Bengals @ Texans, Saturday, 4:30PM ET
The biggest concern for the Bengals right now might be the fact that rookie Andy Dalton has hit a wall. He’s topped 200 yards passing in just one of his final five games and he missed practice on Wednesday after being hospitalized with flu-like symptoms. In his Week 14 matchup against Houston, he went 16-of-28 for 189 yards and one touchdown, which wasn’t enough as the Texans rallied for a 20-19 victory. For all the talk surrounding Houston’s quarterback situation this week, Dalton may be the key to this game. The Texans’ pass rush is one of the best in the league and their run defense has been stout as well. Cedric Benson was limited on Wednesday because of a foot injury and he’s also been dealing with a back issue. If the Bengals can’t get their running game going, Dalton will become the focus. Wade Phillips will surely throw a few wrinkles at the rookie in his first postseason game, so it’ll be interesting to see how Dalton responds to his biggest test as a pro. Win or lose, Dalton has had a great year and performed well beyond expectations. But for the Bengals to advance to the Divisional round, he’ll have to raise the level of his play.

Lions @ Saints, Saturday, 8:00PM ET, Saturday
The key to this game isn’t Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson or Detroit’s secondary. Believe it or not, it isn’t Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham or Sean Patyon either. The key to this game is Ndamukong Suh, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Cliff Avril, Corey Williams and the rest of the Lions’ defensive line. You don’t beat an elite quarterback by blitzing him on every play. You beat him by dropping defenders into coverage and rushing him with your front four. Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady – they’re all the same. They can beat a blitz because they know their respective offenses like the back of their hand and they know exactly where to go with the football to burn a defense. But like any quarterback, they struggle the most when under pressure. Granted, it’s easier said than done to only bring four down linemen on a given play. If Suh and Co. don’t reach Brees, he’ll have plenty of time to wait until his receivers get open before delivering those accurate passes of his. Plus, a big reason why Brees is so good is because his offensive line has been excellent in pass blocking this season. Opponents try to overload with blitzes because Carl Nicks, Jermon Bushrod and Jahri Evans have been immovable objects up front. But it’s gut-check time for the Lions. They certainly have enough offensive weapons to match Brees and Payton, but if they can’t bring heat using their front four then they’ll be dead upon arrival.

Falcons @ Giants, 1:00PM ET, Sunday
While most of the national focus this week is on the explosive battle in New Orleans and whether or not Tim Tebow has any magic left in that inaccurate left arm of his, this Falcons-Giants matchup might be the most even of the four Wildcard games. Both teams are built to run the football and therefore, fans may be treated to a heavy dose of Michael Turner, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. But it’s been the play of Matt Ryan and Eli Manning that has gotten the Falcons and Giants as far as they are. Ryan’s 92.2 QB rating is his best in four seasons as a pro and in his last four games he has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 10:0. Manning, meanwhile, has compiled a QB rating of 92.9 this year, which is only bested by his 93.1 mark in 2009. He also set franchise records for passing yards (4,933), attempts (589) and completions (359), and has set an NFL record by throwing 15 of his 29 touchdowns in the fourth quarter. He’s one of the biggest reasons, if not the biggest reason, that the Giants have five wins this season in which they erased fourth-quarter deficits. While Atlanta’s ability to slow New York’s pass rush will be a huge factor this weekend, this game will likely come down to the basics: penalties, turnovers, and execution (or lack thereof).

Steelers @ Broncos, 4:30PM, Sunday
With how pitiful Tim Tebow and the Denver offense looked last week at home versus Kansas City, there are plenty of NFL observers who envision a blowout this Sunday at Sports Authority Field. But as I wrote earlier this week in my “Five Questions…” piece, the Steelers aren’t exactly steamrolling into the playoffs. In their last four games Pittsburgh is averaging just over 14 points per game, which includes a 27-0 win over the hapless Rams in Week 16. It’s no coincidence that the Steelers’ offense started to struggle when Ben Roethlisberger hurt his ankle in a Week 14 victory over the Browns. But even two weeks prior to that when Big Ben was healthy, the Steelers managed just 13 points in a 13-9 win over the Chiefs. For as bad as Tebow has looked the past two weeks, Denver’s defense certainly has the capability of keeping things close, especially if the Steelers can’t run the ball without Rashard Mendenhall (season-ending knee injury). Granted, the Broncos aren’t going to win if they only manage a field goal like they did last Sunday, but this might not be the rout that many people expect.

With as much trouble as Cedric Benson has gotten into over the course of his NFL career, one would think he would be happy to fall in line and allow his situation in Cincinnati to play out (on the field and off it, for that matter).

But one would be wrong.

While recently appearing on SIRIUS NFL Radio, Benson took the time to voice his displeasure about the Bengals’ offense and how the team has gotten away from running the football.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Said Benson about the offense’s direction right now: “I don’t know. With all those players and names you brought up (Terrell Owens, Jordan Shipley, Jermaine Gresham) they’re all, except for one, directly involved in the passing game. So, I mean, if I had to guess, it seems that that’s kind of the route that we’re trying to go, which can be a bit frustrating because we were successful running the football last year and being a power team. Being that type of team got us where we ultimately wanted to be, which was in the playoffs. I don’t know what would be the reason the team would want to change their identity, unless in the past season it didn’t work. But that’s not the case here. And, I mean, I don’t know. I guess whoever’s making those shots, or calling those shots, you got to kind of roll with the punches.”

In the first two games, the Bengals have called 85 pass plays to just 56 run plays. But they also trailed New England 31-3 early in the third quarter in Week 1 and were inconsistent running the ball against Baltimore last Sunday. So what is Benson looking for here?

The Bengals were successful running the ball last year, but they also desperately needed to upgrade their passing game, which they did this offseason with the selections of Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley via the draft, and Terrell Owens in free agency. They lost to the Jets last year in the Wild Card round partly because they were too one-dimensional. And despite Benson’s claims, the goal isn’t to reach the playoffs – it’s to win in the playoffs.

The teams that win in the NFL do so because every player accepts his role and executes the plays that are called. If one guy doesn’t accept his role and fails to execute, then the rest of the 10 players usually suffer.

With that in mind, Benson should stop worrying about the distribution of run and pass plays and just concern himself with what he’s doing to help the team win. Going on SIRIUS radio and bitching about the offense isn’t helping his team win and doesn’t help the Bengals’ reach their ultimate goal.

Roger Goodell is apparently getting soft in his old(er) age.

Like Titans’ quarterback Vince Young, it appears as though Cedric Benson will escape punishment stemming from an incident that occurred at an Austin bar late last month in which witnesses claim he punched an employee. According to Adam Schefter via his Twitter page, Goodell will not suspend the Bengals’ running back.

It’ll be interesting to see whether or not the Bengals sign Benson to a contract extension now that he’s in the clear. He was angling for a new deal before the news about his bar altercation broke, so maybe the team will feel more confident giving him an extension. That said, nobody could blame Cincy if it wanted to waited until Benson stayed out of trouble the rest of the year.

As expected, Young wasn’t suspended either after he punched a man in the face at a strip club last month. It was the first time Young had gotten into any off-field trouble, so it was expected that Goodell would go easy on him being a first-time offender. The reports out of Tennessee have been mostly positive about VY this summer, so it appears as though the strip club incident was only a small roadblock for the 27-year-old QB.

A week ago, word out of Cincinnati was that Cedric Benson wanted a new contract and the Bengals were entertaining the thought of granting his wish. But Benson’s latest misstep with the law might have cost him the opportunity to earn a little financial security from his current employer.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer:

The Austin American Statesmen is reporting that Bengals running back Cedric Benson was arrested and charged with assault with injury early Tuesday after an incident last month at an Austin bar where witnesses said he punched a bar employee in the face.

Benson was booked into the Travis County jail where he later posted bail and was released, authorities said.

According to the Austin police arrest affidavit, Benson was at Annie’s West bar in the Sixth Street entertainment district on May 30 when he got into an altercation with another patron that left him spitting blood from a cut lip.

After staff intervened, witnesses told police Benson shoved a bar worker and was verbally abusive. After being asked to leave, Benson was escorted to the door.

Bar employee Bryan White told police that once outside, Benson complained that “all these white boys are ganging up on me and kicking me out,” then punched White in the face.

After signing with the Bengals, he said of his legal trouble: “Just, it’s a humbling experience. It keeps you grounded. It will bring your feet back to the ground if your feet weren’t grounded. Just kind of bring you home, (an) opportunity to look in the mirror, re-evaluate yourself and change yourself for the better. I just had to make a better decision, a few better decisions.”

This is exactly why I wrote last week that the Bengals should wait to give Benson a new deal. He had gotten into trouble multiple times with the Bears before arriving to Cincinnati and he’s under contract for the 2010 season. Thus, there’s no reason for the Bengals to give him a new deal before he proves that he can produce again on the field and stay out of trouble.

If the NFL suspends him, chances are he can kiss a long-term deal goodbye. The Bengals have proven time after time that they don’t make wise decisions when it comes to signing troubled players, but even they aren’t stupid enough to give Benson a new contract after this. In fact, he could be looking at nothing but one or two-year deals from here on out because no team is going to trust him.

He potentially cost himself millions of dollars because he had to be an idiot in a bar. Talk about bad timing.

Photo from fOTOGLIF
]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/06/29/this-is-why-the-bengals-should-wait-to-give-benson-a-new-contract/feed/ 1 http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/06/21/cedric-benson-the-bengals-and-a-new-contract/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/06/21/cedric-benson-the-bengals-and-a-new-contract/#comments Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:10:43 +0000 Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=41581

Thus far, the relationship between Cedric Benson and the Cincinnati Bengals has been picture perfect. Both were desperate at the time they started dating, but a bond has developed between the two through that desperation, and now the couple is on the verge of a long-term commitment.

But before the Bengals proceed any further, they should keep in mind what Benson did to his former lover.

Roughly five hours and 300 miles down the road in a small city called Chicago lies the remains of Benson’s previous NFL relationship. The Bears made him the fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft and what followed was tears, heartache and embarrassment.

Granted, a lot has changed since Benson and the Bears parted ways in 2008. He cleaned up his act and then managed to rush for 747 yards and two touchdowns in limited action for Cincinnati in the ‘08. He followed up that campaign with a career year last season, rushing for 1,251 yards and six touchdowns on 301 carries (4.2 YPC).

Now Benson wants a new contract. He isn’t demanding one, but with his current deal set to expire at the end of the 2010 season, he would like some financial security from the Bengals, who are entertaining the idea of giving him a long-term extension.

But before they do, they should keep in mind that history often has a way of repeating itself. The Bears paid Benson handsomely in ’05 after making him a top 5 pick and he thanked them with his Curtis Enis-type production on the field and Pacman Jones-esqe behavior off it. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t changed or that he’ll make fools out of the Bengals too, but let’s keep in mind that he’s only rushed for over 1,000 yards once in his career.

All the reports out of Cincinnati this offseason have been positive about Benson, who is only 27 and has little wear and tear on his threads. But giving him a contract extension now without having him prove himself for one more year is a risky proposition. I realize the Bengals want to reap the rewards of giving him a second chance, but he has to come to grips that his shaky past doesn’t lend for a lot trust between him and any team – not even the one that he has helped.

If he proves himself this season, then the Bengals can drop to a knee. Until then, Cincy might want to proceed with caution.

Photo from fOTOGLIF
]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/06/21/cedric-benson-the-bengals-and-a-new-contract/feed/ 3 http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/02/04/qa-with-espns-mike-golic/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/02/04/qa-with-espns-mike-golic/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:45:19 +0000 Mike Farley http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=33233

If you listen to ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike In the Morning,” you know that former NFL defensive lineman Mike Golic is one half of the equation and the counterpoint to long-time “Sportscenter” anchor Mike Greenberg. While both share a passion for sports, Golic takes the role of the “man’s man” and frequently discusses his passion for food and in particular, his love for grilling out. Well, lucky for us, Golic recently teamed up with Kingsford Charcoal to promote their new and improved briquets (and their new flavors of KC Masterpiece sauce and marinade), as well as with chef Chris Lilly, who owns Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q and is an award winning barbecue chef. So we’ve got some of their special recipes on our Grub For Guys page on Bullz-Eye.com, but we also had the opportunity to interview Golic about ESPN, grilling out, and of course, football:

The Scores Report: Hey Mike, we know you love to eat and love to grill. What is your favorite KC Masterpiece new flavor and why?

Mike Golic: I’m an original flavor kind of guy – no bells or whistles needed for me. But, I’ve tried the new KC Masterpiece Smoky Bourbon Barbecue Sauce and the smoky, sweet taste gives the original flavor some good competition for best sauce.

TSR: What are your thoughts on the new briquets, and do you use your grill year round?

MG: I have a fairly busy schedule with “Mike & Mike in the Morning,” ESPN analysis, and my family, but I definitely try to keep my grill fired up year-round whenever I have down-time. There is no better way to bring family and friends together than over the smokey flavors of a charcoal grill. In fact, when my boys where in high school, I used to travel to their football camps in early-August and grill for their entire teams during two-a-day workouts.

Kingsford MatchLight is my go-to charcoal – it has lighter fluid built into the briquet formula so it lights quickly and easily – which is especially convenient when I’m tailgating. I’ve heard that Kingsford briquets now light easier and faster, which I can also appreciate since I’m always crunched for time with my busy schedule.

TSR: Do you have any go-to items you like to grill for Super Bowl Sunday, or are you usually too busy working to cook that day?

MG: I will be working the whole week leading up to Super Bowl in Miami, but I’m excited to be able to go home and watch the actual game with my friends and family. But, while I’m in Miami, I will be firing up the grill with my buddy, world champion pitmaster, Chris Lilly earlier in the week. Chris has taught me quite a bit about grilling over the years and has inspired me to create a few tailgate recipes of my own. I will be demonstrating my BBQ Blitz Chicken Wraps for a few TV interviews with Chris before sharing a little tailgate with the lucky winner of the “On the Grill with Golic” sweepstakes that took place earlier this year. The recipe is attached in case your readers want to try it at home. For more great grilling recipes become a fan of Kingsford on Facebook at Facebook.com/KingsfordCharcoal.

TSR: The press notes said you have tips and recipes to share….can you give us a glimpse into that at all, or offer a recipe we can feature on Bullz-Eye.com?

MG: Since I’ve already shared my BBQ Blitz Chicken Wraps recipe, here are a few tips:

· Feeding a crowd doesn’t have to cost a fortune. There are many flavorful, inexpensive cuts of meat to choose from that are ideal for serving to a large group. For example, I use chicken thighs in my wrap recipe, which is a cheaper alternative to breast meat that I actually prefer.

· Plan ahead and marinate meat before guests arrive. Try KC Masterpiece® Marinades, which can penetrate meat in as little as 30 minutes, but feel free to marinate longer for more flavor. Two to four hours works well to increase saturation and intensify taste.

· Even when cooking over a single-zone fire, leave a small space unheated so there is somewhere to move food if you have a flare-up or if something is cooking too fast. Take it from me, no one likes burned food!

TSR: In regard to what looks to be an awesome job at ESPN, is it really as much fun as it looks like, or are you constantly working?

MG: Well, I have been blessed to earn a living doing something that I love – playing football, and now talking about sports – I can’t really complain. You know that cliché saying that if you’re doing what you love then it doesn’t feel like work at all? Well, that couldn’t be more true for my “job” at ESPN – sure there are longer hours some days, but I have a passion for sports and what I do and wouldn’t trade my job for anything.

TSR: Is your ribbing and banter with Greeny more of a show or is it really how you guys are all the time?

MG: Greeny and I have a great time on and off set with each other. We are dynamically different people – everything from looks and personalities, to experiences and backgrounds – but I think that is what makes the chemistry between us so special on “Mike & Mike in the Morning.”

TSR: Which NFL team is the most pleasant surprise to you this season, and which is the biggest disappointment?

MG: I would have to say that Cincinnati surprised me the most this year – with the emergence of Cedric Benson from his woeful first few season in the league, a healthy Carson Palmer who is showing no signs of his knee injury, and Chad Ochocinco getting back to his premier status as one of the league’s most valuable receivers. And it goes without saying that this team has shown great strength through dealing with the loss of not one, but two family members this season with the passing of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s wife, and the tragic death of wide receiver Chris Henry in early December. It was a shame to see the team exit the playoff picture so early this year but I have a feeling this team will be a force to be dealt with again in the 2010 season.

As for the biggest disappointment this year, I would have to go with Chicago. With the huge off-season acquisition of Jay Cutler and what was thought to be a strong running-attack with Matt Forte, no one imagined this team falling apart the way they did.

TSR: I lived in Cleveland for ten years and my wife is from South Euclid…..I’m assuming you live near ESPN now, and if so, what are some things you miss most about Cleveland?

MG: Yes, I live in Connecticut now to be close to the studio, which was a great place to raise a family. However, I will say that I do miss having a local team to root for, as there aren’t any pro teams that represent the state that I now call home.

TSR: Did you agree with Notre Dame (Golic’s alma mater) making a coaching change and are you happy with Brian Kelly’s hire?

MG: I’ve always thought you should get five years and that’s what Charlie got, I like him as a coach very much, but the wins have to come with it – I think the Golden Domers made a great hire with Brian Kelly. The guy has a proven track record everywhere he has coached – building a Division II powerhouse at Grand Valley State with two National Championships in three years, restoring a Central Michigan program to glory with three MAC titles, and recently bringing Cincinnati to the forefront of the college football world with two Big East titles and an impressive undefeated season going into their bowl game.

Kelly is going to bring a different look to South Bend with the run and shoot, shotgun offense, and given the Notre Dame five-year coaching standard, I think he will bring the team back to national prominence.

TSR: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one food item indefinitely, what would that be?

MG: Well, I would have to make one exception to your question – I would want to be stranded on a desert island with a charcoal grill with an endless supply of charcoal. As for food, I would have to go with a nice, juicy steak. I am a meat and potatoes type of guy.

It’s easy to sit here and play armchair Pro Bowl GM, and while indeed all of us have the ability to influence the player selections, that doesn’t mean as a collective group that we get it right. So as always, there were a few players, even after injury substitutions were announced, who are home this weekend instead of playing in the Pro Bowl in Miami—players who truly deserved a spot on the NFC or AFC roster. Here are a few glaring omissions as we see it:

Cedric Benson, RB, Cincinnati Bengals—For as good as the Bengals’ defense was in 2009, they won all those games early in the season in part because their running game was downright dominant. And a big reason for that was Benson, whose 96.2 yards per game was second only to Tennessee’s Chris Johnson. Benson, who just turned 27 in December, has been injury prone most of his young career, but this was by far his best season, and he even led the NFL in rushing for a bit before Johnson caught fire. Of course, Benson’s six touchdowns are probably what kept him out of the Pro Bowl (Maurice Jones-Drew had 15 and Johnson 14), but there is no question about how valuable he was to the Bengals, helping them to exceed all expectations.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers—With all due respect to every other QB in the AFC, how do David Garrard and Vince Young get in ahead of Big Ben? I can sort of understand Young, who took the Titans on his back and may have even warranted MVP consideration. But Garrard? Roethlisberger had 4328 yards, 26 TDs and 12 picks, while Garrard threw for 3597 with 15 TD throws and 10 interceptions. Of course, Ben also dealt with concussions, so I can understand an injury keeping him out, but he’s not listed with the injured players selected, so that means more people than not left him off the roster. Does that make sense to anyone?

Brent Celek, TE, Philadelphia Eagles—This one was purely a numbers game, because you absolutely can’t argue with Jason Witten and Vernon Davis getting in ahead of Celek. But that’s not his fault. Look, I’m a Giants fan so it’s not easy for me to admit this, but I love this kid as a football player. He’s tough, makes big catches with consistency, and is always open for Donovan McNabb in the end zone. He’ll also take a defender’s head off if they get in his path. Of course, Celek’s numbers were stellar too–he caught 76 passes for just under 1000 yards (971) with 8 scores. They should have allowed an extra NFC tight end just this once.

Andre Carter, DE, Washington Redskins—I get why Jared Allen and Trent Cole made the Pro Bowl roster, but I don’t get how Andre Carter missed out while Julius Peppers got in. Peppers has the name recognition, but Carter led all defensive ends in solo tackles (48) and had twenty more total tackles than Peppers (62 to 42). He had 11 sacks to Peppers’ 10.5, sure, but when you look at the whole picture, somebody blew an assignment. And the thing is, everyone talks about Albert Haynesworth, but Carter never gets the credit he deserves, not even on his own team.

James Laurinaitis, LB, St. Louis Rams—I get why Jon Beason is the top dog at ILB for the NFC, and I also get why London Fletcher finally made the roster when Jonathan Vilma’s Saints reached the Super Bowl. I’m just not sure why rookie Laurinaitis didn’t make it in ahead of Vilma. Laurinaitis led all rookies in solo tackles with 107 (Vilma had 87), and in the NFL he trailed only Patrick Willis, Beason and Kirk Morrison in that department. Laurinaitis also had 2 sacks and 2 interceptions. This kid was a beast in the middle on a team that won only 1 game in 2009, and short of having to pay dues, I’m not exactly sure how he was left off the Pro Bowl roster.