The Calgary Flames venture inside Nationwide Arena tonight to battle the Columbus Blue Jackets. Tonight’s meeting marks the third time this season these two teams have locked sticks. The Jackets got the better of Calgary in the first matchup, claiming a hard-fought 2-1 win in Columbus, Oct. 13.
The Flames, however, would return the favor a week later in Calgary, netting six goals in a 6-3 rout of Columbus.
Tonight also marks the first home game for the Jackets since a 3-2 shootout victory over Edmonton nearly two weeks ago.
The recently completed road-trip was nothing shy of brutal for the CBJ and it was important the team get off to a good start tonight against Calgary.
The first period saw no scoring, though that is not to suggest it was devoid of action by any stretch of the imagination.
The Jackets defense was the source of much criticism while the team was away, surrendering 18 goals in four losses last week. Jackets netminder Steve Mason stopped 10 shots in the first period and the defense did a pretty nice limiting the number of giveaways to only four.
Offensively, Columbus was held to only five shots in the first period, but those five shots were legitimate scoring chances. As usual, Captain Rick Nash was in the thick of the action for Columbus; despite his best efforts though, he was unable to snap a scoring drought that has spanned now six periods.
Most of the scoring opportunities came in the latter half of the first period for Columbus and we’ll see if the team can parlay some of that momentum into the second 20 minutes.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Ten Reasons Why the Bengals Lost to the Raiders
Eric Ball, Press Box Writer
Talk about your classic "Don't let a bad team hang around" game. The Cincinnati Bengals couldn’t hold a 14-0 lead and let the Raiders slowly inch back into this ugly contest. The Raiders scored 10 unanswered points over the final minute to take a 20-17 win. How did this possibly happen?
1. The playcalling on offense. The Bengals abandoned the passing game in the second half. Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski called way too many runs on second and third and long. Bernard Scott did rush for 119 yards on 19 carries but didn’t convert enough third downs to run out the clock.
Fullback Jermi Johnson had a key fourth quarter fumble with the Bengals inside the Raiders 15-yard line. He almost never gets a carry, why decide to give him one when Scott was running so well? For the day the Bengals had three fumbles and QB Carson Palmer’s last hail mary was picked off to make it four total turnovers.
2. The previously invincible offensive line couldn’t protect Palmer in the second half. The Raiders were getting consistent pressure which led to an antsy Palmer. He rushed numerous throws in addition to the strip-fumble
3. Shayne “franchise tag” Graham shanked a 37-yard field goal that ended up costing his team. This guy used to have the highest percentage of made field goals of all-time. He is now a below average kicker that will most likely not be a Bengal next year.
4. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer allowed rookie nickel cornerback Morgan Trent to “cover” Raiders wide receiver Louis Murphy on the final drive.
Trent got twisted around when getting burned by Murphy’s game-tying, 29-yard TD with 33 seconds remaining. The rookie sixth-round draft pick has played well up to today, but QB Bruce Gradkowski kept throwing his way in the fourth quarter.
This was the first game the Bengals really could have used recently IR’ed safety Roy Williams.
5. With Bernard Scott (21 carries, 119 yards) promoted to starting tailback in the wake of Benson’s deactivation, the kickoff return job fell by default back to Andre Caldwell.
Caldwell fumbled Oakland’s kickoff with 0:27 on the clock, setting up Sebastian Janikowski’s game-winning, 33-yard field goal with 0:15 remaining. Caldwell shouldn’t have even returned it as he caught the ball mid-way in the end zone.
Scott had returned a kick to the house last week against Pittsburgh after a mediocre performance by Caldwell to start the season.
6. Their opening drive, which went for a touchdown, was more crappy magazine than textbook perfection. The drive covered 78 yards, but included six plays for negative yards. Three were penalties. Chad OchoCinco had two false starts and the team overall seemed to lack focus.
7. Cincinnati is 0-10 in Oakland, 1-14 on the road vs. the Raiders. Not sure what it means but that is not a good stat for the Bengals. The Oakland Coliseum was half empty and the crowd was a non-factor. Didn’t matter
8. The Bengals have scored less than 20 points six times in 10 games. Since putting up 45 against the Bears, the Bengals have combined to score 45 in the last three games.
9. The prevent D in the last two minutes. Soft coverage, shoddy tackling, and no pressure on the QB… sound like a recipe for success??
10. Jonathan Joseph lets a game-ending interception fly right through his hands. On one of the final plays on the game-tying TD drive, QB Bruce Gradkowski threw a rocket that Joseph jumped the route and simply didn’t catch.
“We didn’t play winning football long enough or consistently enough. When you don’t win we better learn a hell of a lesson because we paid a hell of a price.”
—Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said after the game. Sounds about right.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Browns can do better than Eric Mangini
Browns fans were in their seats for kick-off of last night's showdown with division-rival Baltimore, apparently electing not to follow through with the proposed plan to wait until after kick-off to find their seats.
It's a good thing, too; a gesture like that would have almost certainly caused the franchise much embarassment.
Though, in retrospect, it probably would not have been any more embarassing than the product the Browns put on the field last night.
Between the head coach and defensive coordinator yelling at one another, the glaring inability of a miserable offensive unit to forge any kind of rhythm and the team's best player leaving the field on a stretcher just after the game's final, inconsequential, play the scene inside Cleveland Browns Stadium last night more closely resembled an ass kicking than a football game.
The Browns are worse than bad, they are dysfunctional and that is a problem much deeper than who your starting quarterback is. Cleveland has zero continuity offensively, no methodology, scheme or identity and plays are called seemingly with no regard for down, distance or situation.
On multiple occassions last night quarterback Brady Quinn, starting for the first time since a week-three benching in Baltimore, threw to spots where no receiver could be found. The offensive line commits drive-killing penalties when it's not allowing drive-killing sacks. Running back Jamal Lewis has lost a step-and-a-half and now runs like a shell of his former self.
Despite all the offensive struggles the Browns defense actually isn't all that bad. Statistically, sure, they're terrible, but keep in mind that unit is playing against a stacked deck. The Browns offense is so bad, it sets the defense up for certain failure.
Cleveland's defense last night held an offense that averages 349 yards and 24 points per game to just 289 yards and 10 offensive points. Defensively, the Browns have some guys capable of doing good things.
David Bowens had a big game last night, recording seven tackles and a pair of sacks. Kaluka Maiava, the rookie from USC, notched six tackles last night and I was particularly impressed with the play of Brandon McDonald who recorded four tackles of his own, including a sack of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco who was routinely confused by the defensive audibles made by McDonald. Of course, we cannot forget about Shaun Rogers who blocked another extra point and spent the bulk of his evening pressuring Flacco.
For all the struggles the offense has experienced as a unit, even it has a couple guys that seem to have some talent. Rookie Mohamed Massaquoi had a thirty-yard catch and run last night, Joshua Cribbs has proven, time and again, to be a dynamic player on offense and special teams and Chris Jennings looks like a guy that will compete for the starting job at running back next season after Lewis mercifully retires.
I haven't given up on Brady Quinn yet, either. Obviously, he did not play well last night. I won't even try and make the contrary argument, but in Quinn's defense he, too, has been placed in an extremely difficult situation.
Brady Quinn's childhood dream of being the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns is beginning to resemble a horrific calamity thanks largely to the Mangini Regime.
That coaching staff has jerked this guy around since August, never really giving him an honest opportunity to be the starting quarterback.
First, Mangini benched Quinn in week three in favor of Guy Who Wasn't Good Enough To Beat Out Charlie Frye, claiming the demotion was performance-based and in now way associated with Quinn's contract escalators that would've granted him another 11 million dollars had he taken 70% of the snaps this season, then Mangini flatly denied having any knowledge at all about said escalators.
Not before it became mathematically impossible for Quinn to take 70% of this season's snaps did Mangini finally give him back the starting job. Even then it took Derek Anderson posting a quarterback rating lower than my shi tzu's reading level and some of the team's most loyal fans organizing a boycott before the head coach made a change at quarterback.
Fortunately for Quinn, he got the gig back just in time to face Baltimore and its tenacious defense still seething after getting swept by Cincinnati the previous week.
Then, as a cherry on the sundae, Mangini went out there and made Brady Quinn throw hitch routes and bubble screens to Steve Heiden and Mike Furrey all night.
The front office in Cleveland is an absolute joke, bottom line. Mangini is a closer-than-Browns-fans-care-to-admit-second only to Tom Cable as the worst coach in the entire NFL.
Lest we forget, this is a team that only a few years removed from winning 10 games and competing seriously for a playoff spot; it may not be as far away as people think.
It's been rumored Browns owner Randy Lerner is interested in bringing in a football czar, similar to what the Miami Dolphins did when they brought in Bill Parcells to run the team's football operations. That person, according to recent reports, is Mike Holmren.
I don't claim to be well-enough connected to speak intelligently on whether or not that is a legitimate possiblity. However, I do think it'd be a fantastic fit if Holmgren was at all interested.
Holmgren is an offensive-minded guy that has made a career out of developing and working with quarterbacks and I really believe he's a guy that could get the Browns moving in the right direction.
The first order of business should be to fire Eric Mangini, though, he's systematically alienated players and coaches alike since day one; not a good dude and an even worse coach.
Clearly, some drastic, fundamental changes need to take place in order for this once-proud franchise to climb from the darkest depths of NFL obscurity. Browns fans deserve better than this.
They deserve better than Eric Mangini.
It's a good thing, too; a gesture like that would have almost certainly caused the franchise much embarassment.
Though, in retrospect, it probably would not have been any more embarassing than the product the Browns put on the field last night.
Between the head coach and defensive coordinator yelling at one another, the glaring inability of a miserable offensive unit to forge any kind of rhythm and the team's best player leaving the field on a stretcher just after the game's final, inconsequential, play the scene inside Cleveland Browns Stadium last night more closely resembled an ass kicking than a football game.
The Browns are worse than bad, they are dysfunctional and that is a problem much deeper than who your starting quarterback is. Cleveland has zero continuity offensively, no methodology, scheme or identity and plays are called seemingly with no regard for down, distance or situation.
On multiple occassions last night quarterback Brady Quinn, starting for the first time since a week-three benching in Baltimore, threw to spots where no receiver could be found. The offensive line commits drive-killing penalties when it's not allowing drive-killing sacks. Running back Jamal Lewis has lost a step-and-a-half and now runs like a shell of his former self.
Despite all the offensive struggles the Browns defense actually isn't all that bad. Statistically, sure, they're terrible, but keep in mind that unit is playing against a stacked deck. The Browns offense is so bad, it sets the defense up for certain failure.
Cleveland's defense last night held an offense that averages 349 yards and 24 points per game to just 289 yards and 10 offensive points. Defensively, the Browns have some guys capable of doing good things.
David Bowens had a big game last night, recording seven tackles and a pair of sacks. Kaluka Maiava, the rookie from USC, notched six tackles last night and I was particularly impressed with the play of Brandon McDonald who recorded four tackles of his own, including a sack of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco who was routinely confused by the defensive audibles made by McDonald. Of course, we cannot forget about Shaun Rogers who blocked another extra point and spent the bulk of his evening pressuring Flacco.
For all the struggles the offense has experienced as a unit, even it has a couple guys that seem to have some talent. Rookie Mohamed Massaquoi had a thirty-yard catch and run last night, Joshua Cribbs has proven, time and again, to be a dynamic player on offense and special teams and Chris Jennings looks like a guy that will compete for the starting job at running back next season after Lewis mercifully retires.
I haven't given up on Brady Quinn yet, either. Obviously, he did not play well last night. I won't even try and make the contrary argument, but in Quinn's defense he, too, has been placed in an extremely difficult situation.
Brady Quinn's childhood dream of being the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns is beginning to resemble a horrific calamity thanks largely to the Mangini Regime.
That coaching staff has jerked this guy around since August, never really giving him an honest opportunity to be the starting quarterback.
First, Mangini benched Quinn in week three in favor of Guy Who Wasn't Good Enough To Beat Out Charlie Frye, claiming the demotion was performance-based and in now way associated with Quinn's contract escalators that would've granted him another 11 million dollars had he taken 70% of the snaps this season, then Mangini flatly denied having any knowledge at all about said escalators.
Not before it became mathematically impossible for Quinn to take 70% of this season's snaps did Mangini finally give him back the starting job. Even then it took Derek Anderson posting a quarterback rating lower than my shi tzu's reading level and some of the team's most loyal fans organizing a boycott before the head coach made a change at quarterback.
Fortunately for Quinn, he got the gig back just in time to face Baltimore and its tenacious defense still seething after getting swept by Cincinnati the previous week.
Then, as a cherry on the sundae, Mangini went out there and made Brady Quinn throw hitch routes and bubble screens to Steve Heiden and Mike Furrey all night.
The front office in Cleveland is an absolute joke, bottom line. Mangini is a closer-than-Browns-fans-care-to-admit-second only to Tom Cable as the worst coach in the entire NFL.
Lest we forget, this is a team that only a few years removed from winning 10 games and competing seriously for a playoff spot; it may not be as far away as people think.
It's been rumored Browns owner Randy Lerner is interested in bringing in a football czar, similar to what the Miami Dolphins did when they brought in Bill Parcells to run the team's football operations. That person, according to recent reports, is Mike Holmren.
I don't claim to be well-enough connected to speak intelligently on whether or not that is a legitimate possiblity. However, I do think it'd be a fantastic fit if Holmgren was at all interested.
Holmgren is an offensive-minded guy that has made a career out of developing and working with quarterbacks and I really believe he's a guy that could get the Browns moving in the right direction.
The first order of business should be to fire Eric Mangini, though, he's systematically alienated players and coaches alike since day one; not a good dude and an even worse coach.
Clearly, some drastic, fundamental changes need to take place in order for this once-proud franchise to climb from the darkest depths of NFL obscurity. Browns fans deserve better than this.
They deserve better than Eric Mangini.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Buckeyes book trip to Pasadena
A fantastic scene took place on the Ohio Stadium field-turf Saturday evening just after the Buckeyes secured a 27-24 heart-stopping, conference-clinching, overtime victory over an Iowa team that played better than anyone outside Iowa City thought it would.Great teams peak at just the right time.
USC peaked in week two after it beat Ohio State. Since then the Trojans have lost three times and their two most impressive wins came in successive victories over California and Notre Dame, two teams that also peaked in early September.
After spending much of the first two months of the season in something of a listless spell, enduring losses to USC and Purdue in the process, the Buckeyes are finally starting to play football the way we expected them to when the season began.
For the second week in a row the Buckeyes beat a top-12 opponent and in so doing have closed their fingers around the throat of the Big 10.
Ohio State did a ton of things well Saturday. And it's a good thing, too, because the Hawkeyes came to play. Red shirt freshman James Vandenberg, who doesn't turn 20 until the end of this month, traveled into a hostile environment and in front of more than 105,000 people--many of whom didn't particularly care to him succeed--delivered an admirable performance.
His numbers won't blow you away, 20/33, 233 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions and a costly sack in overtime that probably cost his team a field-goal opportunity. But, Vandenberg was gutsy and numbers won't measure that. He kept his team in the game, making multiple big throws to help fuel the furious Hawkeye comeback that saw Iowa score 14 unanswered points in the final 11 minutes of the game to force overtime.
There's undoubtedly an aspiring sports columnist sitting at his laptop in rural Iowa City right now second-guessing Kirk Ferentz's decision to settle for overtime in the final 52 seconds of that game with decent field position and a timeout in hand.
My heart goes out to that person.
Rather than second-guess Ferentz, however, Buckeye fans should commend the resiliancy of a defensive unit that stepped up when it really needed to, the much-improved play of the offensive line, the fantastic runs by Brandon Saine and Boom Herron and *gulp* the decision making of Terrelle Pryor.
We'll work backwards; Pryor was solid, again. Apparently he's been pretty banged up at least for the last two games against Penn State and Iowa. Ironically, despite the injuries he's turned in his two best performances as a Buckeye.
My almost-certainly-ridiculous-theory is that, in a backwards kind of way, the injuries have worked to the benefit of Terrelle Pryor because they've kept him in the pocket and forced him to make safe throws instead of running around always trying to make a big play down the field.
Perhaps that statement was the dumbest thing I've ever written, regardless, there can be no denying Pryor was cool as a cucumber Saturday, completeing 14 of 17 passes for 93 yards. The longest completion Pryor had Saturday was a 17-yard throw to tight end Jake Ballard in the third quarter. Only five of Pryor's 14 completions went 10 yards or more.
Perhaps the most telling statistic of all: 0 interceptions. In fact, the Buckeye offense didn't turn the ball over at all Saturday.
So, while it's true Pryor's raw numbers are quite pedestrian, I think we can all agree that 14/17 for 93 yards in a win is a lot better than 17/31 for 221 yards, a touchdown and four turnovers in a loss at Purdue.
Of course, much of the reason for Pryor's improved play is because the Buckeyes have been able to forge a legitimate running game that rushed for 226 yards against Iowa and 228 yards the week before that.
Brandon Saine led Ohio State in rushing Saturday, netting 103 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 11 carries; I'll be honest, I thought his 49-yard scamper to the endzone immediately following Vandenberg's second interception was the final nail in Iowa's coffin.
Daniel 'Boom' Herron was equally impressive Saturday, carrying the ball 32 times for 97 yards and a touchdown of his own.
Pryor carried the ball eight times for 29 yards, including one howtheheckdidhedothat?! 19-yard scamper on third-and-10 that served as the prelude to Herron's 11-yard touchdown jaunt on the next play.
Ohio State's recent propencity to run the ball successfully has enabled Pryor to make plays in the passing game when the situation dictates because opposing defenses now have to respect the threat of Saine and Herron carrying the ball out of the backfield.
In the interest of fairness, none of the aforementioned improvements are possible without an offensive line as that has been lights out in recent weeks. It's amazing how good a running back will look carrying the ball through a hole big enough to drive an SUV, or at least a well-equipped mid-sized sedan, through.
Finally, all this would not be possible were it not for the defensive foundation the Buckeyes are predicated upon. That Silver Bullet defense is the best in the country this side of Tuscaloosa or Gainesville.
The defensive numbers for Ohio State weren't quite as flashy last Saturday as they were the week prior in Happy Valley, but they forced Iowa into a handful of offensive mistakes and were nothing short of dominant during the Hawkeyes' final possession in overtime.
Knowing the defense will keep the team in any game gives Tressel and the rest of that coaching staff the option of being more conservative in the offensive approach. See also: 93 yards passing and a run/pass ratio of three to one.
That, my friends, is Tressel Ball.
The Buckeyes have two games remaining against one Michigan and, likely, Oregon in the Rose Bowl. It'll be interesting to see how the Bucks finish this roller coaster 2009 campaign.
A win over Michigan this week will prevent the Wolverines from playing in a bowl game for the second consecutive year.
Coach Tressel is 7-1 in his career at Ohio State against Michigan and as the Wolverines continue their free-fall in college football obscurity it is likely the Buckeyes will hand Tressel his eighth win against That Team Up North. Undoubtedly, the only thing Ohio State coaches and players are concerned with right now is the game against Michigan this Saturday.
Michigan's defense is abysmal. Ranked ninth in the conference the Wolverines defense surrenders 400 yards and 28 points per game.
Look for the Bucks to get a lead early Saturday and ride Tressel Ball all the way to their fifth-straight Big 10 Championship.
January 1 should be tons of fun, too. After all, the Buckeyes are peaking at just the right time.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Cincinnati Bengals physicality punishes Pittsburgh Steelers
Eric Ball, Press Box writer
Are you a believer yet?
The bandwagon is filling up with fans at a feverish pace.
The Cincinnati Bengals went into Pittsburgh and came out with a hard fought, tough as nails 18-12 victory. Neither team scored an offensive touchdown in what turned out to be a battle of the trenches. Usually the Steelers win the physical match-up, but not against this Bengals team.
''That's probably the most grinding football game I ever experienced,'' Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said after the game. The Bengals were able to punish the Ravens and Steelers on back-to-back weeks and beat them at their game.
The D was able to get consistent pressure on QB Ben Roethlisberger. He came into the game tied for first in the NFL with a completion rate of 70.6 percent, but he was 20/40 on Sunday with an INT. He rarely seemed comfortable in the pocket.
DE Jonathan Fanene had six tackles with two being for losses, two sacks, two QB hits and a pass deflection. DE Frostee Rucker was able to intercept a tipped pass that set up a field goal. For the game the Bengals were able to take down Big Ben four times.
Every time the Steelers got into the red-zone, the Bengals D got stingy. Pittsburgh could only muster four Jeff Reed field goals. Once again the stellar secondary led by Leon Hall, and Jonathan Joseph were able to shut down WR Hines Ward (26 yards) and rookie WR Mike Wallace (16 yards). That was big considering both had big games in the first match-up.
''They're clearly the best team in the division,'' Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark said. ''I'd give my left arm to play them again.''
Offensively the Bengals didn’t set any records by any stretch. It was a lot of short slant routes and runs up the gut. QB Carson Palmer was 18/30 for 178 yards and didn’t have a turnover. In fact the team was turnover free.
RB Bernard Scott came in to replace the injured Cedric Benson and finished with 33 yards. As a team the Cincinnati only gained 61 yards on the ground.
But Scott proved coach Lewis right when he inserted him as the new kick-off returner He took a first quarter kick 96 yards for the only TD of the game. What a way to start off in your new role.
The biggest issue facing Cincinnati now is the health of Benson, who left the game with a hip injury. If Benson's injury were serious, that would be a big loss for the Bengals. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that he is expected to play next week at Oakland. There have been rumors linking free agent Larry Johnson to the Bengals even before Bensons injury. This story will gain more steam as the week progresses.
The Steelers were without star safety Troy Polamalu for all but the opening series as he aggravated the left knee injury that previously sidelined him for four games. He underwent an MRI exam, but there was no immediate word about his status.
By sweeping the season series for the first time since 1998, the Bengals effectively lead Pittsburgh by two games because they own the tiebreaker and, for the first time in their history, a 5-0 division record.
''In the past, we would lose games like this,'' center Kyle Cook said.
Cincinnati ate up much of the clock in the final seven minutes, culminating in a 43 yard Shayne Graham field goal. The Steelers got the ball back with slightly less than two minutes to play, but Roethlisberger threw incomplete on four consecutive downs from the 33, and it was over.
"This was a statement game," Cincinnati safety Chris Crocker said. "Beat Pittsburgh two times. Beat Baltimore two times. Now everyone [in the AFC North] is looking at us from behind."
So what did we learn today class?
1.) The Bengals beat the Super Bowl champs without big days from their two biggest offensive weapons. Benson had 22 yards on seven carries before leaving the game and Chad OchoCinco only had two receptions for 29 yards.
2.) The Steelers offensive line struggled against the front four of the Bengals D. Rashard Mendenhall was held to 36 yards and the pressure on Ben was there all game long.
3.) Carson Palmer didn’t have a great game and his team still won. Usually the Bengals live and die by the play of the franchise QB. He was high on a multiple throws and put a little too much mustard on a few as well. But he played the game manger role and was able to keep the Steelers off balance even without a great effort in the running game.
4.) Willie Parker is done in black and gold. One carry for seven yards? No way he is a Steeler in 2010.
5.) The Bengals are for real, for real. Talking heads on T.V, and radio were all predicting a Pittsburgh win. Even Vegas still didn’t believe in them. After being favored to lose by three AT HOME against Baltimore, the Bengals were once again favored to lose, this time by seven.
6.) The Bengals are a perfect 4-0 on the road this season, with wins at Lambeau Field, Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium and the Big Ketchup Bottle in Pittsburgh.
7.) With a AFC North crown in clear view; the goal shifts to play-off positioning. This team has a real shot of finishing in the top two and earning a coveted bye in the play-offs. Who wudda thunk it after that week one miracle tip loss against Denver? The Cincinnati Bengals are 7-2 and the bandwagon is getting bigger by the day.
I’ll leave you with the quote of the game courtesy of LB Brandon Johnson, whom filled in nicely for injured starter Keith Rivers.
“I’m almost diabetic right now it’s so sweet. I’m so excited right now I can barely contain myself.”
Are you a believer yet?
The bandwagon is filling up with fans at a feverish pace.
The Cincinnati Bengals went into Pittsburgh and came out with a hard fought, tough as nails 18-12 victory. Neither team scored an offensive touchdown in what turned out to be a battle of the trenches. Usually the Steelers win the physical match-up, but not against this Bengals team.
''That's probably the most grinding football game I ever experienced,'' Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said after the game. The Bengals were able to punish the Ravens and Steelers on back-to-back weeks and beat them at their game.
The D was able to get consistent pressure on QB Ben Roethlisberger. He came into the game tied for first in the NFL with a completion rate of 70.6 percent, but he was 20/40 on Sunday with an INT. He rarely seemed comfortable in the pocket.
DE Jonathan Fanene had six tackles with two being for losses, two sacks, two QB hits and a pass deflection. DE Frostee Rucker was able to intercept a tipped pass that set up a field goal. For the game the Bengals were able to take down Big Ben four times.
Every time the Steelers got into the red-zone, the Bengals D got stingy. Pittsburgh could only muster four Jeff Reed field goals. Once again the stellar secondary led by Leon Hall, and Jonathan Joseph were able to shut down WR Hines Ward (26 yards) and rookie WR Mike Wallace (16 yards). That was big considering both had big games in the first match-up.
''They're clearly the best team in the division,'' Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark said. ''I'd give my left arm to play them again.''
Offensively the Bengals didn’t set any records by any stretch. It was a lot of short slant routes and runs up the gut. QB Carson Palmer was 18/30 for 178 yards and didn’t have a turnover. In fact the team was turnover free.
RB Bernard Scott came in to replace the injured Cedric Benson and finished with 33 yards. As a team the Cincinnati only gained 61 yards on the ground.
But Scott proved coach Lewis right when he inserted him as the new kick-off returner He took a first quarter kick 96 yards for the only TD of the game. What a way to start off in your new role.
The biggest issue facing Cincinnati now is the health of Benson, who left the game with a hip injury. If Benson's injury were serious, that would be a big loss for the Bengals. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that he is expected to play next week at Oakland. There have been rumors linking free agent Larry Johnson to the Bengals even before Bensons injury. This story will gain more steam as the week progresses.
The Steelers were without star safety Troy Polamalu for all but the opening series as he aggravated the left knee injury that previously sidelined him for four games. He underwent an MRI exam, but there was no immediate word about his status.
By sweeping the season series for the first time since 1998, the Bengals effectively lead Pittsburgh by two games because they own the tiebreaker and, for the first time in their history, a 5-0 division record.
''In the past, we would lose games like this,'' center Kyle Cook said.
Cincinnati ate up much of the clock in the final seven minutes, culminating in a 43 yard Shayne Graham field goal. The Steelers got the ball back with slightly less than two minutes to play, but Roethlisberger threw incomplete on four consecutive downs from the 33, and it was over.
"This was a statement game," Cincinnati safety Chris Crocker said. "Beat Pittsburgh two times. Beat Baltimore two times. Now everyone [in the AFC North] is looking at us from behind."
So what did we learn today class?
1.) The Bengals beat the Super Bowl champs without big days from their two biggest offensive weapons. Benson had 22 yards on seven carries before leaving the game and Chad OchoCinco only had two receptions for 29 yards.
2.) The Steelers offensive line struggled against the front four of the Bengals D. Rashard Mendenhall was held to 36 yards and the pressure on Ben was there all game long.
3.) Carson Palmer didn’t have a great game and his team still won. Usually the Bengals live and die by the play of the franchise QB. He was high on a multiple throws and put a little too much mustard on a few as well. But he played the game manger role and was able to keep the Steelers off balance even without a great effort in the running game.
4.) Willie Parker is done in black and gold. One carry for seven yards? No way he is a Steeler in 2010.
5.) The Bengals are for real, for real. Talking heads on T.V, and radio were all predicting a Pittsburgh win. Even Vegas still didn’t believe in them. After being favored to lose by three AT HOME against Baltimore, the Bengals were once again favored to lose, this time by seven.
6.) The Bengals are a perfect 4-0 on the road this season, with wins at Lambeau Field, Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium and the Big Ketchup Bottle in Pittsburgh.
7.) With a AFC North crown in clear view; the goal shifts to play-off positioning. This team has a real shot of finishing in the top two and earning a coveted bye in the play-offs. Who wudda thunk it after that week one miracle tip loss against Denver? The Cincinnati Bengals are 7-2 and the bandwagon is getting bigger by the day.
I’ll leave you with the quote of the game courtesy of LB Brandon Johnson, whom filled in nicely for injured starter Keith Rivers.
“I’m almost diabetic right now it’s so sweet. I’m so excited right now I can barely contain myself.”
Friday, November 13, 2009
Notre Dame football coach: not a great job anymore
Eric Ball- Staff Writer
Notre Dame is a shell of its former self.
Sure they have a stud quarterback that can put points on the board with the best of them. But the tradition in South Bend is fading faster than the value of the dollar. It isn't prestigious to go to Notre Dame anymore.
As the Fighting Irish wrap up another disappointing season; the status of Charlie Weis continually is questioned. If he were to be fired, Cincinnati's Brian Kelly and ESPN's Jon Gruden have been mentioned as a successor (along with Urban Meyer, but he would be straight loony to leave the swamp).
My question is why?
Why would Kelly leave a program right as they are peaking? Kelly is quickly achieving a tremendous reputation in the Cincinnati area and the fans think the man turns everything into gold. He can do no wrong in the Queen City, turning into one of the biggest figures in the whole state of Ohio in 2009. Why leave the throne?
With quarterback Jimmy Clausen possibly leaving after this year, whomever takes over will have to enter the dreaded "rebuilding stage." The backup quarterback is saddled with an ACL injury that will keep him out of next year's spring practice.
It will be rocky for whomever takes over. So if you're Kelly, why piss off the same people that worship you and willingly be placed under a gigantic microscope of second guessing and criticism?
Jon Gruden has settled in nicely as an ESPN Monday Night Football analyst. He brings strong passion and valuable insight to the table every week.
Lots of swirling rumors report that a return to coaching in 2010 is eminent for Gruden. But will he have the patience to deal with college kids after being in the NFL for so long? Not to mention the lack of recruiting experience he brings to the table.
Think about football in the Fighting Irish's heyday under Lou Holtz, and think about it now. Back then, being on TV every game was a huge deal. Now every BCS conference team has games on T.V. The Big Ten even has its own channel.
The team hasn't won a championship in 21 years and hasn't had a Heisman winner in 22, yet the ridiculously high expectations from the fan base continue. The tradition of a school is a non-factor for kids today, that used to be a major selling point at Notre Dame.
It's not a great place to go to school in terms of hot girls or campus/town life either. That is a major reason why the Florida schools, Texas, and USC are flourishing. They have the "extras" that ND can't provide. The weather stinks, lots of rain and wind. Why deal with that when you can go to school next to a beach?
While everyone else is battling for conference titles, Notre Dame is on an island as an independent. As a player, if you lose three games, you have nothing to play for. And playing USC every year doesn't help.
So what is appealing about the Notre Dame job? Money. It's a fat pay check that can rarely be matched. And unfortunately in college football, the coaches follow the money. So even if Gruden or Kelly read this article, the endless money symbols will cloud their judgment. This is how Notre Dame stays relevant ... $$$.
As you listen to the never ending debates about Charlie Weiss getting fired just remember that the same debates will continue to ring, regardless of the head coach. But when the $$ is right, most coaches can handle that juuuust fine.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Tressel: "We're preparing for Iowa"
The popular topic of conversation in Columbus after last Saturday's 24-7 win over Penn State is the improved play of an offensive unit that rushed for 228 yards, converted six of 16 third downs and possessed the football for more than 34 minutes.
The play of Terrelle Pryor is the specific topic of conversation for many fans and media moguls on the heels of Saturday's performance. 8/17, 125 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions; in addition to his five carries for 50 yards and another touchdown.
Nevermind the fact that 67 of Pryor's 127 passing yards came on one strike to DeVier Posey running unabated down the left sideline.
As far as I'm concerned the fact those numbers leave everyone feeling so froggy is little more than a testament to just how bad he's been at times this season.
I'm not trying to say Pryor didn't play well against the Nittany Lions; in fact, Saturday was probably Terrelle Pryor's best performance as a Buckeye. But, to suggest the improved play from the quarterback position should be the lead story coming out of Happy Valley borders on crazy.
Ohio State's defense is really, really good.
The Silver Bullets held a PSU attack that averages 406 yards and 28 points-per-game to just seven points and 201 total yards. Defensive end Cameron Heyward played like a dude pissed off against Penn State, setting career bests in tackles (11) and sacks (2).
The Press Box was inside Coach Tressel's press conference Tuesday afternoon when he was asked about Heyward's play, "Cam's a guy that's in the building all the time," Tressel said. "He's always putting in extra time in the film and or weight room. He just loves to prepare."
Of course, it wasn't just Heyward that turned in an impressive performance last week, Tressel was quick to credit the entire defensive unit for throttling Penn State, "We had to be relentless," Tressel said.
"No matter what they did or what the situation we had to keep coming after them."
That they did.
Penn State running back Evan Royster entered Saturday's game with 859 yards rushing for the season and Ohio State's defense held him to just 36 yards on 13 carries. Derek Moye leads the Nittany Lions in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns and the Buckeyes didn't allow him to catch a single pass in the entire game.
Pit a suffocating defense against a turnover-prone, injury-riddled offense that will start a freshman quarterback on the road and Vegas will make you a 15.5 point favorite.
When the Iowa Hawkeyes invade the Horseshoe this Saturday they will be 15.5 point underdogs after a debilitating loss at home last week to Northwestern left them with only a dream of what could've been and no starting quarterback.
Iowa's junior quarterback Ricky Stanzi had surgery to Monday repair the severely sprained ankle he suffered last week.
"The word we have is that Stanzi is out," Tressel said.
Redshirt freshman James Vandenberg will get the start under center for Stanzi Saturday. Filling in for Stanzi last week, Vandenberg completed 9 of 27 passes for 82 yards; his first throw of the day was intercepted.
Coach Tressel insists that won't affect his team's preparation one bit.
"We're preparing for Iowa," Tressel said. "They won't change dramatically in what they're doing on offense and it's going to be a heck of a challenge for us."
"They've had time to work and prepare and get better since last Saturday," Tressel said of the inauspicious numbers posted by Vandenberg in the absence of Stanzi. "If you watch them on film, everyone is always doing what they're supposed to be doing."
"The picture is clear for us, we're playing a good team, with a lot at stake."
The Buckeyes and Hawkeyes will duel Saturday for a Big 10 championship and a berth in Pasadena on Jan. 1 for a Rose Bowl date with the Pac 10 champion that will almost certainly prove an easier opponent than whichever SEC also-ran is playing in the Capital One Bowl.
Perhaps equally important is the 19 seniors that will be playing their last game inside Ohio Stadium this week.
For all fifth-year seniors Saturday will mark the 35th time they've played inside the 'Shoe and for all fourth-year seniors it will be their 28th game at home.
Tressel's right, there is a ton on the line Saturday.
Sure, the Buckeyes are used playing in big games. This is a team that has won four straight Big 10 championships and played in two BCS National Championship games in the last four years.
The difference is, we're favored to win this big game.
The Buckeyes have spent the better part of the last four years getting crapped on nationally. Certainly, much (fine, all) of that criticism was justified but the fact of the matter is the Buckeyes have not been given much of a chance to win a big game since since they beat Michigan in 2006.
Less than a week removed from winning a game against a top-15 for the first time since I can remember the Bucks are starting to get some love from those national media folks.
On Monday's show Colin even went so far as to call Ohio State a "really good football team."
Boy, is it getting in here?
It'll be interesting to see how the Buckeyes handle the success they've finally enjoyed. Eight days ago I wrote about the implications of last week's game moving forward. The fundamental argument of that piece was Ohio State could do wonders for its national image heading into next season if it could win its next four games (@ PSU, Iowa, @ MICH, Rose Bowl).
They successfully completed the first leg of that gauntlet with last Saturday's impressive performance.
The second leg will be Saturday against the Hawkeyes.
The play of Terrelle Pryor is the specific topic of conversation for many fans and media moguls on the heels of Saturday's performance. 8/17, 125 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions; in addition to his five carries for 50 yards and another touchdown.
Nevermind the fact that 67 of Pryor's 127 passing yards came on one strike to DeVier Posey running unabated down the left sideline.
As far as I'm concerned the fact those numbers leave everyone feeling so froggy is little more than a testament to just how bad he's been at times this season.
I'm not trying to say Pryor didn't play well against the Nittany Lions; in fact, Saturday was probably Terrelle Pryor's best performance as a Buckeye. But, to suggest the improved play from the quarterback position should be the lead story coming out of Happy Valley borders on crazy.
Ohio State's defense is really, really good.
The Silver Bullets held a PSU attack that averages 406 yards and 28 points-per-game to just seven points and 201 total yards. Defensive end Cameron Heyward played like a dude pissed off against Penn State, setting career bests in tackles (11) and sacks (2).
The Press Box was inside Coach Tressel's press conference Tuesday afternoon when he was asked about Heyward's play, "Cam's a guy that's in the building all the time," Tressel said. "He's always putting in extra time in the film and or weight room. He just loves to prepare."
Of course, it wasn't just Heyward that turned in an impressive performance last week, Tressel was quick to credit the entire defensive unit for throttling Penn State, "We had to be relentless," Tressel said.
"No matter what they did or what the situation we had to keep coming after them."
That they did.
Penn State running back Evan Royster entered Saturday's game with 859 yards rushing for the season and Ohio State's defense held him to just 36 yards on 13 carries. Derek Moye leads the Nittany Lions in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns and the Buckeyes didn't allow him to catch a single pass in the entire game.
Pit a suffocating defense against a turnover-prone, injury-riddled offense that will start a freshman quarterback on the road and Vegas will make you a 15.5 point favorite.
When the Iowa Hawkeyes invade the Horseshoe this Saturday they will be 15.5 point underdogs after a debilitating loss at home last week to Northwestern left them with only a dream of what could've been and no starting quarterback.
Iowa's junior quarterback Ricky Stanzi had surgery to Monday repair the severely sprained ankle he suffered last week.
"The word we have is that Stanzi is out," Tressel said.
Redshirt freshman James Vandenberg will get the start under center for Stanzi Saturday. Filling in for Stanzi last week, Vandenberg completed 9 of 27 passes for 82 yards; his first throw of the day was intercepted.
Coach Tressel insists that won't affect his team's preparation one bit.
"We're preparing for Iowa," Tressel said. "They won't change dramatically in what they're doing on offense and it's going to be a heck of a challenge for us."
"They've had time to work and prepare and get better since last Saturday," Tressel said of the inauspicious numbers posted by Vandenberg in the absence of Stanzi. "If you watch them on film, everyone is always doing what they're supposed to be doing."
"The picture is clear for us, we're playing a good team, with a lot at stake."
The Buckeyes and Hawkeyes will duel Saturday for a Big 10 championship and a berth in Pasadena on Jan. 1 for a Rose Bowl date with the Pac 10 champion that will almost certainly prove an easier opponent than whichever SEC also-ran is playing in the Capital One Bowl.
Perhaps equally important is the 19 seniors that will be playing their last game inside Ohio Stadium this week.
For all fifth-year seniors Saturday will mark the 35th time they've played inside the 'Shoe and for all fourth-year seniors it will be their 28th game at home.
Tressel's right, there is a ton on the line Saturday.
Sure, the Buckeyes are used playing in big games. This is a team that has won four straight Big 10 championships and played in two BCS National Championship games in the last four years.
The difference is, we're favored to win this big game.
The Buckeyes have spent the better part of the last four years getting crapped on nationally. Certainly, much (fine, all) of that criticism was justified but the fact of the matter is the Buckeyes have not been given much of a chance to win a big game since since they beat Michigan in 2006.
Less than a week removed from winning a game against a top-15 for the first time since I can remember the Bucks are starting to get some love from those national media folks.
On Monday's show Colin even went so far as to call Ohio State a "really good football team."
Boy, is it getting in here?
It'll be interesting to see how the Buckeyes handle the success they've finally enjoyed. Eight days ago I wrote about the implications of last week's game moving forward. The fundamental argument of that piece was Ohio State could do wonders for its national image heading into next season if it could win its next four games (@ PSU, Iowa, @ MICH, Rose Bowl).
They successfully completed the first leg of that gauntlet with last Saturday's impressive performance.
The second leg will be Saturday against the Hawkeyes.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Bengals D Show Flacco, Ravens How To Be Top Notch
Eric Ball, Press Box writer
How long does it take to earn respect? Even after jumping to a 5-2 start the Cincinnati Bengals were still not viewed as serious contenders.
Virtually all of the “experts” predicted the Baltimore Ravens defense would avenge the 17-14 loss of a month ago. Boy were they wrong on a gorgeous November afternoon. It turned out to be the Bengals defense that set the tone on a sunny side up 17-7 victory in front of a sold-out Paul Brown Stadium.
The Ravens were stymied by the excellent pass coverage of the Bengals secondary. The Ravens were a poultry 1-10 on third down conversions in the game while the Bengals converted 8-18. The one conversion for Baltimore came with 2:40 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Bengals DB’s are quietly becoming one of the top tandems in the league. Leon Hall had an INT, three tackles and two pass deflections while Jonathan Joseph also had an INT to go along with four tackles and five pass deflections. In the two-game sweep the duo essential shutdown the Ravens receivers.
Ravens QB Joe Flacco and WR Derrick Mason connected on just three of 13 targets Sunday, and Flacco connected on just five of 18 receiver passes. Baltimore receivers in the two games against Cincy were thrown to 27 times and made just nine catches. A mind boggling stat that speaks volumes of the terrific coverage. For the game Flacco was 18/32 for 195 yards and two interceptions.
The Bengals offense came out firing much like in their last game against the Chicago Bears. After a hot start, QB Carson Palmer “cooled off” to finish 20/33 for 224 yards and one TD.
His favorite target on this day was WR Laveranues Coles whom caught six balls for 74 yards. Coles finally looked like the player the Bengals signed for $27.5 million. He broke multiple SS Ed Reed tackles (tough task) and converted a couple stick moving third downs.
It was another typical ’09 Palmer performance that featured slants, curls and a few more scrambles. The one deep ball thrown to Chad was forced into double coverage and broken up. Palmer’s new found scrambling ability bought him and his recievers more time and now defenses have to stay at home on coverage down the field. It does seem that the days of long bombs are over for the Bengals.
After a 73-yard opening drive that culminated in a TD to WR Andre Caldwell, the Bengals drove 80 yards on their second series. Two pass interference penalties on the Ravens covering Chad Ochocinco—one of which converted a fourth down— led to a Cedric Benson one-yard touchdown.
Shayne Graham's 23-yard field goal on Cincinnati's third possession increased the Bengals lead to a 17-0. At halftime, the Ravens were out-gained in total yards 235-44. At one point the Bengals had 12 first downs and the Ravens had run 11 total plays. Mid way through the third quarter the Bengals had 19 first downs to the Ravens five.
Once again RB Cedric Benson ran for over 100 yards against a cocky Ravens defense. A few Ravens (mostly Ray Lewis) considered last month’s 120 yards a fluke. Well, after another 117 yards and TD, maybe Lewis and company will take him seriously next time.
He was aided by another stellar performance by the O-line. Benson enjoyed a few gapping holes in a first quarter where he gained 45 yards. And for the first time all year…no false start penalties!
The multi-millionaire rookie RT Andre Smith could have played for the first time this season, but I think Marvin Lewis didn’t believe he was one of the best eight O-line players available. Not sure if that speaks to the terrific play of the line or the ridiculously slow progress of Smith. Either way it’s a luxury to have the overpriced BMW in the shop for as long as it needs to be.
Chad had a roller coaster ride of a game. He made several catches in double coverage while picking up first downs in the process. He made an unbelievable dive on a fade route that was a beauty to watch. He had 66 yards on five catches. BUT…
Once again he was stripped by Bengals killer Ed Reed and lost the fumble. It was a punishing drive that would have made the Ravens “kiss the baby”. Instead it gave the Ravens a little bit of life in the fourth quarter. He also had a second fumble that was nullified by an illegal contact penalty earlier in the game. Speaking of penalties…
The Ravens shot themselves in the foot time and time again. They had seven penalties for 80 yards on the day. The Bengals second TD drive was aided by multiple pass interference calls on the Ravens secondary. The Bengals knew what looks obvious to the rest of us now—the Ravens DB’s are unable to cover receivers one on one. This is a major issue for Baltimore and their alleged top-notch defense.
Hard Knocks hero RB Brian Leonard once again provided some huge third down plays. He converted three of em’ and came a foot short of another. He has been everything that RB DeDe Dorsey wasn’t, a tough, physical grinder that always knows where the first down marker is.
The injury bug chomped down on WR Chris Henry’s form-arm. Looks like he will be out for the year (terrible luck in a contract year). LB Keith Rivers also left the game with a calf injury, as did G Evan Mathis with an ankle. CB Fabian Washington of the Ravens also went out of the game on the same play Henry went down.
Bottom line for the Bengals: last year they lost to the Ravens 34-3 at Paul Brown while being swept in the process. This year it’s a 17-7 home win and a Bengals sweep. My oh my what a difference a year makes. With the win, Palmer improved to 8-3 in his career against the Ravens.
At 6-2 overall and 4-0 in the AFC North, the Bengals are forced to play yet another divisional game that could decide the final standings when they travel to Heinz field to battle the Steelers. I’m sure the talking heads will favor Pittsburgh, citing last year’s success. But clearly last year means nothing in the NFL and especially to the 2009 Cincinnati Bengals.
How long does it take to earn respect? Even after jumping to a 5-2 start the Cincinnati Bengals were still not viewed as serious contenders.
Virtually all of the “experts” predicted the Baltimore Ravens defense would avenge the 17-14 loss of a month ago. Boy were they wrong on a gorgeous November afternoon. It turned out to be the Bengals defense that set the tone on a sunny side up 17-7 victory in front of a sold-out Paul Brown Stadium.
The Ravens were stymied by the excellent pass coverage of the Bengals secondary. The Ravens were a poultry 1-10 on third down conversions in the game while the Bengals converted 8-18. The one conversion for Baltimore came with 2:40 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Bengals DB’s are quietly becoming one of the top tandems in the league. Leon Hall had an INT, three tackles and two pass deflections while Jonathan Joseph also had an INT to go along with four tackles and five pass deflections. In the two-game sweep the duo essential shutdown the Ravens receivers.
Ravens QB Joe Flacco and WR Derrick Mason connected on just three of 13 targets Sunday, and Flacco connected on just five of 18 receiver passes. Baltimore receivers in the two games against Cincy were thrown to 27 times and made just nine catches. A mind boggling stat that speaks volumes of the terrific coverage. For the game Flacco was 18/32 for 195 yards and two interceptions.
The Bengals offense came out firing much like in their last game against the Chicago Bears. After a hot start, QB Carson Palmer “cooled off” to finish 20/33 for 224 yards and one TD.
His favorite target on this day was WR Laveranues Coles whom caught six balls for 74 yards. Coles finally looked like the player the Bengals signed for $27.5 million. He broke multiple SS Ed Reed tackles (tough task) and converted a couple stick moving third downs.
It was another typical ’09 Palmer performance that featured slants, curls and a few more scrambles. The one deep ball thrown to Chad was forced into double coverage and broken up. Palmer’s new found scrambling ability bought him and his recievers more time and now defenses have to stay at home on coverage down the field. It does seem that the days of long bombs are over for the Bengals.
After a 73-yard opening drive that culminated in a TD to WR Andre Caldwell, the Bengals drove 80 yards on their second series. Two pass interference penalties on the Ravens covering Chad Ochocinco—one of which converted a fourth down— led to a Cedric Benson one-yard touchdown.
Shayne Graham's 23-yard field goal on Cincinnati's third possession increased the Bengals lead to a 17-0. At halftime, the Ravens were out-gained in total yards 235-44. At one point the Bengals had 12 first downs and the Ravens had run 11 total plays. Mid way through the third quarter the Bengals had 19 first downs to the Ravens five.
Once again RB Cedric Benson ran for over 100 yards against a cocky Ravens defense. A few Ravens (mostly Ray Lewis) considered last month’s 120 yards a fluke. Well, after another 117 yards and TD, maybe Lewis and company will take him seriously next time.
He was aided by another stellar performance by the O-line. Benson enjoyed a few gapping holes in a first quarter where he gained 45 yards. And for the first time all year…no false start penalties!
The multi-millionaire rookie RT Andre Smith could have played for the first time this season, but I think Marvin Lewis didn’t believe he was one of the best eight O-line players available. Not sure if that speaks to the terrific play of the line or the ridiculously slow progress of Smith. Either way it’s a luxury to have the overpriced BMW in the shop for as long as it needs to be.
Chad had a roller coaster ride of a game. He made several catches in double coverage while picking up first downs in the process. He made an unbelievable dive on a fade route that was a beauty to watch. He had 66 yards on five catches. BUT…
Once again he was stripped by Bengals killer Ed Reed and lost the fumble. It was a punishing drive that would have made the Ravens “kiss the baby”. Instead it gave the Ravens a little bit of life in the fourth quarter. He also had a second fumble that was nullified by an illegal contact penalty earlier in the game. Speaking of penalties…
The Ravens shot themselves in the foot time and time again. They had seven penalties for 80 yards on the day. The Bengals second TD drive was aided by multiple pass interference calls on the Ravens secondary. The Bengals knew what looks obvious to the rest of us now—the Ravens DB’s are unable to cover receivers one on one. This is a major issue for Baltimore and their alleged top-notch defense.
Hard Knocks hero RB Brian Leonard once again provided some huge third down plays. He converted three of em’ and came a foot short of another. He has been everything that RB DeDe Dorsey wasn’t, a tough, physical grinder that always knows where the first down marker is.
The injury bug chomped down on WR Chris Henry’s form-arm. Looks like he will be out for the year (terrible luck in a contract year). LB Keith Rivers also left the game with a calf injury, as did G Evan Mathis with an ankle. CB Fabian Washington of the Ravens also went out of the game on the same play Henry went down.
Bottom line for the Bengals: last year they lost to the Ravens 34-3 at Paul Brown while being swept in the process. This year it’s a 17-7 home win and a Bengals sweep. My oh my what a difference a year makes. With the win, Palmer improved to 8-3 in his career against the Ravens.
At 6-2 overall and 4-0 in the AFC North, the Bengals are forced to play yet another divisional game that could decide the final standings when they travel to Heinz field to battle the Steelers. I’m sure the talking heads will favor Pittsburgh, citing last year’s success. But clearly last year means nothing in the NFL and especially to the 2009 Cincinnati Bengals.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
NFL Fans Suffer from Bye Week Blues
Eric Ball, Press Box writer
Without a doubt the longest stretch in the NFL season for a fan is the bye week.
The six days leading up to it crawl by as you read stories of players resting and taking a few days off.
The headlines on ESPN hype up the big matchups of the week and break down the upcoming games with no mention of your team.
Hearing of vacation destinations for bye week players makes me more nervous then interested in the off week (maybe because I'm a Bengals fan...but still).
Once Sunday arrives, your whole routine is thrown off. Who wants to watch the pregame shows when the team you root for will not even be mentioned? The Lions and Rams will get more coverage for this one week.
Once the games start, an odd feeling of indifference strikes. Most Sundays are filled with hype and a large dose of emotion. On bye week you are relegated to rooting for fantasy players and teams playing divisional foes.
By the end of the day nothing has changed much in the grand scheme of things. Maybe you gained or lost a half-game.
Then the highlights begin to roll in. There is no opportunity to see what the "expert" analysts think of your team's game. (One of the great feelings a fan has is when his or her team wins and you can watch the highlights and talking heads gush over them on ESPN, NBC, FOX, and CBS.)
No predictions about the upcoming games or updates on injuries. Nothing at all when it's bye week.
After it's all said and done, the bye is still not over. Now the team is subjected to minimal mention at the beginning of the week because they haven't played in a while. Rarely does a big story occur during a bye.
Dan Snyder and the Redskins had the perfect bye week because it allowed people to forget about their awful season for a week. The media pressure went down a notch (from boiling to simmering).
But for a team like the Cincinnati Bengals, the bye was ill-timed. Off a 45-10 pasting of the Chicago Bears, the momentum was strong for QB Carson Palmer and the offense. The team was relatively healthy and seemed extremely focused. Taking a week off doesn't do anything for this team.
Odd stat of the day: Marvin Lewis is 1-4-1 with the Bengals after a bye. Not sure how to interpret that one. Do the players get too much time off? Does Lewis fail to keep the squad focused on the task at hand? Or is the stat a complete coincidence? I wish I had the answer.
So while byes can be quite beneficial for teams that are banged-up or trying to release some of the steam from the pressure cooker, it doesn't always help every team—and it makes fans suffer through two painfully long weeks.
Sunday can't come soon enough.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Bucks matchup with Nittany Lions has far-reaching implications moving forward
Whether or not Ohio State travels to Beaver Stadium and knocks off Penn State in Happy Valley Saturday afternoon, I couldn't tell ya.
I mean, they might win.
After a humiliating road loss to Purdue, the Buckeyes have outscored a pair of afterthoughts 83-7 leading up to Saturday's aforementioned showdown.
We're being told Terrelle Pryor is playing better, nevermind the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
The defense, in addition to tossing a trio of shutouts thus far, is ranked sixth in the country.
An increasingly healthier offensive line has helped spur the resurgence of a previously underachieving running game.
It's entirely possible the Buckeyes beat the Nittany Lions Saturday.
It's also equally possible that Penn State hands the Bucks their third loss of the 2009 season.
It'll all come down to one thing: Can Ohio State's offense score enough points to beat Penn State's fifth-ranked defense?
The Ohio State defense will keep the Bucks in the game, regardless, though we certainly don't want to take anything away from Penn State's offense, which averages 429 yards a game and tops the Big 10 Conference--though I suspect that's something like being the prettiest girl in a room full of girls that aren't very pretty.
We could be wrong.
Pryor's alleged improvement could be exposed as an awful mirage, the running game may get stifled and PSU's defense may end up throttling an offense that ranks in the latter half of the Big 10 in nearly every single statistical category.
I expect a very close game Saturday afternoon that probably won't be decided until the final minute, but mark my words, the game will come down to the ability of a Terrelle Pryor-led offense to engineer a game-clinching drive against one of the best defenses in the country.
And it'll make for fabulous television.
A lot of people think claims like that merely set Pryor up for failure because he cannot possibly meet the expectations fans and media have set for him.
I think that's ridiculous.
If you're going to be the starting quarterback at The Ohio State University that pressure comes with the territory. Pryor should have known that he was going to be subjected to this magnifying glass from the very beginning.
The bigger the stage, the higher the expectations.
I'm not going to make a value judgment on whether or not this kind of treatment is fair, I'm just saying that's the way it is and if you're Terrelle Pryor, you've got to answer the bell.
At Northwestern, yeah, these expectations are unfair to Pryor or anyone else.
Of course, it should be noted that Terrelle Pryor and many others wouldn't get a second look from Northwestern and the only reason places like Ohio State accept them is because they run 4.3/40-times.
But, if you're Terrelle Pryor and you're going to be the Ohio State quarterback and allow yourself to be hailed the next Vince Young and compete for Big 10 Championships, that kind of criticism is the cost of doing business.
Now, I'm not going to pretend that I possess the unique ability to break down Saturday's game in a way that'll influence your decision regarding its outcome.
That's Corso's job.
I am simply trying to comment intelligently on the importance of Saturday's game for the future of Ohio State football; don't misunderstand it, Ohio State needs to beat Penn State more than Penn State needs to beat Ohio State.
Sure, this is a season-defining game for both schools, but, the ramifications for Ohio State are considerably more damaging than they are for the Nittany Lions if the Bucks fail to emerge victorious.
We are on the verge of a power shift in the Big 10 if Ohio State loses another nationally televised game against a team its equal.
In short, if the Buckeyes lose Saturday they'll probably do no better than a New Year's Day Outback Bowl date with LSU or Alabama in a game they'd lose by two touchdowns.
Buckeye fans have listened to people crush Ohio State since Florida ran 'em out of the gym three years ago. Some of those criticisms are totally valid and some are probably a little overblown; the truth is always in the middle. The fact of the matter is that in the past Ohio State would get the nod to BCS Bowl Games based on name and reputation only.
If the Bucks lose Saturday, gone are the days of Buckeye Football being given spots in marquee bowl games based solely on legacy.
This works two ways, however.
A victory Saturday is Ohio State's first step on the long road back to national credibility.
The Buckeyes close their regular season with a showdown in Columbus against an Iowa team that has BCS Championship aspirations sandwiched between a pair of road games against PSU and Michigan.
Three straight wins probably sends the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl for a matchup with the Pac 10 champion.
Granted, it's probably not enough for Ohio State to win the Big 10 in order to repair its damaged image, the Buckeyes have to actually win a BCS game.
But if they're ever going even get that chance, they've got to beat Penn State in a hugely important game.
Like I said, I have no idea whether or not they'll pull it off, but one thing is for certain, the result will play a large role in determining Ohio State's success going forward.
I mean, they might win.
After a humiliating road loss to Purdue, the Buckeyes have outscored a pair of afterthoughts 83-7 leading up to Saturday's aforementioned showdown.
We're being told Terrelle Pryor is playing better, nevermind the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
The defense, in addition to tossing a trio of shutouts thus far, is ranked sixth in the country.
An increasingly healthier offensive line has helped spur the resurgence of a previously underachieving running game.
It's entirely possible the Buckeyes beat the Nittany Lions Saturday.
It's also equally possible that Penn State hands the Bucks their third loss of the 2009 season.
It'll all come down to one thing: Can Ohio State's offense score enough points to beat Penn State's fifth-ranked defense?
The Ohio State defense will keep the Bucks in the game, regardless, though we certainly don't want to take anything away from Penn State's offense, which averages 429 yards a game and tops the Big 10 Conference--though I suspect that's something like being the prettiest girl in a room full of girls that aren't very pretty.
We could be wrong.
Pryor's alleged improvement could be exposed as an awful mirage, the running game may get stifled and PSU's defense may end up throttling an offense that ranks in the latter half of the Big 10 in nearly every single statistical category.
I expect a very close game Saturday afternoon that probably won't be decided until the final minute, but mark my words, the game will come down to the ability of a Terrelle Pryor-led offense to engineer a game-clinching drive against one of the best defenses in the country.
And it'll make for fabulous television.
A lot of people think claims like that merely set Pryor up for failure because he cannot possibly meet the expectations fans and media have set for him.
I think that's ridiculous.
If you're going to be the starting quarterback at The Ohio State University that pressure comes with the territory. Pryor should have known that he was going to be subjected to this magnifying glass from the very beginning.
The bigger the stage, the higher the expectations.
I'm not going to make a value judgment on whether or not this kind of treatment is fair, I'm just saying that's the way it is and if you're Terrelle Pryor, you've got to answer the bell.
At Northwestern, yeah, these expectations are unfair to Pryor or anyone else.
Of course, it should be noted that Terrelle Pryor and many others wouldn't get a second look from Northwestern and the only reason places like Ohio State accept them is because they run 4.3/40-times.
But, if you're Terrelle Pryor and you're going to be the Ohio State quarterback and allow yourself to be hailed the next Vince Young and compete for Big 10 Championships, that kind of criticism is the cost of doing business.
Now, I'm not going to pretend that I possess the unique ability to break down Saturday's game in a way that'll influence your decision regarding its outcome.
That's Corso's job.
I am simply trying to comment intelligently on the importance of Saturday's game for the future of Ohio State football; don't misunderstand it, Ohio State needs to beat Penn State more than Penn State needs to beat Ohio State.
Sure, this is a season-defining game for both schools, but, the ramifications for Ohio State are considerably more damaging than they are for the Nittany Lions if the Bucks fail to emerge victorious.
We are on the verge of a power shift in the Big 10 if Ohio State loses another nationally televised game against a team its equal.
In short, if the Buckeyes lose Saturday they'll probably do no better than a New Year's Day Outback Bowl date with LSU or Alabama in a game they'd lose by two touchdowns.
Buckeye fans have listened to people crush Ohio State since Florida ran 'em out of the gym three years ago. Some of those criticisms are totally valid and some are probably a little overblown; the truth is always in the middle. The fact of the matter is that in the past Ohio State would get the nod to BCS Bowl Games based on name and reputation only.
If the Bucks lose Saturday, gone are the days of Buckeye Football being given spots in marquee bowl games based solely on legacy.
This works two ways, however.
A victory Saturday is Ohio State's first step on the long road back to national credibility.
The Buckeyes close their regular season with a showdown in Columbus against an Iowa team that has BCS Championship aspirations sandwiched between a pair of road games against PSU and Michigan.
Three straight wins probably sends the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl for a matchup with the Pac 10 champion.
Granted, it's probably not enough for Ohio State to win the Big 10 in order to repair its damaged image, the Buckeyes have to actually win a BCS game.
But if they're ever going even get that chance, they've got to beat Penn State in a hugely important game.
Like I said, I have no idea whether or not they'll pull it off, but one thing is for certain, the result will play a large role in determining Ohio State's success going forward.
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