Winning Makes Beleivers Of Us All

Well?  What is there left to say?  This team still has it's flaws (BRAD ST. LOUIS) and places it can improve (LONG SNAPPER) and will need to get better production in some spots (ESPECIALLY PLACES THAT ARE COMICALLY REPLACEABLE AND ONE MISTAKE SHOULD GET PEOPLE FIRED), but it's good to be in 1st place.

Pros:

• I know it means very, very little in the grand scheme of things, but I'm so happy for Mike Zimmer.  It's hard to imagine what he's been through over the last 72 hours.  He's a great man and I'll be upset if he's still on the staff in 2010.  Dude has earned a head coaching job somewhere.
• Carson Palmer.  He still doesn't look right to me.  I continue to believe they know something we don't about his elbow.  Still, dude is a gamer.  If Brett Favre was having Carson's season, ESPN would have imploded on itself by now.  Peter King would have quit his job (where he makes stupid money, just ask him!) to serve as Favre's manservant.  When the chips are down, our quarterback shows up.  Not a whole lot more you can ask for.
• "Bigtime" Bubba Caldwell.  SUCK IT HIMES, THIS GUY IS CLUTCH!!!!!!!
• Jonathan Joseph.  He's not in the same class as Antonie Winfield or anything, but he's a physical corner.  Love that.
• Leon Hall.  You see him much?  Me either.  I'm guessing Derrick Mason (0 catches) saw plenty.
• Bob Braasdpfuihasdf.  Sorry, TypePad refused to type his name under "Pros."  He's gotten plenty of heat around here before, and will in the future (probably for this game), but I loved the fact that he put Carson in the gun so often.  I didn't even get mad for the oh so obvious shovel pass.  One thing though, Brat.  When you throw an incompletion on 1st and 10, I'm pretty sure every team in the league knows it's a run coming on 2nd.
• The running game.  It'd been 2006 since a back went for 100 against the Ravens.  Cedric Benson did it.  Big ups to him and the run blocking.

Cons:

• Brad St. Louis.  It's a joke he has a job.
• Shayne Graham.  I know the snaps were bad, but at the end of the day the ball is right there for you to kick.  Quit acting like such a douche and just kick the ball.  You're not blame free there Franchise.
• Pre-snap penalties.  Too many false starts.  Could have gotten them beat easily.
• The Lions losing.  I would have been in tears if they could have pulled it off.
• Daniel Coats.  I know you're not known as a receiving tight end, but that's two game changing plays right through your hands sir.

All in all, 1st place.  It feels good.  I'm not sure I can handle 11 more games like this though.

Comments

[Rapistburger]

I love it...right on with everything you are saying.

[Dan]

You lost me when you said "I'll be upset if he's still on the staff in 2010". ZIMMER SHOULD BE THE BENGALS NEXT HEAD COACH, YOU IDIOT!!!

[MikeBrownPleaseDieSoon]

1. @Dan is right on. Why should you be cheering for guys to leave when the team hasn't even won anything yet?

2. Yes, I saw Leon Hall. I saw him get beat silly on a deep ball that Flacco missed. That completion goes for six, and the game is lost.

3. Bratkowski: still a moron.

4. Carson Palmer is everything you want in an NFL QB. Their main job is to win the games that are still in doubt at the end. He's 5-0 this season doing that. What else can be asked for?

5. Chris Henry? Can we just throw the ball to Chris Henry some more?

6. If HippopottaSmith hadn't been a holdout and broken his ankle, imagine what kind of running game they might have with his big lard butt blocking out the sun. The Ravens said they couldn't see Ced behind the Bengals line. Fatso would make even J Johnson invisible.

[tony d]

I laughed when I saw tonight that this site still existed. Anyways, your pathetic assessment of Palmer is about as off as one could possibly be, acting like there is hidden info on his elbow makes you look like a complete moron. You hate this team is doing well, so does this site. Sorry the WDR agenda is exposed. I laugh at you. lol

[Jeff]

Why this game was big and what the next 3 games have in store:

1) We're undefeated on the road = huge
2) We're 3-0 in the division = almost as huge
3) Our D showed signs of dominance today, and as well all know, Defense dictates who wins the AFC North

The next 3 games, however, are CRITICAL. We NEED to win games at home. We NEED to develop a killer instinct. We cannot have a letdown game against Houston and/or Chicago. Realistically, we need to go 2/3 with one of those wins against the Ravens again (for division reasons). I would love to go 3/3 and be sitting at 7-1 on November 9, but I'd also take 6-2 with a 4-0 division record.

All in all though, the team is "coming together"...whatever that means. Now if we can only convert and touchdowns early in games so I don't blow an aortic aneurysm by Week 9.

[ChapelHillWHODEY]

"I laughed when I saw tonight that this site still existed. Anyways, your pathetic assessment of Palmer is about as off as one could possibly be, acting like there is hidden info on his elbow makes you look like a complete moron. You hate this team is doing well, so does this site. Sorry the WDR agenda is exposed. I laugh at you. lol"

what's up, tony d. It's hard to translate tone and sarcasm and the more subtle aspects of human dialogue via these message posts, so I apologize if I didn't get your sense of humor or missed something between the lines in your post - but why are you spending the time to write such a derisive message?

It's fair to challenge any of the writers' assesments of this team, and I think they welcome constructive criticism and a dynamic "back and forth" amongst the readers; but your post is critical without content, and you've resorted to calling names and accusing the writers of some sort of hateful hidden agenda without providing evidence or even a potential motive.

I could be wrong, but I don't believe the creators of "whodeyrevolution.com" are making any kind of significant financial gains from this site, so it's not as if they are trying to inflate the Bengals' weaknesses for profit. And I don't think there's evidence that the blog was started by Steelers fans. I guess I'm just missing where you're coming from...

If you think the writers are "pathetic", "morons", and hate the Bengals, why are you "laughing" and "lol"ing so much? I don't get what's funny.

For everyone else, this was a great win, a fun win, an emotional win. It's fun to be a Bengals fan right now, so lets enjoy it! WHODEY!!!

[kotw65]

Bengals Win! How many times do we get the priviledge to say that? Enjoy it, embrace it, and fuck'n love it.

The ownership IS WHAT IT IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE so in spite of them just be happy and roll with it.

The lousy MFB has the only game in town and if there were 6 franchises in one city his BS would'nt work but IT IS WHAT IT IS so, root for team spend yo dolla's elsewhere......

GO ZIMMER!

[Jeff]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I can't believe we won that game. Cardiac Cats need to stop taking it down to the wire.

[TonyDisAFag]

tony d, your a fag.

[KTRB]

Number 1 under Cons should be --Mike Brown is still General Manager.
His removal is the ultimate goal.

[David Fulcher]

What are you guys going to do with the website now?

You had a good run for a bit.

[Peter Roser]

Anyone else alarmed at the latest Hobson article?

"'We've got no talent, just heart. No talent, just heart,' bellowed left tackle Andrew Whitworth as he walked off the field."

"'They keep telling me talent is overrated,' Lewis said. 'No talent. Just 11 guys playing together.'"

Is Hobs seriously bragging about how we have no talent? Is anyone else worried?

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Carson-Comeback-goes-A-to-Z-for-Zimmer/2717dfbc-f52a-4cfd-80be-737391b182c3

[Mockenrue]

I *think* what they meant was they don't have an Andre Johnson or Adrian Peterson or any such really standout type of guy to bank their hopes and fortunes on, and instead have to play cohesively as a unit at all times to enjoy success.

But I probably shouldn't be reading credibility into Hob's articles.

P.S. Did Mike Brown finally decide this Twitter thing was merely a theme like GMs? We need more, if for no other reason than to keep reinforcing that the man needs to go, regardless of any success this season.

[Wyatt]

Mockenrue,

Couldn't you make the argument that Carson Palmer is a "really standout type of guy to bank their hopes and fortunes on", since they, y'know, do? Not trying to be difficult, as I can definitely see what you're saying and the point you're trying to make, but I think it's pretty clear Hob's totally lost his marbles.

[PAl]

tony d, the purpose of this site is to get Mike Brown to hire a REAL general manager. I'm glad that the Bengals are winning but this is in spite of Mikey. Brad St. Louis is still on this team because of Mikey, Andre Smith is sitting on the bench and essentially lost for the season because of Mikey, we have no tight end because of Mikey, to name a few. We've been a joke for 19 years because of Mikey and his "mom and pop" way of running the Bengals. Fans like you, tony d just make Mike Brown and his family rich with nothing to show.

Mike Brown and his clan have to go if we want to CONSISTANTLY win. That's what this site is for. Keep up the good work WDR.

[Ho Chi Maier]

Tony D is a total dipshit.

This site exists because WDR isn't a bunch of morons who drink the Kool-aid. No matter how successful we are for the rest of this season (a NFL championship is a stretch) the inept Brown family is still making the "football decisions". WDR wants an organization and team that can be playoff caliber more than once or twice in twenty years. Its called sustained success, and its obviously something you don't give a shit about. As it stands now we are not a team/organization that can achieve that goal. WDR will cease to exist if that ever happens. I have no doubt in my mind that WDR, and the WDR Nation, would be ecstatic to throw in the towel and admit defeat when Mike Brown's direction leads to regular playoff berths. Tony D, you are part of the reason this team has sucked for 18 of the last 19 years. Please continue to learn nothing from history. The Bengals are 4-1, does this mean all our organizations problems are solved and the last 19 years forgotten? Your apparent answer is yes. YOU DEFINE THE FAIR-WEATHER FAN. Beating the Ravens and Steelers is something that should happen at least once every year, not once every few years. Drink up Tony D, and go give your wallet to Mikey Boy.

VIVA!

[MikeBrownPleaseDieSoon]

@Ho Chi Maier: can I have your autograph 'cause that's as well written a post this site has had.

[Factcorrecter]

Peter Roser, I think Whitworth, etc are tying to build the mindset that Zimmer talked about on Hard Knocks, that this team was made up of people no one else wanted but he was fine with that. A me against the world to prove them wrong attitude and it seems to be working better than the prima donna one of the past.

[Mockenrue]

Wyatt, you will never find me disagreeing with any claim that Hobson is, in fact, out of his mind/awful/a hack.

[Barry]

Overall, I think a good assessment of the pro's and con's - but I would add one con to the mix. While I agree with the comment regarding Leon Hall and the lack of his name being mentioned (because he is doing his job well) it was apparent that on the touchdown by Rice, Leon took the end of the play off. When it looked like Rice was going down, Leon was just standing there. That is why, from Pee Wee ball on, every coach will tell you to play out until you hear the whistle. That one play, where if Rice is tackled it is something like 3rd and 12, almost cost the Bengals the game. As I told my son, that is why you cannot afford to take even one play off, it could literally mean the difference between winning and losing a game. While Leon is having a great season, it just goes to show you that each and every play is vital, especially at this level - you can never let up for one second.

One thing that is very good to see, is this team playing like a true team. The O-line was giving Palmer so much time on so many of those pass plays; now that is a great thing to see. If you give any QB in this league that much time to throw, they will tear you apart - not to mention someone of Palmer's skills.

I am by no means drinking any Kool-Aid with regards to Mikey Boy or Katie - the coaches of this team are doing some great things with the group they have - getting them to believe in themselves and play like a unit. That has NOTHING to do with the ownership and everything to do with Lewis and his staff. I am still not a fan of Bart and some of his play calling (like 1st and goal with three straight throws with both Johnson and Benson back there) but I love the dedication to the run - that is a great thing to see.

[Mr. X]

Obviously, I agree with the comments about Brad St. Louis, but to be fair the jury is still out on whether Shayne Graham is underachieving. PATs and FGs absolutely rely on timing: the kicker has to get his full run at the ball in order to give it both full power and get his foot under it properly. If the snap is bad, it takes extra time for Huber to get it down, and then Graham has to stutter-step up to the ball, killing not only his rhythm but more importantly his momentum.
While I've never been a placekicker, I've played enough soccer to know firsthand that if you only get what amounts to a one-yard run up to a stationary ball, all you'll accomplish is either a short chip shot, or the kind of very low drive that has been plaguing Graham on all of these bad snaps.

[Ho Chi Maier]

Can we please only refer to Brad St. Louis as Brad St. Doofus moving forward. Also, Tony D should also be referred to as Tony D...ipshit.

Keep up the good work WDR.

VIVA!

[Artrell Hawkins]

I'm not sure how you are coming up with this Carson elbow stuff. Did you see the bullets he was slinging? He throws the ball harder and more accurately than anyone when he has time to throw. What else do you want? For the life of me I can't see any difference in pure physical ability and he will continue to get sharper each week on the mental and execution parts of the game. That throw over the top to Chris Henry, while rushed, on the run, across his body?

[P. Simonov]

I'm with Showtime - Carson's arm is not the same as it was pre-injury. Could as innocuous as rust and as malignant aslingering pain, but he is not as accurate as he was a couple of years ago. He has missed 8 or 10 open receivers the past two weeks and the picks are piling up a bit. That isn't to say that he still isn't a great QB buthe is obviously working his way back.

More importantly, on Leon Hall : He did not have a great game. Watch the replay on NFLN and you will see that he gets left repeatedly but gets more safety support from Ndukwe and Crocker than J Joe does. I've said it before and I'll say it again - He is nowhere near as good a corner as Darelle Revis, the corner picked before him in the draft and the one we should have gotten, since we had 10 picks to trade up and everyone in the football world knows Hall has sub-par speed and got beaten for big plays in college (and now the pros) like a drum. Play this drinking game tonight during MNF - take ashot everytime someone says "shutdown corner".