Palmer on the clock for a breakthrough

[oldschooler]

Palmer on the clock for a breakthrough

By STEVE BISHEFF

The Orange County Register

Call it what you prefer. The official opening of the Cincinnati Bengals training camp Thursday. Or the start of Carson Palmer's Breakthrough Party.

This is the year the Heisman Trophy winner from USC and Santa Margarita High is expected to move up to become one of the better quarterbacks in the game.

"We're definitely excited," Palmer said. "We have a lot of the same guys we had last year, several good rookies, just a lot of good, young players. We think we have a team built to go to the playoffs."

Most of all, the Bengals think they finally have the quarterback to take them there.

After standing and observing his first season, Palmer was handed the job by Coach Marvin Lewis last year. He responded with some gawky growing pains at first, but then, halfway through the schedule, something clicked under that orange-and-black striped helmet.

His quarterback rating for the first seven games was 62.6. For his last six games, four of them victories, it was 96.9.

"You have to earn the trust and respect of the other guys on our team, and he did that last year," said Jon Kitna, the backup who could start for many teams in the league. "He went through the ups and downs, and sometimes the eyes were always on him.

"But he never shied away from it. He came out and put the hammer to some teams, and the guys know he's the unquestioned No.1 on this team."

Palmer thought he played in a complicated system at USC. Then he graduated to the pros, and it was like jumping from Algebra I to Advanced Trigonometry.

"The game is so much more complex at this level," he said. "They change game plans 16 different times and put in different packages for each opponent. Everything up here happens so much faster."

This is what Palmer was born to do, though. You knew it the first time you saw him throw those perfect spirals at Santa Margarita. He suffered through two regimes and almost as many offensive coordinators as post-practice ice packs at USC. But the experience contributed to his rapid progression in Cincinnati.

"Carson did an outstanding job of growing into the position," said Lewis, the coach who made him the overall No.1 pick in the 2003 draft. "He expanded our options with his abilities.

"Our playbook grew because of the things Carson was able to do with his size and athleticism. ... His ability to handle the changes and the things we like to do at the line of scrimmage is big."

The Bengals are one of those teams that seems ready to make a quantum leap in the standings. Before Lewis arrived, they had gone 8-24 in the previous 32 games. Since he has been there, they are 16-16.

Offensively, with Palmer joining running back Rudi Johnson and receivers Chad Johnson and everyone's favorite mouthful, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, these guys have the same look as the Colts had before they proceeded to the next level.

"We've got the weapons," Palmer said. "It's just a matter of putting good games together and not shooting ourselves in the foot.

"The thing you learn in this league is that the season is a grind. It wears on your body a little bit. You've got to make sure you're prepared for that."

Kitna is convinced Palmer is on his way.

"The steps he made from last year to this year are huge," Kitna said. "Bigger than I would have thought."

Not bad for a kid who began his senior season with many calling him the most disappointing player in college football.

"We went through some tough times," Palmer said of his early USC years under Coach Paul Hackett. "Losing to teams like Oregon State, Cal and Stanford, that was tough. Looking back, it made us realize how much work was necessary to get to the top.

"When Pete Carroll came in, he instilled in us that we were playing for the Rose Bowl every year. By my senior season, we all kind of looked around and knew we had something. We knew there were a lot of great players on that team."

The greatest one still closely follows his alma mater and regularly talks to his successor at quarterback, Matt Leinart.

"I'm jealous of Matt, I really am," Palmer said. "He's having so much fun.

"Think about it. They have a chance to win three consecutive national championships. It seems unbelievable, but they're about to do it. It's so much fun to watch them play. It makes you proud."

Palmer said he was surprised when Leinart decided to pass up a chance to be the No.1 overall pick in the NFL draft to stay at USC.

"I didn't know what to expect, but I didn't expect this," Palmer said. "I'm happy for the guy. He seems to be having so much fun."

Palmer talks about his final season at USC, and you can't help but notice the parallels to what is happening in Cincinnati.

"The best thing was just winning," he said. "With some guys so low for so long, to finally get to the top of the mountain made it so special, so much sweeter."

The Bengals have been spectators during the playoffs for 14 years, longer than any other team in the NFL.

With a little luck and considerable maturity, that streak could end this season.

"We hope so," Palmer said. "I really like it here. It's a nice city, although I do like to go home during the offseason. You know me, I'm still basically a California boy."

A boy who is about to become The Man in Cincinnati.

[HairOnFire]

OldSchooler, nice find. I've been a little curious why there haven't been more updates on Palmer's NFL career in southern California newspapers like the Times or the Daily News, but USC's incredible success seems to have everyone focusing on the present or the future.

[walshfan]

No reason for Palmer Not to have a big big season with the tools he has to work with.....The decisions he makes under pressure will determine his status.. Cut down on those INT's and this offense will explode...