Here comes the grind

[Ox]

Here comes the grind

By Scott Priestle, CNATI.com Posted October 28, 2009 3:32 PM ET

Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga have never played a 16-game season, so fatigue figures to set in during the coming weeks. Each has a capable backup, so Bengals coaches have found ways to use them. For instance, Rivers and Maualuga are replaced on obvious passing downs by backup linebacker Brandon Johnson and backup cornerback Morgan Trent.

"I don't always want to take Rivers and Maualuga off the field, but we're trying to keep guys fresh," defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said.

It is one of a few ways, big and small, the Bengals are being conscious of the grind an NFL season can be. Sixteen games and 17 weeks of practice take a toll, and Rivers and Maualuga are among a handful of key players who have never experienced it -- or at least have not experienced it in their current roles.

Running back Cedric Benson has never been a featured back for a full NFL season. Center Kyle Cook, tackles Dennis Roland and Anthony Collins and slot receiver Andre Caldwell have not been on an active roster for a full season. Tight end Daniel Coats played sparingly in his previous two seasons. Defensive linemen Pat Sims and Frostee Rucker have not been active for a full season, and Jonathan Fanene -- who has replaced the injured Antwan Odom in the starting lineup -- played sparingly in his previous four seasons.

"The first thing you realize is how long 16 games and 16 weeks is and what type of toll it takes on your body," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "They just have to keep asking questions. We have guys who want to learn from the veterans, so they need to keep leaning on the veterans for help maintaining their conditioning, maintaining their strength, maintaining their health."

Cook said he has tried to follow the lead of guard Bobbie Williams, a 10-year veteran who has missed only three games -- all because of an emergency appendectomy -- since joining the Bengals in 2004. The coaches and training staff help, as well.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said he has adjusted the practice schedule during certain weeks when he felt the toll of tense games and travel was wearing on players -- in particular, when the Bengals followed an overtime win in Cleveland with a trip to Baltimore. The defensive coaches have substituted liberally along the defensive line and at linebacker, and Benson frequently has been held out of Wednesday practices.

"You have to balance not grinding guys down in practice versus doing what you have to do to get ready," strength and conditioning coach Chip Morton said. "Where is that sweet spot? You can call it the `minimum effective dose.' What is the appropriate amount of work overall that will bring the greatest result? More is not better in some cases. It is a balance."

Morton has worked with Lewis since 1999 and said the coaches have changed the pace of practices this season in an attempt to spare some wear on the players and leave them with more energy for the weight room, film room and meeting room. Lewis had a reputation in the past for conducting long, exhausting practices.

"We talked about it after last season. We have a coaching staff that grinds," Morton said. "I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Most of the coaches I've worked for liked to work hard. I understand it, but that's a big aspect of (players' well-being): the volume of work. Marvin has been much more in tune with guys this year. We've been more efficient, and it's paid off. We're fresher, healthier now. All credit to him on that."

While Lewis and his coaches adjust the tempo of practice, Morton and his assistant, Ray Oliver, stress the importance of preventative exercises, recovery techniques and proper nutrition. Ultimately, though, it falls on each player to prepare himself for the long road ahead and push through the inevitable wall of fatigue.

"Even a time like this weekend, when players go home, it's important they use it for rest," Morton said. "We talked about it in training camp -- `sacrifice' was one of our training camp words. Sacrifice some personal liberties for the good of the team. Sometimes that means socially, sacrificing a little of that now so you're ready come Monday."

Said tackle and captain Andrew Whitworth: "There are lots of guys we have to stay on. I think that, more than anything, is the captains' role. With so many young guys playing a lot of football, it's important that we make sure they're staying healthy, staying fit, staying in the weight room, staying in the film room throughout the season, because it just gets harder and harder as it goes."

The Bengals have two West Coast trips remaining (to Oakland and San Diego) and two sets of back-to-back road games. The toll of those trips likely will be balanced by the adrenaline of a playoff push.

Assuming players utilize the bye this weekend to rest physically and emotionally, the timing is ideal, because it splits the season nearly in half and allows them to recover just prior to the rematches with Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Some teams had their bye as early as week four, which means they will play games on 13 consecutive weekends. They will get no rest before hitting the wall.

"You kind of have to go with the punches," Palmer said. "Roles change all the time. Guys get hurt and your role is expanded. Guys come back from injury and your role shrinks a little bit. You've got to come into work every day with the right mentality -- focused and ready to go -- because you don't know what's in front of you. We have a good group of veterans to help them along, so we'll be all right."

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[HairOnFire]

I realize winning cures most ills, but doesn't it seem like the members of this coaching staff respect each other, and work together better, than any other Bengal staff put together under Lewis, including the 2005 squad?

No finger pointing, no excuse making, just example after example of coaches being complimentary of each other, being respectful, being helpful. No Bresnahanian gnashing of teeth. No Leslie Frazier style talk about mixed messages and uncertain direction.

I can't point to anything specific but from the first moments of Hardknocks I've been greatly impressed by what I've seen from Lewis and his entire staff....including the much maligned medical and training staffs.

[Kazkal]

Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga have never played a 16-game season, so fatigue figures to set in during the coming weeks. Each has a capable backup, so

Good thing they've had a 2 week brake.

[membengal]

I realize winning cures most ills, but doesn't it seem like the members of this coaching staff respect each other, and work together better, than any other Bengal staff put together under Lewis, including the 2005 squad?

No finger pointing, no excuse making, just example after example of coaches being complimentary of each other, being respectful, being helpful. No Bresnahanian gnashing of teeth. No Leslie Frazier style talk about mixed messages and uncertain direction.

I can't point to anything specific but from the first moments of Hardknocks I've been greatly impressed by what I've seen from Lewis and his entire staff....including the much maligned medical and training staffs.

Full agreement. Apparently the Lewis/Zimmer relationship goes back aways, and that may be the key to this. What you have noted, not coincidentally, was the apparent friction between ML and his defensive coordinators. Given that ML made his name on that side of the ball, it figures that not just anyone would be able to mesh with him. But he clearly respects Zim, and Zim's approach is clearly one ML is comfortable with. It def makes a difference.

[gregstephens]

I'll chime in on the praise of the coaching staff. You see sidelines shots during games and you don't see the disarray that marked previous Lewis seasons. Clock management, not coincidently, is much improved. Finally things seem to gel.

[jjakq27]

I'll chime in on the praise of the coaching staff. You see sidelines shots during games and you don't see the disarray that marked previous Lewis seasons. Clock management, not coincidently, is much improved. Finally things seem to gel.

It almost seems like Marvin has just taken over the team as if he were just hired....but with previous head coaching experience this time. I think there has been a complete overhaul of the team, beginning after the failure at the end of 2006. Willie, Levi, TJ, Rudi, Breshnehan, Odell Thurman, Tory James, Dexter Jackson, Kelly Washington and Deltha O'Neal are all gone now. No holdovers from the Coslet/LeBeau area, no major off-the-field issues (for a while) and no prima-donna's other than Chad of course.

As Marvin said in the preseason, it is now his team and it shows. Dare we say, "In Marvin We Trust" again?

[membengal]

Something from the ML/Hobson interview applies here, with respect to Hair's observation on the coaches seeming more in sync this year:

GH: What has defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer brought that you didnt have before?

ML: He sees the entire picture. As Ozzie (Newsome) would say, soup to nuts. Front to back. And we see it out of the same eyes. We can have a conversation on the sidelines during practice, the game, during halftime, whenever it is, I dont care, during the quarter, during a possession, we see it through the same eyes. Thats helpful because it enables me to do the other things I end up doing. And if we see it differently, hes thorough enough to convince me this is the way he would like to do it and when I say, OK here we go.

That dovetails with my thoughts above on Zim and ML's relationship. It appears ML doesn't have to "meddle" anymore in the defensive minutiae, leaving him free to attend to the rest of his duties.