Congrats Lorenzo and Takeo!

[walzav29]

Well, well, well. How the worm has turned. I looooooove the fact that the Bill's are basically out of it, the Chargers were never in it and the Bengal's are winning their division. Those two acted like they were really going to be going to teams that were on the verge. They suck! They tried to take the easy road, and look where they are now. I wonder if Mr. "Never seen a camera that I didn't like" Spikes was wondering where all of the media was? In Cincy baby! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!

Rudi Boom -By-Ya! Rudi Boom By-YA! Rudi Boom By-Ya! Rudi Boom By-Ya!

[HoosierCat]

Lo Neal was a class act from start to finish, and his leaving was all about money, namely the Chargers offering a million-plus bucks to him, unheard-of dough for the FB position these days.

Spikes, OTOH, did act like a wick, especially with his continuous "this is so much different than my old loser team"-type comments. But in all fairness to TKO, it isn't the Bills D that's the problem, it's the offense, led by Drew "I'd never play in Cincy" Bledsoe. Now *that* brings a warn glow to my heart...

[BengalBobNC]

Yeah, you gotta wonder if Takeo is secretly wishing he had stayed in Cincinnati. You can't blame him for leaving with the way the organization WAS. But I think he may be regretting not giving Coach Lewis a chance.

JC: I agree 100% on your Drew comment! hehehe! Good for us. I would get grief on that "other board" because I have been (and still am) a Kitna backer. I thought Kit should've started all of last year. I definitely wanting him starting this year. Kitna is playing great for us. He can make mistakes just like anyone else, but I never hear/see Kitna pouting about it. I see him on the sideline looking at game photos, talking with coaches and other players, and working immediately towards getting it done right. He is definitely the guy I want leading the offense. I saw him spin out of potential Chiefs sacks, he bounced of that hit and picked up positive yardage, I saw him look to throw a safe out pass and pull it back because a Chief was breaking on the play and would've had a shot to intercept it and return it for a TD.

The whole team played great yesterday!!

[HoosierCat]

I admit, I did want them to go after Bledsoe a couple years ago, but now that Palmer is on board our QB future looks pretty good. As for Kitna, he certainly should have been the starter last year; giving the job to Gus (who did nothing to earn it) was one of LeBeau's biggest mistakes. I'm still sort of waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop this year, but the fact is that Kit is playing well right now and is a big part of the reason the Bengals are still in the hunt.

[kevnz]

Well, I've made my feelings clear on Takeo in other threads so I''ll shut my trap on that..hahaha...okay mostly shut.

Lorenzo I think wanted to stay, but at the end of the day the Chargers paid some serious dosh for a fullback, and the Bengals didn't want to pony up that kind of money for a player on the downside of his career, so Lorenzo took the offer that was in his best interests. I would say the people that sign the checks look pretty damn smart now that a rookie 5th rounder is picking up the slack of a former pro bowler....

cheers

[redsfan2]

Lo Neal was a class act from start to finish, and his leaving was all about money, namely the Chargers offering a million-plus bucks to him, unheard-of dough for the FB position these days.

Spikes, OTOH, did act like a wick, especially with his continuous "this is so much different than my old loser team"-type comments. But in all fairness to TKO, it isn't the Bills D that's the problem, it's the offense, led by Drew "I'd never play in Cincy" Bledsoe. Now *that* brings a warn glow to my heart...

I've got no problem with Neal either. I've changed jobs to get more money, so I can't blame him for doing the same thing. He had made it clear that he wanted to stay, but when it didn't happen, he said good-bye and took his new contract. I think they over paid him, but thats their fault not his.

I'd have liked to see the Bengals persue Bledsoe as well. I still think he's better than what he's playing in Buffalo. Main thing is he needs a better supporting cast ............ a little protection wouldn't hurt either. That situation seems to have turned out in our favor as well, so I won't complain about that either.

Spikes is still my favorite thing about beating KC. As of yesterday, my second favorite thing about beating KC is Priest Holmes. He needs to check the record, and notice that there is no asterisk that notes W * ( with respect ). We'll take the W. He can take the L and his respect with him and sit on them both on the way back to KC

[HoosierCat]

I'd have liked to see the Bengals persue Bledsoe as well. I still think he's better than what he's playing in Buffalo. Main thing is he needs a better supporting cast ............ a little protection wouldn't hurt either. That situation seems to have turned out in our favor as well, so I won't complain about that either.

Me, neither. But it does raise another issue. Way back before the beginning of the season, Jon Kitna made a remark that this could be a "Pro Bowl type year." I dunno if Kit's Pro Bowl material yet, but he's having a very good year. Which brings up a question that I asked back when Jon made his comment, and that Lenny mentioned in his Morning After column today: what do we do at QB next year if Kit does get us to the playoffs this year?

Do we keep him in the No. 1 slot and Palmer as a $50 million backup?

Do we go ahead and insert Palmer anyhow, and slide Kit to No. 2?

Do we hold another (ugh!) QB competition in camp next year?

Do we take a big chance and *trade* Kitna while he's up and go with Carson?

I think we have to go with option 1. Palmer is bound to struggle no matter how much prep he has and the pressure to pull him for the "playoff QB at No. 2" would be immense. QB competitions have a lousy success rate around these parts. The trade option is the most intriguing, but I would be reluctant to part with a playoff QB...remember Trent Dilfer...

[kevnz]

Well, there is no reason to say that Palmer has to start next year. I think that there is every reason to believe that he could beat out Kitna next year, with out have a full fledged QB competition. Even if the Bengals had a QB comp, surely Coach Lewis would run it better than Dick did. Ole Dick made it a damn show, and a bad one at that. But look at Steve McNair, he didn't take over completely for two years and now look at him. Yeah I know the Bengals have paid a lot of Money to Palmer, but they don't need to blow it away by rushing him into the lineup. They could look at trading Kitna, but that is all kinds of trouble, besides, I think Mike B learned his lesson with the Boomer trade. Kitna is extremely popular in the locker room, and if he does lead the Bengals to the playoffs, well you just don't bench him unless Palmer beats him out. I still think coach Lewis let's Palmer hold the clipboard this year, fill in duty next year and year 3 he's the starter (coincidently the year that Kitna's contracts up)

[JBrooks]

I definitely agree with letting Kitna go again next year if he continues to play well down the stretch. It's too bad money could play an issue in things, but go with the hot hand and groom Palmer. McNair was already mentioned...look what it did for Pennington, too. He didn't start until game 5 or 6 last year, and look how well he's turning out. It's obviously too early to put a tag on Pennington as a consistent performer, but he was real good last year, and has played well since he got in this year.

I have confidence Lewis will make the right call, and if $$ is an issue, Brown owes it to Lewis to make his own calls on the field. I think old Mike is starting to surprise by allowing someone else to make big personnel calls.

[kevnz]

It's too bad money could play an issue in things

Actually, that might help keep Kitna the job. If Palmer plays so much escalators will kick in and he'll count even more against the cap...I think Mr Brown is a bit gunshy about rushing young QB's so I don't see him in any hurry to get Palmer out there especially with Kitna playing at a probowl level and the Bengals winning.

[redsfan2]

I'd have liked to see the Bengals persue Bledsoe as well. I still think he's better than what he's playing in Buffalo. Main thing is he needs a better supporting cast ............ a little protection wouldn't hurt either. That situation seems to have turned out in our favor as well, so I won't complain about that either.

Me, neither. But it does raise another issue. Way back before the beginning of the season, Jon Kitna made a remark that this could be a "Pro Bowl type year." I dunno if Kit's Pro Bowl material yet, but he's having a very good year. Which brings up a question that I asked back when Jon made his comment, and that Lenny mentioned in his Morning After column today: what do we do at QB next year if Kit does get us to the playoffs this year?

Do we keep him in the No. 1 slot and Palmer as a $50 million backup?

Do we go ahead and insert Palmer anyhow, and slide Kit to No. 2?

Do we hold another (ugh!) QB competition in camp next year?

Do we take a big chance and *trade* Kitna while he's up and go with Carson?

I think we have to go with option 1. Palmer is bound to struggle no matter how much prep he has and the pressure to pull him for the "playoff QB at No. 2" would be immense. QB competitions have a lousy success rate around these parts. The trade option is the most intriguing, but I would be reluctant to part with a playoff QB...remember Trent Dilfer...

Conversations like this turn as quickly as 1 int. from Kitna. Give him a game like yesterday and everyone has him on their shoulders carrying him around. Let him throw an int. and they drop him like a hot rock and start screaming for Palmer. It even happens on this board. Not as much as from the public at large, but it still happens.

Whether Kitna makes the pro bowl or not, depends strictly on these last games.

If we come in with a winning record and / or the division title, I think he's a shoe in. People love it when longshots win. Let us finish at .500 or lower and not take the division, and we won't get a byline in anybodys sports page.

Next year. Two philosophies ...... 1st Palmer doesn't have to start. He's under contract for 7 years same as McNair. McNair sat his first 2 years, and he's not only looking pro bowl, he's looking MVP. There would be an outcry for Palmer every couple weeks or so * see above, but coach Lewis has already shown that he is all but immune to public opinion. 2nd Palmer is named starter before the start of next season just like Kitna was this year. No qb contoversy, because Kitna is a team player and wouldn't engage in one. Palmer makes mistakes .... same people scream for Kitna. Palmer benefits from same Lewis immunity to public opinion. Major upside to this is that we've got an entire season in which to evaluate Palmer. If he really is the 2nd coming, then he'll show it soon enough. If not .......well we've still got Kitna under contract. Under either scenario, we don't trade Kitna. #1 he don't want to go #2 its in our own best interests to keep him.

I thnk we'll get an indicaton this year. IF Palmer strats to get into games, then I think he'll be tagged the starter for next year. If not, then I think we're looking at the 2 year plan ala McNair. ............. Barring an injury to Kitna.

I'm also the guy that said " what the hell is going on here " when everybody turned over their new leaf a couple of days ago. So ......... I don't know you guys tell me. I'm here to learn.

[HoosierCat]

Next year. Two philosophies ...... 1st Palmer doesn't have to start. He's under contract for 7 years same as McNair. McNair sat his first 2 years, and he's not only looking pro bowl, he's looking MVP. There would be an outcry for Palmer every couple weeks or so * see above, but coach Lewis has already shown that he is all but immune to public opinion. 2nd Palmer is named starter before the start of next season just like Kitna was this year. No qb contoversy, because Kitna is a team player and wouldn't engage in one. Palmer makes mistakes .... same people scream for Kitna. Palmer benefits from same Lewis immunity to public opinion. Major upside to this is that we've got an entire season in which to evaluate Palmer. If he really is the 2nd coming, then he'll show it soon enough. If not .......well we've still got Kitna under contract. Under either scenario, we don't trade Kitna. #1 he don't want to go #2 its in our own best interests to keep him.

First, I just want to say thanks for the thought-provoking answers from everyone. I've asked this same question at various time on two other boards (one of which I still post on occasionally, the other of which I gave up on) and never got comments half as good.

I think we're all pretty much in line with the screw-the-money-if Kit's-winning-let-him-play theory. My only comment to redsfan's 2nd option above is that, if we put Palmer in, I don't think there's any going back unless it's a case of injury. Once we make Palmer the guy, we have to let him play through the rough times, which to my mind means not even looking at benching him until his third year as a starter at earliest. By that time, someone will have grabbed Kit, there are too few even decent QBs in the league.

Thanks again, you guys are great! (I know, I know, I can't have your Bud Lights...)

[redsfan2]

I definitely agree with letting Kitna go again next year if he continues to play well down the stretch. It's too bad money could play an issue in things, but go with the hot hand and groom Palmer. McNair was already mentioned...look what it did for Pennington, too.

I have confidence Lewis will make the right call,

"I have confidence Lewis will make the right call." That is whats known as hitting the nail on the head. Money and other qb's aside, the absolute truth in that simple comment stopped me dead.

We differ in our opinions a lot. That's good. I've had guys on this board say things that have never dawned on me. I've had other people making the same post as me at the same time to within 4 minutes. The one thing that we've pretty much all agreed on is that one of Marvin Lewis' biggest strengths is his ability to judge talent and performance potential. That's why he keeps a lb who's a fifth round pick and cuts a starter and his back up. It has already been the case with Palmer. When he was promoted to #2, Lewis' only comment was that the promotion was in keeping with the timetable and plan that he had set for Palmers progression. Marvin Lewis not only Palmers head coach, he is also his teacher and career planner. When Palmer is ready to asume control of the offense, coach Lewis will make another simple and to the point statement that Carson Palmer is now the starting quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals. I believe he will have the situation covered with Kitna in advance, and I'd bet money that the decision turns out to be a good one.

I agree with JBrooks ..... I have confidence that Lewis will make the right call.