Preview of ‘07 Bengals
By Adam Kiefaber
AFC NORTH PREVIEW
Palmer and the Johnsons
CINCINNATI BENGALS
2006 Record: 8-8
Last Year Summary: In 2006, the Bengals won the first three games, which included two road wins at Kansas City and at Pittsburgh. Then New England came into Cincy and rookie Laurence Maroney had his best performance of the season. Maroney rushed for 125 yards on only 15 carries and scored two touchdowns in route to a 38-13 win over the Bengals. That began a horrid streak where the Bengals would lose five of their next six games. 
However, each loss could have easily been a win – Cincinnati got a terrible roughing-the-passer call on a Justin Smith sack in a 14-13 loss at Tampa Bay. Then Michael Vick had his best game of the season in a 29-27 loss to Atlanta. Then the Bengals lost on the road 26-20 to Baltimore when T.J. Houshmandzadeh didn’t get a pass-interference call late in the game. The most heart-breaking game was the home contest against San Diego. The Bengals led 28-7 at halftime only to lose 49-41. With a record of 4-5, Cincinnati turned it around with four straight wins that included wins on the road against New Orleans (31-16) and at home against Baltimore (13-7). Just as it was looking that the Bengals would return to the playoffs, they lost the last three games of season at Indianapolis (16-34), at Denver (23-24) and at home against Pittsburgh (17-23 in OT). Cincinnati lost the Denver game on a poor snap by Brad St. Louis, which would have tied the game after a 90-yard touchdown drive. Then with eight seconds left in the Pittsburgh game, Shayne Graham missed a 39-yard field goal that would have won the game. If the Bengals had won any three of those games they would have made the playoffs
Additions: LB Ed Hartwell (Atlanta), DT Michael Myers (Denver), C Alex Stepanovich (Arizona) and DT Kenderick Allen (Green Bay).
Subtractions: DT Sam Adams (to DEN), CB Troy James (to NE), S Kevin Kaesviharn (to NO), LB Brain Simmons (to NO), DT Shaun Smith (to CLE), OG Eric Steinbach (to CLE), TE Tony Stewart (to OAK), WR Kelley Washington (to NE), LB Marcus Wilkins (to ATL) and QB Anthony Wright (to NYG).
2007 Season Summary: QB Carson Palmer is completely healthy this season and has plenty of weapons on offense. The defense should be better off this season with new upgrades in the secondary and to the linebacking core. The schedule seems to be easier in ’07 than it was last year. Instead of playing the NFC South and AFC West, Cincinnati plays the NFC West and AFC East. You can make the argument, but I believe both divisions are easier this time around. Also, last year Cincy played New England and Indianapolis as the two games added because of their ’05 record and this year they play Kansas City and Tennessee. Right now, the Bengals look to have four primetime games, which includes the home opener against Baltimore (Monday 7pm on ESPN), home against New England (Monday 8:30pm on ESPN), at Pittsburgh (Sunday 8:15pm on NBC) and at San Francisco (8:15pm on NFL Network). I tried to be objective in my prediction of the Bengals ’07 season and it is extremely early to pick games, but there is no reason to believe that Cincinnati shouldn’t make the playoffs in ’07.
Best Rookie: CB Leon Hall- No one can quite argue the Bengals decision to draft Hall when he fell to them in the middle of the first round. Around draft time, scouts used phrases such as ‘hard worker’, ‘team leader’, and ‘explosive hitter’ to describe him. Due to the injury to CB Johnathan Joseph this spring and to the absence of Deltha O’Neal, Hall has been getting most of the snaps on the #1 defense. I expect Hall to begin the season as the #3 cornerback, but could be starting by midseason. Second-round pick RB Kenny Irons should provide a nice change of pace, but veteran Kenny Watson will be Rudi Johnson’s backup to start the year. Fourth-round pick S Marvin White will be counted on early and often.
Big Games of the Year: vs. Baltimore (Sept. 7- 7:00pm- Opening Monday), vs. New England (Oct. 1- 8:30- Monday), vs. Pittsburgh (Oct. 28- 1:00pm), at Baltimore (Nov. 11- 4:05pm), at Pittsburgh (Dec. 2- 8:15pm) , at Miami (Dec. 30- 1:00pm- Last game of the year)
2007 Projected Record: 11-5
Futures (Bets): The current odds for the Bengals to win the AFC North is 3/2. The win total betting is set at 9.5 games. Currently, the Bengals odds to win the Super Bowl are set at 15/1.
