Bengals' dim hopes now rest with others

CINCINNATI // Coach Marvin Lewis insists a botched extra point wasn't responsible for the Cincinnati Bengals' season-turning loss.

He's right. A lot of very bad things have happened during a two-game meltdown that turned the Bengals into a long shot for the playoffs.A bad snap on an extra-point with 46 seconds to play left the Bengals with a 24-23 loss Sunday in Denver, costing them their lead in the AFC wild-card race. Now, they need a lot of help to reach the playoffs.

"I would have bet my life savings that we would have made that one," receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. "It is just a microcosm of our season."

One that could very easily end Sunday.

To keep playing, the Bengals (8-7) have to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium. The game will have special significance for the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers, given that coach Bill Cowher is mulling retirement.

A victory wouldn't get Cincinnati into the playoffs by itself.

The Bengals have fallen a game behind the Denver Broncos (9-6) and the New York Jets (9-6) for the wild-card berths. In order for Cincinnati to move ahead, the Jets would have to lose Sunday at home to the Oakland Raiders, who are tied with the Detroit Lions for the NFL's worst record at 2-13 and haven't won on the road all season.

The other way in: Denver loses at home to the San Francisco 49ers (6-9), and the Kansas City Chiefs (8-7) beat the Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7), giving the Bengals a wild-card berth by virtue of the tiebreakers.

That's a lot to ask.

The Bengals can blame themselves for their predicament.

They won the AFC North last season because they played well consistently. They didn't lose consecutive regular-season games until the last week, when they rested their starters for most of a loss at Kansas City that left them 11-5.

This year, they're a team of extremes.

They opened 3-0, branding themselves as a force. Then they dropped five of six and were on the verge of imploding. Star players questioned the play calling and teammates' toughness.

They regrouped during the most favorable stretch of their schedule, beating the New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Ravens and Raiders to get back into contention and move to the front of the pack of wild-card contenders.

With a chance to clinch a playoff spot, they've played two of their worst games back-to-back: a 34-16 loss in Indianapolis, followed by the defeat in Denver. Both times, they let the pressure get to them.

"You cannot come out tense and tight, and we need to get away from that," Lewis said.

Their biggest stars have made the biggest blunders.

Carson Palmer has played his worst back-to-back games of the season, throwing for a combined 385 yards with six sacks, two touchdowns and two interceptions. His quarterback ratings for those two games were 69.9 and 63.4, way below his average.

The Bengals had a chance to take control of the game in Denver early when safety Dexter Jackson intercepted Jay Cutler's first pass and returned it to the 5-yard line. Palmer overthrew an uncovered Houshmandzadeh on third-and-goal, setting up an interception that set the tone for the game.

Palmer later overthrew Chad Johnson and Chris Henry after they'd beaten defenders downfield.

Penalties were another clue the Bengals were distracted by the pressure. They had eight penalties in Denver, one of which wiped out a 75-yard touchdown pass.

"We continue to hurt ourselves," Lewis said.

Column: Bengals a Huge Disappointment

Chad Johnson hasn't even bothered to check his "Who Covered No. 85" list for the last three weeks. What's the point? The receiver's checklist has become irrelevant, just like his team.

Any list of the NFL's most disappointing teams has to start with the Cincinnati Bengals, a vogue pick for a Super Bowl run after their 3-0 start. Since then, they've lost five of six and morphed into a souped-up version of the old Bungles.

They squabble. They fuss. They lose.

And, like in the old days, there's plenty of blame to go around.

"I've underachieved as a football coach," Marvin Lewis said, a day after his defense gave up a mind-boggling 42 points in the second half of a 49-41 loss to San Diego.

OK. Let the accounting start with the head coach.

In his first three seasons in Cincinnati, Lewis had the magic touch. He persuaded a set-in-its-ways front office to modernize, cleansed the locker room of its negativity, and won back fans turned off by a decade of losing.

His popularity reached a peak after the Bengals won the AFC North last season and made their first playoff appearance in 15 years. He became the first NFL head coach with a replica jersey it costs $75, the same as a Johnson or Carson Palmer jersey, and features "M. Lewis" on the back with an "03" for his first season in Cincinnati.

Given the way things are going, there won't be an "06" model.

Lewis' biggest shortcoming has been his handling of misconduct. By steadfastly defending players during their array of arrests, the head coach sent the message that their off-field problems were nothing more than an annoyance.

Six Bengals have been arrested this year, with two of them linebacker Odell Thurman and receiver Chris Henry drawing suspensions from the league. The night after a win in Pittsburgh left the Bengals 3-0, Thurman was arrested for drunken driving. Henry was a passenger in the vehicle.

That was the tipping point for Lewis.

He took away Thurman's locker even before the league suspended him for the rest of the season. He also benched Henry for one game before the league weighed in with its own two-game penalty.

Vick, Falcons edge Bengals

Vick threw three touchdown passes on Sunday, repeatedly slipping out of tacklers’ grasp, while leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 29-27 victory over a Cincinnati Bengals team that had never seen anything quite like him.

The mercurial quarterback has led the Falcons (5-2) to consecutive wins over the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers and the defending AFC North champion Bengals. Vick has thrown seven touchdown passes in the last two games, showing he’s much more than a runner with a strong arm.

Cincinnati (4-3) couldn’t run him down or slow down his passing.

Many of the Bengals’ defenders had never faced Vick, who put on quite a show in his first career visit to Cincinnati. Vick went 20-of-28 for 291 yards and left would-be tacklers scattered all over the field while running for another 55 yards.

Seen enough, Bengals?

Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson played warm-up act to Vick, who simply couldn’t be caught at the end. Palmer’s 55-yard touchdown pass to Chris Henry cut it to 29-27 with 3:41 to go, but Vick helped the Falcons run the clock down to 19 seconds before Cincinnati got the ball back.

Palmer then fumbled on a sack, ending a performance that started with promise but ended poorly. Palmer was 24-of-36 for 266 yards, including six completions to Johnson.

Johnson and cornerback DeAngelo Hall had kept up their long-distance trash talking since the Pro Bowl last February. Eight months of dissing culminated in one last face-to-face exchange before the first play.

The Falcons took the bait.

Hall threw Johnson to the ground emphatically on the first play, and safety Chris Crocker drew a late-hit penalty for knocking down Johnson again when he got up.

Johnson was under the Falcons’ skin. Now, he had to get into the end zone.

He’d promised at least two touchdowns. He got one midway through the first quarter, taking a quick throw from Palmer and putting a move on Jason Webster to shake free for a 14-6 lead and only his second touchdown of the season.

Vick took over at that point, letting the Falcons get the final word.

Vick, who threw for a career-high four touchdowns in a 41-38 overtime victory over Pittsburgh, got rolling with a 16-yard toss to Alge Crumpler. The tight end had a career-high three touchdowns against the Steelers.

In one say-it-all play, Vick eluded the rush, rolled left, pulled up and lobbed a 26-yard touchdown to Michael Jenkins that put the Falcons up 20-17 in the third quarter.

Vick’s 8-yard touchdown pass to fullback Justin Griffith put the Falcons ahead to stay at 26-20 — a bad snap scuttled the extra point — and left the Bengals’ defense at a loss for ideas on stopping him.

HOME | AP North Carolina News

CINCINNATI -- Chad Johnson had lobbied for this exact chance.

Unhappy that the Bengals' offense had bogged down in a take-what-they-give mode, the Pro Bowl receiver urged his quarterback and his coaches to be more aggressive Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

On fourth-and-1, he got his wish.

The Bengals took a huge gamble, throwing deep down the sideline to the sure-handed receiver on what everyone else expected to be a running play. Johnson's diving, 32-yard catch set up the winning touchdown in a 17-14 victory that made his point.

Sometimes, the quarterback has to throw and trust.

"Yeah, that's part of that mentality," said Johnson, who had seven catches for 61 yards. "Our offensive staff has to be able to pick and choose opportunities to put players in situations like that."

After another mostly frustrating afternoon, the Bengals (4-2) took a gamble and got their offense back on track. They failed to get a first down on five of their six first-half possessions, when Carson Palmer repeatedly missed his receivers in a swirling wind.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Palmer led them to a soothing victory over the Panthers (4-3), who had won four consecutive close games by playing their best in the clutch.

"It's only one game, but the difference between 4-2 and 3-3 is drastic," Palmer said. "With the road we have ahead of us _ three or four in a row against good teams _ this will give us momentum and that confidence and get us back on track."

They were still off the rails until Palmer went 8-of-9 for 93 yards on the go-ahead drive midway through the fourth quarter. The pivotal throw came on fourth-and-1 from the Carolina 35.

Everyone expected offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski to call a run or short pass. Instead, he chose a play with Johnson as the first option, running deep down the right sideline.

"I had mixed emotions until Chad caught it," receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said of the call. "I thought Rudi (Johnson) had been running well. But once Chad caught it _ great call!"

Great catch as well. Chad Johnson was a few feet off the ground, cornerback Chris Gamble at his side, when he stretched for an over-the-shoulder catch that turned the game. Two plays later, Palmer threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Houshmandzadeh for the 17-14 lead.

"I knew I was going to make the play," said Johnson, who winced as he carefully slipped his bruised right shoulder into a black-and-gray jacket. "Once the ball was in the air, there was no doubt."

Maybe not. But the game was still in doubt.

Steve Smith, who was Chad Johnson's junior college teammate seven years ago, caught passes of 18 and 23 yards as the Panthers drove to the 10-yard line. John Kasay, who has missed only one field goal all season, was warming up in case he was needed for a tying kick.

Instead, Jake Delhomme took an equally bold gamble on third down. Rather than throw the ball away and settle for a kick, he tried to loft it to Keyshawn Johnson at the back of the end zone. The ball floated, giving safety Kevin Kaesviharn time to drift back and intercept with 3:50 to go.

"You want to make a play in that situation, and I thought that was a play to be made, but obviously it wasn't," Delhomme said. "It's real disappointing. Disappointing is an easy word, but they way you feel inside is a whole lot more than just one word."

The Panthers expected Kaesviharn to be closer to the goal line covering a different receiver _ the way he did on similar plays against other teams.

"I think he just got lucky and fell off into position," Keyshawn Johnson said. "Sometimes guys just get lucky. In the film, he was never there. This particular time, he was there."

Notes:@ Rudi Johnson ran for 101 yards, ending the Panthers' streak of holding their last four opponents under 100 yards on the ground. ... DE Julius Peppers wasn't involved in the Panthers' two sacks, ending his streak of five straight games with a sack. ... Palmer was 23-of-39 overall for 240 yards. Delhomme was 20-of-34 for 238 yards and a pair of first-half touchdowns.

The Arms Race in the AFC East Takes on a New Look

By Mike BrodyWagerWeb.com Contributing WriterThe quarterback position has always been the most important position for any NFL team. Having a confident field general is essential for any team that wants to go deep into the playoffs. Nowhere is that more evident than in the AFC East.Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have dominated the division since Brady took over for Drew Bledsoe three games into the 2001 season. Now the Miami Dolphins, the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills are all trying to find that diamond in the rough like the Patriots did when they selected Brady in the sixth round of the 2000 draft.Daunte the DolphinMiami is coming off a 9-7 season and has some quality skill position players. The Dolphins' biggest problem the last few seasons has been at quarterback. Miami has had immortals such as A.J. Feely, Jay Fielder, Gus Frerotte and Sage Rosenfels taking snaps in the last three seasons.Now the Dolphins think they've solved their problem. The Dolphins traded for former Minnesota QB Daunte Culpepper and former Detroit signal caller Joey Harrington this off-season to sure up their weakness. The problem is, both QBs are huge question marks. Chances are, Miami will be searching for answers at the QB position again this season.Culpepper will be the starter if he's healthy. The 6'4'', 260 lb veteran was in the midst of his worst season as a pro when he suffered a catastrophic knee injury during the seventh game of the 2005 season. He had thrown just 6 touchdowns and 12 interceptions at the time of his injury. The season before, however, Culpepper was an All-Pro as he tossed 39 TDs and just 11 INTs while posting an impressive 110.9 quarterback rating. He would have been league MVP had it not been for Peyton Manning's record-breaking season.Back-up PlanCulpepper is optimistic that he'll be done with rehab and ready for the start of the season, but that's wishful thinking. Miami will probably open the season with Harrington at the helm and that could leave the Fins in a big hole right off the bat.The former University of Oregon star has never fulfilled the promise of being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft. Despite having talented wide receivers and running backs around him, Harrington floundered in his 4 years with the Lions, throwing two more interceptions than touchdowns while leading the Lions to just 18 victories in 51 starts.The Dolphins have another intriguing option in their camp: Marcus Vick, the troubled younger brother of Atlanta QM Michael Vick. The odds are better that Vick will be in police custody rather than a Dolphins uniform come September, but if Nick Saban and the coaching staff can find a way to keep Vick on the field, he could offer Miami some insurance in case Culpepper and Harrington falter. Vick will most likely be made into a wide receiver anyway, but he could end up being used in several roles similar to the original slash, Kordell Stewart.Still SearchingThe Jets and Bills continue to look for answers at the QB spot as well. New York's QB job is up for grabs as incumbent Chad Pennington missed most of last year after undergoing rotator cuff surgery. Pennington has a history of injuries and may never be the same after his latest setback. The Jets also acquired veteran Patrick Ramsey in a trade with the Washington Redskins in March. Ramsey has been a disappointment in Washington where he lost his job to Mark Brunell last season.New York's best hope may be rookie Kellen Clemens. Clemens was having a stellar senior season at Oregon before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. He has good size, speed and quickness, and could be the quarterback of the future that the Jets have been looking for.Buffalo, on the other hand, has done nothing to upgrade its weakness at quarterback. The Bills had a terrible draft and will go into the season with Kelly Holcomb and J.P. Losman vying for the starting job again. Neither are a very attractive option and the Bills look to be going nowhere again.The StandardIn order for Miami, New York or Buffalo to make the playoffs, they will have to go through New England. The Patriots look to be even better than last season, having drafted running back Laurence Maroney and wide receiver Chad Jackson to add to Brady's arsenal of weapons.The Patriots are still the kings of the AFC East and are one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl again. Should the Patriots regain the championship, it would be their fourth Super Bowl in six years and will cement their place as one of the greatest dynasties in the history of the league.

Flutie Was Simply Ahead of His Time

By Michael RothmanWagerWeb.com Contributing WriterDoug Flutie was a gambler’s dream. Think about it. His team was always the underdog and yet he always came through in the clutch and covered the spread. From his Hail Mary pass in college to beat Miami to his scramble for a touchdown to beat Jacksonville in the pros, Flutie was a born winner. Sportsbooks hated this man, because whether they liked it or not, his teams were always getting points, yet they knew he would win the game;—somehow.Even with this, when you think of Doug Flutie, you think of a short quarterback. You think of a little guy who was great for some trickery in close games, but not a player you would build a franchise around. You think of a player who was good enough to dominate Canada, but not the NFL. Why?Atlanta QB Michael Vick was drafted number one overall in 2001 because of the amazing upside he possesses. Vick is a phenomenal athlete with speed, power, and the uncanny ability to throw the football up to 70 yards. Vick dazzled while playing his college ball at Virginia Tech and is a natural leader. These are simply intangibles you cannot teach, but can build a team and a franchise around.So I beg to ask one question: what is the difference between Vick and Flutie? Less than two inches in height. Vick stands at 6’0”, with Flutie lagging just behind at 5’10”. Flutie has the cannon that Vick has and is also a great athlete who consistently makes plays with his legs. Flutie also dazzled in college while playing for Boston College, and he even won a Heisman Trophy in 1984. Even Vick can’t claim that award. When talking about leadership skills, no one will ever forget Flutie’s 48-yard Hail Mary pass that upset the Miami Hurricanes on November 23, 1984. One can even argue that Flutie has the edge on Vick when it comes to football smarts, and more importantly, accuracy. Vick has a career completion percentage of only 54.1 percent.So if the two are so evenly matched, why was Flutie drafted 285th overall in 1985 while Vick was the first pick 16 years later? The answer is simple: Flutie was a man ahead of his time. In 1985, the mobile quarterback had no place in the NFL. Now this type of quarterback is the present and future of the game, and Flutie was one of the first prototypes. Flutie, the anti-Ryan Leaf, has no character flaws at all and if he were to come out of the draft now, he would be a first-day pick. The current coaches of this era would be drooling at the numerous ways they could utilize this athlete.Now, after 21 professional seasons in football, Flutie called it quits on Monday. Flutie leaves behind a legacy of heart and determination, six player of the year awards in Canadian football, and of course, his Hail Mary pass that will live forever in college football lore. But, most of all, I believe he leaves behind the sad legacy of a player who was born in the wrong era and who was consistently underestimated.Flutie made his resurgence in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills in 1998, voted the AP Comeback Player of the Year. In ‘98, Flutie threw for over 2700 yards and 20 touchdowns to only 11 interceptions. The very next year Flutie upped his numbers to over 3000 yards passing and was voted to the Pro Bowl. But alas, another stereotype would stand in the way of a fruitful career: his age. By the end of 1999, Flutie was 37 years old and the Bills did not want to build a team around an old-timer. It was just too late. Two years later, Flutie would sign with the Chargers, only to give the job up to another young quarterback: Drew Brees.Flutie’s potential was there for all to see. You don’t just make the Pro Bowl if you’re not a great talent. Again, timing ruined what could have been a Hall of Fame career. Flutie just needed the breakthroughs of players like Kordell Stewart, Atwaan Randle El, and of course, Vick, to set the stage. Kordell started the trend way back in 1995 when he came in as ‘slash.’ Pittsburgh coach Bill Cower tried to use the multi-talented QB in every way possible and ended up with great success. This opened the door for Vick to be the top pick in 2001 and Randle El to sign with the Redskins for $27 million. Imagine all the money Flutie could have made in this era, for himself and gamblers alike.Well, you can’t change history and you certainly can’t pick the era in which you are born. This is the sad reality of Doug Flutie’s career and the careers of many others who did not make it at the professional level. But what you can do is realize something. When you think of Michael Vick as the one player who changed the way we view what a quarterback can do, think again. There is one innovator who came before Vick, before Kordell, before Randle El, and even before Vince Young. This innovator was Doug Flutie.

The NFL Draft’s Impact on the Upcoming Fantasy Football Season

By Mike Brody
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
We’ve had a week to digest the NFL draft. While most observers were looking at which teams drafted the best and which teams dropped out, fantasy footballers were wondering which rookies they might like to have on their team.
Some of these rookies will come in and make an immediate impact in the league. Others will have a more subtle impact and work their way into the lineup. How much playing time these rookies receive will determine not only their value, but also the value of many other proven veterans who could be high fantasy draft picks. Some of these veterans may lose a lot of value due to rookies stealing precious playing time from them. This is especially troubling in keeper leagues.
Rookie Starters
This was one of the more impressive drafts in recent years. Several skilled players should step right into major roles with their NFL teams. Some of these guys will be well worth having on your fantasy team. If you’re in a keeper league, these guys could be very high picks.
Reggie Bush – The Texans might have passed on him, but you shouldn’t. Bush will have plenty of chances to score fantasy points for his owners as he is expected to split carries with Deuce McAllister, whose value drops significantly. Bush will be a big target out of the backfield for new Saints QB Drew Brees and at times he’ll line up as a wide receiver. Bush may also be able to get on the scoreboard returning punts and kickoffs.
Vernon Davis – The huge tight end will instantly become Alex Smith’s favorite target in San Francisco. While the 49ers’ offense is nothing to write home about, they should improve and they will play against some weaker defenses. Some say Davis may be the next Antonio Gates. That probably won’t happen right away, but he could be a top 5 tight end and have numbers similar to Baltimore’s Todd Heap.
Joseph Addai – The Colts moved quickly to replace Edgerrin James by drafting the LSU running back in the first round. Addai will step right into the league’s most potent offense and could be the feature back. Like James, he’s an excellent pass catcher and should have no problem beating out Dominic Rhodes for the majority of the playing time.
Waiting in the Wings
These guys may not start right away, but they will be valuable players for their new teams’ offenses.
Laurence Maroney & Chad Jackson – The Patriots’ top two picks may not be immediate starters, but it won’t be long until they force their way into the lineup. Rated by many as the top wide receiver in the draft, New England was able to grab Florida’s Chad Jackson in the second round. Jackson fills an immediate hole for the Pats after they lost David Givens in free agency. Even if he doesn’t start, New England loves to run 3-, 4- and 5-receiver sets, and you can bet Tom Brady will find the rookie. The Patriots’ No. 1 pick was RB Laurence Maroney. Maroney rushed for more than 1,000 yards three straight seasons at Minnesota. He won’t displace incumbent Corey Dillon as the starter right away, but Maroney will get his share of carries and could develop into a very productive NFL running back in no time. He is an excellent mid-round pick – higher in keeper leagues.
DeAngelo Williams – The undersized running back is the NCAA career leader in all-purpose yards. He will have to battle DeShaun Foster and Carolina’s 2005 top pick Eric Shelton for playing time. Williams will be part of the backfield rotation from the start. Foster and Shelton have both had trouble staying healthy, so Williams could be in line for even more playing time.
Santonio Holmes – The Steelers, like the Patriots, had an immediate need for a wide receiver and filled it with the impressive Ohio State speedster. He should fit in well with the Super Bowl champs and has a great tutor in Hines Ward. Look for Pittsburgh to ease him into the lineup and for Holmes to make his way into the starting lineup by mid-season.
LenDale White – The other USC running back fell to the middle of the second round after a hamstring injury and character questions have come up in recent weeks. On the field, White has been a powerful runner with a nose for the end zone. Tennessee already has two proven backs in Chris Brown and Travis Henry, but both have been susceptible to injuries. Look for White to start the season as the goal-line back and get a chance at the feature back role later in the season.
Best of the Rest
A few other players to keep an eye on this season include: Leonard Pope – The 6-foot-8 tight end will be a huge target for Curt Warner and should get plenty of Red Zone opportunities in the Cardinals’ new high-powered offense; Sinorice Moss – The Miami (Fla.) receiver should be an excellent complement to Plaxico Burress for the Giants. Moss will have to fight for catches in an offense that features Tiki Barber, Jeremy Shockey, and Burress; Anthony Fasano – Bill Parcells hopes Fasano will turn into another Mark Bavaro for the Cowboys. Dallas already has Jason Witten, a solid tight end, but Parcells loves to play two tight ends, and Drew Bledsoe loves to work the middle of the field.
The Quarterbacks
The there’s the three high-profile quarterbacks: Vince Young, Matt Leinart, and Jay Cutler. I think they will all have productive careers, but just not this season. Young has a chance for playing time with Tennessee now that Steve McNair has left for Baltimore. Billy Volek is ready to step up, however, so Young should be carrying the clipboard this season. Leinart fell to the 10th pick, but he couldn’t have asked for a better situation. The Cardinals are loaded on offense with the best young wide receiver duo in the league – Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald – and a stud running back in the newly acquired James. Kurt Warner leads the Arizona attack and still has a good year or two left, but Warner has a history of injuries so Leinart’s time could come sooner rather than later. The Broncos drafted Cutler one pick after Leinart was selected. Cutler will back up Jake Plummer in Denver next year as he is groomed for the starting spot once Plummer wears out his welcome.
Keep track of the position battles over the summer and don’t be afraid to take a chance on a rookie that could be a difference maker.