Bengals fan sites. We have representatives from:

WhoDeyFans: Mickey Mentzer
CincyJungle: Josh Kirkendall
StripeHype: Dave Wellman
BengalStripes: The Stripe
WhoDeyRevolution: Jason Buck

If you compare last season (4-11-1) with this one (10-6) you would think the outlook would be greatly improved for the Bengal fan. However, after a slide at the end of season and a few embarrassing losses, answers to the following 8 questions may vary greatly by each site. It is no secret that some fan sites are composed of extreme homers and some of extreme pessimists. I have a feeling though that each site will touch on some of the same points in how they think the Bengals fared and how they can improve.  Thanks to everyone that participated.

1. The 2009 season was a step in the right direction.  True or false?

WhoDeyFans - True. Has to be right? The Bengals left a sour taste in the mouth of a lot of fans and sports writers with the way the season ended. Even during the season fans were hoping to see the Bengals "put a team away". All of that aside, the Bengals won 10 football games, swept their division and hosted a playoff game. All in all that is a successful season for most of the NFL. In order to build a winning program and change the culture to a winning attitude a team has to what? You guessed it, win. This season the Bengals did win. I think this is a step in the right direction.

StripeHype - It was a step in *a* direction, which has to qualify as progress. The Bengals spent 2006 and 2007 trying to recapture the glories of the 2005 season, even as key member of the '05 team were lost to age, injury and alcohol. It wasn't until Carson went down with the elbow injury in 2008 that I saw the team throw in the towel on a past it was never going to recapture and look to move forward. Thus we saw Levi Jones and Stacy Andrews leave, and for once the Bengals didn't use the tag to keep a high-maintenance player (TJ) against his will. Whether the teams moving in the *right* direction is open to debate. Defensively, there's no doubt in my mind they're on the right track; offensively, Benson was a golden god this past season and the line over performed, but Palmer IMO still hasn't recovered his pre-Kimo mechanics and he has Chad and a bunch of guys who have never been in my kitchen as targets. As we saw, that isn't going to get it done.

CincyJungle - True. The Bengals not only upgraded personnel in key positions, they’ve changed their core philosophy to play with a strong defense, combined with a powerful rushing offense. They essentially put together a team that can compete in the division against two teams that’s won three Super Bowls in the last decade. Are the Bengals there now? No, of course not. Losing four of your last five games before hitting offseason purgatory knocks the wind out of your stomach, if not forcing one to reassess where the team is. Directionally speaking, the Bengals can build on 2009 and become a better team, one that not only wins in the division, but the conference as well.

BengalStripes - True. In 2009, the Cincinnati Bengals proved it could win football games in a way it had never showed before, which was with good defensive play. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer took a group of players, that honestly aren’t that talented, and made them the fourth-best overall defense in yards allowed. To put that in perspective, that is ahead of Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Denver, New England and Dallas. The best thing about all of that; is the fact Zimmer will back in 2010 as well as all the Bengals’ defensive starters. The biggest potential free-agent-to-be is defensive tackle Tank Johnson, who I expect to stay in Cincinnati. Free agent safety Roy Williams could also be back. The other thing that shows that Bengals are headed in the right direction is that it won by running the football. If Cedric Benson doesn’t sign an extension this offseason, he will be playing in a contract year in 2010. With Benson, Scott and Leonard all under contract in ‘10, the Bengals backfield is in good shape. Now, there are concerns at quarterback, wide receiver, tight end and offensive line, however those areas shouldn’t be that hard to address in free agency or in the draft. Expectations should be high next season and I hope to see the Bengals in the playoffs once again.

WhoDeyRevolution - True in the sense that the Bengals finally established an identity on offense and actually brought something resembling a defense to most of the games this season.  False in the sense that the Bengals still have not hired a general manager or proper scouting department to compete with the rest of the NFL, let alone the elite teams in the league.  This 10-6 season validates (in his mind) Mike Brown's way of doing things as 'right', and thus nothing will change.  Zero playoff wins since January 6, 1991 is the only stat he should care about right now.


2. The Bengals had a 10 win season but struggled in the second half. Why?

WhoDeyfans - The Bengals had a rough season. There were two deaths in the family, a ton of injuries that we know about and some I think we will never know about. As the season wore on, the Bengals did not have the fire that they showed in the first half of the season. For whatever reason, this is something the coaches need to address and look for in the future.

WhoDeyRevolution - Peaked too early?  Other teams figured our defense out?  Too many injuries to key defensive players (Odom, Maualuga, Crocker, Williams)?  Fatigue from a rocky season where players/coaches had to weather three tragedies (Samoa Tsunami, Vicki Zimmer's death, Chris Henry's death)?
You can list all the excuses you want, but the real reason this team struggled in the second half and still has yet to win a playoff game under Mike Brown is because the organization does not set the expectation of 'winning a Super Bowl'.  Not by words, and not by actions.  If the organization does not set their goals at that level, it is impossible to win a championship in the NFL.  Period.

StripeHype - The loss of Antwan Odom, Roy Williams Chris Henry; Tank Johnson played hurt all year. Cedric Benson got dinged, so did Chris Crocker and Domata Peko. Relief linemen Jonathan Fanene and Frostee Rucker wore down due to an unaccustomed bounty of playing time. On top of that, look back at the schedule: Cincinnati was brutalized in the first half of the year. To their credit, they came out ahead, but it required Herculean efforts. And all that in the face of the twin tragedies, Vikki Zimmer and Chris Henry. In the end, the Bengals just ran out of steam.

CincyJungle - I believe it was a combination of injuries and mental exhaustion. The team lost Cedric Benson, the offense’s most consistent weapon, for a few games which clearly had the team losing momentum. Then guys like Laveranues Coles and Andre Caldwell were suffering nagging injuries, Chris Crocker and Domata Peko sat out a good portion of the second half, and the team lost Maualuga and Pat Sims late in the season. However, more importantly, the team lost two very close members to their family, which obviously drained them as the season wore on.

BengalStripes - Excuses, excuses, excuses; as Bengals fans we are used to making them. Injuries? Poor quarterback play? Bob Bratkowski’s predicable play calling? – Do any of these excuses sound familiar? Personally, my excuse this year is that Bengals failed to improve while the rest of the league got better. For example, the Pittsburgh and Baltimore teams that Cincinnati swept in the fall were not the same teams in the winter. In many of the Bengals’ early wins early this season occurred on last-minute drives where their opposition failed to put them away. So, as I see it, the whole league gradually improved throughout 2009 while the Bengals remained the same.


3. What coaches / players should the Bengals part ways with (Mr. Bratkowski anyone)?

StripeHype - Mike Brown. Oh, wait, that's not a coach or player. Still... Anyhow, I don't see any place for huge changes. With no cap there's no rush to dump anyone. Ask me again in August. As for Brat, he's not going anywhere, whether we think he should or not. Personally, I don't love his play calling, but there's something to be said for needing weapons to work with, and Brat didn't end up with much this year.

BengalStripes - In honor of Jeff Foxworthy (You might be a redneck…): If you want Bob Bratkowsk to be fired, then you might be a Bengals’ fan. Well, actually, you are definitely a Bengals’ fan and you have had probably been calling for Bratkowski’s head for a long time. Fans didn’t like Cincinnati’s offense when it was pass-first and now they hate it even more now that it is run-first. Most would deem Bratkowski’s play-calling predictable, however those same fans easily forget the plays that were a bit unexpected. Personally, I hate to toss the whole responsibility of this offense on Bratkowski’s shoulders. I would rather blame a bad season by Carson Palmer, zero quality tight ends, an inexperienced offensive line and a lack of a No. 2 wide receiver to go with Chad Ochocinco. I feel that Marvin Lewis is equally to blame for poor play-calling as Bratkowski is, so that being said, as long as Lewis is the head coach I don’t see Bratkowski being fired. As far as the players, I would like the Bengals to let unrestricted free agents kicker Shayne Graham and fullback Jeremi Johnson walk. Unfortunately, Johnson can’t walk too far so he could be coming back to compete for his starting job this summer. I also pray that someone will take Graham off our hands. As far as restricted free agents, I would like the Bengals to let Daniel Coats go. However, like Johnson, Coats is unlikely to find another team that would be interested.

CincyJungle - I’ve always been of the school that you can blame coaches only so much before acknowledging that players simply aren’t executing. I believed that for most of the season. Predictability is an issue that’s faced this offense for a while now, as well as the lack of creativity with the personnel on offense. The best example I have is asking why Palmer forces his throws to Chad Ochocinco when he’s double covered on 15-yard square-in routes or flare routes to the sidelines? Are Caldwell and Coles simply unable to get open? Or are their routes taking them out of the play? Predictable play calling and lack of ingenuity included, I believe Bratkowski’s time has come and gone.

WhoDeyfans - Ginger Graham has to be done. I do think it is time for Bob to move on. He may be able to call a decent game when the personnel fits, but he is terrible about adjusting to meet the needs of the people on the field.  This is why it seems an injury to a Bengal offensive weapon hurts so much more than when it happens to other teams. Bob has no hope of halftime adjustments and personnel adjustments and that costs the Bengals games.

WhoDeyRevolution - Bob Bratkowski has been offensive coordinator since 2001.  Tolerate him or hate him, that is a long time for any coordinator to be in one place.  The offense needs a different set of eyes, a blood transfusion.  A change at this position is long overdue.
Shayne Graham did not produce when the team needed him in the playoffs.  No other comment needed.
Proclaim the Jerome Simpson experiment a bust and move on.  He likely won't make the team anyway if they draft a receiver or two.
Chad Ochocinco.  This team would be better off without him, and he's becoming more of a caricature of himself everyday.
Jeremi Johnson.  Too inconsistent to be counted on (fumble in Oakland was a killer)


4. What coaches / players should the Bengals make a priority to keep?

StripeHype - Coaches: Mike Zimmer, Mike Zimmer, Mike Zimmer. Oh, they did? Props. Players: Cedric Benson, Cedric Benson and Cedric Benson.

CincyJungle - At Cincy Jungle, we’ve made several points that after signing Mike Zimmer back as the team’s defensive coordinator, the Bengals should sign linebacker Brandon Johnson to a long term deal. Most likely a new Collective Bargaining Agreement won’t be settled by free agency and Johnson will be a restricted free agent again. However, having Johnson assures the team a quality linebacker in coverage schemes as well as a backup for both outside linebacker spots and good special teams depth.

BengalStripes - I would like the Bengals to keep the majority of their unrestricted and restricted free agents. However, at the same time, there isn’t one that will completely cause the team to fall apart. I will pick my top five. First order of business has to be re-signing offensive guard Bobbie Williams, who is one of the team’s leaders in the locker room. Second on the list would be restricted free agent linebacker Brandon Johnson, who was extremely valuable filling in for injuries in 2009. Third would be re-signing restricted free agent offensive guard Evan Mathis, who rotated with Nate Livings this past season. Fourth re-sign defensive tackle Tank Johnson, who was needed in the three-man rotation with Domata Peko and Pat Sims. And last sign Roy Williams, if healthy he instantly upgrades the secondary. Honorable mention: Try to keep restricted free agents tight end J.P. Foschi and Frostee Rucker. Foschi might sound like an unusual pick, but as of right now the Bengals have Darius Hill, Chase Coffman and Matt Sherry on the roster at that position.

WhoDeyfans - Well, Zimmer is here. That was huge. I think the Bengals need to extend contracts for the Bengal corners Joseph and Hall. Give Benson a better deal and keep Kyle Cook around. I also like bringing Roy Williams back for the swagger on defense. One of his big hits can set the tone for the game on D.

WhoDeyRevolution - Mike Zimmer (check)
Reggie Kelly for his professionalism on and off the field.

5. Is Carson Palmer the problem in the passing game?

StripeHype - I give him a share of the blame. There are plenty of instances of poor mechanics and bad decisions to point to. But at the same time, how many times did we watch him hit a guy in the hands and have him drop the ball? I think Geoff Hobson had a note on bengals.com that if those drops had been caught, Palmer's completion percentage would have been 67%+. And Dan Coats would have had a few TDs.

CincyJungle - Yes. No. There were games, especially both games against the Jets where Palmer was throwing it too high, too wide or behind. Once he was only a yard away from ripping the fabric of the space time continuum and throwing an incomplete pass through some parallel universe. Is he the problem? I can’t say “yes”. But then, I don’t think he really helped his own cause much.

On the other hand, he had very little help this season. Laveranues Coles dropped passes earlier in the year, the tight ends were less than mediocre and Andre Caldwell struggled most of the second half breaking away from coverage. I also think his injured left thumb caused enough problems that using his right hand for handoffs became a key for the defense; essentially neutralizing play-action passes because too few were ever fooled.

In the sense of blaming one player or another, no, I don’t believe Palmer is the primary problem, but I do think he had his problems. However, Palmer is ultimately the highest paid player and sometimes you have to take on the bulk of the responsibility and lead the team through the adversity that comes.

BengalStripes - Yes, but it is not only him. Palmer obviously struggled in 2009 and had his worst completion percentage of his career. The once fan favorite, the Golden Boy has some Cincinnati fans demanding for a change at quarterback. However, it is hard to blame Palmer entirely for the lack of a passing game. The departure of T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the emergence of Cedric Benson hurt Palmer’s numbers in ‘09. Also, the lack of production from WR Laveranues Coles gave defenses a chance to double-team Ochocinco. On top of all that, an experienced offensive line that struggled with its pass protection and no quality tight end added to the problem. While I believe Palmer had a bad season, I honestly believe the problem is the personal surrounding him and the run-first type of play calling. I also think Palmer was at his worst last season, he can only get better in ’10.

WhoDeyfans - I think Palmer was a major problem this year. As a fan watching him adjust for the defense on the line of scrimmage in years past I knew he was gaining the advantage for his offense.  This year he looked lost at times.  I think his thumb injury and elbow were problems with his passing.  I also feel like he forced the ball to 85 too much. A short gain is better than a long incompletion. Mid way through the season there was a stat that the Bengals were tops in the NFL on converting 3rd and long.  This was also when they had extra wide outs on the field. If plays like this were being made when the defense knew what was coming, why then were so may throws so far off target at other times? Thinking about it that way makes me wonder if Palmers head was in the game? Elbow and hand injuries can be a rather large distraction.

WhoDeyRevolution - Like most things in life, it's a combination of things.  Sub-par receivers, tight-ends who can't catch, Carson Palmer not playing at a high level.  In addition, the fact that his offensive line isn't great at pass blocking...plus he has no one to count on besides Chad to catch the ball...has turned Carson into a quarterback who is not very confident.  And if you aren't confident in your protection or your receivers, you see results like the playoff game against the Jets.

6. What should the Bengals look for in the 2010 NFL draft?

StripeHype - They could use a pass rusher but I'm not crazy about the DE prospects this year. Safety could use help. Everyone likes WR but I think that can wait, or be addressed in free agency. Rookie wide receivers don't tend to contribute. O-line (Iupati) never hurts. DT isn't a pressing need if they can get Tank back but the prospect of Mount Cody intrigues. Jermaine Gresham? If he's healthy, they could do worse.

BengalStripes - For the first time in a long time, the Cincinnati Bengals don’t absolutely need anything in the draft. Certainly, the Bengals could use a stud wide receiver or a top-of-the-line tight end in the first round (No. 21 overall). At tight end, mock drafts have Cincinnati selecting Oklahoma’s Jermaine Greshman or Florida’s Aaron Hernandez in the first round. Another name at tight end that you might hear is Arizona’s Rob Gronkowski. At wide receiver, Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant, Notre Dame’s Golden Tate and USC’s Damian Willliams could be considered at that first-round spot. The Bengals might also consider taking a defensive tackle with their first-round pick; Tennessee’s Dan Williams or UCLA’s Brian Price could be prospects worth getting to know. Cincinnati could also use some help at safety, cornerback and offensive line. Personally, I think Illinois WR Arrelious Benn and Alabama DT Terrence Cody could be good pickups if available in the second or third rounds. Also the Bengals are set at running back for 2010, but if the team can’t sign Benson to an extension in March then it may try to draft his replacement (I hope Cincinnati finds a way to keep Benson). Georgia Tech’s Jonathan Dwyer could develop into a power back, similar to Benson, and could be available when Cincinnati selects in the first round. Also, if either Clemson’s C.J. Spiller or California’s Jahvid Best fall to Cincinnati in round one it could be tempting to select one of those game changers. Hopefully, by the time the senior bowl ends this week, the combine is complete and all the pro days are officially over we can finally get a better idea of what exactly the Bengals options will be in the first round.

CincyJungle - Weapons for Carson Palmer. Even though we spoke on Palmer and if we should blame him for the team’s lack of a passing game, he does need weapons. Laveranues Coles simply didn’t get it done with any consistency and Andre Caldwell, while showing flashes of brilliance, was later found on the back of a milk carton in the second half of the season. Palmer needs weapons if this offense is going to get off the ground. And with the opponents in 2010, this team will need to score points.

WhoDeyfans - on the offensive side of the ball a big wideout would be nice. I also would not argue with anything Zimmer requests, his defense this past season kept the Bengals in games. If a defense can keep the team in the game when the offense struggles then last minute heroics can be good enough to put a w on the board. (and win a division)

WhoDeyRevolution - Tight end that can stretch the field.  Someone with Dallas Clark's blocking ability would be ideal.
Tight end who can catch the ball.
Wide receiver to stretch the field
Wide receiver who can catch the ball
Safeties (Williams and Ndukwe were brutal this season)
Mid-late round QB to start working into the system.  Bob Bratkowski will probably be here until he's 80.  And Carson isn't getting any younger.
Work to improve depth along the offensive and defensive lines, specifically improving the pass rush from the front four.

7. With what looks like a tougher schedule, what do you expect from the Bengals next season?

StripeHype - 19-0.

BengalStripes - Most of all I expect more games on primetime television. In 2009, the Bengals were only televised once on national TV and it was because the Jets were playing their last game in Giants Stadium and were also playing to get in the playoffs. In 2010, Cincinnati is playing Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New Orleans and San Diego at home. Then on the road, Cincinnati plays Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New England, Atlanta, Indianapolis and the New York Jets. I would be very surprised if the Bengals don’t receive at least one Sunday Night and Monday Night game in ’10. I also think the Bengals are in good shape and could be in great shape if they make the right moves this offseason. However, with the tough schedule it is impossible to predict Cincinnati’s final record.

CincyJungle - Realistically, it could be a down season. I wouldn’t expect to sweep the Ravens and Steelers again and playing at New England, Indianapolis and New York will be tough. Most importantly, this team has to learn how to put up points next season and rely more on balance. Teams like New Orleans, San Diego and the Colts will challenge the Bengals and if the secondary can’t slow down those offenses, then the Bengals have to find a way to score more points. It’s as simple as that.

WhoDeyfans - I expect to be attending some more night games. I also expect the Bengals to defend the division title and gain confidence by beating better teams. The Bengals seem to play to the level of their competition. I would much rather see them hang with the Colts than an overtime game against Cleveland.

WhoDeyRevolution - The Bengals have had two winning seasons since 1990.  They have done absolutely nothing to change the fundamental core of their organization.  They have not changed the basic way they do business.  No general manager.  Smallest scouting department in the league.  2005 and 2009 were aberrations to the norm.  We see a 7-9 season, at best, for the Bengals in 2010.

8. How will an uncapped year affect the Bengals next year?

StripeHype - It won't. In fact, with all the new limitations on player movement, it will be a lot like old times (pre-free agency) for the front office. Advantage Bengals? We'll see.

BengalStripes - Ironically the Bengals finished just outside the top eight teams in 2009. That means, unlike those teams that advanced beyond the wild-card round, the Bengals can sign a free agent before it losses one of its own. I don’t expect the Bengals to be very active in free agency, but they have more options then they would have if they beat the Jets in the playoffs. Personally, I don’t think much is going change about how the Bengals attack free agency. Cincinnati has never been known to spend a lot of money. I do believe the Bengals will be trying to save some money. For instance, Cincinnati will probably cut Laveranues Coles and will try to re-sign a few of its own free agents. With a salary cap there would be a better chance that the Bengals would go after a big name this free agency, but without a cap I expect Cincinnati to play it safe. Let’s just hope the NFL can figure this out and get a cap back in place for 2011. Otherwise, there could be a strike. Without a cap in 2011 and beyond, Cincinnati will be in trouble and could lose many of its key players.

CincyJungle - The one benefit of not beating the Jets during Wild Card weekend is that the Bengals won’t be apart of the Final Eight. Basically if you’re one of the eight teams that competed during the Divisional round of the playoffs, then your access to free agents will be highly restricted. The teams that were eliminated that weekend will only be allowed to sign one player of a salary of $4,925,000 and any number of players “with a first-year salary of no more than $3,275,000 and an annual increase of no more than 30 percent in the following years.”

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d808736ba&template=with-video&confirm=true

Furthermore, the final four teams will not be permitted to sign an unrestricted free agent unless those players were cut or on another one of the final four teams when their contract expired. There’s also a rule that basically states, you can not spend more money on players than the combined cost of what those players signed for with other clubs.

Will it help the Bengals? It won’t restrict them, that’s for sure. But I don’t envision the Bengals going after any pricey players anyway, so free agency probably won’t matter much and there’s little reason the uncapped season would dramatically affect Cincinnati as much.

WhoDeyfans - The fact that there is not a cap does not scare me as much as the fact that there is no minimum salary. If Mike Brown is as cheap as everyone seems to think he is, then he could let players walk and fill in with less expensive players.  The Bengals could be devastated by a guy who is trying to save a buck.

Let me paint you a picture with my imagination brush (gay)...... The Bengals (in the form of a single man made out of metal..... and bullets.... yeah metal and bullets) are in a smokey bar just minding his own business when he notices two fellows shooting a game of nine ball, the gentleman's game.  One of these men is the Colts (in the form of a tried and true veteran) and the other is the Saints (in the form of a man who is on the bubble of being considered great).  The metal/bullet man strolles confidently, crotch out, up to the pool table where it is expected of him to place his quarters on the table signifying that he wants to play the winner.  That's not quite what happens though, as he throws a curve ball and drops his uh... ball bearings over the side pocket signifying that he will play both the winner and loser.  The record player stops and everybody in the bar is stunned into silence.

What are you trying to say.... The Bengals are actually a tea bagging robot who harrasses billiards players at local bars?  No not quite.  What I'm trying to say (and what I should have said instead of making this terrible analogy) is that the Bengals will play the super bowl champions and the super bowl runners up next season.  It doesn't matter who wins and who loses, the Bengals take them on no matter what. 

So what will happen?  Back to the bar.  Metal/bullet/Bengal catches the Colts and Saints off guard by bludgeoning them to death with his weighted custom made pool cue.  Metal/bullet/Bengal wins.  While I don't expect to see murder on the field next season, I expect nothing less than a 2-0 record when it comes to playing the Colts and Saints.

Kind of like this but with more bullets.

Marvin Lewis won the AP Coach of the Year.  He and coaching legend and Bengals founder Paul Brown are the only two coaches to win the award as Bengals head coach.  He won not only for the the amazing one year turn around from 4-11-1 to 10-7 and going back to the playoffs, but for coaching through the tragedies of the death of Zimmer's wife and the death of Chris Henry.  I'm sure that Marvin has secured his job as Bengals head coach for another few years.  Congrats Marvin, you earned it.

Who Dey.

Wes Welker out, Chad Ochocinco in.  Chad Ochocinco will be playing in the Pro Bowl in Miami this year.  Wes Welker was orriginally voted into the Pro Bowl but tore his MCL and ACL in his left knee January third against the Texans.  Ochocinco is the only Bengals player who made the Pro Bowl roster this year but he isn't the only one who deserved to make it.  Cedric Benson, Jonathan Joseph, and Leon Hall all deserved to be in the Pro Bowl this year.  Now their only chance of making it is if the people ahead of them either play in the Super Bowl or get hurt in the playoffs.  The players above Benson are Chris Johnson (understandable), Maurice Jones-Drew (bull crap), and Ray Rice (Benson had more yards this year than Jones-Drew and Rice).  The guys above Hall and Joseph are Darrelle Revis (understandable), Nnamdi Asomugha (eh), and Champ Bailey (utterly incomprehensible).  Hopefully the Bengals players will do better in the popularity contest next year.

The Bengals already play in one of thoughest divisions in the NFL.  When you have to play Baltimore and Pittsburgh twice a year, you're going to have a hard time making it to the post season.  The Bengals are going to have the tough teams piled on even more next year though, as they play every single AFC division winner and the NFC South.  The Bengals play San Diego (the winner of the AFC West), Indianapolis (winner of the AFC South), and New England (winner of the AFC East).  From the AFC, the Bengals will also play the rest of the AFC East which means they play Buffalo, Miami, and get another shot at the New York Jets on top of playing New England.  From the NFC, the AFC North will play the NFC South next season which means the Bengals play Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans.

The home and away games look like this:

Home:

Cleveland, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Miami, San Diego, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay.

Away:

Cleveland, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New England, New York Jets, Indianapolis, Atlanta, and Carolina.

This has got to be one of the toughest schedules in football.  The Bengals will play four division winners (Indianapolis, New England, San Diego, and New Orleans) and two wild card teams (Baltimore and the New York Jets).   The Bengals will have a tougher time heading back to the playoffs but they can do it if they fix the few problems they have.  They're on the right track though and signing Zimmer is a step in the right direction.  With another offseason this summer like the Bengals had last year and if they get the passing game off the grounnd, they could be able to head right back to the post season again.

Who Dey