PWN3D!!!!11!

Quick hit thoughts before Don Draper hangs himself:

• Time to toot my own horn.  I said two weeks ago this defense wouldn't miss Antwan Odom nearly as much as many beleived.  Two games and 17 points later, it's looking like the defense is for real as long as these corners are healthy.  They were outstanding on Sunday against a Ravens team that scores 28 a game when they're not playing the Bengals.
• Time to make fun of myself.  I've said in the past that I thought something was still off with Carson.  That, very clearly, is not the case.  He was as good as he's ever been on Sunday.  The final stats weren't overwhelming, but he made some throws that about 4 guys in the league make.  Also, he put some balls in places where the receiver could make a catch and run (one over the middle to Just a Pro Futon comes to mind).  If he plays like this eight more times, the Bengals are contenders in every sense of the word.
• Hate to see that for Chris Henry, especially in a contract year.  Maybe we can get the Redeemer Discount this offseason now.
• It's now or never for Jerome Simpson.
• Maualuga still needs to get better in coverage.  He's a serious liability at this point and the elite teams in the AFC will find a way to take advantage of it. 
• This was a monster win in the AFC North picture.  Even with a loss next week, the Bengals would be 9-3 and 5-1 in the division if they take care of business against Oakland, Detroit, and Cleveland.  That's with the Steelers and Ravens meeting twice more.  If Pittsburgh were to lose either of those, the Bengals would own the AFC North tiebreaker. 
• Seriously, with 6 wins at this point and home games against the Lions, Browns, and Chiefs still out there, anything short of 10 wins is a massive failure. 
• If Kelley Washington is the future, I'm going to walk into oncoming traffic.
• For the 23rd consecutive year, the Bengals are a 0 in the return game.  It would be nice to feel like we've got somebody dangerous back there at some point.

Comments

[Nacho]

I found this amazing Brian Leonard product. I wanted to post it for everybody to see, but it doesn't look like i'm gonna be able to do it.

Check it out please, I know everybody will appreciate it

http://fotos.fotoflexer.com/eb714c9b23c74d72813d6ae381b0f70d.jpg

[Michael]

That picture is great!!!! Leonard is a beast.
WHO-DEY!!!!

[Kazdey]

Well I agree Rey needs get better in Coverage I still think Dhani is a weaker link...I love Dhani he's been one of my favorite non bengals since he played for the eagles but the guy is slower then a snail...I swear I think Pat Sims & Tank Johnson could beat him in a race.

[Kazdey]

Few more things I'd like to add

-We have the best Cornerback Tandem in the league...Trent also has looked great as a 6th round corner who is our main nickle guy

-Shout out for Foschi,I'm so glad Coats & his stone hands were benched...
-Katie n Crew are going have a busy offseason we need to resign\extend alot of players...Jjoe,Hall,Cook,Brandon Johnson & Mathis(should replace rey at SLB & rey to the middle in 2010)

[Chad]

Tremain Mack was only 10 years ago, perhaps for your error you should buy him a drink or something.

[Grundoleum Dynomite]

oddly enough i saw a Tremain Mack jersey while tailgating yesterday

[FeedMikeBrownToAquaBengal]

Whenever someone says Katie n Crew need to get busy I start wondering what other team the players like JJoe and Hall will eventually end up playing for. Like we'll be seeing Steinbach for the next six to eight years twice a year.

[FeedMikeBrownToAquaBengal]

The fact that Carson Palmer is apparently lobbying for Purify over Jerome Simpson says Mr Simpson is indeed a huge bust. So it's now or never for Purify I guess.
You know who played pretty good? Peko. This year so far has been his best work.

[BMN]

Now or never for Purify, I agree with Carson and FMBTAB.

[Jackswastedlife]

Yeah, I have to agree on Jones. I'd be interested in seeing how Johnson, Rivers and RayRay could do together. Given the folks we're playing (Oak, KC, Det, and Cle), maybe we'll see these guys as a unit at some point. I love DJones, but he is a liability against more elusive ball-carriers.

[Wyatt]

For those saying the Henry injury is going to be the downfall of this team, I'd point to the fact that he's sixth on the team in receiving, and as a deep threat he's been more of a decoy this year than anything else. Should either Purify or Simpson manage a couple of decent grabs (which Pope John Paul Futon II has proven can happen, no matter how stone-like your hands may be), that role of decoy is pretty effectively filled, and I don't think you'll see either 8-5 or Bubba's production drop.

Thankfully, though, we don't have to worry about Slim going and playing somewhere else because this injury will mean he's cheap enough to re-sign.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=546803806]

Great post and great win.

Is anyone else a little concerned at the number of carries Benson is getting?? He has 198, on pace for over 350. If (and should be when) this team makes the playoffs, he might be out of gas. He's never had more than 220 carries in a season.

Where is Bernard Scott? Why no more carries to the White God that is Leonard?

[FeedMikeBrownToAquaBengal]

A guy like Carson Palmer can make a guy like Purify.
Look at the years before Brady had Randy Moss.
Look at almost anyone on the Colts.

It's a shame about Simpson. HIRE SCOUTS!

[SM]

Wow, was Jerome Simpson a bust. I think this (and the Coffman pick) underscores the fact that the Bengals are winning DESPITE Mike Brown, NOT BECAUSE of him. Read that again, people: this winning streak has very little to do with Mike Brown. In fact, if he did his job and hired more scouts, we might have DeSean Jackson right now instead of Simpson, who might never see the field in his career.

Overall, I'm obviously happy as hell about this season. I think in the offseason, in addition to re-signing some key players, we should continue to go after D-lineman (can't have enough talent/depth here) and grab a TE. I think our O-line actually has some good depth now. I wonder what they will do with Andre Smith since Dennis Roland, at 6'9", looks pretty solid. Maybe Andre goes back to LT?

Also, I just wanted to call out Kyle Cook, who looks like the first real Center since Rich Braham. Tough guy, really getting it done.

[Nacho]

I will whole heartedly agree that taking Jerome Simpson in the 2nd round was a reach Stretch Armstrong probably couldn't have made. However, I am by no means ready to call the guy a bust. It's only his second year, and honestly, who would put him out there instead of Chad, Coles, Henry or Caldwell.

I know Caldwell was taken a round later, but he came from the NFL factory in Gainsville. Simpson was a project (albeit a reach for even for a project) and he still has plenty of time to make something of his career. He spent time this summer in California with Caldwell and Palmer, and could really surprise some people this year. Sometimes all a guy needs is a chance.

And SM, to bash the Coffman pick already is borderline ridiculous. I know he hasn't suited up yet, but the kid has also never had to block in his life. He was an All-American TE in college, his catching will wow us once he gets onto the field. You can't go from never blocking to trying to slow down NFL defenders, especially of the caliber in our own division. I'd go as far as to say that they've been holding him back so that he learn his NFL position a little better, and to bulk up a bit so the injuries he endured while in college won't happen as easily.

[Sam Stancheck]

I don't understand...what is wrong with Simpson...injuries, not bright enough to understand routes and play calls...WHAT IS IT!! Everyone says he is a bust, but why?

[Whodeyni]

Yeah, I'd at least like to see Simpson drop a few or run ugly routes or false start too much or something before we call him a bust. (No, I don't actually want him to do those things).

Who knows, maybe he is one of these guys that practices poorly but comes alive in games.