It's funny to see a hungry player

[walzav29]

I just read about Jerome Simpson staying after practice to catch passes from the Palmer brothers, and it made me think of that old footage with Chad Johnson going to Marvin, "I want to be better than Rice". What happend to that hunger? I really like how Simpson has been carrying himself. I hope he takes a look at the differences between TJ and Chad. TJ has the desire to be a leader where Chad does not. It is interesting though how much more fame and money is brought to you as a wide-receiver if you're an ass.

[Sandwedge]

Sadly, fame and fortune has ruined more men that Chad.. I don't know if Chad is ruined, but I do believe his image is tarnished and that is one thing Chad covets... If Simpson is anywhere half as good as they say then maybe we'll be OK... I think the Bengals are doing the right thing by changing the way the offense will run.. TEs and going back to the running game with dump passes to Perry or Dorsey, that should take the pressure off the WRs by opening the field up...

[gregstephens]

Sadly, fame and fortune has ruined more men that Chad.. I don't know if Chad is ruined, but I do believe his image is tarnished and that is one thing Chad covets... If Simpson is anywhere half as good as they say then maybe we'll be OK... I think the Bengals are doing the right thing by changing the way the offense will run.. TEs and going back to the running game with dump passes to Perry or Dorsey, that should take the pressure off the WRs by opening the field up...

I agree with that. If this whole drama isn't about money, and I'm not 100 percent convinced it is, it's a pride issue on the image. He's been besmirched by the media, now the fans and the coach. As Bugs Bunny says, "Of course you know, this means war."

[agreen_112]

Sadly, fame and fortune has ruined more men that Chad.. I don't know if Chad is ruined, but I do believe his image is tarnished and that is one thing Chad covets... If Simpson is anywhere half as good as they say then maybe we'll be OK... I think the Bengals are doing the right thing by changing the way the offense will run.. TEs and going back to the running game with dump passes to Perry or Dorsey, that should take the pressure off the WRs by opening the field up...

I agree with the second part of your statement. I think your dead nuts, our WR's had WAY too much pressure on them. If the run is established and the dump off are producing, that over the top ball that Palmer throws so beautifully will be there all season!

[Wraith]

Utecht's aquistion means more than just adding another talented pass-catcher. I have said for years, Reggie Kelly makes the Bengals offense look predicatble. If the Bengals play sans-TE they almost always pass, if Kelly is in the game defenses can play the run because even if they pass, the offense is far less dangeous because Kelly can't threaten deep, so they play up leaving the secondary to deal with our two pass catching threats. Because the defense can assume that we will run out of our TE formation (see below) and because we do not have backfield pass catching threats to take the pressure off our WRs, teams can effectively predict our game plan.

5 O Line

1 TE

2 RB

1 QB

2 WR

Utecht adds an element of un-predictability. Utecht can come into the game as a blocker or a receiver, Utecht and Kelly can come into the game in a 2-TE set that is not neccesarily a running formation. Utecht is a talented enough pass catcher and route runner that you have to account for him. He cannot be effectively controled by a Linebacker so that means a safety might have to be assigned to cover him which means that one WR will have to be single covered in this formation.

5 OLine

2 TE

1 RB

1 QB

2 WR

And if that one RB is a healthy Chris Perry or a healthy Kenny Irons who can break a dump off pass for a long gain, then defenses have a real matchup problem.

Previously, defenses only had a matchup issue when we played a 3 WR formation which significantly affected our ability to run the football effectively. This way we can run out of a 2 TE formation and still keep the defenses guessing, this also drasticly reduces the role of the FB which is why I think Jeremi Johnson is in trouble this camp in favor of the more versatile Coates.

[Sandwedge]

What I like about this is that Utech can line up in the slot and he has to be covered by a LB, I think a safety can't cover him just because of his size.. This takes 8 men out of the box and opens the running game.... At least that's what I'm dreaming of...

[ShulaSteakhouse]

The general consensus was that the offense was 'becoming stale' and predictable, part of Marvin's "blowing it up" statement (versus firing everyone).

Not sure why they didn't see that coming prior to 2006, but as long as they are doing it now, whatever. Adding a couple of receiving TE's and two new day one WR's, in addition to playbook changes, I hope will help - and cover up some of the o-line problems. This team just can't dictate what they are going to do anymore - they need to mix it up and fool people and beat them with speed and the skill of their QB that most other teams don't have.

Hopefully the days of Rudi getting 2 yards on 1st down every series, and throwing downfield to Chad or across the middle to TJ over and over, are indeed "over."

[Wraith]

They did see it coming but the right people weren't available at the right price until now, or perhaps the need was magnified by the Chad and TJ issues.

[HAPPYJAQ]

I know some people will disagree with this, but the Utecht signing was maybe the best Bengals free-agent acquisition since.....Reggie Kelly. Kelly is without question one of the best blocking TE's in the game and he'll help Willie play for another 3-4 years, even if he is not the Willie of old (or whoever lines up at RT). Kelly can match up one-on-one with most of the top DE's and shut him down for a whole game. Not many TE's can do that, especially in pass-pro. Same thing in the running game, where his blocking has been maybe an even bigger factor. What Utech gives them is some versatility in his ability to block and catch. The Bengals had their best offense when they had multiple, solid TE's. Utecht will be better and more consistent than Matt Schoebel and an equal down-field threat. He should put up at least 50-60 catches and 600-700 yards in this offense, which will effectively replace the Henry/Perry/Chatman numbers, minus the touchdowns. More importantly, he will be a huge factor on 3rd and short, 3rd and medium and goal line, where the Bengals have struggled in recent years. If Chris Perry returns to form, they should be virtually upstoppable on 3rd down, which will improve TOP and ultimately help the defense stay off the field/remain fresh. This was the ultimate pickup, IMO.

As far as Simpson goes, I like him. He has a chip on his shoulder coming from a small school, which is one of things I think helped propel both Chad (1 year of playing consistently/production coming out of Oregon St. and second round pick when he was projected as a top 10 pick, before his slow 40 time) and T.J. (7th round pick, 20th+ receiver taken and nearly cut after his 2nd and 3rd seasons). If he learns proper NFL technique, he will be a star. He has all the measurables you look for in a WR and has tremendous upside.