Sit down Henry for next 2 games?

[xjjeep90]

Unless it comes down to the KC game and we have to win it to get a 2nd seed, I really see no reason that Marvin should activate him until the playoffs. Gives him some time to think about what he did and also gives Kelly some much needed playing time to prove himself to the team and coaches.

What do you think?

[Stripes]

I agree, I think we could stand to sit him at least through one more game. If we need him when we face the Chiefs, then I assume he will be in there playing. Still, wouldn't it send the wrong message to a guy... "You made a bad choice so you cannot play except for this game because we need you for a potential playoff bye week." Sorta sounds like the coaching staff doesnt really care about the crime, just about the consequences of sitting him out.

[richmond_mat]

Do any games that he misses now count toward his suspension later?

That is, assuming he'll be found guilty. Of course it could have been oregano or he may get the right attorney

[HoosierCat]

Do any games that he misses now count toward his suspension later?

No, I don't believe so, tho the commissioner's office could take it (or them) into account if/when time comes for them to hand down their punishment.

I think one is enough, for now. I don't think you let it linger; I'm not a big believer in "doghouses." Discipline should be swift, fair, immediate...and then you move on. Just MHO.

[derekshank]

Do any games that he misses now count toward his suspension later?

No, I don't believe so, tho the commissioner's office could take it (or them) into account if/when time comes for them to hand down their punishment.

I think one is enough, for now. I don't think you let it linger; I'm not a big believer in "doghouses." Discipline should be swift, fair, immediate...and then you move on. Just MHO.

I don't think sitting him out for another game would be indicative of a doghouse... or even lingering punishment. If anything, it will help Henry realize that sometimes stupid mistakes can have long term consequences.

I think Lewis should sit him out again. Not only will it get through to him better than a league suspension (because it is coming from someone he knows and has a relationship with), but like you said, the commish might take it into consideration when he does hand out the punishment.

If I'm Marvin, the positives from sitting him against Buffalo far outweigh the negatives. Sit him for the Buffalo game, then call him into the office and talk about how stupid he was, and then drop it. Hopefully after that, it will be forgotten, and he'll make better decisions.

[jamesbrooks21]

You definitely don't say "well we don't need you to beat Buffalo so you are going to be inactive again this week." I'm willing to bet Marvin already has a plan and it has nothing to do with who we are playing.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY BY COURT OF LAW!

That's right, any punishment being handed down "swiftly" right now is wrong. He has done nothing wrong at this point according to our law. He is innocent until he has his day in court.

[derekshank]

I don't know if this point has been made... but his mistake gave KW a chance to prove that he's a legitimate #3. I don't think he will keep it long term... but maybe the way to go is to let Henry know that he can't just have the #3 spot back... he has to win it back from Washington.

INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY BY COURT OF LAW!

That's right, any punishment being handed down "swiftly" right now is wrong. He has done nothing wrong at this point according to our law. He is innocent until he has his day in court.

Maybe true from a legal standpoint... but how dense do you have to be to think that he's innocent? He had the stuff in his shoe. That is like saying a father couldn't punish his 15 year-old kid for pot, until the legal system ran it through.

This is a football team, so players have to suffer consequences for being distractions and making bad decisions all the time... not just the kind that are illegal. This certainly qualifies for both. Sitting last week proves that Marvin sees his decision as immature and selfish enough that it required some type of punishment. Now the only question is how long.

[kayaker0678]

I say that we take a hard nosed stance and sit him for the season and start washington. let him make his way back up the depth chart

[walshfan]

I imagine Marvin and Chris have had a LONG talk about the incident.

Marvin chose to sit him down as a discipline measure..

He sat... He didnt get to participate in the team winning the AFCN championship ...

Id like to see him back in there this week and keep fine tuning his game.

Im not a big fan of Washington.. He just doesnt give that extra effort that would make him productive over the long haul..

I think Henry does...

[USMC203]

I don't know if this point has been made... but his mistake gave KW a chance to prove that he's a legitimate #3. I don't think he will keep it long term... but maybe the way to go is to let Henry know that he can't just have the #3 spot back... he has to win it back from Washington.

INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY BY COURT OF LAW!

That's right, any punishment being handed down "swiftly" right now is wrong. He has done nothing wrong at this point according to our law. He is innocent until he has his day in court.

Maybe true from a legal standpoint... but how dense do you have to be to think that he's innocent? He had the stuff in his shoe. That is like saying a father couldn't punish his 15 year-old kid for pot, until the legal system ran it through.

This is a football team, so players have to suffer consequences for being distractions and making bad decisions all the time... not just the kind that are illegal. This certainly qualifies for both. Sitting last week proves that Marvin sees his decision as immature and selfish enough that it required some type of punishment. Now the only question is how long.

I agree with you dewekshank! I am sure Coach Marvin will do the right thing to get it across to him. I think most of us will agree he is guilty. However, we don't know word for word how the officer wrote the wording on the citation about the charge. If he gets a good lawyer, which we are all sure he will, then things will get filed for him that could change the out come of this. Maybe a Judge will rule that just because the officers smells MJ that is not enough probabale cause to search a persons body, Judges sometimes make decisions that everyone does not agree with.

[HairOnFire]

Sometimes I feel like the only remaining supporter of K-Dub, so I'll add just one point that hasn't been made yet and then let it go.

For those of you who want to tender Washington a contract this offseason soley to get something in trade return please consider that there will be no better opportunity to create a market for his services than the final three weeks of the season. Keep giving Washington 5-6 opportunities per game and I'm dead certain he'll produce enough to give interested teams something positive to look at on film during the offseason. And when I say something positive I'm not only talking about the very sweet TD play against the Lions...or the quick slant where he still caught the ball despite being mugged...but play after play where he can be seen doing a great job blocking downfield.

[Spain]

What if he is better than Henry and less problems is the real ?

[derekshank]

What if he is better than Henry and less problems is the real ?

If he was better than Henry, then my guess is that Henry would have never been able to beat him out as the #3... especially as a rookie. Washington is in his 3rd year, and knew the offense, and Henry beat him out based on sheer talent.

Washington doesn't suck... and he could be a good #2 for a lot of teams out there... but he can't break into our top 3 because we're so deep. so as is talked about in the other theads... either turn him into a TE (doubtful), or like HOF said... get him some playing time, so he's worth something in a trade.

[Jet23]

INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY BY COURT OF LAW!

That's right, any punishment being handed down "swiftly" right now is wrong. He has done nothing wrong at this point according to our law. He is innocent until he has his day in court.

At the very least he is guilty of some incredibly bad judgement. What is he doing driving around at 2am when he has a meeting in 6 hours? How do you know that Henry did not already admit having pot in his shoe?

He will be inactive for at least 1 more game. My guess is he will be inactive for the KC game as well. I don't think ML wants to take the chance that the League will suspend him for the playoffs. I doubt that the NFL will tack a suspension on top of Marvin's punishment, if he does sit for the rest of the regular season. They will probably just impose mandatory counseling.

[BengalByTheBay]

INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY BY COURT OF LAW!

That's right, any punishment being handed down "swiftly" right now is wrong. He has done nothing wrong at this point according to our law. He is innocent until he has his day in court.

I hear this a lot in response to players getting busted. What you quote, however, only applies to the legal crimiality standard for a prosecution by the government. The NFL isn't a democracy and the Bengals can impose disciplinary action against players for a wide variety of acts that are not criminal. It is indisputably true that the team could suspend any player for calling Marvin an a**h**e, right? That's hardly a criminal act and, if it was directed at say Mike Brown, might even be completely reasonable. So, whereas Henry will be entitled to a trial before he can be convicted (99.99999% more likely that he plea bargains for some wrist-slappy fine/community service), the NFL and the Bengals are free to impose whatever discipline they feel is appropriate, within the confines of the CBA.

[bengalboomer7]

I was reading profootballtalk.com(I know sometimes its crazy, too) taht Marvin really got a lot of heat from the locker room to act swiftly and sternly.

If that's the case, it's great we have those types of guys in the locker room. Some of those vets have gotten a taste for winning and don't want anyone ruining it for him.

[HairOnFire]

What if he is better than Henry and less problems is the real ?

If he was better than Henry, then my guess is that Henry would have never been able to beat him out as the #3... especially as a rookie. Washington is in his 3rd year, and knew the offense, and Henry beat him out based on sheer talent.

Agreed. I'll argue further that it's more of a matter of the type of talent each player brings to the table. The Bengals oft-stated complaint with Washington has to do with his inability to create real space between himself and the defender....which limits him to playing the same possession role that others on the roster compete at. Making matters worse for Washington is the fact that the players he's competing with, Tab Perry and Kevin Walter, play important roles on special teams. So week after week he gets squeezed out....unless it becomes a question of who the better pure WR is. Only then does Washington get the nod, and on that point isn't it telling that when Henry was held out Washington stepped immediately into the 3rd WR role instead of Perry or Walter having their roles expanded.

[combatbengal]

Not letting him play isn't going to hurt this nuckle head. Hit him where it hurts. The pcoket book. Make him play without money. Act like a fool and get treated like a fool.In the military, if you get caught doing something like that, they take your rank, some pay and time. You get extra duty. They don't say stay home and don't work because you screwed up!

[ArmyBengal]

I stated before and will state again, at what time do they make him accountable for his actions from a team standpoint ?? One game and this point is proved ?? Not in my book, but then again, I'm not ML either. I stand by my first post in regards to sitting him the remainder of the season. I would rather have him gone now and hope the league takes it into consideration, as opposed to having him sit the first 4 games of next season, with K-Wash hanging around due to contract situation...

WHODEY !!!

[HoosierCat]

I stated before and will state again, at what time do they make him accountable for his actions from a team standpoint ?? One game and this point is proved ??

There are already consequences. From a team standpoint, he's been benched for one game. And I'm sure he's heard it from marvin and everyone in the locker room. On top of that, you can bet if he so much as farts at the wrong time he'll be in trouble.

From a league standpoint, simply the arrest means he enters the league's substance abuse program, so he can look forward to peeing in a cup once a week for a long time. If he pleads guilty, he faces a fine and/or up to a 4-game suspension.

The kid made a mistake. He's already paid for it with one benching and will be paying for it one way or another for some time to come. Let it go. Move on. Give him a chance to prove he's learned something. In my book he screws up again and he's history...but his mulligan is hereby exhausted.

[ArmyBengal]

Mulligan exhausted is right... I'll buy that approach, just think we don't have much to lose with him on the bench and nothing has gotten through to this kid as far as consequences for his actions up to this point and sitting while earning the paycheck is far from painful by any stretch. I'll say this and be done... I'm glad we are so deep at a position where an issue like this isn't the be all - end all of the season and I truly hope Henry gets by this quickly as I think he will be someone fun to watch for years to come !!!

WHODEY !!!

[schweinhart]

Sometimes I feel like the only remaining supporter of K-Dub, so I'll add just one point that hasn't been made yet and then let it go.

For those of you who want to tender Washington a contract this offseason soley to get something in trade return please consider that there will be no better opportunity to create a market for his services than the final three weeks of the season. Keep giving Washington 5-6 opportunities per game and I'm dead certain he'll produce enough to give interested teams something positive to look at on film during the offseason. And when I say something positive I'm not only talking about the very sweet TD play against the Lions...or the quick slant where he still caught the ball despite being mugged...but play after play where he can be seen doing a great job blocking downfield.

Sold

Not to squish Dopey's confidence because he looks a wee bit on the fragile side mentally, but K-Dub wants it now more than before and the PT will be good in case Dopey gets dumb again come playoff time.