Palmer frustrated?

[ChadJohnson-85]

After he threw two interceptions in a two-minute drill Thursday, it took less than that for quarterback Carson Palmer to admit he’s frustrated at the rust around the edges of his game and is hoping more snaps are coming as the knee gets stronger.

“Real rusty,” Palmer said after the rare miscues. “I’m very hard on myself. I have high expectations for myself as far as accuracy, footwork, and technique. I haven’t been doing a good job in that. I just need to get more reps and more opportunities doing it.”

The Bengals are trying to rest Palmer’s knee as well as prepare a backup quarterback in case the knee isn’t ready, which is why he’s getting about 40 percent of the snaps. So there is no panic in Bengaldom yet.

“It’s a normal thing,” said quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese of the rehab road. “You get back to the trust factor, trust in your protection, trust that things are going to get picked up and blocked. Trust that everything is going to be fine.

“He knows about it. He’s already on top of it every time I mention things to him in the meeting,” Zampese said. “He brings the same things up. So that’s good that we’re aware of it, it’s just a matter of continuing to do it so it happens when there’s 11 versus just when it’s us and the quarterbacks doing drills.”

Palmer points to getting virtually no snaps in the spring and the fewer training camp snaps as reasons for the rust, “but the more I get, the more and more comfortable I feel and hopefully as camp progresses I’ll get more snaps in team situations and 7-on-7 drills.”

It’s a bit ironic that the two interceptions came on throws to wide receiver Chris Henry. The first one, a ball thrown right to cornerback Tory James, was called back because of a pass interference penalty on James. The second came on the goal line when free safety Madieu Williams ran in front of Henry across the middle.

It will be recalled that Palmer hooked up with Henry on the second play of the Wild Card Game for the longest pass in Bengals’ post-season history, a lovely 66-yard-over-the-shoulder bomb that turned horrible when both suffered season-ending knee injuries. Unbelievably, Palmer came back first from reconstructive ACL surgery even though Henry didn’t have a procedure for a tear in the posterior cruciate ligament.

“We’re both still struggling. He’s still not 100 percent, I’m still not 100 percent,” Palmer said. “And getting our timing and rhythm back is going to take us some time, and we haven’t been there yet. We’ve had a lot of miscues and been on different pages a couple of different times, but there’s a reason we’re in training camp. To get that timing and rhythm back and it will come eventually.”

Palmer has hooked up with Chad Johnson on a few patented Pro Bowl bombs, but he says it seems like the other receivers are getting more plays called when he’s in the huddle.

“It’s been good for the other guys because during the season his number is always called it seems like,” Palmer said. “He gets a lot of catches, but it’s been great for T.J. and good for Chris Henry because we got some work, and Tab and a number of other guys. I think Chad and I are starting to get our rhythm back and that will progress as camp moves on.”

For his part, Johnson thinks the offense is right where it was this time last year because “we’re doing the same stuff we did last year, it’s the same offense and everybody is the same.”

In fact, he’s surprised that Palmer looks so sharp given that he missed so much of the spring workouts, and he doesn’t think the fewer snaps is going to hurt him.

“He can do that,” Johnson said. “He’s great.”

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=5370

[BengalsMan3203]

"Unbelievably, Palmer came back first from reconstructive ACL surgery even though Henry didn’t have a procedure for a tear in the posterior cruciate ligament"

Shows you HOW much Henry really puts into his workout/rehabs...

Or his knee just isn't takin rehab very well.

[ArmyBengal]

Say what you will, but the part that interested me is when Palmer speaks highly of Henry. I'm still hoping he stays. Go ahead and b*tch and whine now !!!

Oh yeah, Palmer will be fine in regards to him being rusty. No concerns here...

WHODEY !!!

[BigBenBlows]

"Unbelievably, Palmer came back first from reconstructive ACL surgery even though Henry didn’t have a procedure for a tear in the posterior cruciate ligament"

Shows you HOW much Henry really puts into his workout/rehabs...

Or his knee just isn't takin rehab very well.

OR it just shows how drinking and smoking weed dosen't help your body heal.