Bengals v. Panthers

[WMR]

I'm sure there will be plenty to talk about as far as this game is concerned...

hopefully it won't end up as a debate of how much blame to levy on an official when his screw-ups lead up to a Bengals loss b/c we'll all be jubilantly singing the praises of Marvin and his players as they return to their winning ways!

::fingers crossed ... err, make that double-crossed::

[WMR]

Tab Perry out for year

By GEOFF HOBSON

October 20, 2006

The Bengals lost one of their most valued and versatile players Friday when they put wide receiver Tab Perry on season-ending injured reserve.

Perry, who set the club’s single-season kick return records as a rookie last year, hasn’t played since injuring his hip in the last minute of the 34-17 win over Cleveland in the second game of the season when he returned a pooch kick that rolled to the goal line and stopped.

Perry, who appeared Friday on Cincinnati radio host Lance McAlister's Bengals Rally show, said after the show that he had suffered a partial dislocation of the hip. He said there was a fear that it could be an injury similar to the one that ended Bo Jackson's career on a hit from Bengals linebacker Kevin Walker in the 1990 playoffs.

"But (Jackson) came back too early on it," Perry said. "The Bengals were worried it could be like that if I tried to keep playing. So we figured to take the rest of the season and it will be all right."

Perry expects to be cleared for the first minicamp next spring.

The Bengals used Perry on a variety of plays running and catching out of the backfield and he had been used this season as a third-down replacement for tight end Matt Schobel in a pass-protection role as well as a receiver.

Along with supplying one of the biggest plays of last season with his 94-yard kick return during the 38-31 win in Pittsburgh, Perry finished fourth in both special teams snaps and tackles as a core member. Earlier in the season, special teams coach Darrin Simmons compared the loss of Perry on special teams to the loss of running back Rudi Johnson on offense.

Lewis said Perry should have a typical rehab and be back for next season.

"The hip injury because of the amount of the pressure on the joint it's a little bit more special," Lewis said. "It's different than the shoulder because it's a function he needs. The protocol is much slower than other injuries. The best thing for him and his future is for us not to push this, for him not to push it most importantly, for him to allow it to heal correctly."

Ironically, Friday was also the day the Bengals officially activated the other Perry - running back Chris Perry - from the physically unable to perform list (PUP). With Chris Perry able to split some as a wide receiver and receivers Kelley Washington (hamstring) and Chris Henry (suspension) also on the shelf, it remains to be seen who else the Bengals are going to dress behind Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Antonio Chatman.

Rookie receiver Reggie McNeal was the third quarterback last week, but he may not be designated as such this week even though backup quarterback Anthony Wright is out again as he recovers from his appendectomy.

The Bengals filled Tab Perry’s roster spot by signing from the practice squad former Kentucky wide receiver Glenn Holt, a free-agent rookie who had one catch for 11 yards and one kickoff return for 16 yards in three preseason games.

Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Johnson (shoulder) returned to the early portion of the Bengals’ Friday morning practice. He came into the day listed as probable even though he didn’t work Wednesday and Thursday, and head coach Marvin Lewis said he's ready to play.

[WMR]

The hits just keep on coming.

[GAC]

Panthers 0-2 minus Steve Smith.... 4-0 since his return.

[WMR]

from www.bengals.com

BENGALS

VS.

PANTHERS
KEY MATCHUPS
OCTOBER 22, 2006

A former NFL club football executive (The Guru) and a current NFL personnel director (The Chief) break down Sunday’s matchup and after a low whistle following the Bengals injury list, The Guru gives the Bengals a slight edge only because they’re home and The Chief picks the Panthers to win their fifth straight.

The Guru: The Bengals have to get home, steady the ship, and get back on track. To me, this is a coach’s game. The Bengals have to adjust. That’s how good coaches survive injuries. They’re hurt at receiver and on the offensive line and they’re playing a team that has a great pass rush, but you can run the ball on them. Getting Chris Perry back should be able to help them run and that’s what they have to do. Carolina is a better rush team and they’re at home.

The Chief: Carolina has to be laughing right now. If they don’t have the best defensive line, it's one of the best and the Bengals keep shuffling up front. This is a heck of a game to have a rookie left tackle out there and to have receivers banged up. They’re going to have to throw quick. Their secondary is pretty good, too. Their corners are big and physical and their safeties can really run. I think it’s going to be a long day for the home team because of the injuries.”

WHEN THE BENGALS HAVE THE BALL
RT Willie Anderson and LT Andrew Whitworth vs. Panthers DEs Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker

No one really knows what kind of looks the exotic Carolina defense is going to lay on the rookie Whitworth on passing downs. But at least on first and second down, there should an all-World matchup between the three-time Pro Bowler Anderson and Peppers, a two-time Pro Bowler who currently leads the NFL with eight sacks.

The 6-7, 283-pound Peppers gives up about 50 pounds to the 6-5, 335ish-pound Anderson, which means the Bengals are probably going to try and run the ball for a variety of reasons. One of them is to keep away the werewolves who have rung up 139.5 sacks in the last five seasons.

“He’s strong, and got the long arms,” says The Chief. “I don’t care if it is Willie, at some point they’re going to have to give him help over there. I think Rucker is declining a bit in his play (no sacks yet), so I think that matchup is going to be OK for the Bengals.”

But when it gets to passing downs, the Panthers move around and the Bengals are expecting them to try and get Peppers on Whitworth. Making the matchup of his offensive line and defensive line so difficult is that the the Bengals are already strapped at receiver and giving help to the tackles is going to take yet another one out of a route.

“I like Whitworth, I think he’s going to be fine against Rucker,” The Guru said. “Rucker is more of a power guy, and Whitworth is a big kid who has played a lot of football.”

But also figure that tight ends Reggie Kelly and Tony Stewart, and backs Jeremi Johnson, Rudi Johnson and Kenny Watson, have to have a big day giving some help.

C Eric Ghiaciuc vs. Panthers DT Kris Jenkins

Jenkins is just a moose in the middle, but Ghiaciuc's most difficult assignment is going to be to communicate to his guys what to do because the Panthers will line up anywhere at any time with anyone. Earlier this year, another team’s center looked up to see 230-pound linebacker Thomas Davis line up at tackle.

“The thing the Bengals have to do is settle down with this offensive line,” The Guru said. “They’ve got guys who have played those spots. You can run at a guy like Peppers, I think. You can run on them, or you have to try. This is the adjustment I’m talking about.”

RB Chris Perry vs. Panthers CB Chris Gamble

Remember the 2004 draft that had the Bengals picking No. 24 then No. 26 in the first round? Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis tried real hard to like Gamble, even going back to Ohio State one last time a week before the draft to get another look. But with Corey Dillon and no backup for Rudi Johnson in sight, the Bengals took Perry, spurning Gamble basically twice. P>While Perry has been hurt for 21 of his 37 possible games, Gamble has played pretty well. Last year he and Ken Lucas were the only cornerback tandem to each record at least six interceptions.

But the Bengals are pleased that Perry (ankle, knee) is back for the first time this year because of his ability to exploit matchups in the passing game with a linebacker or safety. But he is going to have to be used as a receiver because only three veteran wides are healthy. The 6-2 Gamble goes inside in the slot on passing downs.

“Their corners are big and physical,” The Chief said. “They might get beat at times, but their safeties run, and you know they can because they play seven in the box and they’re still back there in a zone. If you had this defensive front, you would sit there with seven, too and not let anybody get behind you in the passing game. The Bengals are going to have to run the ball against seven men.”

K Shayne Graham vs. Panthers K John Kasay

Watch out for Peppers because he’s blocked five field goals in the past five seasons. Kasay told Graham when he beat him out for the Panthers job in 2003, “It could have gone either way. You’re going to have a good career.”

That day, the Bengals claimed Graham off waivers and the rest is history on both sides of the ball. Graham is currently the second most accurate field-goal kicker of all time, holds most of the Bengals single-season records and is their first Pro Bowl kicker in history.

Meanwhile, in his 16th season, Kasay is still rolling. Last month he became the first kicker in history to kick four field goals from at least 46 yards in a game against Tampa Bay, and two weeks ago became the 25th player to score 1,000 points with the same team.


WHEN THE PANTHERS HAVE THE BALL
CBs Deltha O’Neal, Tory James, Johnathan Joseph vs. WR Steve Smith

The Chief says, “You start by taking away Smith and then holding up everywhere else. When they don’t have Smith, they’re not balanced. That’s how they lost the first two games. What he does is provide a diversion in the secondary because he’s so good.”

The Bengals are intent on stopping the big play, and in the last three games Smith has six catches of at least 20 yards. It has to worry them that last week not only did Smith catch three balls of at least 31 yards, but third wide Drew Carter caught a 42-yard touchdown pass against the usually suffocating Ravens defense.

Smith is only 5-9, but James warns that “he’s strong and physical.” The Bengals figure to do what the offenses are doing to their own Chad Johnson and play it safe to keep the long one away. They also have to be wary of Carter’s speed, but the Panthers don’t often go with three wides. When they do, sometimes Smith goes in the slot, so Rock Hill, S.C., native Jospeh gets to take on Charlotte’s big star.


WR Chad Johnson: vs. Panthers WR Keysahwn Johnson

OK. It’s not a real matchup, but the cousins are going to go a long way in deciding this one. Since Smith returned in the third game of the season, not only is he the NFL’s leading receiver in that stretch with 450 yards, he and Keyshawn are the top receiving duo in the NFL with 53 catches for 723 yards and four TDs over the last four weeks. Chad and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who also missed the first two games (hand), aren’t in the top six and have 36 catches for 385 yards with three touchdowns.

“Keyshawn is still a good player, but he’s not going to hurt you deep,” The Guru says. “He’ll be a factor underneath, on third down and he’s a strong guy.”

The Bengals had the right idea in Tampa, where the longest completion they allowed was 18 yards. But that was to a rookie QB making his second NFL start. Which brings us to:

DEs Justin Smith, Robert Geathers vs. Panthers RT Jeremy Bridges and LT Jordan Gross

The Panthers have also lost their center (Justin Hartwig) and left tackle (Travelle Wharton), and have had to shuffle. Gross, a dominant right tackle, is just a guy at left. Bridges, cut in training camp, has only been in Carolina since Sept. 12. So you figure Geathers and Smith should make some hay and get pressure on quarterback Jake Delhomme.

Delhomme is a different guy when pressured. He’s also not above gambling and throwing it to the other club, but he’s got a 2-to-1 TD-pick ratio and has thrown one fewer interception than Palmer (three) this season.

[CTA513]

Brooks gets another start
By GEOFF HOBSON
October 22, 2006

Posted: 11:40 a.m.

Middle linebacker Brian Simmons and strong safety Dexter Jackson were both active for Sunday’s game against the Panthers and were expected to play but weren’t in the starting lineup.

Rookie Ahmad Brooks drew his second straight start in place of Simmons and Kevin Kaesviharn lined up at strong safety for the fourth straight game.

While Simmons sat last Sunday in Tampa with a neck injury, Brooks had 14 tackles in his first NFL start. Also for the third straight game, Landon Johnson started at strong-side linebacker and Caleb Miller on the weak side with Rashad Jeanty (foot) inactive again.

With wide receivers Kelley Washington (hamstring) inactive and Tab Perry on injured reserve, rookie wide receiver Glenn Holt was active after signing off the practice squad, and rookie receiver Reggie McNeal was again listed as the third quarterback.

Running back Chris Perry, just off the physically unable to perform list (PUP), was active for his first game this season and could see plenty of time as a wide receiver.

Peter Schaffer, the agent for wide receiver Tab Perry, applauded the Bengals for taking the cautious route and putting his client on season-ending injured reserve with a partially dislocated hip.

“We think there was a pretty good chance he could have come back late in the year,” Schaffer said. “But the Bengals needed the roster spot and they also felt with that type of injury rest is the best thing for it.”

Schaffer and Perry both believe he’ll be back for the first minicamp in the spring after an offseason of rehab. Perry called it “a subluxation,” where the bone slides out and then back in.

“When that happens,” Perry said, “it messes up things inside your capsule (which contains ligaments). You’ve got things that are loose, things that are bruised. You have to wait for all that to clear out.”

Former Raiders running back Bo Jackson’s career ended with a similar dislocation, but Perry and Schaffer said the Bengals believe it's because he came back too soon and didn’t take the proper time.

“We think that Tab should be back on time next year,” Schaffer said.

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=5607

[Playadlc]

Bengals 21
Panthers 20

[Playadlc]

I am getting this feeling that the Bengals might just get on a huge roll today.

Defense looked very active on that first drive.

[dsmith421]

I love Bob Bratkowski. Seldom can one man waste so much talent. The guy needs to go, and I mean right now.

[Joseph]

This defense is ugly.

[TeamCasey]

Complete and utter BS

[max venable]

Marvin should have kept that red flag in his pocket. He burned a timeout and for what? Even if they reverse the call, it's 4th and goal on the one inch line. They would have punched it in anyway. Not a good decision by ML.

[MrCinatit]

This offense has become brutally bad.

[Joseph]

This offensive line has become brutally bad.

I fixed it for you.

[max venable]

Yeah, it's really not fun to watch the Bengals lately. Funny how we can be SO excited about a team three weeks ago and so discouraged by them right now.