It seems like yesterday that Bengal fans were excited that their team finally found a quarterback after they drafted Carson Palmer in 2004. They had lived through hell (also known as the Akili Smith era) and they finally had a quarterback to which they could call their own.

Too bad it didn’t last long.

Following the Bengals’ lackluster 20-7 win over the Panthers on Sunday, head coach Marvin Lewis said that he’s not concerned with the poor play of his quarterback. But that’s only because he has Jordan Palmer sitting on his bench.

The Bengals won’t say it, but Palmer (Carson, not Jordan) has been sub par at best this year. In completing 19-of-37 passes for 195 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions last weekend, he managed to make rookie Jimmy Clausen look somewhat productive. His decision-making hasn’t been stellar, his accuracy has been off, his arm strength is painstakingly average and he looks goofy in his helmet. (I know it’s supposed to be safer, but it looks like the Great Gazoo in that thing.)

In other words, he’s become a more expensive version of Shaun Hill without the okay-for-a-white-quarterback wheels.

It’s not a stretch to say that Palmer isn’t the same player he was earlier in his career and if the Bengals are expecting a turnaround, they may be waiting a while. The team tried to upgrade its passing attack in the offseason with the acquisitions of rookie draft picks Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley, as well as free agent Terrell Owens. But if Palmer can’t get them the ball then those new additions will obviously go to waste.

Unless Palmer finds the fountain of youth, the Bengals will have to continue to rely on their running game and defense to win games. That’s fine in the regular season, but what if Cincinnati makes the playoffs again? They ran into a buzz saw last year in the Jets and if they wind up facing another opponent who can stop the run, then Palmer will likely be exposed.

That said, it’s a long season and maybe Palmer will develop a rhythm in the passing game. There’s still plenty of time to figure it out and the good thing for the Bengals is that they have a hard worker under center.

But man, he has not looked good in the first three games. And it’s not like he faced a hybrid collection of the best players from the ’85 Bears and ’00 Ravens last Sunday in Carolina either.