Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

Transcription

1 Cincinnati Bengals One Paul Brown Stadium Cincinnati, Ohio (513) administrative offices (513) administrative fax (513) 621-TDTD (8383) ticket office WEEKLY NEWS RELEASE SEPT. 22, 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) Kickoff: 4:15 p.m. EDT. Television: CBS broadcast with Jim Nantz (play-by-play) and Phil Simms (analyst). The game is a sellout and will be aired in the Cincinnati home market on CBS affiliates WKRC-TV (Ch. 12) in Cincinnati, WHIO-TV (Ch. 7) in Dayton and WKYT-TV (Ch. 27) in Lexington, Ky. Radio: Live coverage on the 28-station Bengals Radio Network, including in Cincinnati on flagships WCKY-AM (1530) Homer (all sports) and WEBN-FM (102.7). Broadcasters are Brad Johansen (play-by-play) and Dave Lapham (analyst). The game also will be aired to a national audience on the Westwood One network. Broadcasters are Kevin Kugler (play-byplay) and Mark Malone (analyst), with Scott Graham as the pregame and halftime show host. Setting the scene: The Bengals wanted reason to quickly forget a stunningly improbable loss in their season opener. Mission accomplished there. Now they know they must properly file a memorable and exhilarating win. Is this as big as it gets? Only until next week, said WR Chad Ochocinco, minutes after a double-comeback win at Green Bay. Who are we playing next week anyway? Ochocinco s smile indicated clearly that he knew quite well it s the defending world champion Pittsburgh Steelers, headed for Paul Brown Stadium for this week s nationally featured doubleheader game on CBS-TV. It s a great opportunity, said QB Carson Palmer, and I think we all know we re going up against a great team. No offense to the Packers, but you are not going to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers making the mistakes we made in Green Bay. It was exciting and a great team win, but we made it more exciting than we needed to. I virtually gave them two touchdowns (on interceptions), and we had 100 yards in penalties. There are things we definitely need to clean up before the Steelers come to town. Head coach Marvin Lewis, however, said that in coming back from 14-7 and deficits at Green Bay, the Bengals had proven a point they tried to make all last week that they wouldn t be hung over from the deflected-pass TD play that stole an apparent win in the Sept. 13 season opener vs. Denver. The bottom line was that we didn t do enough to win against Denver, and the team understood that, Lewis said. That s where you re seeing a team with more maturity. Against the Packers, we didn t flinch. We kept playing when we fell behind. We did extra things it takes to win. That s how it needs to be all year. Lewis said the best feeling he took from Green Bay was that so many guys played key parts. The kind of contribution we had from the whole roster was big. Including: DE Antwan Odom, on a rampage after a disappointing Game information Week 3, Game 3 Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009 at Paul Brown Stadium Next up: Week 4, Game 4 Oct. 4 at Cleveland Bengals debut in 2008, tied a franchise record with five sacks. HB Cedric Benson pounded the Packers for 141 rushing yards. Palmer, despite the two interceptions he lamented, threw for three TDs and posted a passer rating of Ochocinco s 91 receiving yards included a tough 13-yard catch for what proved to be the winning TD. Rookie LB Rey Maualuga set up the game-turning TD drive with a signature hit and forced fumble that DT Pat Sims recovered for Cincinnati. Rookie punt returner Quan Cosby had a 60-yard return to set up a second-quarter TD and a 32-yarder to set up a field goal for a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. And rookie punter Kevin Huber made good on his immense promise, with a 46.3-yard average that included two key inside-20 punts in the second half. But the Bengals did have those 100 yards on penalties the price for 13 flags and they escaped with only the sixth win in their last 38 games with a minus-differential in turnovers (minusone). Against the Steelers, who haven t lost in Cincinnati since 2001, they ll surely need a more error-free effort. This week s game opens a three-game stretch for Cincinnati against AFC North Division opponents. Next up are road trips to Cleveland and Baltimore. The series: The Steelers lead, 48-30, including 1-0 in postseason. The Pittsburgh lead is smaller (22-17) in games played in Cincinnati, but Pittsburgh has won eight straight on Bengals turf, erasing what had been a Bengals lead as the home team. The Steelers have won the last five meetings overall, including a decision on Oct. 19 of last season at Paul Brown Stadium. The last Bengals victory in the series was a win at Pittsburgh in The last Bengals victory at home over the Steelers was by in overtime in The Steelers won the only postseason game on Jan. 8, 2006 (2005 season) at Paul Brown Stadium, prevailing The Bengals have played more games against the Steelers (78) than any other opponent. Tennessee (formerly Houston Oilers) is second with 72 meetings, and Cleveland is third with 71. Team bests from the series: Bengals MOST POINTS: 42, in a 42-7 win at Riverfront Stadium in LARGEST VICTORY MARGIN: 35, from the 1988 home win. FEWEST POINTS ALLOWED: 3, in a 27-3 win at Riverfront in Steelers MOST POINTS: 49, in a victory at Riverfront Stadium in LARGEST VICTORY MARGIN: 28, in last season s win at Cincinnati. FEWEST POINTS ALLOWED: 0 (twice), most recently in a 15-0 win at Three Rivers Stadium in Page 1

2 (Game information, continued) The last meeting: Complete summaries of last season s Bengals-Steelers games are on page 15 of this release. Bengals 25th against champs: The Steelers game will mark the 25th time in Cincinnati franchise history that the Bengals have played a regular-season game against the defending Super Bowl champion. Cincinnati shows a 7-17 record in the previous 24 games. But after losing their first eight games against defending league champs, the Bengals have done better, posting a 7-9 mark over the last 16 instances, and Cincinnati s last two losses to defending champs have come in overtime. Last season, the Bengals almost pulled their recent record to 8-8 in such games, but they fell in overtime at the defending champion N.Y. Giants. Prior to last year, the Bengals most recent meetings against a defending champion were in 2006, when Cincinnati split its AFC North series against the defending champion Steelers. Here s a recap of the last 16 Bengals games against defending Super Bowl winners: DATE OPPONENT RESULT Oct. 14, 1979 Pittsburgh... Bengals, Dec. 2, Steelers, Sept. 21, 1980 Pittsburgh... Bengals, Oct. 12, Bengals, Sept. 28, 1986 Chicago... Bears, 44-7 Dec. 17, 1988 Washington... Bengals, (OT) Dec. 9, 1990 San Francisco... 49ers, (OT) Dec. 1, 1991 NY Giants... Bengals, Oct. 30, 1994 Dallas... Cowboys, Nov. 1, 1998 Denver... Broncos, Sept. 23, 2001 Baltimore... Bengals, Dec. 23, Ravens, 16-0 Dec. 12, England... Patriots, Sept. 24, Bengals, Dec. 31, 2006 Pittsburgh...Steelers, (OT) Sept. 21, Giants... Giants, (OT) Sellout streak to hit 46: This week s game is a sellout, and will extend to 46 the Bengals franchise-record streak for consecutive sellouts in regular and postseason play. The Bengals have not had a game blacked out on local television since Nov. 9, The sellout streak began with a game against Kansas City on Nov. 16, The second-longest sellout streak in franchise history was 43 games at Riverfront Stadium, running from the 1988 season opener through the conclusion of the 1992 season. Individually vs. Steelers: Bengals QB Carson Palmer returns to action against the Steelers this week for the first time since He missed both of last year s games while rehabbing from an elbow injury he suffered in September. Palmer has a 2-6 record as a starter against Pittsburgh in regular-season play. He also started against Pittsburgh in the playoffs following the 2005 season, but he was sidelined on the offense s second play with a knee injury. His nine-game totals against the Steelers are 155-for-276 passing (56.2 percent) for 1681 yards, with 13 TDs and seven INTs; passer rating of Other Bengals past performances for Cincinnati against Pittsburgh (including postseason): HB Cedric Benson: Two games; 30 rushes for 87 yards (2.9); two receptions for 14 yards (7.0). FB Jeremi Johnson: 11 games; two rushes for two yards (1.0); five pass receptions for 23 yards (4.6) and one TD. WR Chad Ochocinco: 16 games; 77 catches for 1088 yards (14.1) with three TDs; average of 4.8 catches and 68 yards per game. WR Chris Henry: Seven games; 22 catches for 411 yards (18.7), three TDs. WR Andre Caldwell: Two games; Three catches for 26 yards (8.7). WR Antonio Chatman (Reserve/Injured): Three games; three catches for 14 yards (4.7). TE Daniel Coats: Four games; no offensive statistics. TE Reggie Kelly (Reserve/Injured): 13 games; 17 catches for 122 yards (7.2), one TD. TE Ben Utecht (Reserve/Injured): One game: Three catches for 36 yards (12.0). Tough to tie 13: Eleven years ago, in a victory over Pittsburgh on Oct. 11, 1998 at Cinergy Field, Bengals WR Carl Pickens had a team-record 13 receptions (for 204 yards). He broke a mark of 12 that had been set twice (once by James Brooks and once by himself). And since he caught the 13, there have been five other instances of a Bengal catching 12 in a game. But Pickens 13-catch game still stands alone. Other Bengals records involving the Steelers include: On Oct. 19, 1995, the Bengals allowed the most yards in franchise history (468) without allowing a touchdown. They beat the Steelers 27-9 at Three Rivers Stadium. On Dec. 20, 1998 at Pittsburgh, HB Brandon Bennett set the Bengals record for most receiving yards in a game by a RB, with 119 on three catches. On Dec. 30, 2001, Bengals WRs accounted for 384 receiving yards vs. Pittsburgh, the most ever in a game by Bengals WRs. On Oct. 28, 1973, Pittsburgh S Mike Wagner became the first opponent to intercept three passes in a game against the Bengals. Four players have tied that mark since. On Oct. 15, 2000, Pittsburgh s Josh Miller tied for the most punts ever against the Bengals with 12. Red-zone reports: The Bengals cashed touchdowns on all four of their possessions inside the Green Bay 20-yard line last week, moving to five-for-six on the season. The Bengals 83.3 percent TD conversion rate is tied with Dallas for third-best in the NFL. Defensively, the Bengals are in a multiple tie for fewest redzone possessions allowed, at three. Pittsburgh led the NFL last season in defensive red-zone TD percentage (33.3 percent), allowing touchdowns on only 14 of 42 opponent chances. Through two games this year, however, the Steelers are at 60 percent, having allowed three TDs in five opponent penetrations. Bengals red-zone report OFFENSE DEFENSE Inside-20 poss.: 6 Inside-20 poss.: 3 Total scores: 5 (83.3%) Total scores: 2 (66.7%) TDs: 5 (83.3%) TDs: 2 (66.7%) FGs: 0 (0.0%) FGs: 0 (0.0%) TD% rank: T-3rd TD% rank: T-25th No scores: 1 (16.7%) No scores: 1 (33.3%) Lost on downs: 1 (0.0%) End of game: 1 (33.3%) Steelers red-zone report OFFENSE DEFENSE Inside-20 poss.: 5 Inside-20 poss.: 5 Total scores: 4 (80.0%) Total scores: 3 (60.0%) TDs: 2 (40.0%) TDs: 3 (60.0%) FGs: 2 (40.0%) FGs: 0 (0.0%) TD% rank: T-23rd TD% rank: T-19th No scores: 1 (20.0%) No scores: 2 (40.0%) Bengals-Steelers connections: Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis grew up in McDonald, Pa., near Pittsburgh. Lewis first NFL coaching job was with Steelers as LBs coach from under head coach Bill Cowher... Steelers QBs coach Ken Anderson is a key player in Bengals history; his 16 Bengals seasons ( 71-86) are most in franchise history, and he also was on Bengals coaching staff for 10 years ( )... Steelers CB Keiwan Ratliff played for the Bengals from and attended Whitehall-Yearling HS in Columbus... Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was on the University of Cincinnati staff in Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau was a Bengals assistant coach from and 97-00, and was Bengals head coach from Game 4 of 00 through 02. LeBeau is from London, Page 2

3 (Bengals-Steelers connections, continued) Ohio... Bengals QB Carson Palmer and Steelers S Troy Polamalu were roommates during their college playing days at USC... Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is from Findlay, Ohio and played in college at Miami (Ohio)... Steelers WR Santonio Holmes played at Ohio State... Steelers LB Andre Frazier was with the Bengals in 06 and for the first two games of 07; Frazier is a Cincinnati native (Hughes High School), played at the University of Cincinnati, and is the son of former Bengals LB Guy Frazier... Bengals DL coach Jay Hayes and Bengals TEs coach Jonathan Hayes are brothers who grew up in South Fayette, Pa.... Jonathan Hayes played TE for the Steelers from 94-96, and Jay Hayes was on the Steelers coaching staff from Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski was Steelers receivers coach from Bengals assistant head coach/offensive line coach Paul Alexander coached at Penn State from Bengals strength and conditioning coach Chip Morton coached at Penn State from Bengals assistant strength and conditioning coach Ray Oliver coached at the University of Pittsburgh from Bengals RBs coach Jim Anderson and assistant OL coach Bob Surace are both from Harrisburg, Pa.... Steelers defensive backs coach Ray Horton played for the Bengals from and was on their coaching staff from Steelers CB William Gay played at Louisville... Steelers offensive line coach Larry Zierlein coached at the University of Cincinnati from Steelers assistant special teams coach Amos Jones was on the University of Cincinnati staff from Steelers special teams coordinator Bob Ligashesky coached at Kent State from and at Bowling Green from Bengals-Steelers NFL rankings BENGALS STEELERS SCORING (AVG. POINTS): Points scored... T-20th (19.0) 29th (13.5) Points allowed... 12th (18.0) T-5th (13.5) NET OFFENSE (AVG. YARDS): Total... 21st (313.0) 16th (332.5) Rushing... 12th (118.5) 28th (70.5) Passing... 23rd (194.5) T-7th (262.0) NET DEFENSE (AVG. YARDS): Total... 11th (306.5) 9th (297.5) Rushing... 11th (82.0) T-7th (64.5) Passing... 16th (224.5) 19th (233.0) TURNOVERS: Differential... T-26th (minus-3) T-26th (minus-3) Marvin Lewis is in his seventh season as Bengals head coach, one year from tying Paul Brown and Sam Wyche for the franchise s longest tenure of eight seasons. In Bengals head coaching victories, he also ranks third (behind Wyche and Brown). Lewis Bengals record is in the regular season, 0-1 in postseason and overall. He needs eight victories to tie Paul Brown ( ) in Bengals annals and is 17 wins behind Wyche (64-68). His Bengals log includes an AFC North Division championship in 2005, and he coached his first five years ( ) without experiencing a losing season, the club s longest such streak since a six-year span from Lewis enters 2009 tied for fifth in the NFL for current consecutive seasons as a head coach (seven). He has also cracked the active top 10 for most total seasons as an NFL head coach, sharing ninth place at seven with Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio. Lewis was named the ninth Bengals head coach 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). Lewis entered the NFL as linebackers coach with Pittsburgh from , 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 ( ). He Odom s start hottest on record: Elias Sports Bureau reports this week that since 1982, when individual sacks became an official NFL statistic, no player has matched Bengal DE Antwan Odom s total of seven for the first two games of a season. The previous record for Games 1-2 of a season was 6.5, by Detroit DE William Gay in 1983 (Gay finished 83 with 13.5). Odom leads by three in the NFL sacks race. He has more than twice as many sacks as every player except DE Elvis Dumervil of Denver, who has four. Odom started his year with two sacks vs. Denver on Sept. 13, and last week against Green Bay, he tied the Bengals record of five in a game. The Bengals had seen such a performance only once previously, when DE Eddie Edwards logged five vs. The head coaches Page 3 began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Idaho State in Mike Tomlin is in his third year as Steelers head coach. Last season he became the youngest head coach (36 years, 323 days) to win a Super Bowl when his team defeated Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII. The only head coach in Steelers history to win a division title in each of his first two seasons, he has a record, including 3-1 in postseason. In 2007, Tomlin led his first Steelers team to a 10-6 record and the AFC North championship before losing to Jacksonville in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. In 2006, Tomlin was defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, directing a unit that ranked eighth in the NFL in fewest yards allowed and first in fewest rushing yards. He spent the previous five seasons ( ) as defensive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His secondary recorded four interceptions in Tampa Bay s victory over Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII. Tomlin has a Cincinnati connection, having coached DBs for the University of Cincinnati in A native of Hampton, Va., he played WR at William & Mary from and finished his career with a school-record 20 TD catches. Lewis vs. Steelers: Lewis is 3-10, including 0-1 in postseason. Lewis vs. Tomlin: Tomlin leads, 4-0. Tomlin vs. Bengals: Tomlin leads, 4-0. Bengals information Cleveland on Dec. 21, 1980 (the Bengals have compiled individual sack records since 1976). Odom and Edwards now share the Bengals record for most sacks over any two-game span, as Edwards had seven over the last two games of Odom s five sacks against the Packers were the most by an NFL player in any game since Sept. 30, 2007, when N.Y. Giants DE Osi Umenyiora had six against Philadelphia. The NFL record for sacks in a game is seven, by Kansas City LB Derrick Thomas vs. Seattle in 1990, and the league record for sacks in a season is 22.5, by DE Michael Strahan of the N.Y. Giants in The Bengals official franchise single-season record is 22.0 by DE Coy Bacon in 1976 (when the full season was only 14 games). Eddie Edwards is the franchise s all-time sacks leader at

4 (Odom s start hottest on record, continued) 83.5, well ahead of LB Reggie Williams, who is second at The highest a Bengal has finished in the NFL sacks race (since 1982) has been tied for ninth, by Edwards with 13 in Odom, a sixth-year NFL player, now has 22.5 career sacks, and 18 of those have come in the 30 games he has played since He played for Tennessee from before joining the Bengals last year as an unrestricted free agent. Odom produced 31 yards in losses with his five sacks of Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers. Two of his first three sacks helped push the Packers out of field-goal range, forcing punting situations, and midway through the fourth quarter, he pushed the Packers into a third-and-15 situation at their 28, with a punt the result of that drive. Heck of a comeback: DE Antwan Odom is the first to admit he had disappointing results in 2008, his first year as a Bengal. The high-profile free agent signee was limited by injuries to 12 games and eight starts. He managed just three sacks and seven QB pressures after getting eight sacks and 29 pressures for Tennessee in But in 2009, Odom has posted the fastest two-game sacks start (seven) on record in the NFL (see previous item). You think you re dreaming, he said. But this isn t a dream. A sixth-year NFL veteran from Alabama, Odom does not have the high-glitz personality that often accompanies those who trade in one of the NFL s most hyped statistics. He s a country guy from Bayou La Batre, Ala., where he formerly worked long hours in the area s seafood industry and became a fan of NASCAR racing and pro wrestling. He s basically a quiet sort, and he is quietly frank about owning up to his unease over the numbers he posted for Cincinnati last season. When you get paid at a high level, you want to produce results, he says. I felt very deeply about the Bengals not getting what they had paid for last year. I felt like I was stealing money. Injuries were a part of it, for sure, but that was no excuse in my mind. I really have set my mind this year on coming back and showing people that I m not the type of guy who gets hurt and misses time. A huge key for Odom, it appears, was offseason work that turned him from a 250 pounder in 2008 to a 280-pounder in 09. I felt like I was kind of pushed around last season, he says, and when you get pushed around, you get hurt. I didn t want that to happen again. I don t have to strain as much now to take on blocks, and I think my endurance and my speed are still just fine. Another key, Odom says, was seeking treatment for a sleep apnea disorder he had struggled with for some time. He now is sleeping through each night and is fully rested heading into work each day. Agog about Antwan: DE Antwan Odom s teammates present and former are raving about him. He looks like a different player, says DE Robert Geathers. He s bigger, stronger. He s got different focus. To be the biggest free-agent signing (in Bengals history), he s got a lot on his shoulders. He was hurt last year and it was a disappointment for him. We can all tell he has a little chip on his shoulder. He s a whole different player, agrees DT Domata Peko. I remember at the bench (press) test last year at 225 pounds, he was struggling. But he had a hell of an offseason and he came in benching as much as D-tackles. He s at 280 solid and he s still got his quickness, but he s got a lot more meat and a lot more muscle on him. I told him even before the Green Bay game, You keep this stuff up and you re going to have a helluva year. Former Bengals and Titans DT John Thornton, now working in the Cincinnati media, notes that Odom s added weight is part of his successful transition from Tennessee to the Cincinnati system. Antwan fits this (Bengals) style better now, Thornton says. In Tennessee, it s all about speed and being on the edge. There s a different philosophy here. Here he has had to play more technique, and last year he was in front of a tight end a lot. I think the added weight has helped him. Odom praises the Bengals line depth, with young veterans Jonathan Fanene and Pat Sims able to see plenty of action and give the starters some rest. You get a blow, Odom said, and you get fresh in the fourth quarter, and you re still able to rush. Odom also likes moving inside to play a DT spot in some nickel situations, with rookie Michael Johnson putting his speedrush talents to work at DE. I like it inside; it s good to mix it up, Odom said. We worked on pass rushing all offseason, and I think it s paying off. Team has sacks lead: The Bengals have nine sacks as a team seven by DE Antwan Odom, one by DT Jonathan Fanene and one by LB Rey Maualuga and they lead the NFL, with Arizona in second place with eight. Team sacks became an official statistic in 1963 in the NFL and in 64 in the AFL. The Bengals highest finish for a full season was in 1973, when head coach Paul Brown and defensive coordinator Chuck Weber guided a unit that finished fourth with 43 sacks. In 2001, with Dick LeBeau as head coach and Mark Duffner as defensive coordinator, Cincinnati tied for fourth with 48. The 48 figure is the club record for sacks in a season. Four players in 2001 had six or more sacks DE Reinard Wilson (9), DE Justin Smith (8.5), LB Brian Simmons (6.5) and LB Takeo Spikes (6). Bengals new breed: Head coach Marvin Lewis said it entering the season this is a really young team and the NFL s annual analysis of Kickoff Weekend rosters confirms it. The Bengals entered the 2009 season with an average of 3.77 years of NFL experience per player, the lowest among the 32 teams. Green Bay was second-lowest at Cincinnati s average age of players on the 53-player roster was 26.13, thirdlowest in the AFC and tied for fifth-lowest in the league. And the Bengals have gotten a bit younger since Kickoff Weekend. Following the opener vs. Denver, Cincinnati released fourth-year HB DeDe Dorsey and replaced him with rookie OT Andre Smith, the club s first-round choice in the 2009 draft. Smith had been on a roster exemption for Denver. Pittsburgh s average experience on Kickoff Weekend was 4.74 years, second-most in the AFC and ninth in the NFL. The Steelers average age was We ve got athleticism and ability, but we have to set the goal of being the best-prepared team in the NFL, Lewis has said. We can t afford lapses. We can t leave a stone unturned. We have to make really good decisions all the time, and build a sharpness that s going to snowball and get better and better every week. When Chad (Ochocinco) has one of our special parking places (reserved for players with the most NFL experience), that s bad. Lewis laughed, to indicate he didn t literally mean bad, but he added: It tells me this team has to play a little bit beyond its years. Numbers good, but unit better? Bengals QB Carson Palmer, always quick to credit his teammates, doesn t want anyone reading too much into the current rankings numbers of the Cincinnati defense. They re not bad 11th in yards allowed, 12th in scoring but... You have to look at the way things have played out, Palmer said. Against Green Bay, I gave away 14 points myself (with two interceptions, one returned for a TD and the other returned to the Bengals 11). So the defense really only gave up one (touchdown). Against Denver, the only (touchdown) was on the crazy play at the end. So in my mind, our defense has given up one TD in two games that they re really responsible for. They re playing great, I give em all the credit in the world. The Bengals allowed Green Bay to gain 311 net yards, but 99 of those came in the game s final two minutes, when the Bengals, protecting the lead they had established with 1:56 to play, were happy enough to give up some ground in exchange for time off the clock. The Packers had only 113 yards in the first half, when their 21 points included the two interception-related TDs. The Packers scored only three points after the teams entered halftime tied at 21. We ve got a long, long way to go in this season, said defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, but I m confident in my guys. They come to play with all they ve got, and that s all you can ask. Page 4

5 (Numbers good, but unit better?, continued) Dating back to the end of last year, through this preseason and up to now, they haven t given me any reason to believe they re not going to show up every week and give us a good performance. A few more numbers regarding the Cincinnati defense: Led by DE Antwan Odom with seven, Cincinnati leads the NFL in sacks (nine). Arizona is second with eight. Zimmer has long been on record as saying improving the team s pass pressure was Job One on the improvement list from Though it s only two games, the Bengals average of 82.0 rushing yards allowed is better than the franchise has ever done for a full season. The club record is 93.7 yards in And though a yard is a yard, 43 of Green Bay s 89 rushing yards last week came on scrambles by QB Aaron Rodgers. RB Ryan Grant was held to 14-for-46 (3.3). Three threats to QBs: DE Antwan Odom s hot start for the Bengals can serve as inspiration for two other Cincinnati veterans who are motivated to make big contributions. Like Odom, DE Robert Geathers and DT Tank Johnson are NFL veterans in their prime 27 years old. Geathers, whose 10.5 sacks in 2006 were the most by a Bengal since 1983, has had only six over the last two seasons. Last year, he missed five games with a knee injury. And Johnson, known for some years as one of the NFL s better interior pass rushers with Chicago and Dallas, played every game for the Cowboys last year but had only one sack. We all want the same thing, says Geathers. I think that s going to make a difference. Antwan, Tank and I, we ve all had years where we haven t been as productive as we have been before. We want to get back to where our numbers were before and be respected among our peers. When I set foot on the field, I want offenses to have to account for me. Head coach Marvin Lewis credited Geathers with a big assist to Odom s performance at Green Bay. Robert also played very well, Lewis said. He had a lot of pressures and was close to making a lot of sack plays. Like I ve said, a lot of guys contribute to someone (like Odom) having that kind of day of sacking the quarterback. It s the coverage, it s the other rushers being in the right spots. We need to keep doing better at that. Benson rolls on: HB Cedric Benson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft, sat healthy but unwanted by any team for almost four months last year. When the Bengals, with an injury depleted RB corps, ended his exile by signing him as a free agent on Sept. 30, 2008, no one knew what, if anything, to expect. By now, of course, the entire NFL knows what a good decision that was. Benson had a fine finish with the Bengals in 08, winding up as the team leader in rushing (747) and yards from scrimmage (932). And this season, with the benefit of a full offseason in the Cincinnati system, he just keeps looking better. He had 108 yards from scrimmage (76 rushing, 32 receiving) in the opener vs. Denver, and last week at Green Bay, he rushed for 141 yards on 29 carries, helping lead a Bengals win. Benson s longest rush at Green Bay was only 14 yards, but it was one of six gains he had on the day of 10 or more yards. He ranks third in the AFC and sixth in the NFL in rushing yards (217), and fitting the mold of the workhorse the team wants him to be, he is tied with Atlanta s Michael Turner for the league lead in carries (50). He is on an early pace to finish the season with 400 carries, which would break the Bengals record of 361 set by Rudi Johnson in Benson has had three 100-yard rushing games in his last four, dating back to last season. He closed 2008 by rushing for a career-high 171 at Cleveland and 111 vs. Kansas City. Cedric s will and his drive is something we feed off offensively, QB Carson Palmer said after the Green Bay game. The group we have in front of him is creating holes, and when you combine their power and Cedric s will, speed, explosiveness, that s what we expect. We re going to expect that all year long. Twenty-five does the trick: The Bengals are 23-1 in 24 games under coach Marvin Lewis in which a rusher carries 25 or more times. HB Cedric Benson has added to the list in three of the last four games, dating back to last season. Last week, Benson had 29 carries (for 141 yards) in Cincinnati s win at Green Bay. The Bengals are 3-0 when Benson has carried 25 or more times. Cincinnati was 18-1 when Rudi Johnson had 25 or more (his first such game came in 2003), and the Bengals were 2-0 when Kenny Watson had a pair of 25-plus games in 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. Cincinnati s only loss under Lewis with a 25-carry rusher was Dec. 24, 2006 at Denver, when the Broncos overcame a 30-for- 129 day by Rudi Johnson in a win. Factors that contributed to the game being the lone exception to the 25-carry formula included a minus-two turnover differential for the Bengals and a missed PAT in the closing seconds that kept Cincinnati from forcing an overtime. Benson s ratio tops the leaders: Cedric Benson in 2008 became the 20th player in Bengals history to rush for 100 yards in a game, and his 141-yard effort at Green Bay last week upped his Cincinnati total to four 100-yarders in 12 starts. That s an average of one 100-yarder for every 3.0 starts, better than the ratios posted by Corey Dillon and Rudi Johnson, the players who rank 1-2 in most 100-yard rushing games for Cincinnati. Dillon got his team-record 28 games of 100 rushing yards in 96 starts, an average of one every 3.43 starts. Johnson got his 19 games of 100 in 59 starts, one for every 3.11 starts.; Here s a listing of the 20 Bengals players to rush for 100 yards in a game, with their number of 100-yarders in parentheses: Ten or more games Corey Dillon (28), Rudi Johnson (19), James Brooks (17), Pete Johnson (14). Five-to-nine games Harold Green (eight), Paul Robinson (six), Essex Johnson (five), Ickey Woods (five). One-to-four games Cedric Benson (four), Larry Kinnebrew (four), Boobie Clark (three), Archie Griffin (three), Jess Phillips (three), Kenny Watson (two), Ki-Jana Carter (one), Virgil Carter (one), Doug Dressler (one), Marc Logan (one), Deacon Turner (one), Stanley Wilson (one). Benson has six 100-yard rushing games for his NFL career. He had two for Chicago, one in 2006 and one in 07. More on Benson s comeback: HB Cedric Benson and the Bengals have been on roughly parallel paths since In 2005, the Bengals won a division championship, and Benson joined the Chicago Bears with high hopes as the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL draft. But the Bengals have been out of the playoffs since, and Benson has been largely out of the spotlight. He was released by the Bears after 2007, carrying mediocre numbers and a reputation of not being a good team player. But things started picking up again in An injury-ridden Bengals team rallied from a disastrous start to post a record over the season s second half, and Benson was a big part of it. Rescued from the ranks of the NFL unemployed in late September, he went on to post three 100-yard rushing games, to lead the team in rushing yards (747) and yards from scrimmage (932), and to earn a new reputation as a valued teammate and friendly figure to media. Ced has not taken a play off since he s been here, says QB Carson Palmer, in a game or in practice. Even in T-shirts and shorts, he s going 100 miles an hour. Maybe some people wondered about him personally when he first got here, but he put that to rest in a hurry and earned everyone s respect. Benson was completely exonerated from off-field charges which had contributed to Chicago s decision to release him in June of But he concedes he did not always carry himself or his emotions well while with Chicago. He says the rough period after his release helped effect the changes his teammates and Bengals fans have seen. I m proud to have gone through what I did, and to have turned things around, he says. Page 5

6 (Bengals information, continued) One tough test: After rushing for 141 yards at Green Bay last week, and after averaging yards over his last four games as a Bengal, HB Cedric Benson faces a semester exam this week against Pittsburgh. The Steelers, traditionally one of the NFL s toughest teams against the run, have allowed an average of only 64.5 rushing yards in two games this season. Last season, they ranked second in the NFL at 80.3 yards allowed per game. O-Line supports some gains: Though the Bengals offense has had its share of turnover and penalty problems over the first two games, the good news compared to 2008 is that opportunities have been there. Cincinnati has averaged a respectable 313 net yards over the first two games, after averaging only yards last season with QB Carson Palmer missing 12 games. HB Cedric Benson ranks third in the AFC and sixth in the NFL in rushing (217 yards), and Benson ranks fifth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage at 249. WR Chad Ochocinco is off to a solid start on his promised comeback year, ranking fourth in the AFC and sixth in the NFL with 180 receiving yards. Ochocinco s 20.0-yard average per catch is the highest of the top 10 receiving yards leaders in the AFC. The bottom line is that the Bengals revamped offensive line continues to show promise after a good preseason. RG Bobbie Williams is the only offensive lineman starting in the same spot where he played at least half the season last year. LOT Andrew Whitworth was also a regular starter last year, but he spent most of the season at guard. Whitworth and Williams are the veteran leaders of the group. Elsewhere on the starting five: Anthony Collins, a fourth-round 2008 draft pick, is at ROT. He started the last six games at LOT last season, as a replacement for injured Levi Jones. Also seeing action at ROT at Green Bay, spelling Collins, was second-year pro Dennis Roland. ROT had been the designated destination for first-round draft pick Andre Smith of Alabama, but Smith did not sign until Aug. 30, and he suffered a foot injury in his second practice, on Sept. 1. Second-year pro Nate Livings opened the season as the starting LG, but he suffered a knee injury vs. Denver and has been replaced by fifth-year pro Evan Mathis. Livings saw his first NFL regular-season action in 08, starting the final six games as an injury replacement, and he helped the club average rushing yards over last season s final three games. Mathis is a fifth-year NFL player, with 33 games of experience for Carolina and Miami prior to joining the Bengals. The center position is held by second-year pro Kyle Cook, who has added a more physical presence. Cook delivered a strong performance in 09 offseason work, and the 312-pounder promises to bring more power to the spot. Kyle is a big, strong guy, says Lewis, and he has shown us that he s smart and understands the game, able to make the calls and get people in the right spots. On the line as a whole, Whitworth says: I really believe we have talent and great chemistry, and that s going to show. We came into this season with a lot to prove, but history shows that more often than not, the team that has something to prove is more successful than a team that doesn t think it has a lot to prove. I like the mixture of guys we have. I ll take it. Big-play Rey: The second-round selection of LB Rey Maualuga made the Bengals 2009 draft in the eyes of many fans. With his wild hair, animated personality and reckless abandon on the field, the USC linebacker was a highly recognizable player. Many considered him a first-round talent, and the Bengals were lauded for a steal in getting him with the 38th overall pick. All of the above is still the case through the Bengals first two games. Maualuga is only rookie in the Cincinnati starting lineup on either side of the ball in 2009, having moved ahead of a tough veteran Rashad Jeanty into the No. 1 SLB spot. And last week at Green Bay, he delivered the first of what Bengals coaches hope will be a long list of game-changing plays. With the score tied at 21 in the third quarter, the Packers had the tide turning their way. After a Bengals punt on the first possession of the period, Green Bay had driven from its four-yard line to a first down at the Cincinnati 40. But on that first-down play, Maualuga popped Packers RB Ryan Grant after a five-yard reception, and the collision sent ball and ball carrier heading different ways. DT Pat Sims recovered the loose ball for Cincinnati, and the Bengals offense responded with a 62-yard TD drive, Cincinnati taking the lead for good at Maualuga also had a sack and forced fumble of Aaron Rodgers in the first half at Green Bay (Packers recovered the fumble), and he totaled six tackles on the day. He has 11 tackles on the season. Maualuga reports that he has worked hard to turn his unexpectedly late draft selection into a motivational positive. Hopefully no, not hopefully, somewhere down the line people are going to say, OK, he s a football player. We made a mistake, this guy can play, he said. And so I m going to show that. I m just working my butt off to get out there as fast as possible. Head coach Marvin Lewis says: With Rey, you knew from the start that the game was not going to be too big for him. He loves the challenge, he does everything at full speed, and he does it with an impact. Corner-stones: At the crucial position of cornerback, the Bengals are fortunate to have two young players, hitting their prime years, who have shown every indication of living up to their billing as first-round draft choices. Johnathan Joseph of South Carolina was the 24th overall pick in the 2006 draft, and Leon Hall of Michigan joined the Bengals as the 18th pick in the 07 draft. And in 2009, says defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, it s time for them to punch their tickets at a Pro Bowl level. Those two cornerbacks, they ve got to play good for us to be good, Zimmer says. If they don t, we re probably not going to be very good. Hall has played in every game since joining the Bengals, and his 27 starts at RCB include the last 25 in a row. He leads the team in INTs (eight) and passes defensed (40) over Bengals tenure. Last week against Denver, he had a team-high three passes defensed and three tackles. There s still room for improvement, but I think everything has carried over from last year, Hall says. We ve been contesting balls and make sure there are no catches. The potential and expectations are very high. Joseph has had a bit rockier a road as the LCB. The last two seasons, he has missed nine games and played at less than 100 percent in some others due to foot injuries. He enters 2009 feeling fully healed for the first time since his rookie year of 2006, and in the Denver game, he had four tackles with a pass defensed. I ve shown flashes, but I m going to put it all together now and stay healthy for 16 full games, he says. Zimmer is counting on Hall and Joseph to handle top receivers with minimal help, allowing the defense to focus on improving the pass rush. It s like always man-to-man, Joseph says. We have to stay on point all the time. Pressure is a big thing in this league, and there s pressure on us. Adjustments at TE: Though it s not likely to be a headline-grabber, the contribution from the tight end position figures as a key factor for the Bengals overall offensive performance this season. The club entered the preseason with proven veterans Reggie Kelly and Ben Utecht atop the depth chart, but both were lost in preseason to the Reserve/Injured list. The key blocking role that Kelly filled is now primarily the responsibility of third-year pro Dan Coats. The 6-3, 264-pound Coats joined the Bengals as an undrafted rookie in 2007 but clawed his way in to playing 31 games with seven starts over his first two seasons. He played TE as a rookie, was switched to FB last year, and has returned to TE this year as the Bengals depth at FB improved. He has started the first two games and has contributed three catches for 42 yards Page 6

7 (Adjustments at TE, continued) in addition to his blocking work. He s versatile, said head coach Marvin Lewis, and he has gained a lot of experience. That should pay off for him this year. Also seeing action in the first two games and with a start at Green Bay in a two-te formation was third-year NFL player J.P. Foschi. The former Raider and Chief made the roster after joining the team in training camp, following his release by Oakland. Foschi had a 12-yard reception at Green Bay and is twofor-15 receiving on the season. Utecht s anticipated contribution as a consistent receiving threat could be covered later in the season by rookie Chase Coffman of Missouri, who finished his college career ranked first in NCAA history in receptions by a TE (247) and second in receiving yards by a TE (2659). But Coffman was not asked in college to do much of the offensive grunt work that often falls to NFL tight ends, so he is still a work in progress. He was a gameday inactive last week. He s got a long way to go, says offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski, but as was the case on draft day, we are very excited about his long-term potential. Third-down threat? The Bengals have lacked a great situational pass rusher on the defensive line for several seasons, but hopes are that they are grooming one in 6-7, 265- pound Michael Johnson, a rookie third-round selection from Georgia Tech. Though he s clearly seen as a starting quality player down the road, passing downs are where Johnson could make his impact early in his rookie season. He has played DE in Bengals nickel fronts the first two games, with starting DE Antwan Odom moving inside to a tackle spot. Mike has exceeded my expectations, and my expectations were high, head coach Marvin Lewis said of Johnson early in training camp. Of all the rookie players that I ve been around in the NFL, he s played as fast and as physical and has made as many football plays early in camp as any of them. I have been really pleased with Mike. It s unusual, to say the least, for Lewis to speak so plainly in touting a rookie. But the Bengals have noted since draft day that Johnson came with exceedingly high potential for a player who lasted until the third round. An imposing player physically, he inspires best-scenario hopes of a career like the one enjoyed by Hall of Famer Ted The Stork Hendricks, but he weighs 30 pounds more than Hendricks did. At his best in college, he clearly played like a first-round NFL draft pick, but he came out of Georgia Tech with a reputation for not getting the most of himself on an every-play basis. Hence, he had to wait until the draft s second day, selected with the No. 70 overall pick. When you watched him on tape, said Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, there were plays that made you say, Oh wow, I can t believe he could do that. On other plays, you said, Heck, he didn t do very good there. But he s a first-class kid top notch, 100 percent and it s our job as coaches to get the best out of him on every play. Johnson has vowed he will listen to all critiques from people who have my best interests at heart. Return of Jeremi: When the Bengals released FB Jeremi Johnson in November of last season, it appeared his oncepromising Cincinnati career had reached its end. Though Johnson had finished his rehab from a September knee injury, his prospects had faded due to two seasons which saw him get off to very slow starts due to weight and conditioning issues. It seemed he would be unable to regain the level of play that earned him first-alternate status for the Pro Bowl after the 2006 season. But Johnson, who held the team s No. 1 FB job from his rookie season of 2003 through 2007, did not give up the quest. He convinced the Bengals to re-sign him as a free agent this past April, and on Aug. 10, with his weight not far from a goal of 265 pounds, he was moved to the No. 1 spot on the team s depth chart. He was the only FB to make the team s 53-player roster out of preseason. I m very pleased with what we ve seen from Jeremi, said head coach Marvin Lewis. He has re-dedicated himself, almost become a different person. I know he feels really good about it, too. Of his several months as an unsigned player, Johnson said: I knew I still had a love for football, and that the Bengals still needed me. They called and stayed in touch the whole time. I wasn t going anywhere. You all just thought I was gone. I was never gone. The Louisville, Ky., native says he was spurred to a more dedicated lifestyle by the birth last October of a daughter, Jai. It helped a lot, a whole lot, I m not going to lie, Johnson said. It makes you grow up. Even if you don t want to. Palmer rates with greats: The Bengals have looked with much anticipation to QB Carson Palmer s full return in 2009, and a comparison of top Cincinnati QBs shows why. Despite not playing as a rookie in 2004, as well as playing only four games in 2008, Palmer already holds his own in team passing records against Ken Anderson and Boomer Esiason, the Bengals two Super Bowl quarterbacks. Palmer owns the franchise s career records for passer rating and completion percentage, and he holds season marks for TD passes, rating, yards and completions. He also holds the game record for TD passes. Here s how Anderson, Esiason and Palmer compare, with a chart of team records held by each player: Career records (minimum 1000 passes) ANDERSON ESIASON PALMER Attempts (4475) Yds./att. (7.62) Comp. pct (63.8) Completions (2654) 300-yd. games (23) Rating (88.5) Yards (32,838) TD/INT ratio (1.6/1) TD passes (197) Season records (minimum 350 passes) ANDERSON ESIASON PALMER Comp. pct. (70.6) 300-yd. games (5)* Completions (373) TD/INT ratio (2.9/1) Yards (4131) TD passes (32) Rating (101.1) 300-yd. games (5)* * Esiason and Palmer share record. Game records ANDERSON ESIASON PALMER Completions (40) Yards (490) TD passes (6) Comp. pct. (90.9) Longest pass (94) Chad passes 9000: WR Chad Ochocinco s 91 receiving yards at Green Bay pushed his career total (all with Cincinnati) to 9085 yards. Though Ochocinco experienced the first down year of his career last season, set back by a chronic sore shoulder and the absence of QB Carson Palmer from the lineup, he has started 2009 in full health and is bent on further extending his already wide leads in Bengals all-time receptions and receiving yards. He will bid this year for his sixth selection for the Pro Bowl, which he missed last year after making the game the previous five seasons. Over the five seasons , he posted the five highest receiving yards totals in Bengals history, topped by a record 1440 yards in 07. Ochocinco s four catches at Green Bay raised his career receptions total to 621 (all with Cincinnati). He is the only Bengal to reach the 600 mark for a Cincinnati career and is now 91 catches ahead of second-place Carl Pickens. In receiving yards, his 9085 total is nearly 2000 yards ahead of second-place Isaac Curtis (7101). And Ochocinco is just 31 years old, presumably with many Page 7