Bengals lose another offensive lineman

[Reds Fanatic]

Yet another injury for the Bengals today as Bobbie Williams had an appendectomy. He will probably miss at least 3 games.

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=5688

The Bengals offensive line will have its sixth different lineup in 10 games this season Sunday when Stacy Andrews makes his first NFL start at right guard in place of Bobbie Williams.

Williams, who hasn't missed a game in his three Cincinnati seasons, became the third Bengal to have an appendectomy this season and is destined miss the two AFC North games against Cleveland and Baltimore as well with the Ravens game just two weeks away on a Thursday night.

But right tackle Willie Anderson (shoulder) did appear at he beginning of practice and looks primed to make his team-leading 106th straight start after not practicing Wednesday.

Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, listed as probable after suffering a concussion last Sunday, wasn’t on the practice field early Thursday after missing Wednesday, but is listed as probable. Cornerback Deltha O’Neal (shoulder) and strong safety Dexter Jackson (Achilles) , both questionable, didn’t appear early.

The Bengals already have had five different line combinations because of the knee injuries to center Rich Braham and left tackle Levi Jones. Both looked to be going through individual drills Thursday although Braham is listed as out and Jones is questionable.

The Bengals had hoped to have their "new," offensive line intact for five straight games, but it was not to be. In the four games rookie Andrew Whitworth has started at left tackle with Eric Ghiaciuc at center, the Bengals have allowed eight sacks after giving up 17 in the first five games.

The right side has been untouched since Opening Day of 2004, when Williams arrived as a free agent and where Anderson hasn't missed a game in seven seasons.

But they are confident that the 6-7, 360-pound Andrews, who has played in every game this season on special teams and has been used occasionally as a blocking tight end, has had plenty of seasoning in three preseasons. Plus, he may be making his first NFL start, but he'll be playing next to Anderson in his 162nd.

"He'll be fine. He's excited," said head coach Marvin Lewis.

For the record, Williams joins offensive lineman Kyle Takavitz and quarterback Anthony Wright on the appendectomy list. Takavitz has since been released.

[redsfan30]

Good lord. With the injury bug going around as bad as it is.....let's sit Carson and Chad before it hits them too.

[Heath]

What's up with the appendcitis that's running around Cincinnati. They got to quit eating the Gold Star.

[Patpacillosjock]

a lot of appendectomies going around sports these days..Roethlisberger, Al Jefferson of the celts, now Bobbie Williams..I know there is one more but i cant think of the name right now.

could it be due to all the anti-inflammatories they are taking??

[wheels]

Originally Posted by Patpacillosjock

a lot of appendectomies going around sports these days..Roethlisberger, Al Jefferson of the celts, now Bobbie Williams..I know there is one more but i cant think of the name right now.

could it be due to all the anti-inflammatories they are taking??

Nope.

It's totally random.

I feel for anyone that's had one.

I had mine as a HS Freshman, they yanked it out of there too late and I was stuck in the Hospital for a month and a half with a tube that started in my nose and ended somewhere in my stomach.

I did lose thirty pounds, but I missed Spring Baseball. That's what hurt the most.

[Cedric]

Originally Posted by wheels

Nope.

It's totally random.

I feel for anyone that's had one.

I had mine as a HS Freshman, they yanked it out of there too late and I was stuck in the Hospital for a month and a half with a tube that started in my nose and ended somewhere in my stomach.

I did lose thirty pounds, but I missed Spring Baseball. That's what hurt the most.

I'm no doctor, but I've heard it's not always completely random for football players. Some research is being done on the amount of hits in the midsection these athletes take.

I have NO clue if this research is a quack job or not.

[George Foster]

Originally Posted by wheels

Nope.

It's totally random.

I feel for anyone that's had one.

I had mine as a HS Freshman, they yanked it out of there too late and I was stuck in the Hospital for a month and a half with a tube that started in my nose and ended somewhere in my stomach.

I did lose thirty pounds, but I missed Spring Baseball. That's what hurt the most.

Dude...what the hell happened? My mom had brain surgery and was home in 72 hours. 6 weeks...sounds like everything that could go wrong went wrong. Sorry man...that sucked.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by George Foster

Dude...what the hell happened? My mom had brain surgery and was home in 72 hours. 6 weeks...sounds like everything that could go wrong went wrong. Sorry man...that sucked.

Actually, if your appendix bursts, you can be laid up for quite a while because you can get peritonitis, an infection in the body cavity that contains many vital organs. I had my appendix removed last year. They told me they had caught it just in time. Otherwise I would have been in the hospital for a month.

[wheels]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

Actually, if your appendix bursts, you can be laid up for quite a while because you can get peritonitis, an infection in the body cavity that contains many vital organs. I had my appendix removed last year. They told me they had caught it just in time. Otherwise I would have been in the hospital for a month.

That's exactly what happened to me.

They actually thought I was going to die.

Me...I wasn't scared for a second.

[Reds Freak]

It looks like the Bengals will be without CB Deltha O'Neil this sunday according to Curnutte's blog on the Enquirer's site. Although there are certainly many other things to blame for this season, I don't know how many NFL teams could win without 3/5 of their offensive line, a grab bag every week at the linebacker corps, a recovering QB, 3 healthy receivers, and now down goes there best CB. It is just not the Bengals year.