2009 Bengals Preview: Losing Their Stripes

AFC NORTH
3. Cincinnati Bengals
Projected Record: 6-10

Offense: C
Defense: D-
Coaching: C-

What’s new: When the first answer is Laveranues Coles, and the year isn’t 2003, then there are some serious issues for a team that finished 4-11-1 last season. The other new addition may be a healthy Carson Palmer. Or maybe not.

What’s good: Palmer can still be pretty good if he manages to stay off the PUP list. It appears that he is heading into this season much healthier than the last two. With him, the Bengals stand a chance of spreading the field and operating their offense. Chad Ochocinco, who is one name change away from being like Prince, is still an effective receiver.


Any chance the Bengals had of ever being consistently good ended on this play.

What’s bad: Just about everything else. Even if Palmer is healthy, he’ll have a hard time staying that way with an anemic offensive line and an equally bad running attack. Cedric Benson, really? The defense was one of the worst in the NFL last year and unless Ray Maualuga is the next Lawrence Taylor, it figures to be at the same level again. Futhermore, Marvin Lewis is on the short leash this season. If the Bengals struggle out of the gate, then the players will quit on Lewis and he’s likely to be the first coach fired in the 2009 season.

What to expect: I think Palmer will bounce back, and he will play in the majority of games this year. I don’t think that will have much effect on the Bengals’ place in the standings. Both offensive and defensive lines are awful. The defense can’t get off the field, and without a running game, the offensive can’t keep them off the field. The only good news for Cincinnati is the early schedule presents two or three winnable games. If they don’t get early victories against the Broncos and Browns, that six win prediction may be cut in half.