You're the Head coach.

[derekshank]

The 2nd pre-season game is over, and Palmer hasn't played. He says that it isn't 100% right now, and how much can you expect that to change in 10 days? There is a need to plan ahead in the event that he isn't ready.

So the question is... do you keep giving him 75% of the practice snaps? It seems pretty clear that Wright needs more snaps if he's going to be effective. Our starters did well against the Bills because of defensive TD's, not anything Wright did.

If Wright's going to be our opening day starter, He needs more reps with the starters. Are you going to take the reps away from Palmer that he lobbied for, when you know he feels he needs them to get his confidence back? Rock and a hard place. Well... you're the head coach. What do you do?

[Stripes]

I tell Palmer to make a decision before the 3rd preseason game, and I increase Wright's reps in practice regardless of his pending answer.

[DontPushMe]

The plan all offseason was for him to play his first game in week 3 of the preseason, why is it suddenly an issue? It all comes down to how he looks next week. If hes staring down the rush, and isnt moving well, we have problems, I dont think that will be the case though.

[derekshank]

The plan all offseason was for him to play his first game in week 3 of the preseason, why is it suddenly an issue? It all comes down to how he looks next week. If hes staring down the rush, and isnt moving well, we have problems, I dont think that will be the case though.

I sort of agree with you... but I don't know that the issue is all that sudden.

Marvin said he had hoped that Palmer would play @ Buffalo. He didn't, and I'm fine with that... but the issue remains, Palmer commonly says that his knee is "Nowhere near ready." Well, we are 22 days away from the Kansas City game, so we should be hoping that sometime soon he would say "Somewhere near ready."

The real issue isn't Palmer not playing against Buffalo. The issue is that a guy who doesn't feel ready to play football is taking the majority of the practice snaps. If he is unable to play @KC, then the coaching staff should have been responsible enough to plan for that event by having the back-up ready.

At this point I would say that Wright will not be ready to win a game on the road. He needs more time with the starters to get to that point, but he can't get it, because the injured guy is getting all the reps. It is an issue... and it needs resolving. If Palmer's going to start... fine, but yo ucan't even get him to be definite about it, so why should Marvin feel so sure?

[Kazkal]

you really dont like wright do ya

If i was headcoach i'd make CJ our QB

[derekshank]

you really dont like wright do ya

Call me spoiled... I like Palmer.

I think Wright could get us the win @KC... but not with 25% of the practice reps. I think that is the real problem. If it were Kitna back there, I wouldn't worry as much. He knows the system, and has had time with these guys in the past, so the week before the game, they'd make sure he got enough practice snaps to get in sync, and he'd be fine. But Wright is new, so I don't have that.

I just don't want to see Wright put back there for game 1, and have him unprepared to bring us the victory... and right now, the way he's playing, I think we would lose @KC. But that's just me.

[kingwilly]

I think one way to look at it is having Johsnon get the next start. Wright has been given the 1st team snaps and we have a sense of where he is at. DJ should get a start and get relieved by Palmer.

Wright seems to me like he is where he is, no matter the volume of snaps. He could come in cold and do what he's done. He could have 4 years in this offense and look the same.

I think Palmer will get the game 4 start and be ready for KC. DJ needs to get a look as the temp #1 (soon to be #2).

[BengalsDieHard1]

OK, I'm the coach, here is my call: CP isn't 100% and that's not going to change in 1,2 0r 3 weeks. Wright is looking OK, Johnson is looking better. CP doesn't start until Oct. 1st...period. Johnson starts the next two preseason games so I can see how he handles 1st team D's. And then I make a decision of who is our starting QB. Case closed....see ya in Miami for XLI.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

The plan all offseason was for him to play his first game in week 3 of the preseason, why is it suddenly an issue? It all comes down to how he looks next week. If hes staring down the rush, and isnt moving well, we have problems, I dont think that will be the case though.

Yeah I don't understand what the issue is exactly either. Palmer has said he will play next week for 3 quarters, and unless that changes, really don't know what this is about.

[Kazkal]

Wright is playing fine alright vs 1st stringers vs johnson whos playing vs 3rd he's also turned the ball over 0 times

[kingwilly]

DJ is playing against 3rd team surrounded by the 3rd team. It is time to see him go against the 1st team with the 1st team. just sayin...

Wright is average...let's see how that compares to DJ...then we can decide.

[Stripes]

The plan all offseason was for him to play his first game in week 3 of the preseason, why is it suddenly an issue? It all comes down to how he looks next week. If hes staring down the rush, and isnt moving well, we have problems, I dont think that will be the case though.

Yeah I don't understand what the issue is exactly either. Palmer has said he will play next week for 3 quarters, and unless that changes, really don't know what this is about.

Thirded. I had thought all along that Palmer wanted to play deep into the Green Bay game. I'm confused by all the uncertainty. Figured I was missing something.

DJ is playing against 3rd team surrounded by the 3rd team. It is time to see him go against the 1st team with the 1st team. just sayin...

Wright is average...let's see how that compares to DJ...then we can decide.

I think this contradict's Shank's point, and I gotta disagree. If Palmer is out for KC, they need to have their number one guy decided beyond all doubt and get him the reps he needs to get the offense down pat. If it's Wright, that's especially true. Having the two of them trading playing time with number ones sounds like a bad idea.

[Jonboat]

I was surprised after the Redskin game knowing Palmer wasn't going to start vs. the Bills they didn't give more of the snaps to Wright . I suppose it's a mute point now though if Palmer does return for the Greenbay game.

I guess maybe the way Palmer has come along in his rehab they have had no doubts he's going to start the first game they might also think Wright is making up for the snaps he's not been getting in practice by the work he's getting by starting in the games. I just think they're banking on Palmer starting the season.

If Carson plays in Greenbay he'll probably be the only one to play with the 1rst stringers at this point in the preseason .

[derekshank]

If no one else thinks it's an issue, great. I'm happy for the rest of you. I do still see it as an issue though, and here's why:

The "rift" between Marvin and Palmer got incredibly overplayed by NBC and ESPN... but there is still no getting around Marvin's comments. He isn't happy giving Palmer all the snaps in practice when there is uncertainty about his status for the 1st game. Frankly, we won't know anything more than we do right now until after the Monday nighter... and by that point it will be less than 2 weeks until the regular season.

Wright has been unimpressive. Maybe that is all he'll ever be... but I have a hard time believing he wouldn't get any better if he was getting at least 50% of the snaps in practice. That would double his work load with the starters, and help him get his timing down.

Once again... if Palmer comes out and plays 3 quarters against Green Bay, and looks good and feels ready to go... this is a non-issue. But that is still 10 days away, and he has stated that is a goal. He's never said he's playing with certainty. What if he decides to sit out again? It means Wright is our starter week 1, and we've gone the entire off-season planning for Palmer to be our starter. Worse things have happened... but this is something that could easily be planned for.

[ArmyBengal]

I think they have more of a QB controversy than they believe they do. Wright hasn't been overwhelming and Dougie has (Can't believe I'm saying this) looked better than I thought he would. I know he has faced 2nd and 3rd stringers, but that's also who he has had around him. They have to figure this one out and quick...

I still say let's see what happens with Carson against Green Bay, but have to agree that if they don't think he's going to be ready, one of the other two should be getting the lions share of snaps in preparing for the KC game...

WHODEY !!!

[bengalboomer7]

The plan all offseason was for him to play his first game in week 3 of the preseason, why is it suddenly an issue? It all comes down to how he looks next week. If hes staring down the rush, and isnt moving well, we have problems, I dont think that will be the case though.

It's an issue because Marvin is trying to get ready for the games that count, and what's the good of giving palmer 80% of the snaps if he isn't behind center week 1. marvin is right, it's time to fish or cut bait with this. Move on any farhter than preseason game three with questions at QB and it makes it rough on the offense when the games start counting.

[cincy9275]

i think that wright needs more snaps with the starters . carson is not ready and i don't think he will be ready to start the season .

johnson has looked good but the talent level he is playing against is not even close to what wright is facing . i think after the next preseason game marvin is going to have to make a decision who will start the opener .

if carson is the starter fine then get him ready if not the we can not afford to give carson starter reps in practice if he is not going to start . then if wright is the starter shelve carson for the rest of the preseason and get johnson the snaps a # 2 would get in the last preseason game .

i want carson back on the field too but if he is not 100% then he should not come back until he is 100% ready to play and i don't care if it takes him how ever long to get ready then so be it . he is way to valuable to this teams future to take any unnecessary risks on like playing when he is not ready .

i think the media and the organization and some of us fans needs to back off of him and let him keep progressing and hope he is able to come back soon and lead us to a championship and not make him feel like he has to go back out there when he's not ready .

[KRUNKJUICE]

You guys are probably gonna kill me for saying this, but I can take it. I would let the first practice this week to be live. If Palmer is gonna get over this mental block I want it to be now. If he says no he's not ready, I'm giving Wright more reps. If he's gonna get hurt, he can get hurt anytime, so don't tell me it's a bigger risk than if he's hurt in the pre-season game. At least once he gets hit we can be done with this wondering, and get on with preparing the guy who is going to start the regular season.

Okay, let me have it!

[HairOnFire]

If Palmer says he's ready to go I'd start him against the Packers and let him quarterback two or three drives. Frankly, that's enough to tell you everything you need to know. If he's sharp then everyone breaths a sigh of relief, and you move on...playing Plamer the same amount of snaps the following week. If he's rusty and off target you pull him...because a football game isn't the place for him to work out the kinks.

BTW, I think Palmer claimed he wanted to work into the 3rd quarter, not 3 full quarters of work. That can be an important distinction because in the 3rd preseason game starters normally start the 3rd quarter, play one drive, and then rest.

[Spain]

Start Palmer and play it by ear, Were goingt o the super bowl, go Peko!!!!!

[Walrus]

Sorry to post on a cold thread. Let sleeping dogs lie, right? Oh well.

In my opinion, since they are planning to start Palmer on Monday, they will focus on that this week. Wright and Johnson will split 25% of the practice snaps. If Palmer plays well on Monday -- until the first drive of the 3rd quarter, as planned -- we all have our answer on him. He'll be ready for KC and we will proceed accordingly in practice. That's Plan A - ideal.

If he looks bad out there, we will shift gears and focus the last couple of weeks on getting Wright up to speed. The players already feel comfortable with him. He has been making good decisions and not turning the ball over. If he's starting in KC we still have a solid offense and a good chance to win. That's Plan B. Not ideal, but that's why it's plan B!

Johnson is out of the picture either way with the first teamers. He would have a lot of catching up to do even to feel as comfortable with the first stringers as he is now with the 2nd/3rd stringers. Wright is already there. I'm sorry, but at some point you have to stick with your decisions. If you always are looking for greener grass out of your backup QB, you'll have a very shaky team. Who knows that better than Bengal fans?

[HoosierCat]

At this point, I think the Bengals have made their bed and have no choice but to lie in it. If Palmer feels like he's ready, he'll go; if not, Wright will start. Either way, the ride at QB is likely to be rough in the beginning. We'll either have a rusty Palmer or an underprepared Wright.

So really, we're about where we all thought we'd be back in February, namely looking to our defense, which is going to have to step up and help out an offense that will probably struggle early on. So FWIW I find myself less and less concerned about Palmer v. Wright and more interested in whether Fat Sam's bodacious backside will be there come opening day, whether we really have found someone in Peko, whether David Pollack can stay healthy for two weeks straight, etc.

[Walrus]

At this point, I think the Bengals have made their bed and have no choice but to lie in it. If Palmer feels like he's ready, he'll go; if not, Wright will start. Either way, the ride at QB is likely to be rough in the beginning. We'll either have a rusty Palmer or an underprepared Wright.

So really, we're about where we all thought we'd be back in February, namely looking to our defense, which is going to have to step up and help out an offense that will probably struggle early on. So FWIW I find myself less and less concerned about Palmer v. Wright and more interested in whether Fat Sam's bodacious backside will be there come opening day, whether we really have found someone in Peko, whether David Pollack can stay healthy for two weeks straight, etc.

True. If the D can spot us 14 pts in a game, it won't matter who's under center.

[TippCityRick]

Walrus, I agree with you except for one point. Whether Palmer looks good out there or not has nothing to do with the decision. He could be 3 for 10 for 8 yards and throw 2 pics, but if he's comfortable stepping into his throws and takes his hits, then he's your starter vs KC.

[Walrus]

Walrus, I agree with you except for one point. Whether Palmer looks good out there or not has nothing to do with the decision. He could be 3 for 10 for 8 yards and throw 2 pics, but if he's comfortable stepping into his throws and takes his hits, then he's your starter vs KC.

If he's feeling comfortable, that won't happen. Of course, nobody expects he'll be in form like he was last November, but I expect he will do just fine at home vs. Green Bay.

If his knee feels good.

If not, then all bets are off as to whether he'll attempt to play vs. Indy. At that point, it might be time for Plan B.

On another note, though, is there any reason to be concerned about the health of our O-line as it pertains to Carson's appearance vs. Green Bay? Is Levi definitely starting? If he were questionable, should we reconsider Palmer's status?