Bengals
get stripes back, prepare to surprise
NFL
Patrick
Hodgson
The
first two weeks of the NFL season have
been anything but prognosticative. We
have observed melodramatic stories that
the intellects over at Disney couldn’t
have scripted better, like the New Orleans
Saints emotional triumph in Week One.
And who can forget about the extraordinary down-to-the-wire games with the
Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins Monday night?
The biggest story of the
season, however, has been the emergence of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Quite frankly, I never thought I would be associating the term juggernaut with
a franchise that has not been to the postseason for 15 years and are infamously
known for their deplorable results, but these Bengals have definitely earned
their stripes.
Put me on record right now as saying the team formerly known as the Bungals
will make the playoffs this season. And I’m even going a step farther,
saying they will have at least three offensive players selected to the prestigious
Pro Bowl squad come February.
The Bengals’ newly found success comes down to four men at the top of
their game who are only looking forward: Head Coach Marvin Lewis, quarterback
Carson Palmer, wide receiver Rudi Johnson, and the sound bite waiting to happen,
running back Chad Johnson.
The men in orange will be successful this year because of the virtuous play
of quarterback Carson Palmer, who leads the league in passing with 617 yards
and is second in the league with five touchdowns thrown.
Palmer is no stranger to success; he earned a Hesiman trophy at the USC and
was a No. 1 overall pick. The quarterback with a cannon for an arm is only
in his second year and is more comfortable with the playbook than ever before,
which spells trouble for the opposition.
Palmer’s better half would be Chad Johnson, the guy he throws to. The
resilient receiver is coming off a career-best 95 receptions last season and
has already caught 17 passes this year, tied for the most in the league. Johnson
continues to enhance his performance each year and is easily one of the top
five receivers in the league.
If Lewis, Palmer and Johnson continue their efforts, the Bengals will be in
the position to dominate and hopefully do what the Cavs and the Indians could
not do—provide the benevolent citizens of Ohio tickets to a postseason
event.
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