Bengals won’t be pushovers

As much as I would like to think the Cincinnati Bengals would come to Green Bay next week and lay down, I just can’t see it happening. This is a dangerous game for the Packers. The Bengals are steaming mad after getting robbed at home last week by a fluke 87-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds left in a loss to Denver and Kyle Orton no less. The Packers scored a huge divisional win over the Bears but needed every ounce of energy to do so, they could be in for a letdown.

I watched much of the Bengals game against the Broncos and saw the game-winner live, it was a stunner. I was hoping like hell the Bengals would hang on, thinking I don’t want them pissed off coming to Lambeau next week. So much for that. The Bengals obviously didn’t set the world on fire by only scoring one touchdown, but I was fairly impressed with their defense. They completely shut down the Broncos for 59 and-a-half minutes and even the game winner was a fluke. I hope the Packers don’t think their offensive woes from week one will be automatically fixed because they are playing Cincinnati. The Bengals defense was the 12th ranked unit in the NFL last year. Not too shabby for a 4-12 team.

Carson Palmer looked very rusty but Chad Ochocinco looks rejuvenated and as he said today, is ready to take a Lambeau Leap against the Packers Sunday. Still, the Bengals could only put up a TD against the Broncos so I can’t really see them scoring much against the Packers highly spirited defense. Of course one thing is sure and that is the fact Palmer is not going to chuck it around like Jay Cutler did Sunday, the Packers will have to actually work for any interceptions they get against him.

Both teams will be looking to improve upon poor opening week offensive performances but could find the going tough once again this week. I think the Packers might indeed struggle a little again on offense but I’m thinking the pressure the Packers will bring on defense will stymie the Bengals. Palmer won’t throw the pick but can’t escape the sack either. This could be another low scoring affair at Lambeau, which is fine as long as the Packers come out on top. With the horrible St. Louis Rams on deck the Packers shouldn’t be looking ahead so I’m expecting a better performance all-around this week. My gut feeling is Packers 24, Bengals 10.

More to come…

(check me out on Twitter at packernetblog)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 at 10:04 pm and is filed under Al Davis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • jeremiah

    the packers should not sturggle against this team. palmer will be under pressure all day. if rouse and collins can keep henry and ochostinko in front of them we will be fine.

    ryan grant should have a good day. he had a good performance against the bears, and his stats would have been better if not for some wuestionable penalties. look for rodger to have 250 and 3 and for grant to top the 100 yrd mark.

    sorry, but the bengals are not going to do as well as our long time division rival whose head coach is hell bent on beating us did.

  • Jeff

    oH GET REAL ! The Broncos are not the Packers, they totally blow ! The Broncos may be the worst team in the AFC this year.
    The Bengals are awful and this will be an easy win for the Packers.
    You say the Bengals shut the Broncos down for 59 minutes? That is not hard to do , the Broncos have nothing. The Bengal offense scored only 6 points against one of the worst defenses in football. The Bengals are overmatched in this game in Lambeau.

  • Lew

    If the Packers are going to be as good as a lot of us think, then this game should not be very close

  • PackerPete

    If this Green Bay team does not come out with something to prove and absolutely light the Bengals up from the opening special teams play forward, it is seriously time to revise 2009 expectations for this team and to start planning the new administration.

    Waiting 5 years for a “plan” to kick in is as ’80s as big hair and parachute pants. The proven fact is that it doesn’t take that long IF you know what you are doing. Put up or shut up and losers should leave town. This game is not the whole season, I know, but it will serve as a referendum on whether or not this 2009 edition of the GBP is ready to COMPETE at a high level with proper pad level, good knee bend and if they “got that fixed”.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net Larry

    Wow, PackerPete, did your finger go through the paper again this morning? On 9/5 you were calling Swain a “complete disaster” yet he showed his alertness and value to the STs on one play. You preferred Sutton over Swain and Underwood but Sutton was judged by the coachs as too slow. Ditto with Smith who you favored over Rouse. I did notice that all your disapproving roster moves were backups, but since you were “not done yet, but this is enough for now” did leave the door open. I gather you’re OK w/ what the team has done with the starters. (?)

    On 8/30 you stated that the team was in “mid season form” and you were “impressed by our new OL”. Did someone hijack your log-on?

    I realize that every ’09 win is a kick in the head to the get the Troika crowd, but that was a well earned victory Sunday whether we like how we got there or not.

    Its a pretty safe bet that we’ll lose a few ball games this year and at the end of the year Div champs or not there will be those who call for some heads. Sobeit!

  • Reid

    I predicted 31-13 last week. I was wrong, our O-line was not anywhere near good enough to put up 31 points last week. So, I’m predicting 31-13 again this week. O-coordinator called out the offense this week with some pretty strong words. I say we respond to the challenge and take a step forward with a better effort.

  • jackson

    NEWS FLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No NFL team or game is a “pushover”. That is why they play the game. Remember last year when the Packers tried to lose against the 0-16 lions?

  • Pack4life

    Reid Crosby hits that FG and thats 24 pts., Only a TD off. Cincy has to play an entirely new style of defense vs the Pack. Vs Denver there was no threat of the long ball. They could afford to keep SS Roy Williams in the box. Let them do that Sunday.

  • Ell

    Yeah even the seemingly invulnerable ’07 Patriots nearly lost their last several games. They had some huge blowouts early and then nearly lost to a very pathetic Ravens team (actually they would have if it wasn’t for that stupid assistant coach’s stupid timeout call), looked like crap against Buffalo, and then proceeded to nearly give up a win to the Giants before getting beat in the Superbowl.

    The difference between “awesome” and “crap” in the NFL is maybe 10-15 big plays over the course of a season. The 2008 Packers team is a VERY good example of that.

  • Jack in Columbus

    The Bengals will prove to be a formidable opponent. I looke for the Packers to win 24-14. But it really could go either way. The Packers often do not play well the week after they scrap withthe Bears. It takes a LOT out of them physically and emotionally.

  • PackerPete

    I still feel that swain is a waste of a roster spot. His value as a receiver is nil and his alert ST play could have been made by any one of 30 guys on the roster if they were assigned to that role on ST. The fact he wasnt behind the Pack line looking for a fake is Slocums fault for his call on alignment on the play.

    Due to his latest injury I cannot vent completely on Bigby, but his role on this team is very hazy. I just do not see much value in a guy that is pedestrian in coverage, out of alignment in run support, out of control in the secondary and out of the lineup with injury more than he is in. How did this guy go from street FA to untouchable? I am a UCF alum and I still cannot defend Bigbys roster spot. Smith sure looked the part in the game action I saw him in, or at least bring in some competition instead of annointing a street FA like AB a guaranteed roster spot.

    Yeah, the team did look like mid-season form early. I guess that since we are once again the youngest team in the nfl that stage fright is inevitable. when it counts it is a little tougher mentally and it sure did show. Like I said in my post above, I believe this team is awesome, but they will need to begin to mold the proper mindset this week or they risk falling into bad mental habits (excuses, “getting that fixed”, “pad level” and all the other bullspit coach-speak spouted by McCarthy every presser).

    I am not a head-chopper for the sake of some agenda driven angst. I simply will not accept less than what a person or team is capable of and we saw what this team can do. I expect to see that kind of performance build over the first few weeks and become habit for this group of GBP players.

    You cannot fire an entire roster, nor should one attempt to, a perfect example is the group of players on the GBP defense. Much maligned last season, however when a new staff who put round and square pegs in the right holes and brought some concept to the team aspect were brought on board the same group of players suddenly seems like a completely different group.

    I expect to see that same type of imjprtovement continue and the improvement of the offense and ST to align with upward performance. If not, the culprits should be held accountable be they players or mgt.

  • PackerPete

    BTW, my fingers smell like rose petals…

  • Jeff

    Jack.
    This game can not and will not go either way , the Packers do not lose to bad AFC teams at home.
    The Bungals are 0-4 lifetime in Lambeau and Marvin Lewis has never won in Lambeau,
    He is 0-2 in Lambeau with losses in 1998 an 2001 with some outstanding Raven defenses , he will not come close wo winning in Lambeau with this Bungal team.

  • brutus

    @ PackerPete

    ” His value as a receiver is nil ” ( ref Swain ) — How can you possibly know this? Inside information?

    ” his alert ST play could have been made by any one of 30 guys on the roster…” —Again, how do you know this? Crystal Ball?

    ” Put up or shut up and losers should leave town. ”
    GB is 1-0 & you’re threatening to run management & the players out of town.

    You are either ill informed on team sports (especially the NFL) or you’re a complete idiot. I have a feeling it’s both.

  • brutus

    ” The Packers often do not play well the week after they scrap with the Bears. It takes a LOT out of them physically and emotionally. ”

    The Packers are 9-3 in the last 7 seasons in games following DA BEAR game. Two seasons ended with the Bear-Packer game. —– Some of the games were blow-outs.
    (28-10, 35-13, 38-21, 34-13, 31-21)

    The statement above is what the media wants fans to think only. It adds to the drama. — However, it simply is not the truth.

  • iccyfan

    Speaking of things the “media wants fans to think”, I hate the “At Last, Rodgers delivers in Clutch” article on the main page. They continue to perpetuate the myth that Aaron Rodgers was responsible for the Packers being 0-7 in games decided by seven points or less last season. News flash, the Saints lost six games by five points or less last season (five by three or less)! Was Drew Brees responsible for that? Are sportswriters blaming Drew Brees for their 8-8 record and lack of a playoff appearance?

  • brutus

    The Packers went 4-12 in 2005. — They lost 8 games by 7 points or less.

    No one in the media (to my recollection) placed any blame on Brent Faver for not winning the close ones.

    The media has double-standards & very short memories.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Brutus, they didn’t just blame #4 for the close losses they blamed him for every loss. He was washed up, no good, a shell of his former self. Look at all the picks he threw. No one ever said his O-line was bad or his team had injuries, it was all on him. Maybe you weren’t here. Maybe you don’t remember.

  • http://www.packernet.com admin

    All I remember about 2005 is 29 interceptions. That is the main reason for 4-12.

  • iccyfan

    Let the record show that I “did not go there”. I cited a contemporary example (Saints – Brees) to illustrate my disdain for the continued focus on Rodgers and the Packer 2008 W/L record amongst certain fans and media members. I am not responsible for the current thread tangent…

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net Larry

    You all are correct, in that your slants all contain truths from a different angle. Here is another one. Favre was extremely careless, which led to the “over the hill” evaluations. He let the injury to Green change his total mind set on team play and Sherman let him get away with it and caused his (Shermans) demise. Half of that team is still playing (if not here). Hell, they even had book-end tackles something AR does not have right now. I will admit that that year was the year I started looking for a new QB; not because of his arm, but rather his head.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Larry, TT already had another QB. And, if #12 hadn’t been so disappointing in his first two preseasons #4 would have been replaced. There wouldn’t have been any controversy at that point. Al and others would have been happy to send #4 to the Vikes. Everyone would have been much better off.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net Larry

    Interesting, Mark, I wonder. Any truth to the rumor that Jolly is going to replace Bigby this week-end?

  • iccyfan

    I can’t believe I’m getting sucked into this, but Mark’s continued painting of #4 as a victim puts me on edge! We’ll never know because TT would never speak to the subject, but this fan’s perception (then & now) was that #4 basically forced TT into drafting AR with his annual off-season talk of retirement! You of course believe TT was plotting to replace #4 from the second he arrived, but most logical reasoning proponents believe otherwise…

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Meantime in the land of the living I went a little overboard. I should have simply responded to Brutus that #4 had a long record of winning at the end of games starting with his first game as a Packer and #12 hadn’t. I always thought that criticism of #12 was ridiculous since MM took the ball out of his hands at the end of games last year and our defenses at the end of those games was horrible(not to mention missed field goals).

  • CheesyD

    Bengals are improving and I think it’ll be closer than some think, but the Packers have no business losing this one.

    Packers 27, Bengals 19

    2-0 after Sunday.

    #4 is a Viking. F’ him.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net Larry

    Geez, 50 yd TD off play fake and Vasher and Payne hit the bench, wow. Barbre better study that film. From what I’ve heard the reason he is still in there is that the corrections are technical and angle rather than athleticism, strength, or speed.

  • packer_bob

    I said 35-17 last week, so I figure I was a week early and will go 35-17 this week.

    Not getting sucked into the Favre bullshit anymore.

    I agree with whoever said if we’re any good, this game should not be close. I also concur with the sentiment that after 5 years of building a line, we should have one by now.

  • roy jamison

    Brutus nice post. If they can lose those games by 8 points or less, it stands to reason they could win one by 8.
    Danny Sheridan has it by 9, I think most think it’ll be over but that’s how Vegas wins and wins big. Let’s make it 27-19.

  • Devil’s Advocate…

    I just hope the refs can do better than the CRAP!!!!! they left on film last week. I couldn’t believe they didn’t see Kampman dragged down by his facemask early on and then Urlacher’s cheap and late hit of AR…….. The two holding penalties were questionable at best, each negated good plays and one if not both were away from the play and had nothing to do with the outcome……. Never did show the offsides replay on Clifton and the illegal contacts other than the last one. That one was so pathetic it bordered disgusting!!!!! Like getting a ticket for driving 56 in a 55 MPH speed limit except in this case he got the ticket even though he was going 54. That ref fucked four things up………. I’m thinking it was 3rd and 22 on the play, so you can’t give a ticky tacky on those. He missed the illegal formation of the Bears (probably too busy looking if Harris was a foot over the 5 yard spot). And it wasn’t even a penalty to begin with………. And if that isn’t sad enough, it had, once again…… NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PLAY!!!! The guy must have been straight out of Chicago.

  • Devil’s Advocate…

    Interesting, that “some of the guys” that harp about every little pathetic thing……. woulda, coulda, shoulda……….blah, blah, blah……….. failed to make but a token reference about the officiating. You all moan and groan about being accountable, but yet, no spew about that incredably horrible call that almost lost the Pack the game. You guys can piss and moan for paragraphs over a fumble that a Packer player should have recovered, etc. etc. etc. but almost nothing about this. Then again, some of those same guys seem to hold the Pack, TT, & MM to higher standards than, I’m sure, they live by.

  • brutus

    I don’t like predicting scores this early in the season. It’s too hard to tell which teams are better or worse until a few games are played. Going into a game against anyone I want to see GB dominate. If the game is close at half or GB looks ‘out of sync’ all I want is a V. I really don’t care if it’s by a point or 20 points. Who remembers scores from this early in the season, anyway? — This is just an extension of preseason for the most part.

    A real game of interest, IMO, is Minn. at Det.—- Statistically, the Lions are due. I believe the Vikes will take them lightly & if the Lions can win the TO battle, they may very well upset the Vikes. — Another point, if the Vikes don’t protect Faver any better than they did last week, he may very well have to be helped off the field at some point. Last week he was slow & indecisive when pressure was put on him. He can’t take the hits anymore. Minn. OL is not good.

  • packer_bob

    Good point, DA. The officiating was horrible and I was getting a strong “The fix is in” kinda vibe, and I usually don’t think like that. I just basically trust that the officials are doing the best job they can and mistakes are going to happen, but a couple of those phantom calls in the last game had me scratching my head. I’m not normally a conspiracy theorist, but that one NBA ref with a gambling problem that just HAPPENED to be officiating that game 7 of Kings vs. Lakers a few years back opened my eyes to at least the potential of malfeasance.

    The reason I suspect that this isn’t discussed more by folks on the board is relatively simple. WTF is anybody supposed to do about it? I’m well aware that my complaints about TT, or MM, don’t have a damn thing to do with how things actually work out. But, they are responsible for their decisions and I think it’s fair to point it out. Pointing out ref failures, like the blown call back in 1998 in that wild card game in Frisco where Jerry Rice clearly fumbled the ball, game over style, is like farting in a tornado. WTF are you going to do about a blown call? That’s just the way it goes some times.

    I thought the Raiders got the bone Monday night when the receiver, I thought, clearly had caught a TD pass but on further review, he didn’t for some indeciperable reason. History is always writtne byt the victorious, and the details get papered over later.

    My understanding is that the league has a policy whereby they talk to and grade the officials based on how right they got it, though I don’t claim to have an understanding of the process personally. Plus they tweak the rules almost every year. No more wedge blocking on special teams? Now even if your’re blocked into the QB, it doesn’t matter, it’s a penalty?
    It makes the head dizzy to try get your senses around what is or is not legal anymore at the start of each and every season.

    I understand that in general they are trying to protect offensive superstars, but this game is getting WAY to complicated, imo. They keep this up (and by them I mean the league) and try to make this a “You have to NFL network or you can’t see the games” and I will abandon the fandom. I’ll become a NASCAR rube (and gladly lose some of my teeth just to fit in) before I submit to the corruption of what is, imo, the best team sport out there.

  • packer_bob

    Bold talk from a one eyed fat man, Brutus. You wanna put something on it?

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net Larry

    OK, don’t have to face Manning or Hester. Benson not Forte. Gathers a bull rusher and Barbre strong enough to hold him back. Kampman goes big over Collins.

    CIN had their gut torn out at the end by DEN and now they’re on the road.

    Yeah, CIN is real familiar w/ the PIT 3-4, which heavily protects against the run, but we blitz a hell of a lot more and I think we’re quicker. Carson has to get rid of the ball real fast against us and Ocho can’t get away from Harris.

    Got your back on this one, Brutus, big time!

  • packer_bob

    I was talking about his pick of the Lions over the Vikes. Already said the Pack are going to bring it today and whack Cincy with the quickness, 35-17 style.

    But anybody that wants to go with the Lions deserves a check up from the neck up, just wanted to see if he was all tall hat and no cattle. It’s easy to type shit on the internets, backin it up with the $ bills comes a little tougher for some.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net Larry

    Got your back on this one, p_b, big time!

  • iccyfan

    Quote from the “Deep Thinker” article on the main page:

    “The Packers’ number of long completions the past two years dwarfs the amount they gained under Mike Holmgren during the 1990s. Even as the Packers were building a powerhouse under Holmgren and Favre, the most passes of 40 or more yards they completed in a season was 11, which occurred during their Super Bowl-winning season of 1996. Some years they had as few as five completions of 40 or more yards, although in the final three years of Holmgren’s tenure they averaged 9½. McCarthy’s advantage is having a quarterback with the touch Rodgers has on his deep ball. Favre was never a great deep thrower, but he got better as the years wore on, and completed 17 to lead the league in 2007. By most accounts, Rodgers throws a more catchable deep ball than Favre. He knows when to put air under it and when to drive it down the field.”

    Since this is still an on-going debate, I wanted to make certain Matt Hayton, Packer-Bob and various others saw these statistics & informed opinions….

  • brutus

    ” Since this is still an on-going debate, I wanted to make certain Matt Hayton, Packer-Bob and various others saw these statistics & informed opinions…. ”

    On going debate ?? Hardly. Even the novice fan can see that Rodgers throws a good-looking deep pass. Even in Faver’s hay-day, everytime he threw a deep pass it became cross your fingers time. Alot of Faver’s deep passes were the equivalent of a punt and they looked like it also. I still remember the pass/punt in the 4&26 game in 2003. — Has that one come down yet ??

    Lions 27 — Vikings 24

  • packer_bob

    So you do want to put something on it? It’s pretty simple question.

  • packer_bob

    “Even the novice fan can see that Rodgers throws a good-looking deep pass. ”

    Like against the Bears, where he missed at least two TD’s from the underthrows/overthrows?
    This isn’t a contest, and I hope he does well. He wasn’t exactly on the top of his game against the Bears.

    Just so you know: SB victories, Faver has one, and Rodgers hasn’t even played the playoffs yet. It’s like the Lotto, you gotta be in it to win it. When Rodgers gets us that far, even one time, THEN you could put him and Faver in the same sentence with some justice.

    Until then, it’s just mental masturbation, imo.