Don Banks: Fab four makes Bengals 'scary'

[rizzy]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writ....nfl/index.html

Big orange machine?

With offensive fab four, '05 Bengals could be 'scary'

Posted: Thursday August 25, 2005 1:39PM; Updated: Thursday August 25, 2005 2:24PM

GEORGETOWN, Ky. -- Chad Johnson tends to talk as loud as he plays, so when asked about the firepower of Cincinnati's fab four on offense -- himself, Rudi Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Carson Palmer -- the Bengals' two-time Pro Bowl receiver chooses his words for maximum impact.

"We are scary,'' Johnson said recently after a morning practice at the Bengals' training camp at Georgetown College. "But it doesn't matter how it looks on paper, we've still got to go play.''

On paper, outside of Indianapolis, what team brings as many weapons to bear as Cincinnati? And who besides the Bengals -- after an offseason of successfully re-signing their offensive core -- has a better nucleus of productive young skill players on which to build?

Houston, you say? The Texans love their triplets -- receiver Andre Johnson, quarterback David Carr and running back Domanick Davis -- but lack a big-time No. 2 receiver. St. Louis can trot Marc Bulger, Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce out there every Sunday, but its running game is in transition from the Marshall Faulk era to Steven Jackson's. Kansas City? Trent Green, Priest Holmes and tight end Tony Gonzalez are its big three, but receiver Eddie Kennison is 32 and can't be counted on too much longer.

But the Bengals, with their quarterback, frontline receiving duo and top rusher, find themselves with an almost unmatched combination of youth (none are more than fifth-year veterans), continuity (all were Cincinnati draft picks), proven production and the potential to keep improving.

In a division where defense still rules -- Pittsburgh and Baltimore ranked first and sixth, respectively, in 2004 -- the Bengals field by far the AFC North's most explosive offense. And their growing offensive edge should help them make up the couple of wins that could transform their 8-8 record of the past two years into a playoff-ready 10-6.

"We've got the tools to do everything you can do with the ball,'' said Rudi Johnson, a Pro Bowl pick last season. "We have all the weapons you could want. So Chad's right. We can be scary good. We have the potential to be one of the best offenses in the NFL.''

There's a lot of hope and expectation in Cincinnati because of the blistering pace the Bengals set in the season's final six games of '04. In going 4-2 from Thanksgiving weekend on, Cincinnati averaged 31.8 points per game, scoring 27 points or more four times after failing to do it even once in its first 10 games.

For Palmer, the former No. 1 overall pick who was getting his first season of starting experience in '04, it was as if a halogen lamp clicked on roughly midway through last season. In his opening seven starts, Palmer hung up a shaky 62.9 quarterback rating, with five touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.

But in Palmer's final six games (he missed the last three due to a MCL injury), the former Heisman winner had an eye-popping 96.8 rating, with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Bengals went 4-2 in that span after opening the season 2-5.

"I have all the confidence in the world in my guys,'' Palmer said of the rest of the fab four. "I'd rather have them than any three guys around. A lot of people are talking about how explosive we can be, and how great we can be, but the thing that excites me is we're young, and we've worked together now for a couple of years and have some continuity.

"We didn't all of a sudden bring in Randy Moss and now I've got to figure out how he runs a curl. I know where T.J.'s going to be on a post route. I know where Chad's going to be on a comeback. Just the familiarity, being in the same offense, with the same quarterback, it's huge. Some of these guys have never had that here.''

No matter how the Bengals' season plays out, their best month of the entire year might have been March, when they re-signed both Rudi Johnson and Houshmandzadeh to long-term deals, keeping them from going the free-agent route that once was a well-traveled road out of Cincinnati.

Rudi Johnson set team records for rushing yardage (1,454) and carries (361), posted his first career 200-yard game (202 versus Cleveland, the NFL's second-best single-game total last year), had eight games of 95 yards or more and made his first Pro Bowl. So the Bengals rewarded him, after first protecting their interests by applying the franchise tag.

After missing almost all of 2003 with a hamstring injury, Houshmandzadeh had a breakout season last year, totaling 73 catches for 978 yards as the perfect No. 2 option behind Chad Johnson. In a pair of December games at Baltimore and New England, no slouches on defense, Houshmandzadeh exploded for 22 catches for 316 yards, both two-game team records.

Along with Chad Johnson's 95-catch, AFC-best 1,274-yard season, the tandem's 2,252 yards were the most ever by a Bengals receiving duo. Their 168 combined catches fell just one short of the team record, set by Johnson and Peter Warrick in 2003, and their 20-catch, 332-yard day at Baltimore in Week 13 was the most productive day by two Bengals receivers.

Cincinnati stepped up and took care of the highly coveted Houshmandzadeh at the start of free agency as well, paying to keep its own talent. That's something the Bengals historically have been either inept at or unwilling to do. All of which has changed in the three-year Marvin Lewis coaching era.

"That's something this team respects about our organization and our owner,'' Palmer said. "The guys who go out and prove themselves get taken care of. Look at Rudi. Look at T.J. They weren't out there shopping him around. We weren't worried about saving a dollar here or there. We wanted T.J. back, so we got him back.

"That's huge. It shows a lot of trust in the organization. You know if you do well, you're going to get your contract. That eliminates a lot of the selfishness that happens when guys start worrying about it being their free agent year, worrying about wanting numbers.''

On offense, Cincinnati has numbers all right. Outside of Indianapolis, there may not be anyone in the NFL this season who has more.

[Stripes]

Good stuff. Keep the love comin'.

[The Big Orange]

I loved this article...but I wish Bengals fans were the only one's reading this. I think it's kinda nice to let Steelers and Ravens yell about who's going to be the best and then we quietly come and bite 'em in the saa (how's that for dixlesic).

I also love it when teams lok at us and see "we didn't do much in the offseason". However, we know that keeping our guys who were coveted by other teams like Rudi in Dallas (amongst others) and Housch all over, was a huge step forward.

The Fab 4...We drafted 'em all, coached 'em up, and will have 'em for a good while. I think we will soon have another Fab 4 on defense...

Odell, Pollack, Geathers, and Madeiu...

Who-the Hell-Dey!

[BengalszoneBilly]

However, we know that keeping our guys who were coveted by other teams like Rudi in Dallas (amongst others) and Housch all over, was a huge step forward.

The Fab 4...We drafted 'em all, coached 'em up, and will have 'em for a good while.

God willing!

I think we will soon have another Fab 4 on defense...

Odell, Pollack, Geathers, and Madeiu...

Who-the Hell-Dey!

IMHO HERE lies the key to the Bengals going to any Super bowls!

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

I loved this article...but I wish Bengals fans were the only one's reading this. I think it's kinda nice to let Steelers and Ravens yell about who's going to be the best and then we quietly come and bite 'em in the saa (how's that for dixlesic).

I also love it when teams lok at us and see "we didn't do much in the offseason". However, we know that keeping our guys who were coveted by other teams like Rudi in Dallas (amongst others) and Housch all over, was a huge step forward.

The Fab 4...We drafted 'em all, coached 'em up, and will have 'em for a good while. I think we will soon have another Fab 4 on defense...

Odell, Pollack, Geathers, and Madeiu...

Who-the Hell-Dey!

I'd go further and say fab 5 at least with Ratliff in there on D.

[DontPushMe]

^ I wouldnt go as far as including Ratliff in anything. He really didnt impress me as much last year as he did some of you. I dont think he will ever be a #1, he might be a #2, but probly just a 3. Unless he really improved his game this offseason.

I also love it when teams lok at us and see "we didn't do much in the offseason".  However, we know that keeping our guys who were coveted by other teams like Rudi in Dallas (amongst others) and Housch all over, was a huge step forward.

No one coveted either of those players. Dallas only wanted Rudi Johnson when he was burried on the depth chart, and werent offering much, and I didnt hear of any teams really persueing TJ, a few were interested, but not coveted. Neither of them are great players, and never will be. They are solid, show up, do their job, work very hard which overcomes their lack of talent, but they are nothing any team would covet, and they are also nothing to build an offense around, they are role players.

And who besides the Bengals -- after an offseason of successfully re-signing their offensive core

TJ and Rudi Johnson = our offensive core? If that were true, which thank god it isnt, we would be screwed.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

^ I wouldnt go as far as including Ratliff in anything. He really didnt impress me as much last year as he did some of you. I dont think he will ever be a #1, he might be a #2, but probly just a 3. Unless he really improved his game this offseason.

I also love it when teams lok at us and see "we didn't do much in the offseason".  However, we know that keeping our guys who were coveted by other teams like Rudi in Dallas (amongst others) and Housch all over, was a huge step forward.

No one coveted either of those players. Dallas only wanted Rudi Johnson when he was burried on the depth chart, and werent offering much, and I didnt hear of any teams really persueing TJ, a few were interested, but not coveted. Neither of them are great players, and never will be. They are solid, show up, do their job, work very hard which overcomes their lack of talent, but they are nothing any team would covet, and they are also nothing to build an offense around, they are role players.

And who besides the Bengals -- after an offseason of successfully re-signing their offensive core

TJ and Rudi Johnson = our offensive core? If that were true, which thank god it isnt, we would be screwed.

Go back to Boston. TJ is a stud, and so is Rudi.

[derekshank]

^ I wouldnt go as far as including Ratliff in anything. He really didnt impress me as much last year as he did some of you. I dont think he will ever be a #1, he might be a #2, but probly just a 3. Unless he really improved his game this offseason.

I also love it when teams lok at us and see "we didn't do much in the offseason".  However, we know that keeping our guys who were coveted by other teams like Rudi in Dallas (amongst others) and Housch all over, was a huge step forward.

No one coveted either of those players. Dallas only wanted Rudi Johnson when he was burried on the depth chart, and werent offering much, and I didnt hear of any teams really persueing TJ, a few were interested, but not coveted. Neither of them are great players, and never will be. They are solid, show up, do their job, work very hard which overcomes their lack of talent, but they are nothing any team would covet, and they are also nothing to build an offense around, they are role players.

And who besides the Bengals -- after an offseason of successfully re-signing their offensive core

TJ and Rudi Johnson = our offensive core? If that were true, which thank god it isnt, we would be screwed.

A non-Bengal guy writes an article on the Bengals offense, calling them the fab four, saying only the Colts may have a better offense... and you a so-called Bengals fan only have negative things to say about it... hmm. Can someone say troll? You my friend are not a Bengals fan, whether you believe you are or not.

I'm not asking you to be a homer... just take a compliment from the national media. If they think we're good, why do you feel the need to discourage it by rubbing your fecal-smelling propaganda all over the place?

[DontPushMe]

My comments were all in response to replies on this thread. The only thing I said about that article was that TJ and RJ is not our offensive core. Which is true, they arent. Our core is Palmer, Chad, and Willie Anderson (if he can return from that surgury).

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Yeah this offense sucks I can't believe they think the core of the offense consists of a young 1,400 yard rusher who can carry it 30 times a game and come back for more, and a 900 yard #2 WR.

How terrible is that???

[The Big Orange]

I'm not asking you to be a homer... just take a compliment from the national media. If they think we're good, why do you feel the need to discourage it by rubbing your fecal-smelling propaganda all over the place?

My new nickname for Pushy is Puddleglum (see Chronicles of Narnia..."The Silver Chair", I believe). This pessimistic character in the end overcomes his natural instincts to do nothing but complain and rises and helps save the day.

Not sure we will have the same desired effects here and after 1500 yards, another trip to the probowl, and leaning on Rudi deep into the playoffs I think we will only hear from our Puddleglum that we have a great O-line and all of the attention was taken off our Rudi because of a stellar passing attack.

Either we will hear that, or poor Puddleglum will just up and vanish...but probably not to Narnia.

[Stripes]

My comments were all in response to replies on this thread. The only thing I said about that article was that TJ and RJ is not our offensive core. Which is true, they arent. Our core is Palmer, Chad, and Willie Anderson (if he can return from that surgury).

Rudi is a major part of this offense, and you know that very well. You've become the Anti-Rudi for whatever reason, but just give it up for Christ's sake. If an offense isn't centered around it's 1,400 yard rusher, then the offense isn't being run very well, even if it has a big name wideout and quarterback. They'd be useless without a running game, and Rudi IS the running game, with 3rd down help from Perry.