Palmer will prove why he was the #1 pick

[The Brew Man]

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/7604706

CINCINNATI -- He has only two starts as a pro, so it's too soon to draw conclusions about Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer. But watching him dissect defending Super Bowl champion New England, you get the idea that the Bengals may have done the improbable and found themselves a franchise quarterback.

Palmer was sharp, poised, and most of all, productive -- leading the Bengals to touchdowns on their first three drives, and staking them to a 28-3 lead before bowing out. But what was most remarkable about the guy was that he made smart throws, smart decisions and seldom committed a mistake.

"I don't know about that," Palmer said later. "I definitely made some mistakes, and there are areas of the game I need to get better in. I have a long way to go." Oh, and did I mention: He's not overly impressed with himself, either?

Bengals coaches should be after what they just witnessed. Reviewing tapes a day later, they determined that of Palmer's 19 passes only two shouldn't have been thrown -- and one was a 13-yard touchdown to tight end Tony Stewart, completed after Palmer avoided a blitzing Rodney Harrison by rolling right and throwing to his left.

"Across the field is where you get yourself in trouble," warned coach Marvin Lewis.

Carson nodded. He will learn. In fact, he may have learned already. Shortly after Saturday's game he conceded that he threw the pass "too shallow" and that it was Stewart, not he, who deserved praise for the touchdown. He didn't need a replay to know he'd gotten away with one; that he got lucky with a pass that could've been intercepted. But that's just another reason the Bengals feel comfortable -- no, confident -- they're in good hands with Palmer at quarterback.

"He is our offense," said Lewis. "What we do is what Carson does and what Carson can do. Everyone has to grow up around him and be where they're supposed to be so he doesn't have to manipulate them. What we're seeing from him now is growth in those areas, from handling the other guys to making sure they're where they belong. And that's the good thing."

Against New England, there were plenty of good things. Palmer had command of his team -- and the game -- from the beginning, hitting Chad Johnson with a 48-yard bomb on his first attempt. He was accurate with his throws, inside or outside the pocket. He was alert. He didn't panic. He moved well. He threw beautifully on the run. He knew when to flush the pocket, and he was adept at avoiding the rush.

"I liked his leadership and calmness," said Ken Zampese, the team's quarterbacks coach, "We didn't get off balance or anything and had it going pretty good from the start. He was dialed in; and we weren't going to miss many things. He was in a rhythm. And when we can get him in a rhythm we can get some games going like that."

The question, of course, is how much we should expect from Palmer this season. He's not a rookie, but he might as well be. The number one pick of the 2003 Draft, he sat behind starter Jon Kitna last season and didn't take a snap; now he's the starter, with Kitna standing by if Palmer needs a safety net.

And you have to believe he will. Quarterbacks starting for the first time typically struggle, and I don't have to remind you what Peyton Manning or Troy Aikman or John Elway did their rookie seasons. But Lewis believes this situation is different because, unlike the others, Palmer had a year to learn on the sidelines and because, unlike the others, Palmer doesn't have to raise the Titanic.

"We don't expect any bad," said Lewis. "We're not saying that we're going to lose football games. That's not fair to Jon (Kitna) or (tackle) Willie Anderson or (linebacker) Brian Simmons, let alone the coaches."

"We prepared Carson all last year as if he was the starting quarterback. He didn't get as many of the reps as the starting quarterback, but we did special things for him to make sure he was prepared to take this step."

 

It was more like a giant leap against New England, but let's be honest here: The Pats didn't throw any complicated defenses at him, and they clearly were not themselves -- with an angry coach Bill Belichick pulling the first-team defense after only two series. But that's not the point. Palmer played well, just as he played well the week before when he was the victim of dropped balls.

"He keeps getting better and better at making decisions," said Lewis. "We want him to be tested under fire all the time, so that everybody knows and has the confidence in him that it's going to be done and done the right way."

Meaning? Meaning that the Cincinnati Bengals are sold on Carson Palmer and not because they have millions invested in him; but because they believe, they honestly believe, they can win with him.

After his latest performance it's easy to see why.

"The reason we drafted Carson is because we felt he'd be able to handle these situations and that nothing would be too tough for him," said Lewis. "We wouldn't have made the move if we didn't feel confidently that we could move forward."

[jjakq27]

I hope this finally puts the Carson-as-QB question to rest. The way Lewis "gave" CP the job in March may not have been the fairest thing to Jon Kitna. But having a QB derby when Palmer was going to get the job anyway wasn't the way to go either. I think we are watching the development of something and someone very special.