Earn Our Tiger Stripes

 It's low on the sides and high in the middle. After Ohio came to us in the form of the Browns, we have to go to Ohio and face the Cincinnati Bengals. Pre season hyped and current disappointment at 4-4. Are they sleeping or just weak? I always want one in Cincy. Since "The Freezer Bowl" in the Natti, when as a young boy full of hopes and dreams for the future was reduced to lifetime alcoholic by our 27-7 whipping at the hands of the Bengals in the AFC Championship. Think I was 19 and I knew beforehand when the Bengals came out in shirtsleeves and were cracking helmets and pads in the 59 below wind chill factor weather and we were in trench coats and shivering, we were in trouble. Read a cool story about that game. Ex USC and all star guard Anthony Munoz said the analysts were saying it was Bengals weather, and a majority of the players were from warm weather regions so that was all BS!

 To the current state of the Bengals. Hungry and downtrodden. Losing by single digits and staying close but in the end, losing. I know the feeling. And I don't wanna feel it this week. C Palmer to Ocho Cinco and Hush Man Zata, formidable.  I think the Orange Cats miss an older Cory Dillon a bit. Needed him to keep the defense honest and he had a nose for the endzone despite his distractions to the team.

 The defense is suspect. Last week Baltimore converted 40% of their 3rd down tries. Does not bode well for Cincy as we seem to be money on 3rd down. Also the Bengal secondary is flat. No sacks, no turnovers for Cincy last week. No INT's two weeks running. We can exploit this if we play up to our level and don't let the sea of black and orange get to us. Cincy has the "bust out" factor besides home field. They have too much talent to lay down again. Our dee is a little depleted also. I think we can stop the run against these guys. I look for the trio of Chad, Henry and Houshmandzadeh to get some big grabs, but take some crunching licks in the process. An epidemic in the NFL seems to be bad tackling. That "hard hit" without wrapping a player up leads to many extra yards and breakaway plays. Wrap em' up!

 Philip is cool as a cucumber and I look for him to learn some more skills in the harsh environs of Paul Brown Stadium. If the weather is cold or snowy, I don't worry about us. We proved we can run in the snow with all of our backs in a win VS Cleveland last year we we barely passed the ball. Solid. Just gotta stay cautious, as this team has explosive potential. Not against us I'm thinkin'. Two 4-4 teams have made it to the Bowl. New England in 2001 won. The 2002 (yay!) Raiders lost, killed by Tampa Bay. This ain't the Patriots. Like the Colts, good until they win some playoff games. Yes, we are in the same boat. Deep into the playoffs wins respect. We have yet to do that in 10 years.