CINCINNATI
What many people don't realize is that they have had an elite receiving corps for more years that just last year. In the past it was Warrick, Johnson, Housch, Farmer, and some other dude, and the only problem they had was getting people the ball on a consistent basis.
What is the difference between the Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals? After MANY years of embarrassing themselves and being the team that "this is going to be their year" year in and year out, Cincy finally did something about it with Carson Palmer at the helms. The only thing is, can they keep it up this year with Indy, New England, Pittsburgh twice, and Carolina on their schedule?
Kudos to the Bungles for scheduling Indy on their preseason schedule, too. NFL teams get to schedule their last preseason game, and they chose Indianapolis, a team they play in the regular season. Most teams do it to save miles, but there's a good reason the Steelers and Browns will not sniff each other in August. Advantage: Dungy and Indy.
Everybody knows the offense, so let's explore something that's always been a disaster for them in recent years: Defense. They've got a couple of UGA punks names Pollack and Thurman who are supposed "stars on the rise." Thurman is overhyped, takes cheap shots, and overpursues - as evident on his misdirection on Willie Parker on his 38-yard gallop to the end zone that should have been a 3-yard gain. I'll take O'Neal any day of the week, but to hell with the rest of that unit. They suck.
Speaking of suckage, I guess the ice from 1990 finally thawed out, for there were actually Bengals "fans" last year! Oh, yeah, they were all over the place. I guess it was perfect timing that the Packers were in a down year and it was super-convenient to get on the Bengals wagon. Goooooo......um, let me read the index card of the team we're supposed to cheer for this year...Packers? No. Titans? Uh-uh. Oh, yeah...Bung-hollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllles!
Marvin Lewis is a very good coach with a nasty habit of poor sportsmanship. Here's a note, Marv: Don't forget the club that gave you the stepping stone for your position, and try to work on your skills attacking the opposing QB with your mouth and defending yours like he's the only one in the league that matters. In other words, go f*ck yourself.
Prediction: 0-16