WEEKLY NEWS RELEASE aug. 2, 2013 CINCINNATI BENGALS (0-0) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (0-0)

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1 Cincinnati Bengals One Paul Brown Stadium Cincinnati, Ohio (513) administrative offices (513) administrative fax (513) 621-TDTD (8383) ticket office WEEKLY NEWS RELEASE aug. 2, 2013 CINCINNATI BENGALS (0-0) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (0-0) Kickoff: 8 p.m. Eastern. Television: ESPN national TV broadcast with Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Jon Gruden (analyst) and Lisa Salters (sideline reporter). In Cincinnati, the live ESPN broadcast also will be aired simultaneously on WLWT-TV (Channel 5). Radio: Coverage on the Bengals Radio Network, led by a triple-cast on Cincinnati flagship stations WLW-AM (700), WCKY-AM (ESPN 1530; all sports) and WEBN-FM (102.7). Broadcasters are Dan Hoard (play-by-play) and Dave Lapham (analyst). Setting the scene: The Bengals preseason opener at Atlanta this week falls exactly one month before the regular-season kickoff at Chicago. It will be a month of constant hard work and considerable anticipation. Head coach Marvin Lewis enters his 11th season with a young team that has proven much but still has much to prove. Outside expectations were at a low ebb two years ago, the team widely forecast to lose 10 or more games, yet the Bengals made the playoffs in 2011 and made it again last year. But after two first-round playoff losses, both at Houston, there s an urgency to go further. This week s preseason opener, on national television at the home of a top NFC contender, will serve as a recital of sorts after roughly three months worth of offseason work. Now we re at the point where we re going to play real football. said Lewis. We re going to have to create turnovers, we re going to have to stop people on third down and we re going to have to tackle. On offense we ve got to convert the key opportunities. We can all run around and hoot and holler and feel good about ourselves, but this week, and then again in September, there are new levels when the pedal hits the metal. On paper, the Bengals have every reason to believe they re still on an upward trajectory. Last year s sixth-ranked NFL defense, with a club-record 51 sacks, has virtually all its key personnel back, plus intriguing additions including five-time Pro Bowl LB James Harrison. The offense, good enough last year to get 10 wins but not highly ranked, has new options to explore. Two highly drafted rookies, multi-threat HB Giovani Bernard and pass-magnet TE Tyler Eifert, join a returning group that includes three Pro Bowlers (WR A.J. Green, TE Jermaine Gresham and OT Andrew Whitworth). Punter Kevin Huber comes off a clubrecord season for gross and net averages, and K Mike Nugent has been consistent while playing the last three of his eight NFL seasons as a Bengal. The most scrutinized player, to no one s surprise, is third-year QB Andy Dalton. A Pro Bowler as a rookie, Dalton didn t get back to the all-star game last year but had better numbers than in 2011 in all key passing categories. Like the team as a whole the last two years, Dalton has far exceeded many expectations. But he was not a high-pedigree draft pick out of TCU second round, 35th overall. So, because a quarterback is ultimately judged by the team s overall success, more so than any other position, skeptics remain as to whether Dalton can improve his pundit rating from very good to elite. Lewis says, The pressure of expectations is not all on Andy. It s on the other 10 guys on offense to step up and support him, and it s on us as coaches to do a better job. But teammates are calling the Bengals Andy s team, and Dalton doesn t shy from it. That s how it should be. It should be the quarterback s team, Dalton says. The quarterback is the leader of the team and the quarterback is the one that has the ball in his hands every single play. You have to make sure that the other GAME NOTES 1 PRESEASON GAME 1 THURSDAY, AUG. 8 AT GEORGIA DOME NEXT WEEK: PRESEASON GAME 2 AUG. 17 VS. TENNESSEE guys around you trust you enough to say stuff like that. I think I ve done enough around here for A.J. (Green) to say that it is my team and for other guys to say that. It s great to hear that trust, and that s how I feel. A quarterback has to take control. Not just offensively, but in the locker room, getting to know guys and hanging out with guys. All of that is going to make you a better team. The early portion of this week s game will offer a cameo of the Bengals firstteamers against those of the Falcons, who reached the NFC Championship game last year after an NFC-best 13-3 regular-season record. The rest of the game will belong to players trying to move up to starting spots or just claim a foothold on the roster. Positions where preseason competition for front-line jobs is expected include: Center: Kyle Cook entered last season with a streak of 50 consecutive starts, but he missed most of the year due to an ankle injury. During that time, rookie Trevor Robinson stepped up to present himself as a potential No. 1. Strong safety: The starting spot alongside FS Reggie Nelson seems up for grabs. Second-year pro George Iloka is to open the Atlanta game in the No. 1 spot, but also to be heard from are fourth-year pros Taylor Mays and Jeromy Miles, and rookie third-round draft choice Shawn Williams. Wide receiver: The competition to start in the base offense alongside A.J. Green is led by second-year pros Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones, both of whom had promising rookie years. Andrew Hawkins was second among the WRs in catches and yards last season, but Hawkins is in a bit of his own category as the slot receiver. The series: The Falcons lead 8-3 in preseason play, but the Bengals hold a 7-5 edge in regular-season action. Cincinnati s preseason win at Atlanta last season snapped a sevengame Falcons win streak in preseason play. The Bengals are now 2-6 in preseason meetings at Atlanta. The Bengals once held a 7-2 edge over Atlanta in regular-season games, but the Falcons have won the last three meetings. The Bengals and Falcons won t meet again in 2013 unless it happens in Super Bowl XLVIII in New York. A national tradition, sort of: Let s face it. Atlanta and Cincinnati are not New York and Los Angeles in terms of TV market power. But this week s game is the third straight Bengals-Falcons preseason meeting to be selected for national network coverage. All three have been at the Georgia Dome. ESPN is doing this week s game, FOX did last year s preseason clash, and a 2007 meeting was on ESPN. The teams could take the trivia note to another level if this week s final score is That somewhat unusual tally was the result in both 2007 and 2012, the Falcons winning the first time and the Bengals the second. The Bengals and Falcons have played each other in national prime time twice in the regular season, Atlanta winning both of those contests. The games were in Cincinnati in 1990 and Atlanta in The Georgia connection: Seven Bengals DT Geno Atkins, G Clint Boling, TE Orson Charles, DE Robert Geathers, WR A.J. Green, OT Dennis Roland and S Shawn Williams played at the University of Georgia. All seven are players with a good-or-better chance of making the 53-player roster for the regular season, and if they do, it s believed they ll establish a Bengals franchisehigh for most players on the roster at one time from one school. Six of the above seven were on the Bengals roster last season all but current rookie Shawn Williams and quite notably, all six played in all 16

2 (The Georgia connection, continued) games plus the Wild Card playoff. Asked about the team s Georgia connection, head coach Marvin Lewis said: I would just say that the coaching staff there, under Coach Mark Richt, has done a great job teaching their guys to play aggressive, attacking football. Whether it be offense or defense, they re all no-nonsense guys. So we really like their work ethic, how they handle and carry themselves as people, and that says a lot about the program. I think you guys (media) would agree that they re personable players. They re always approachable, they ve been trained the right way, and the Georgia people just do a great job of that. It was good to get another Bulldog in the draft, with Shawn Williams, and we have a good group of Bulldogs here, so he has been able to become comfortable right away with guys he knows and has played with. Georgia s pipeline to the Bengals has been a relatively recent connection. On the Bengals Alumni List, Georgia ranks only tied for ninth among schools in most players to have made the Cincinnati all-time roster. The Bulldog total is 13. The runaway leader for producing Bengals is Ohio State, at 26 entering this season. The University of Florida is second at 18, and third place at 16 is shared by the University of Cincinnati, Michigan and West Virginia. Only two of the seven current Bengal Bulldogs are natives of the state of Georgia. Clint Boling is from Alpharetta, and Shawn Williams is from Damascus. More Bengals-Falcons connections: Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis and Falcons head coach Mike Smith were both on the Baltimore Ravens staff from Also, Smith coached at Morehead State (Ky.) in Bengals DE Michael Johnson played at Georgia Tech... Bengals CB Adam Jones is from Atlanta (Westlake HS)... Bengals CB Chris Lewis-Harris is from Smyrna, Ga.... Bengals DT Brandon Thompson is from Thomasville, Ga.... Bengals LB Bruce Taylor is from Riceboro, Ga.... Mike Zimmer, Bengals defensive coordinator, and Hue Jackson, Bengals special assistant to head coach/running backs coach, both were on the Falcons coaching staff in Falcons TE Chase Coffman was a third-round Bengals draft choice in 2009 and was with the Bengals from Falcons WR Harry Douglas played at Louisville... Falcons DT Corey Peters played at Kentucky and is from Louisville... Falcons G Phillipkeith Manley played at the University of Toledo and is from Hamilton, Ohio (Hamilton HS)... Falcons DT Adam Replogle is from Centerville, Oh. (Centerville HS)... Falcons DT Neal Huynh played at Ohio University... Marvin Lewis in 2013 extends his Bengals record for head coaching tenure to 11 seasons. He has led the team to the postseason in three of the last four seasons, making the Bengals one of only seven teams to make three or more playoff trips in that span. Lewis opens 2013 with 79 career victories, 15 more than any other Bengals head coach. (Sam Wyche ranks second at 64). The Bengals went 10-6 in the regular season in 2012, tying eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore for best record in the AFC North. Cincinnati was a Wild Card playoff entry for the second straight year, rocketing into the playoffs with a 7-1 record in the season s second half. The resilient outfit stands as one of only nine of 131 teams since 1990 to rise to the playoffs after a 3-5 start. Lewis was the consensus choice as NFL Coach of the Year in 2009, when the Bengals won the AFC North title while sweeping all six division games. Lewis also led Cincinnati to an AFC North title in Lewis record is , including postseason. Lewis record in preseason games is Lewis has risen to second in the NFL for longest current head coaching tenure with one team, trailing only New England s Bill Belichick, who is in his 14th Patriots season in In the category of most seasons as head coach with any team, Lewis in 2013 ranks seventh among active coaches. Lewis was named the ninth head coach in Bengals history on Jan. 14, In 2002, he directed the NFL s fifth-ranked defense with Washington, serving as assistant head coach in addition to his role as defensive coordinator. Prior to his year with the Redskins, he was a record-setting defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. His six seasons ( ) with the Ravens included a Super Bowl victory following the 2000 season. In the 2000 regular season, Lewis Baltimore defense set the NFL record for fewest points allowed in a 16- game campaign (165), and the 2000 Ravens are always included in discussions of the best single-season NFL defenses of all time. Lewis entered the NFL as linebackers coach with Pittsburgh from , THE HEAD COACHES Falcons assistant offensive line coach Paul Dunn coached at the University of Cincinnati from and at Kentucky from BENGALS-FALCONS 2012 NFL RANKINGS BENGALS FALCONS SCORING (AVG. POINTS): Points scored... 12th (24.4) 7th (26.2) Points allowed... 8th (20.0) 5th (18.7) NET OFFENSE (AVG. YARDS): Total... 22nd (332.7) 8th (369.1) Rushing... 18th (109.1) 29th (87.3) Passing... 17th (223.6) 6th (281.8) NET DEFENSE (AVG. YARDS): Total... 6th (319.7) 24th (365.6) Rushing... 12th (107.2) 21st (123.2) Passing... 7th (212.5) 23rd (242.4) TURNOVERS: Differential... 11th (plus-4) T-5th (plus-13) BENGALS 2012 RED-ZONE REPORT OFFENSE DEFENSE Inside-20 poss.: 57 Inside-20 poss.: 41 Total scores: 50 (87.7%) Total scores: 35 (85.4%) TDs: 31 (54.4%) TDs: 21 (51.2%) FGs: 19 (33.3%) FGs: 14 (34.1%) TD% rank: 16th TD% rank: T-10th No scores: 7 (12.3%) No scores: 6 (14.6%) FALCONS 2012 RED-ZONE REPORT OFFENSE DEFENSE Inside-20 poss.: 63 Inside-20 poss.: 42 Total scores: 57 (90.5%) Total scores: 34 (81.0%) TDs: 37 (58.7%) TDs: 19 (45.2%) FGs: 20 (31.7%) FGs: 15 (35.8%) TD% rank: 8th TD% rank: 5th No scores: 6 (9.5%) No scores: 8 (19.0%) guiding the careers of Pro Bowl selections Kevin Greene, Chad Brown, Levon Kirkland and Greg Lloyd. Born Sept. 23, 1958, in McDonald, Pa., near Pittsburgh, Lewis played linebacker at Idaho State and earned All-Big Sky Conference honors in each of his three seasons ( 78-80). He began his coaching career as an assistant at Idaho State University in Mike Smith is in his sixth season as Falcons head coach. He has compiled a regular-season record with three playoff appearances, and for the first time in franchise history, four consecutive winning seasons. His teams have not finished below second place in the NFC South. Smith s club posted the NFC s top record, at 13-3, in both 2010 and Last year s team reached the NFC Championship. He was named NFL Coach of the Year by the Associated Press and The Sporting News in his opening season of 2008, when the team went 11-5 for a Wild Card berth. From , Smith was defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He entered the NFL in 1999 on the Baltimore Ravens staff, helped the Ravens win the Super Bowl in 2000, and left Baltimore after the 02 season. Prior to joining the NFL, Smith coached in college at San Diego State, Morehead State and Tennessee. Smith was born in Chicago but calls Daytona Beach, Fla. his hometown. He played LB at East Tennessee State from and played in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 82. Lewis vs. Falcons: Falcons lead 2-1 in preseason and 2-0 in regular season. Lewis vs. Smith: Lewis leads 1-0 in preseason; Smith leads 1-0 in regular season. Smith vs. Bengals: Same as Smith vs. Lewis. 2

3 Radar in the red zone: In two seasons with the Bengals, QB Andy Dalton has thrown for 35 touchdowns with no interceptions on plays with snaps inside the red zone (inside opponent s 20-yard line). That s the most TD passes without throwing an INT among active quarterbacks. That s a great performance, says head coach Marvin Lewis, but it s the kind of performance we ve come to expect from Andy. He s not only a fine talent, but a smart player who is not going to hurt you with the big mistake. We ve got a lot of confidence in Andy when we get the ball into scoring range, and that statistic bears that out. Dalton has nearly twice as many red-zone TD passes without an INT as any other active QB. Tied for second in this category are Russell Wilson of Seattle (18-0) and Seneca Wallace of New Orleans (18-0). The Bengals don t expect Dalton to go his entire career without getting picked in the red zone, of course, and two of the NFL s established elite QBs have career marks worthy of shooting for. Among active players besides Dalton, Wilson and Wallace, the best ratios of TD passes to INTs are held by Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay (36.3-to-1) and Tom Brady of New England (21.0-to-1). Rodgers has thrown for 109 red-zone TDs with three INTs, and Brady has thrown for 231 scores with 11 INTs. Third time would be a rare charm: If Andy Dalton can lead the Bengals back to the playoffs in 2013, he ll become only the fifth starting QB in NFL history to reach the playoffs in each of his first three seasons. To date, the only starting QBs to achieve the feat have been Pat Haden of the Rams ( ), Dan Marino of the Dolphins ( ), Bernie Kosar of the Browns ( ) and Joe Flacco of the Ravens ( ). In Haden s case, the three seasons were not his first three seasons as a pro, because he played in the World Football League prior to joining the Rams. More on Dalton and history: While shooting to become only the fifth starting QB to take his club to the playoffs in his first three seasons (see previous item), Andy Dalton already has some brushes with history on record: In 2011, he became the first NFL rookie QB to start as many as eight wins and throw for 20 or more TDs (started nine wins and had 20 TDs.) Also in 2011, he became the first rookie QB not drafted in the first round to start every game in a 16-game season. He is one of just three QBs to throw 43 or more TD passes in his first two seasons. The No. 1 spot is held by Hall of Famer Dan Marino (68). No. 2 is future Hall of Fame Peyton Manning (52), and Dalton is third (47). In fourth place behind Dalton is Jeff Garcia at 42. Playing it safe with A.J.: WR A.J. Green has an unofficial early listing of questionable for the Atlanta game, due to a knee bruise he suffered while diving for a deep ball in the first training camp practice, on July 25. But he probably wasn t going to play much in the first preseason game anyway, said head coach Marvin Lewis. He ll be fine, hopefully very quickly. But we ll take our time with it and let him get right. We know what he can do, and we want to make sure he s doing it on Sept. 8 (regular-season opener at Chicago). Green has been an instant standout since being selected No. 4 overall by the Bengals in the 2011 draft, and he enters his third season ranked unquestionably among the NFL s elite wideouts. His list of accomplishments to date include: His 162 career receptions are second-most in NFL history for a player in his first two seasons. Only Marques Colston of New Orleans caught more (168). Green s 2407 receiving yards rank sixth among NFL players in their first two seasons. In his first 20 games, running through Game 5 of last season, Green became the only player in NFL history to reach the triple benchmark of 100 receptions (he had 101), 1500 yards (he had 1550) and 10 TDs (he had 11). Green had a streak last season of nine straight games with at least one TD, a Bengals record for within one season and only the second nine-game single-season NFL streak in 48 years. The only other instance since 1964 was a league-record 12-gamer by Hall of Famer Jerry Rice in Best Bengals D-line ever? The nickname Fearsome Foursome has long ago been taken, but pundits may be challenged to find another moniker if Cincinnati s 2013 defensive line fulfills its potential. Last year s line was arguably among the strongest in franchise history contributing 43 of a team-record 51 sacks and helping the defense rank sixth in fewest yards allowed. This season, DT Pat Sims is the only significant 2012 line BENGALS NOTES 3 member not returning, and the group should have a shot at establishing itself as the best ever for Cincinnati. Start with fourth-year DT Geno Atkins, who has wildly exceeded the outside expectations he brought as a 2010 fourth-round draft choice. He was first-team Associated Press All-Pro in 2012, his 12.5 sacks leading all NFL interior linemen by a margin of 4.5. And he s far more than just a sacks guy. Alongside Atkins, in the NT spot, is veteran leader Domata Peko, the line s leading tackler four times in five seasons. At DE, ever-improving Michael Johnson (6-7, 270) and Carlos Dunlap (6-6, 280) present as imposing a young pair as the NFL has to offer. Johnson, just entering his fifth season, had 11.5 sacks last season. Dunlap, entering year four, needs a fully healthy year to unleash all his potential. He s missed chunks of time over his first three seasons. But he clearly has the ability to exceed his sacks average of 6.7 per campaign, and on July 16 the Bengals stamped him with a big seal of approval a five-year contract extension through In addition to 6.0 sacks last season, Dunlap led the team in fumbles forced/recovered, with seven. Without pegging a specific year, the best Bengals starting line group before this one was likely the one whose heyday was roughly 1979 through the early 80s, with Eddie Edwards, Ross Browner and Gary Burley manning the DE spots and Wilson Whitley holding down the NT. (For most of those years, the line had just three players on the field at the time, in a 3-4 scheme). The 1976 line was also formidable, with DE Coy Bacon logging a club-record 22.0 sacks, massive Bob Brown teaming with Ron Carpenter inside, and Burley at the other end. I ll leave the comparisons to the media, says Bengals defensive line coach Jay Hayes, but we liked what our group did last year and we ve got only the highest expectations for them this year. It s up to us as coaches to get the most out of them. There s a lot there to get. More on the D-line: The previous item on the potential of the 2013 defensive line covers on the four biggest names. But there is also plenty of talent in reserve, and all players are likely to see action in the line rotation. At DE, 10th-year Bengal Robert Geathers serves as a mentor and still has plenty of gas in his own tank. He started every game last year at LDE, though sharing time with Carlos Dunlap. Also at DE, Wallace Gilberry was a big plus last year after being signed as a free agent in September. He logged 6.5 sacks and tied for second on the team in fumbles forced and/or recovered (four). A prime new talent is 6-8, 280-pound rookie Margus Hunt, who blocked 17 kicks in four seasons at SMU, including an NCAA record 10 field goals. At DT, a pair of high 2012 draft picks stand ready to up their contributions. Devon Still of Penn State and Brandon Thompson have all the strength and tools to build on their rookie seasons. Gresham gets ready his way: By standard measures, Bengals TE Jermaine Gresham has had a very successful career since being drafted by Cincinnati in the first round in He is the only Bengals TE to record three seasons of 50 or more receptions, and he has played for the AFC in the last two Pro Bowls. But the 6-5, 260-pounder is not one to feel satisfied with his exploits. At least not yet. Gresham opened last training camp by telling media he was disappointed in himself for not matching the receiving numbers of some other TEs drafted in 10, most notably Rob Gronkowski of New England and Jimmy Graham of Miami. He didn t excuse himself even after head coach Marvin Lewis and offensive coordinator Jay Gruden noted that he was doing an apples-tooranges comparison of offensive schemes, and that he was doing just fine with what the Bengals wanted him to do. And this year, despite posting career highs of 64 catches and 737 yards last season, Gresham is self-motivating by pointedly confronting the memory of passes he dropped in last season s Wild Card playoff loss at Houston. My whole intent during the offseason was to make up for where I left off in the playoff game, Gresham said. There s no doubt about it, I cost my team the game. My mindset since then has been about getting back to playing the position and catching passes on the field consistently, instead of looking not so healthy out there at times. I had to get my mind right. Gresham trained in Texas during the offseason with four-time Olympic gold medal sprinter Michael Johnson, looking to improve his overall athleticism. It s all about me being a professional, he said. I owe it to the fans and people who got me here to do better, because being a disappointment is not what I am. I m just trying to make up for it. I m another year wiser and know what s expected of me. I just have to do my job and not let my teammates down. It s sad that it has taken so long, but I m really starting to figure some things out. Things will be different this year.

4 (Bengals notes, continued) Polian plugs Eifert: Bill Polian, former Indianapolis Colts president, visited Bengals training camp in his new role as an analyst and broadcaster for Sirius NFL Radio. He left singing the praises of TE Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati s firstround selection in the 2013 draft. Polian agrees that Eifert, a pass-catcher extraordinaire at Notre Dame, has the potential for a career like that of one of Polian s former Colts players, Pro Bowl TE Dallas Clark. Absolutely, Polian said. (Eifert) was one of the few guys in this draft that I said is can t-miss, and I think he ll have a spectacular effect on this offense. Maybe not this year, maybe not early because it takes times for rookies. But once he gets his legs under him and understands the National Football League, he ll be a big factor in this offense. The Bengals already have a two-time Pro Bowl TE in Jermaine Gresham (see previous item), but Eifert is envisioned as more of a complement to Gresham than a competitor, based mostly on those exceptional receiving skills. (Eifert) has excellent hands, an excellent feel for route-running, Polian said. His speed is comparable to Dallas. The hands are in the same ballpark. He s more of a rebounder than Dallas in his style of catching. But he makes as many spectacular grabs. By rebounder, Polian means Eifert uses his body to win contested balls. He ll go up and fight DBs for balls and out-jump them, Polian said. He s got long arms and a long body. He s a good jumper and he can make catches in the air, which is hard for people to do. Dallas could do that, too. He can get off the ground and catch the ball exceptionally well. At the college level he won the vast majority of contested balls that were thrown to him. He s unique in that way. Who needs the draft? The Bengals were the NFL s No. 6 defense last season. Expectations for the 2013 defense are even higher. And the linebacker corps obviously is expected to play a big role. And as the Bengals prepare to open the preseason, nine of the 12 LBs on the roster are players who entered the NFL as college free agents, passed over in the draft. Two are presently running in No. 1 spots on the depth chart: SLB James Harrison, signed this year as a free agent, is widely known as a Pittsburgh Steelers standout who made five Pro Bowls and is a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year. But some may have forgotten, or never knew, that Harrison was undrafted out of Kent State in He played in only one game over 2002 and 03. He spent much of those two years on the Pittsburgh practice squad, and he was not in the NFL at all in the second half of 03, having been released from the Steelers practice squad in October. He was re-signed by the Steelers just before 2004 training camp, after having been signed and later cut by Baltimore in the offseason. He finally won the confidence of Steelers coaches in the 04 camp and played in every regular-season game in 04. WLB Vontaze Burfict was a Bengals college free agent signee last year, and he went on to lead the team in tackles (174). He beat a rap from his Arizona State college career that said despite having great talent, he was too undisciplined and out of shape to be worthy of a draft selection. Burfict last year set a Bengals record for most starts (14) in a rookie season by a college free agent. Original college free agents currently running in No. 2 spots on the depth chart are second-year pro Emmanuel Lamur (SLB) and third-year player Vincent Rey (MLB). Lamur was not even an immediate post-draft signee by the Bengals last year. He had to participate as a tryout player in rookie minicamp before being offered a contract. He wound up playing in the last nine regular-season games, and he was given a starting nod in the Wild Card playoff at Houston. When a reporter recently noted to head coach Marvin Lewis that Lamur seems to be a guy who has just worked his tail off, Lewis responded: I think he s just matured into the body he had. He s a 6 4 guy and he had the frame, and now he s up to 240 pounds. He s just got to continue to mature as an athlete. There s no special thing that he did. He just continues to work. We know that he can really run and do things athletically, and he s got great strength as well. Other original college free agents on the LB roster are first-year players J.K. Schaffer and Brandon Joiner, and rookies Jordan Campbell, Jayson DiManche and Bruce Taylor. The only Bengals LBs who entered the NFL through the draft are starting MLB Rey Maualuga (second round, Bengals, 2009), SLB Aaron Maybin (first round, Buffalo, 2009) and WLB Sean Porter (fourth round, Bengals, 2013). Huber runs the table: Bengals fifth-year P Kevin Huber opted not to test the unrestricted free agent market this past offseason, re-signing with 4 Cincinnati just before the new league year began. It was great news for Cincinnati s special teams. Huber set Bengals season records last year for gross punting average (46.6 yards) and net average (42.0), and in so doing he qualified for the franchise s career leads of 44.0 gross and 38.9 net. The Bengals made Huber the first kicking specialist taken in the 2009 draft (fifth round, 142nd overall). He is only the second Bengals draftee who attended both high school and college in the Queen City. He attended McNicholas High School before moving on to the University of Cincinnati, where as a junior he won the national punting title (46.9-yard gross average). The other Bengals draftee to attend both high school and college in Cincinnati was RB Clem Turner, a fourth-round 1969 selection who had attended Woodward High School and the University of Cincinnati. Turnover tables are turned: During the tenure of head coach Marvin Lewis (2003-present), the Bengals rank sixth in the NFL in turnover differential at plus-36. Prior to Lewis tenure, the Bengals had posted a minus turnover differential for five straight years ( ). Here are the top six teams in differential since 2003: TEAM TAKEAWAYS GIVEAWAYS DIFFERENTIAL New England Indianapolis Atlanta Baltimore Green Bay Cincinnati Since 2003, the Bengals rank fourth in the NFL in most takeaways (297) and fifth in points off turnovers (922). A stat that matters: For the Bengals term of coach Marvin Lewis (2003-present), a plus-differential in turnovers reflects a big plus in the win column. And the reverse has gone for a minus. The Bengals are in the regular season under Lewis with a plus, for a.781 winning percentage. In contrast, the Bengals are under Lewis when posting a minus differential. When the differential has been even, the results have been nearly even, with the Bengals at under Lewis. The Bengals overall experience with turnovers under Lewis is backed up by overall league numbers. Since the start of the 2003 season, here are the records of teams with varying turnover differentials (minus differentials are not included because they are the exact reverse of the plus figure for the same numbers): DIFFERENTIAL W-L-T PCT. Plus Plus Plus Plus Plus-5 or more Since 2003, NFL teams with any plus have a combined winning percentage of.799. The combined W-L record is yards good, 25 carries better: The Bengals are 35-2 under head coach Marvin Lewis when a rusher records 25 or more carries. That is a.946 winning percentage. HB BenJarvus Green-Ellis had four games of 25 or more carries in Games under Lewis with a 25-carry rusher have been less frequent and slightly more successful than games with a 100-yard rusher. In the Lewis era (2003-present), the Bengals are 36-7 with a 100-yard rusher (.837 winning percentage). In Green-Ellis case, the record in his 100-yard games matches the 4-0 the Bengals posted in his 25-carry games. Green-Ellis had one game last year in which he hit 25 carries but not 100 yards (26-for-82 in a win at Jacksonville) and one game in which he hit 100 yards without getting 25 carries (19-for-129 in a win vs. Oakland). Lewis, however, notes that the overall numbers still favor the 25 carries over the more iconic 100 yards. It s not always the yardage total that s most important, says Lewis. When your back is carrying 25 times, it means that even though the yardage will vary, you re controlling the ball, controlling the clock, and keeping your defense off the field. As it shows for us that is very likely going to be a winning combination. By player, the Bengals won-lost totals under Lewis with a 25-carry rusher have been 18-1 with Rudi Johnson, 11-1 with Cedric Benson, 2-0 with Kenny

5 (100 yards good, 25 carries better, continued) Watson and 4-0 with Green-Ellis. By player, Lewis totals with a 100-yard rusher have been 15-4 with Rudi Johnson, 2-0 with Kenny Watson, 13-2 with Cedric Benson, 1-0 with Corey Dillon, 0-1 with Bernard Scott, 1-0 with Larry Johnson, and 4-0 with Green-Ellis. Bengal bites: The Bengals are holding training camp in Cincinnati for the second straight year, following 29 seasons ( ) at Wilmington (Ohio) College and 15 ( ) at Georgetown (Ky.) College... Cincinnati s all-time preseason record is The Bengals are opening preseason on the road for the 31st time in their 46 seasons. They are in preseason openers overall... Last season, LB Vontaze Burfict became the first Bengals rookie since LB Odell Thurman in 2005 to lead the team in tackles, and Burfict was the fifth rookie overall to lead the team. Others have been LB Takeo Spikes (1998), LB Head coach Marvin Lewis, on QB Andy Dalton: He s going into his third year, the cast around him gets nothing but better, and we all feel his leadership, spreading his wings. He s maturing. A lot was cast on him as a young guy, which was kind of the same thing he had in college, and like then, he s just kept growing into it and kept getting better and better. He knows there are certain things that are asked of him. We ve all collectively got to do better, and I think he s excited to lead us in that direction. Lewis, on LB James Harrison: James has done great. It s been fun. It s what I expected. Obviously I ve seen this guy play more football than anybody here. I know the things he was asked to do there (Pittsburgh), the wording and the terminology and how things were created. So I thought it was an easy plug-in here. People get a little bit leery of that because a guy did that and you guys do this, but it all came from the same principles. It started in the same origin with the same principles. I think (defensive coordinator) Mike Zimmer has become more and more comfortable with the versatility that he does have and the ability for him to really do more things that I think even Mike envisioned. Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, on rookie HB Giovani Bernard: He s got great feet. He s short (5-9), but strong, and he s going to be tough to see in the hole. He ll bounce around; make a lot of people miss. If he gets in the open field, he s dangerous. He catches the ball very fluidly. HB Giovani Bernard, on LB Vontaze Burfict: We always go at it with each other in practice. I don t know always know what he s saying, because I m talking as loud as he is. He s a great guy. I love his intensity. I wish I could match his intensity. Every day, that s what I m trying to do; match his intensity. He s a linebacker, he has so much fire. That s how I want to play. QB Andy Dalton, on high public expectations of the 2013 team: It s really just our own expectations that matter most. We ve got a lot going into this year. We ve got basically everybody back from last year, and we ve added some new guys who are going to help us out a lot. I m excited about getting the season going. There hasn t been a whole lot of new learning going on so far installs, or things like that. Everybody basically knows what we re doing. That s going to make us better going into the season. I m excited to get going. We ve got a good group. BENGALS QUOTES James Francis (1990) and LB Reggie Williams (1976)... In DT Geno Atkins (12.5 sacks) and DE Michael Johnson (11.5), the Bengals last season had their first double-digit sack duo since 1981, when LB Reggie Williams had 11.0 and DE Eddie Edwards had A total of 131 NFL teams started a season with a 3-5 record from 1990 through last season, and last season s Bengals are one of only nine of those teams to have rallied to reach the playoffs... The Bengals 7-1 record in the second half of last season tied the 1981 Super Bowl team for best second-half record by a Cincinnati club in the second half of a 16-game season... Bengals K Mike Nugent tied the club record for longest field goal with a 55- yarder on Nov. 25 of last season vs. Oakland. The only previous 55-yarder in club history came 33 years before, by Chris Bahr on Sept. 23, 1979 vs. Houston... In each of the last 121 Cincinnati TV ratings weeks that have included a Bengals regular-season or postseason broadcast, the Bengals have been the No. 1-rated show among all programming in the market. The streak began in series. When you re an offensive lineman, that s the one area that never really rotates. If you look at other position groups, except maybe the secondary, guys sub in and sub out much more often. But the offensive line and defensive backfield guys generally are on the field for 70 plays. Offensively you d like to have some 70-play games. Gruden, on QB Andy Dalton s early work with TE Tyler Eifert: Tyler is already making a good mark on the quarterback; that s the important thing. You bring people in here, and we can sell them all we want to, but it s up to the players to gain each others trust. Both these guys are already starting to see a trust factor. Tyler is going to get better. He ll have a better understanding the longer we go. LB Vontaze Burfict, on the technique that helped him lead the team in tackles last year: I just try to explode through guys. When you tackle wrong, it s like you re hitting a brick wall. When you do it right, it s like you re hitting a bag. LB James Harrison, on adjusting to the Bengals system after spending his entire career with Pittsburgh: Tez (Vontaze Burfict) and Rey (Maualuga) are helping me out with things that I need to know on the field. It s a switch of positions for me, so to speak, where I m learning from younger guys. Dalton, on CB Leon Hall: He s the best corner in the game. Lockdown. Leon Island. Lewis, on the preseason presence of the Hard Knocks crew: We ve got one goal, which is to be world champions. We can t talk about it, now it s time to do the work. It s got nothing to do about what the people from NFL Films and HBO are doing; it s what we are doing. They are going to try and capture that the best that they can. We can t worry about that. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, on LB Rey Maualuga: He s an extremely physical guy. He runs. He hits. One of the things I learned about him in the offseason is how much he cares about not only the Bengals and the city of Cincinnati, but also the people in this organization and the fans. This offseason he went out and worked out twice a day. It s important to him. I ve always known that. But he s really made a committed effort to getting better. HB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, on aiding QB Andy Dalton as a leader: I want to lead by example, and when guys ask questions, just answer them. Obviously, it s a quarterback-driven league, so Andy is going to be a natural leader, but we also have to have guys in place around him. As you know, if you build any company it all starts from the top, but you also have to have good managers to manage each and every group for things to go on. Lewis, on how much on-field work OT Andrew Whitworth needs in preseason, as he nears 100 percent recovery after an offseason knee scope: He doesn t need a whole lot. The thing you want to make sure of is that he continues to have the stamina to go out there and play a 12-, 14-, 15-, 16-play DT Geno Atkins, on entering his fourth Bengals season: This is the strongest I ve been going into a training camp. I remember what (former Bengals DT) Tank Johnson told me when I was a rookie: Get as fast and as strong as you can going into training camp. Each year my goal is to make sure I m stronger and faster than I was the year before. S George Iloka, on bidding for a starting job in his second pro season: Everything has slowed down for me. Everything last year was so fast. I didn t pick it up as quickly as I needed to. Once you get in the league, it s how fast you can play, if you can process things mentally. You can be a 4.3 guy (in the 40), but if you re moving at 5 flat, you re going to be slow. 5

6 Quarterbacks: The only QB in Bengals history to lead the team to the playoffs in his first two seasons, Andy Dalton will try this year to become only the fifth starting QB in NFL history to reach the playoffs in his first three seasons. Dalton has started every game the last two seasons and his record gives him the best winning percentage (.594) of any Bengals QB with 10 or more starts. Dalton has 47 career TD passes, and only Dan Marino (68) and Peyton Manning (52) have thrown for more scores in their first two NFL seasons. Dalton made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, and though he was not in the game last season, he improved his statistics over 2011 in all major categories. The battle for spots to back up Dalton should be wide open during training camp. Second-year pro Zac Robinson has been Cincinnati s No. 3 QB each of the last two seasons (on the practice squad), but Robinson won t play at Atlanta, having been sidelined for all of training camp to date with an elbow injury. It s hoped he can return before the end of preseason. Fifth-year pro Josh Johnson joined the Bengals for 2013 as an unrestricted free agent. Johnson has 27 games of NFL experience with five starts, having seen most of his action with Tampa Bay. Fourth-year pro John Skelton was acquired by the Bengals on waivers this past April. He has played in 20 games with 17 starts for Arizona over Halfbacks: Back for his second Bengals season is sixth-year NFL HB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who last season rushed for a career-best 1094 yards, topping a 1008 total he posted for New England in The 220-pounder is a physical and determined rusher, and last year he not only led the NFL in thirdand-one rushing conversions, he was stopped on third-and-one only once. He rushed for 100-plus yards four times in a five-game stretch (Games and 14) that marked the key point of the team s playoff drive. It was only the second instance in Bengals history of a rusher with four 100-yard outputs in a span of five team games. The Bengals are looking to spread the rushing load and further diversify the attack in 2013, and a prime candidate for that role is second-round draft pick Giovani Bernard of North Carolina. A quick and instinctive rusher and also a smooth receiver, Bernard can offer a contrast to Green-Ellis hardcharging style. In just two seasons at North Carolina, he rushed for 2481 yards and added 852 more as a receiver. But Bernard will have to push his way past a couple veterans. Cedric Peerman, always a strong special teams player, significantly expanded his role on offense last season. His rushing numbers with the base offense were 34-for-178 (5.2 average), and he added 80 more rushing yards on two successful fake punts. Looking to jump-start his Bengals career in 2013 is fifth-year pro Bernard Scott. Scott was a significant contributor in his first three Bengals seasons, filling the No. 2 HB role behind Cedric Benson, but his 12 campaign was derailed by injuries. He saw action in just two games. He has a 100-yard rushing game on his career ledger. Dan Herron of Ohio State was a rookie sixth-round draft choice last season and got his foot in the door, starting on the practice squad and playing in three games. He was an instant success on special teams and looks for an expanded role on offense. Rookie Rex Burkhead of Nebraska, a sixth-round draft choice, might have gone higher in the draft had he not been limited by a knee sprain for a number of games last season. He scored 35 TDs in his Nebraska career and is known as a throwbackstyle player who contributes in multiple ways with talent, toughness and desire. H-back/Fullbacks: The Bengals have two veteran fullbacks in camp, plus a new blocker-from-the-backfield option in second-year pro Orson Charles. Charles played in all 16 games last season as a reserve TE, making six starts in two-te formations. He logged eight catches for 101 yards. For 2013, Charles position designation has been changed to H-back. Fifth-year pro Chris Pressley held the No. 1 FB job in 2011 and for most of 2012, but he suffered a seasonending knee injury in Game 14 of last season. He is still rehabbing the injury and will not play at Atlanta. Pressley was replaced by Greater Cincinnati native John Conner, signed in December as a free agent. Conner came to the Bengals with 35 career games played and 10 starts for the New York Jets, and he played in the last two games of last season for Cincinnati. Pressley, who has also played for Tampa Bay, has 43 career NFL games and 20 starts. Wide receivers: Head coach Marvin Lewis has said that third-year pro A.J. Green is questionable for the Atlanta game, due to a knee bruise he sustained in the first training camp practice, on July 25. But Green is expected back at full speed well in advance of the regular season, and he has firmly established himself among the elite receivers in the NFL. Behind Green, the Bengals have young talent that has shown great potential for creating multiple threats from the WR spot. Green last season earned his second Pro Bowl berth and his first as a starter, and he was the top AFC vote-getter at WR for the prestigious Associated Press All-Pro team. (He was on AP second team, behind NFC players Calvin Johnson of Detroit and Brandon Marshall of Chicago.) Green had 97 receptions for 1350 yards and was tied for second in the AFC in TD receptions (11). Andrew Hawkins finished third on the team and second among POSITION BY POSITION 6 WRs last season in receptions (51) and receiving yards (533). He scored four TDs. The 5-7, 180-pounder made most of his contributions in the slot WR role. Two draft choices from last season Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones are looking to blossom with full seasons in 2013 after having their rookie campaigns slowed down by injuries. Both are looked upon as prime candidates to compete for the No. 2 WR spot in the base offense. Sanu (6-2, 210) is a bit more of a physical receiver. He played in nine games with three starts last season and scored four TDs, with 16 catches for 154 yards. Sanu has triplethreat assets and may be used as an occasional passer or rusher. He made one of last season s memorable plays with a 73-yard TD pass to Green at Washington. Jones played 11 games with five starts last season, with 18 catches for 201 yards and a TD. The 6-2, 195-pounder is a fluid, graceful athlete who can make big plays look effortless. Fifth-year pro Brandon Tate has made his mark primarily as a kick returner the last season seasons, but in 2013 he had 13 receptions for 211 yards, with a 44-yard TD catch. He has great straight-line speed. Back for his third Bengals season is Ryan Whalen. He joined the regular WR rotation for the second half of last season and caught seven-for-53. Thirdyear pro Dane Sanzenbacher gets his first full shot at the Bengals roster in The former Chicago Bear, a former Ohio State standout, joined the roster off waivers late last season and did not see game action. The Bengals have one 2013 draft pick at WR, Cobi Hamilton of Arkansas, and his performance in offseason drills made him look like a potential sixth-round steal. Versatile and with good size (6-2, 205), Hamilton set Arkansas season records last year for receptions (90) and receiving yards (1335). Also looking to crack the roster at WR are second-year pro Taveon Rogers, a 2012 college free agent who missed the season due to injury, and 2013 rookies Roy Roundtree of Michigan, Tyrone Goard of Eastern Kentucky and Jheranie Boyd of North Carolina. Roundtree and Goard signed with the Bengals in May as college free agents, and Boyd was acquired as a free agent after originally being signed by Tampa Bay. Tight ends: The TE spot could be more prominent in the Bengals offense than at any time in recent years. Fourth-year pro Jermaine Gresham has played in the last two Pro Bowls and is the first Bengals TE to log three consecutive seasons of 50 or more catches. He ranked second on the team last season in catches (64) and receiving yards (737), and he was third in TDs (five). Gresham was a first-round Bengals draft pick in 2010, and for 2013 the Bengals selected another TE in the first round, Tyler Eifert of Notre Dame. Eifert displayed rare receiving skills in his college career, topped last year by arguably the nation s best ability of players at any position for timing jumps and winning contested balls. He was the 2012 winner of the John Mackey Award, recognizing college football s top TE. Ninth-year pro Alex Smith joins the Bengals for 2013 as an unrestricted free agent signee. Smith has 103 career NFL games and 55 starts, with 129 career receptions for 1252 yards and 11 TDs. He played the last three seasons for Cleveland. Fifth-year pro Richard Quinn is back for his second Bengals season. He was on the roster for 15 games, and for the Wild Card playoff last season, but was inactive for each contest. First-year player Bryce Davis of Central Oklahoma will work as a tight end and also is on the roster as a long snapping prospect. Davis spent time on the Bengals practice squad as a rookie last season. Offensive linemen: The Bengals starting line from 2012 returns intact, but interior line starters could be pushed by the line s good depth. Last season, the line helped lead HB BenJarvus Green-Ellis to the NFL lead in thirdand-one rushing conversions (14), and Green-Ellis failed to convert on only one opportunity. The most established position in regard to starters is OT, where 2012 season Pro Bowler Andrew Whitworth mans the left side and recently resigned free agent Andre Smith holds down the right side. Whitworth has been a key player on the O-line since his 2006 rookie season and is also among the team s strongest locker room leaders. He has played every game in six of his seven pro seasons and has a team-best current streak of 67 consecutive starts. Whitworth is expected to be ready well in time for the regular season, but he is seeing limited practice time after offseason arthroscopic surgery, and he may not play at Atlanta. Smith was a major Bengals re-signing for 2013, allowing the team to concentrate on other positions early in the draft. He s a solid pass protector and has the ability to gain recognition as one of the league s most powerful run-blockers. Kevin Zeitler started every game for the Bengals at RG as a rookie last season after being selected in the first round of the draft. He figures to only get better in Also starting every game last season was Clint Boling, at LG. A third-year player for 2013, Boling was a fourth-round Bengals draft choice in Kyle Cook entered 2012 with a streak of 50 consecutive Bengals starts at C (including postseason), but he missed the first 12 games last year due to a preseason injury. He returned to the starting lineup for the last two regular-season games and the Wild Card playoff. Looking to challenge at C is