The Bengals have an easy task in front of them this weekend, and that is simply to lose vs. the Boys. But they can not overestimate the Boys and they can not look at the rest of the schedule. They have got to focus on this one game...one game at a time! In order to do this they will have to continue "to do some good things." It's like Marvin said, keep shovelin' coal, or peddlin' the bike, or spacklin' the wall, or using the proper lug nuts, or just plain ole spankin' the monkey!
On Offense:
1) Establish the run. Just pound Benson up the middle (preferably between the guards) all game long on 1st and 2nd down.
2) On 3rd down, pass...and go long. No shotguns and let Fitz drop back at least 7 steps to let the WRs run routes that take long to develop.
3) The O line will have to continue what they've been best at all season, on run and pass plays (the "Matador" blocking scheme). Do not account for DeMarcus Ware or that Greg Ellis guy. (Levi may have a career day in allowing sacks).
4) If the pressure starts to get to hot and heavy on Fitz, he should just chuck it, and hope for the best.
On Defense:
1) The secondary will have to continue to play the man and NOT the ball. Continue to keep your back to the QB so you can't see when the ball is coming and so you have no chance to bat it down. Leon Hall may be the best in the league as far as this technique is concened.
2) The D line has to keep their hands down, and keep the pressure off Romo. Give him plenty of time by staying on your blockers.
3) Single cover T.O. with Leon Hall all game long.
If the Bengals are winning at halftime they should not quit, but double down their efforts to melt down and implode...Chad kissing the "Star" if he scores could be a good catalyst to fire up the Boys if they are down. The Bengals have completed 25% of their history making run and have a good chance to continue that streak into the second quarter of this season...so gentlemen, get the job done, and come back with an L and continue the implosion!
****************************************
Time for Some Picks (where I don't touch easy games like Carolina over KC):
This is a great NFL Sunday because the match-ups look really good on paper so let's get to it...BTW, I don't do points and next week I will own up to my picks and either toot my own horn or eat crow! (Not many of the NFL pundits are brave enough to do that).
Tennessee at Baltimore is going to be a helluva matchup. Tennessee looks very impressive with Collins at QB and have started off 4-0, but 3 of those victories were against the winless Bengals and Texans and a disappointing Vikings squad. Baltimore is off to a surprising 2-1 start and nearly went into Pitt and pulled off an upset. I'm going to have to go home team here, Tennessee suffers their first defeat at the Ravens.
Washington at Philly is probably THE matchup of the week, hell anytime the NFC East gets together it has potential to be the matchup of the week. This one is simple though as Washington is due for a letdown after pulling off the mild upset against Dallas (playing in the NFC East is like playing in the SEC, it's a "meat grinder") and Philly is at home so I gotta go with McNabb leading the Eagles to victory.
Pitt at Jax is (as usual) going to be a whale of a matchup. Although a great matchup indeed in what should be a close game my methodology for this pick is simple. I am going with the home team Jags (who kinda have their backs against it because Tenn. is running away with the division), add to that in recent history the Jags own Pitt and Pitt's injuries...Pitt is lucky to come out of there with enough bodies to play next week...Gimmie Jax.
Upset special: I looked at 2 possible games...Chicago at Detroit and Indy at Houston, where both home teams are the dogs. (If they both upset I'm taking credit). But I can only have one upset special so I choose...Detroit over Chicago, Indy sitting at 1-2 is just too desperate a team even though the Texans always play them tough, esp. in Houston, but they are not wearing their red jerseys...thus the Millen-less Lions. I think the Lions will roar this week at home and put up a lot of points against Chicago and join the "land of the winning."
*******************************************
The City of Chicago (as a collective) is on suicide watch...hahaha!





The only pick I disagree with this week is Detroit over Chicago. Chicago could get tripped up by some karma from the Cubbies, but the Lions are every bit as dysfunctional as the Bengals and I have no faith in them!
Chris in CambridgeI have every reason to believe that the Bengals can execute that game plan to perfection to go 0-5!!!
02:27 PM EST