Church. Bengals projection

This post is for Churh. Because he is a believer.

Church has a talent and commands the room, when he wants it. His candid speak, which escapes when he reloads, carries longer than the movie scenes he reenacts. His energy forces you to reevaluate the most mundane of fool scenes from a forgettable movie, or at least pay attention. I try to keep up, but I am an amateur. Sometimes I understand, sometimes I spend our entire engagement catching up. But he has a depth of sorrow, or a ball of hollow, that I cannot relate to. I just wish I could keep up. He's fast. He's honest. He's a man you are proud to know. And, he's real decent.


Church. Extra talents. holla.

Cincinnati. It is hard when your teams take entire decades off. I just assume everyone else (all pro towns in the proper 50) deals with the same thing. I don't rue the day I squatted on South-Western Ohio. I was happy, and still am, with the decision. Reds. Bengals. Bearcats. I can breathe and touch and consume these clubs, in the flesh. I love living with my teams. It's not real, and a touch crazed, but my proximity makes me feel like I am a part of the build. I am staff.

But it is time for a title. A championship. The Bengals are the best bet, though they are in the toughest professional league ever built. The AFC is a layer of teams, angry and talented, tested and ready. The wins the Bengals would have to collect would be the finest of the franchise, a wall of respect built from winning box scores.

The Cincinnati Bengals have won in spots, in controlled moments of challenge. They have had times to rise, against the talented machines (Colts, Patriots, Chargers, Broncos), and they bowed. The Bengals found ways to defer greatness. They were not ready.

Damnit, I need the Bengals to ascend. I ask my friends, regularly, who would they like to win the next championship: Bengals, Reds, or Bearcats. I want the Bengals. I want it bad. In the spirit, it is time for a brief August scouting report:

OFFENSE: Carson Palmer is healthy, and spent the off-season perfecting his rhythm with the offense, not rehabbing his knee. The Offensive line has been building and eating and preparing for this year. They are all beasts. Massive men that can move. The TEs will be a non-factor, but the receivers are stars. The only question is the 3rd string WR. There are multiple candidates. Kenny Irons season-ending injury plain sucks. Now it is a rookie from BYU or Kenny Watson. Chris Perry may never play again. I think the O-Line is going to be great – if Levi Jones is healthy. Rudi is going to have a tough load, but there are a pile of receivers that can make plays and Chris Henry comes back week 9.

DEFENSE: Bengals were 30th in total defense last year. That is not good enough. Indianapolis survived and finished at 21, so that would be a goal. But the Bengals have not added anyone. Nevermind, they did add Leon Hall, who is a quality corner. The defensive line remains the same, and it does not inspire. I feel like we have been fooled that Jumpy Geathers and Justin Smith (he's a white guy) are quality, game-changing book ends. humph. The Bengals have made them RICH. Are they the truth? The word 'average' comes to mind.

The linebackers are essential. Ahmad Brooks has not been anointed, but NEEDS to be the beast. He is a 6' 3", 260 pound explosive that can create collisions. The 2007 Bengals cannot live on turnovers alone. At some point, they will have to complete a stop on their own. The secondary could rise up – veteran safety's and talented corner backs make the unit a strength. If Dexter Jackson resurfaces, and Madieu Williams becomes, the Bengals have one of the best secondary's in the league.


The Bengals have to beat the Ravens on Monday night, week 1. The game is at home. It is not 2000 anymore – the Ravens defense is old and McNair has one foot in the grave. Here is a crazy breakdown of the season:

The schedule seems easier than last year, but you never know which team is going to rise. It looks a little better, schedule wise, but I still smell the fear. Streaks of losses or streaks of wins.

September: 2-1

W - Ravens, Monday night 7pm – McNair is washed up and the Gals do not lose high profile games (night) at home
W - @Browns – has to be a win
L - @ Seahawks – I feel like the Bengals SHOULD win, but they will lose. And it will piss us off

October: 3-1 (5-2) – and this is a stretch… the Chiefs/Jets/Steelers games are toss ups. This stretch makes the season
L - Patriots, Monday night - until they prove it, the Bengals cannot handle the Pats. Especially on Monday night.
W - @Chiefs – this game is a pain in the ass, after the Pats. This could be a loss, but I call it a win. Tough stretch.
W - Jets – playoff team from 2006. At this point in the season, the Jets could be a joke or a respectable force. The Gals need and will get a win here.
W - Steelers – The Bengals have not beat the Steelers at home since 2001. It is time.

November: 3-1 (8-3)
· W - @Bills – scary game. You have to win this, if you want play in the late winter.
· L - @Ravens – I will give this to the shitty birds, even though I know that McNair is a joke. He has no arm left. WASHED UP. The Ravens are overrated.
· W - Cardinals – you have to beat Leinhart & CO. at home, if you want to be something.
· W - Titans – see above (Vince Young will be a problem)

December: 2-3 (10-6)
· L - @Steelers – they beat the Bengals here. It’s about time. Awful game.
· L - Rams – I still respect the Rams. The Bengals cannot handle Holt, S. Jackson
· W - @49ers – frightening, terrible game. Up and coming team. The doom of SF (see: Super Bowls). The Gals have to win. Marvin understands the history. The corpse of Walsh. Bengals win on a prayer.
· W - Browns – should be a lay up. It turns into a dogfight. Bengals escape.
· L - @ Dolphins – Bengals have wild card locked. Lose the last game at South Beach.

Playoffs. The Bengals could find themselves, and inflate like they should, and wake up on the road in a January game at New England or Indy. Big boy football. They lose. I hope they win. They won't. 2008 is the Super Bowl run.