Prior to the start of the 2009 season, the Cincinnati Bengals knew they had the potential to have one of the most high-powered offenses in all of football.

After Sunday's 45-10 victory against the Chicago Bears, the Bengals offense finally had the breakout game we've been waiting to see all season. They remain at the top of the AFC North standings with a 5-2 record and have already surpassed their win total from 2008.

To say the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Chicago Bears last Sunday would be an understatement.

Not only did the Bengals defeat the Bears at Paul Brown Stadium, they annihilated them.

In fact, this game was so ugly, one would think the Bengals starters were playing against the Bears' backups.

Sunday's game against the Bears displayed a high-powered Bengals' offense that we all knew were capable of putting up big numbers—we were just waiting to see it.

On paper, the Bengals arguably have one of the most talented offenses in all of football.

They have a strong leader at quarterback in Carson Palmer. The emergence of Cedric Benson has helped the Benglas' offense earn one of the top running games in the league. Not to mention they have a strong wide-receiving corps consisting of Chad Ochocinco, Laveranues Coles, and Chris Henry.

Even second-year wideout Andre Caldwell has hauled in two clutch receptions for game-winning touchdowns against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.

Despite four wins their first six games of the season, the Bengals offense has been good, but we all knew it was nowhere near its potential. Against the Bears, the offense showed us how much of a threat they can be for opposing defenses.

Palmer threw just four incomplete passes to go along with his five touchdowns. Benson ran for a career high 189 yards and a touchdown against the same team that released him after the 2007 season.

Ochocinco hauled in 10 receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns—recording over 100 yards for the second straight game for the first time in two years. Even Coles and Henry did their part by each hauling in a touchdown from Palmer.

If the Bengals' offense can continue to perform as well as they did against the Bears' defense for the remainder of the season, there is every reason to believe they can make a strong case as playoff contenders.

Lucky for them, they still have four remaining games against weaker teams in the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and Kansas City Chiefs—who have a combined 5-22 record.

At this rate, if the Bengals continue their recent success for the rest of the season, the city of Cincinnati may have another football team to cheer for, along with the Bearcats, once January rolls around.

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For any die-hard NFL follower, there are certain matchups that stand out in the schedule each week during the regular season—matchups that will make any fan want to watch if their team isn't playing at the same time.

Last week, fans around the league tuned in to watch the New Orleans Saints square off against the New York Giants since it was a matchup between two undefeated teams. A few weeks before, the matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings stood out from the rest considering Brett Favre would be facing the team he spent 16 years taking snaps with.

As Week Seven approaches, there are a handful of games—Vikings-Steelers, Cardinals-Giants, and Falcons-Cowboys—that should display intense matchups between playoff- caliber type teams looking to come up victorious.

As fascinating as these matchups appear, Sunday's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears is beginning to draw interests from around the league thanks to running back Cedric Benson.

On Sunday, this matchup has gained interest since Benson will be dressed as a Bengal and square off against his former team who drafted him with the fourth overall pick in 2005.

The Bears and the city of Chicago would love nothing more than to see Benson struggle against his former team considering how his three-year tenure has been considered a "bust" by some.

Benson would love nothing more than to run all over the Bears defense after the way he feels he was "treated" when he was with the team. According to a recent report from CBSSports.com , he claims the organization did everything in their might to prevent him from signing with another team.

With all of the emotions flowing between Benson and his former team, why wouldn't Sunday's matchup between the Bengals and Bears be one of Week Seven's best?

The Bears and their fans have to be frustrated with the way Benson acted—both on and off the field—during his short tenure with the team. After such high expectations coming out of Texas, he was nothing short of a major disappointment for the Bears.

In three years with the Bears, Benson played in just 35 games, rushing for 1,593 yards (45.5 yards per game) and 10 touchdowns. In the 18 games he's played with the Bengals the last two seasons, he has already rushed for 1,278 yards (71 yards per game) and six touchdowns.

Through the first six weeks of the season, Benson ranks third with among all running backs with 531 yards, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. He has played a major role in the Bengals' success this season at running back and appears to be a different type of player we saw in the past.

He may be a changed man and learned from his past, but that doesn't mean the Bears and their fans have forgiven Benson for the type of player he was from 2005 to 2008.

If you're a fan from the Cincinnati or Chicago area, expect an intense matchup between the Bengals and Bears on Sunday as all eyes will be on Benson. Even if you're just a football fan in general, this should be one of those hyped-up games to tune into if you're looking for a fun game to watch.

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Despite the team's disappointing season, Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson ended the 2008 season on a positive note. Not only did he help the Bengals finish the regular season on a three-game winning streak, but he did so by averaging just over 118 yards rushing per game.

Many analysts kept an eye on Benson during the off-season and labeled him as a potential sleeper this season after the way he finished his 2008 campaign. Through the first five games of the 2009 season, he has proven that the way he finished last season was no fluke and he has what it takes to be a serious threat at the running back position.

Last Sunday, Benson ended the Baltimore Ravens 39-game streak of not allowing a rusher to break the 100-yard mark when he ran for 120 yards and a touchdown in a 17-14 win. All of a sudden, he is being considered one of the top running backs in the league and looking like the type of player many expected to see when he was drafted by the Bears in 2005.

After his 120-yard performance, Benson moved to the top of the list in rushing and leads the league entering Week Six with 487 yards, just six ahead of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. With a matchup at Paul Brown Stadium against the Houston Texans, the Bengals have every reason to believe he will remain atop of the list and have another strong performance on Sunday.

Benson will be rushing against a Texans team whose rushing defense ranks 26th by allowing 140.8 yards per game. They also find themselves at the bottom of the rankings with nine rushing touchdowns allowed through the first five weeks of the season.

With these statistics, Benson could be looking at another field day against a Texans defense who has struggled to stop the run so far in 2009. In Week Two, the Texans allowed Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson to rush for 197 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 carries.

The Texans have allowed a 100-yard rusher in three of their first five games of the 2009 season against the New York Jets, Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars (Thomas Jones, Chris Johnson, and Maurice Jones-Drew). The two teams that failed to record a 100-yard rusher against the weak Texans rushing defense were the Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals, who both rank in the bottom-five in rushing yards per game.

Through five games, Benson is averaging a career high 4.4 yards-per-carry on 111 touches. Not only is his yards-per-carry average up but his worst performance so far in 2009 was Week Four against the Cleveland Browns, where he ran for just 74 yards on 21 carries (which is quite impressive for his worst performance).

With the Bengals sitting at 4-1 in first place of the AFC North, look for the Bengals to run wild against the Texans with the help of another impressive performance from Benson.

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Despite a disappointing season in which they finished with a 4-11-1 record, many analysts were predicting the 2009 Cincinnati Bengals as a sleeper team, and to breakout as playoff contenders.

Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer was returning after missing most of the 2008 season with an elbow injury. Cedric Benson finished last season on a strong note, averaging 118 yards rushing the final three games. Chad Ochocinco was looking to recover from his worst season since his rookie year after hauling in just 53 receptions for 540 yards, and four touchdowns.

Through the first five weeks of the 2009 season, the Bengals have lived up to their sleeper hype—along with making believers of the rest who were doubters. Not only are they 4-1, but they stand alone at first place in the AFC North—defeating their division rivals (Steelers, Browns, and Ravens) the last three weeks.

So what's different about this year's Bengals?

For starters, the return of Palmer may be one of the biggest differences when compared to last year's Bengals.

When Palmer was sidelined last season, Ryan Fitzpatrick took over as the leader for the Bengals' offense at quarterback.

One thing we learned about Fitzpatrick last season: He is nowhere close to being the type of quarterback Palmer is (or ever will be). With Fitzpatrick under center last season, the Bengals struggled to put up points each game, finishing last in the NFL by only scoring 12.8 points per game.

Through five games this season, the Bengals have increased their scoring average to 20.2 points per game, which ranks them tied for 20th with the New York Jets. This is impressive, considering they've played against three defenses who rank in the Top 14 teams as far as points allowed per game (Broncos, Steelers, and Ravens). Not to mention, each of these team's defenses average under 20 points allowed per game.

The point average may not be as high as it could be, but the Bengals have to be impressed with the fact they rank in the Top 10 in both passing, and rushing yards per game. On top of that, their last three wins have come from scoring on their final drive on offense in the fourth quarter—which have helped them establish the nickname "Cardiac Cats."

The city of Cincinnati has every reason in the world to be excited about the way their Bengals are performing so far this season. With three upcoming home games at Paul Brown Stadium against the Texans, Bears, and Ravens, the Bengals have a chance to continue their recent success and show why they were selected as a "sleeper" in 2009.

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There was disappointment throughout the city of Cincinnati when WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh signed with the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason. However, it only took two days for the Bengals and their beloved city to find his replacement.

Former New York Jets WR Laveranues Coles signed with the Bengals in March to fill the void left by Houshmandzadeh as a No. 2 WR. The shoes would be tough to fill considering Housh was arguably one of the best WRs at the No. 2 spot in the NFL.

However, the Bengals were confident that Coles would be just as good, if not better, than Houshmandzadeh for QB Carson Palmer to throw to.

Unfortunately, the high expectations surrounding Coles and the Bengals have been nothing but a sheer disappointment through the first four games of the 2009 season.

Despite an impressive 3-1 start, the Bengals have to be disappointed with the way Coles has performed so far this season. They know the type of receiver he's capable of being and he's yet to live up to the four-year $28 million contract he signed in the offseason.

In four games, Coles has caught just 10 receptions for 78 yards and one TD. His 78 yards receiving yards sees him tied for fifth on the team with Chris Henry. They trail Chad Ochocinco (258), Andre Caldwell (148), Daniel Coats (86), and Brian Leonard (80).

Prior to the 2009 season, Coles' averaged just over 59 yards per game in his 137-game career. Other than his rookie season, his lowest average in a season was 52.8 yards per game in 2005.

With his 10 receptions for 78 yards so far this season, Coles is averaging just 19.5 yards per game, which ranks him 149th in the league with Henry. This may not seem like a big deal, but if this trend continues, the Bengals may have to decide on whether or not it's time to hit the panic button for one of their biggest free agent signings from the offseason.

Lucky for Coles; Caldwell's breakout So season is taking the spotlight off him and his disappointing season thus far.

If Coles continues to struggle over the next couple of weeks, he may find himself slipping down the Bengals' depth chart. For his sake, hopefully this is nothing more than a temporary struggle to adapt with a new team.

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Published on Bleacher Report 9/30/2009

After being suspended 14 games the previous three seasons, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry appeared to be a changed player during the team's offseason workouts.

Instead of being labeled as a player who struggles to stay out of trouble with the law, Henry seemed to have learned his lessons from his previous arrests and suspensions. He understood how privileged he was to receive the opportunity to be part of the NFL and seemed to be more focused on changing his career around as a player.

In fact, his offseason work ethic was so impressive; many analysts were predicting a breakout season for Henry this season.

The Bengals are well aware of the type of potential Henry has in 2009 and the type of numbers he is capable of recording—and his past supports it. In his second season with the team, he hauled in 36 receptions for 605 yards and nine touchdowns as the team's third option at wide receiver.

Henry's hard work during the offseason seemed to pay off during preseason as he led all Bengals receivers with 14 catches for 224 yards and three touchdowns. With these type of numbers, he appeared to be on track to that breakout season everyone expected him to have.

Unfortunately, Henry has yet to live up to the hype surrounding him in the offseason. In three games against the Broncos, Packers, and Steelers, Henry has just three catches for 42 yards and one touchdown.

When trying to make sense of the reasoning behind Henry's slow start, the only explanation that comes to mind is the number of weapons Palmer has at the wide receiver position.

One of the reasons why the Bengals were considered a potential sleeper team in 2009 was because of their depth at wide receiver.

Between five-time Pro Bowler Chad Ochocinco, former Pro Bowler Laveranues Coles, and a potential breakout season from Henry, the Bengals had every reason to believe they would have one of the top offenses in the NFL and make a push for the playoffs this season.

By playing alongside Ochocinco and Coles, Henry knew he would be considered the third option for Palmer to throw to. However, there was another player that Henry and the Bengals may not have expected to perform as well as he has thus far.

What they didn't expect is the quick emergence of second-year wide receiver Andre Caldwell, which may be part of the reason why Henry's numbers are down. However, this may not be the worst thing in the world for the Bengals. If anything, they should be excited for the potential of another threat for Palmer to throw to on offense.

Through the first three games, Caldwell has already surpassed most statistics from his rookie season.

He's tied with Ochocinco for most receptions (14) and caught the game-winning four-yard touchdown from Palmer with 14 seconds left to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. He is also second behind Ochocinco with seven receptions for a first down.

One of the reasons behind Caldwell's early success is the approach he took in the offseason to improve as a wide receiver. Last February, Caldwell flew out to California with Jerome Simpson to perform workouts with Palmer in hopes of filling the void left by T.J. Houshmandzadeh at the slot position.

So far, Caldwell's offseason workouts with Palmer appear to be paying off for the Bengals, who look to improve their 2-1 record against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Caldwell's impressive performance through three games may be part of the reason why Henry's numbers are down. However, it's still early enough in the season for Henry to improve his game and find a way out of this three-game slump—even if Caldwell continues to put up impressive numbers.

Think about it; if Caldwell continues to perform well throughout the season, opposing defenders may focus more on stopping him, Ochocinco, and Coles—which could work to Henry's advantage.

If opposing defenders spend more time covering other Bengals receivers, Henry may find himself open down the field more often—which could result in more receptions his way.

Henry's numbers may be disappointing so far, but the Bengals and their fans need to be patient and give him more time. The most important fact of the situation is the team is still finding ways to win games and is off to an impressive start with big wins against the Steelers and Packers.

Give it time before making a decision on whether or not Henry's offseason hype was for nothing. If his numbers are still down after a few more games, then it might be time for the Bengals and the city of Cincinnati to hit the panic button.

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Published on Bleacher Report 9/30/2009

Before signing with the Seattle Seahawks during the offseason, former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh was arguably one of the best No. 2 wide receivers in all of football.

During his final four seasons with the Bengals, Houshmandzadeh hauled in 372 receptions for 4,084 yards and 32 touchdowns. He would take advantage of opposing defenses who would lack their coverage towards him considering most defenders were focused on finding ways to stop Chad Ochocinco.

One thing is certain; Houshmanzadeh loved playing for the Bengals and the fans of Cincinnati. However, he knew his desire to be a No. 1 wide receiver would never be fulfilled in Cincinnati as long as Ochocinco was there—which is part of the reason why he decided to sign with the Seahawks.

As much as the Bengals and their fans would miss Houshmandzadeh, they quickly found his replacement after signing unrestricted free-agent wide receiver Laveranues Coles—two days after Houshmandzadeh signed with the Seahawks.

Houshmandzadeh would be missed, but there was a lot of hype surrounding the signing of Coles, considering he spent the last four seasons as one of the top wideouts for the New York Jets. Last season, he caught 70 passes for 850 yards and seven touchdowns. With these types of numbers, Coles seemed to be the perfect replacement for Houshmandzadeh as a No. 2 wide receiver for Carson Palmer to throw to.

After what he's done as a No. 2 wideout the last couple of years, many wondered if the Bengals made the right move by not putting as much effort towards re-signing Houshmandzadeh.

It's easy to understand his desire to play as a No. 1 wideout, but at the same time, it's not rocket science money played another factor in his signing with the Seahawks (five-year deal worth $40 million with $15 million guaranteed).

However, with the type of start he's had with the Seahawks, do the Bengals even miss Houshmandzadeh that much or is Coles the better man for the position in Cincinnati?

Through the first three weeks of the season, Houshmanzadeh has only 14 receptions for 145 yards and zero touchdowns. Coles, on the other hand, has only hauled in eight receptions for 54 yards, but caught a touchdown pass in a 31-24 win against the Green Bay Packers in Week Two.

It's easy to look at the statistics and say both players have failed to live up to their expectations in 2009 considering neither has the type of statistics each team was hoping for at this point. However, the Bengals are the winner in this situation with Coles for a number of reasons.

Coles has been anything but a disappointment for the Bengals through the first three weeks of the season. Thanks to Ochocinco returning to his old ways as a wide receiver, the emergence of Andre Caldwell, and a strong running game from Cedric Benson, Palmer hasn't had to rely on Coles as much.

His statistics may not be as high as expected, but his performance through three weeks has been just enough for the Bengals to sit second in the AFC North with a 2-1 record.

As far as Houshmandzadeh is concerned, he is being paid a lot more than Coles—whose four-year deal is worth $28 million. Not to mention he signed with the Seahawks as their No. 1 wide receiver. This means he is the first option Matt Hasselbeck or Seneca Wallace wil look for each time the ball is snapped.

Unfortunately, the Seahawks find themselves trailing the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West with a 1-2 record. It's hard to make assumptions through just three weeks of football, but as of now, it appears the Bengals received the better end of the deal by letting Houshmandzadeh sign with the Seahawks and signing Coles.

Think about it; why wouldn't the Bengals be satisfied when they are paying for a wide receiver with a cheaper price? Not to mention they get to have their cake and eat it too by saving millions of dollars and finding ways to win football games.

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Published on Bleacher Report 9/28/2009

During HBO's miniseries Hard Knocks no player seemed to work harder for a roster spot than Cincinnati Bengals running back Brian Leonard. After Sunday's win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he showed us why he deserves to suit up in the orange and black each Sunday.

There was plenty on the line between the two teams on Sunday, considering the loser would fall two games behind the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. After trailing 20-9 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Bengals rallied with two late touchdowns by Cedric Benson and Andre Caldwell to defeat the Steelers 23-20.

Sunday's game was more than just another regular-season win for the Bengals; it was a statement game for a team showing they have what it takes to be contenders not only in the AFC North, but for the rest of the NFL. If they can beat the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Bengals have every reason to believe they can beat any team.

Bengals wide receiver Andre Caldwell should be considered one of the heroes considering he scored the game-winning touchdown on a four-yard pass from Carson Palmer with 14 seconds left in the game. However, the touchdown would have never happened without the effort provided by Leonard.

On a 4th-and-10 from the Steelers 15-yard line with 18 seconds left, Palmer was heavily pressured and struggled to find any open receivers. While trying to avoid the sack, he dumped the ball off to Leonard on the right side of the field. Unfortunately, the pass wasn't far enough for the first down and Steelers linebacker James Farrior appeared to have the game-winning tackle.

Instead, Leonard avoided Farrior's tackle, kept his balance by holding himself off the ground, and dove just far enough to give the Bengals a first down at the four-yard line. All of a sudden, the Bengals were left with another shot at ending their eight-game losing streak against the Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium.

Leonard may not see a significant amount of playing time each week as a backup running back, but he will be seen as a hero by Bengals fans for the remainder of the season.

The fans of Cincinnati wanted nothing more than to defeat a Steelers team that had defeated their team time after time over the last couple of years and it may not have happened without Leonard. His effort on that fourth down may end up being one of the most important plays of the season for the Bengals, especially if they play well enough to make a playoff run.

Even though it's still early in the season, the Bengals have already had an exciting first three games of the 2009 season. With impressive wins against the Steelers and Green Bay Packers, they are showing the rest of the league why many analysts picked them as a "sleeper" team in 2009.

Not only did Leonard make a major contribution to the Bengals' victory over the Steelers, but he has given hope to the fans of Cincinnati toward their beloved football team.

It may only be three games, but with a solid defense and an offense full of weapons, the Bengals are beginning to show signs of a team we saw in 2005. The 2009 Bengals appear to have the potential to be just as great as the team from four years ago, if not better.

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Posted on Bleacher Report 9/24/2009

Last season, no player seemed to be affected more by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer's elbow injury than wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. Now that Palmer is back and healthy, Ochocinco is already showing signs last season was nothing but a fluke and is ready to return to his old self—one of the top wide receivers in the league—in 2009.

Ochocinco fulfilled his promise to perform the famous "Lambeau Leap" after a touchdown last weekend at Green Bay (even if it was planned) to help the Bengals defeat the Packers 31-24. He led all Bengals receivers with four receptions for 91 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown in the third quarter that lead to his leap into the crowd.

Through the first two games of the season, Ochocinco has hauled in nine receptions for 180 yards and a touchdown. This may seem like nothing out of the ordinary considering the type of player he is, but in reality, this may come as a huge relief to the fans of Cincinnati.

After a disappointing 2008 campaign, in which he finished with just 53 receptions for 540 yards and four touchdowns, many wondered if Ochocinco still had what it takes to be an effective wide receiver in the NFL, considering he would be entering his ninth season with the Bengals.

However, it appears that his age is not the deciding factor on how well he performs on the field, but the player throwing him the ball is.

Palmer suffered a frayed ligament in the elbow of his throwing arm against the New York Giants during Week Three of last season. He attempted to play again in a game against the Dallas Cowboys two weeks later, but that would end up being the final match for Palmer in 2008.

With him on the bench, the team was left with backup Ryan Fitzpatrick to fill in for Palmer as the Bengals' quarterback.

It's obvious Fitzpatrick is nowhere near as talented of a quarterback as Palmer, and last season was enough to prove it. Palmer has more experience, better leadership skills, and is arguably one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, which can be tough shoes for a player like Fitzpatrick to fill.

It's unfair to say Fitzpatrick was to blame for the type of season Ochocinco had last season, but it's obvious that it may have had a significant impact, and the numbers prove it.

With Palmer healthy this season, Ochocinco is already one-third of the way to reaching the total number of yards he recorded last season.

If the first two games are any indication of what to expect for the remainder of the 2009 season, the Bengals and their fans will be satisfied to have the Ochocinco they are used to seeing week after week.

Last season was the first time since his rookie year that Ochocinco failed to record more than 1,100 yards receiving. In the four years prior to then, he hauled in 372 receptions for 5,515 yards and 33 touchdowns. Not to mention these were the first four seasons for Palmer as a starting quarterback with the Bengals.

Everyone can say what they want about Ochocinco running his mouth in the media. However, he has proven throughout his career that he is capable of backing up his talk with his play on the field. During an episode of HBO's Hard Knocks, he made a statement by saying he would bounce back this season, and so far he has lived up to his words.

Remember the once popular phrase about how to stop No. 85? Well, if Ochocinco continues to play as well as he has during the first two games against the Broncos and Packers, opposing defenders may spend the 2009 season trying to figure out how to actually stop him.

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Posted on Bleacher Report 9/22/2009

Last season, it took the Cincinnati Bengals two months to record their first win of the regular season. This year, it only took them two weeks, and the main reason seems to be because of a healthy Carson Palmer.

Coming off of a loss in one of the most bizarre endings in NFL history, the Bengals traveled to Lambeau Field and upset the Green Bay Packers 31-24.

It may have only been one game, but after a low-scoring Week One against the Denver Broncos, many wondered if Palmer still had what it takes to be a threat at quarterback for the Bengals. Even though he finished just 21-of-33 for 247 yards and two interceptions against a Broncos defense that finished 26th in the NFL last season by allowing 228.5 yards per game, the main factor for Palmer was he failed to throw a single touchdown pass.

This was not the type of performance Palmer was looking for in the opening week of the 2009 NFL season. With a strong receiving corps that consists of a revived Chad Ochocinco, a solid No. 2 replacement in Laveranues Coles, and a more dedicated Chris Henry, the Bengals had every reason to believe they would have one of the top offenses in the NFL.

The worst part about the Bengals' opener against the Broncos is they were nearly one miraculous throw away from victory, even when Palmer failed to put up the type of numbers he was expected to put up. If Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley wasn't in the right place at the right time, the Bengals would be 1-0 entering Week Two against the Green Bay Packers.

Instead, they found themselves in a must-win situation heading to historical Lambeau Field, a place that has always been tough for opponents to play. After struggling to score against the Broncos, the Packers entered Sunday's game as heavy favorites considering their high-powered offense led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a dangerous defense consisting of cornerbacks Al Harris, Charles Woodson, and linebacker A.J. Hawk.

Against the odds, Palmer led the Bengals to a 31-24 victory over the Packers. He finished 15-of-23 for 185 yards and threw two costly interceptions to Woodson (one was returned 37 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter). However, despite his numbers being down, Palmer managed to throw three touchdowns and rush for another, which ended up being the difference-maker for the Bengals.

Unlike the Broncos game, Palmer was able to find each of his top-three wide receivers (Ochocinco, Coles and Henry) in the end zone against the Packers. On top of his four-touchdown performance, life was easier for Palmer with a strong support in the running game by Cedric Benson, who finished with 141 yards on 29 carries.

The Bengals enter Week Three with a 1-1 record and a pivotal home matchup against their division rival and Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Once again, whether or not the Bengals will come up victorious will rely heavily on the shoulders of Palmer.

If the Bengals have any chance of beating the Steelers and making a statement in the AFC North, Palmer will not only have to find a way to continue getting the ball to Ochocinco, but he will need to find a way to get Coles and Henry more involved as well.

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Posted 9/17/2009 on Bleacher Report

After a late score by running back Cedric Benson, the Cincinnati Bengals were less than a minute away from a 7-6 victory over the Denver Broncos last weekend, sitting atop the AFC North with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens with a 1-0 record.

Instead, wide receiver Brandon Stokley caught a deflected pass for the game-winning 87-yard touchdown as time expired to seal a 12-7 win for Josh McDaniels in his coaching debut with the Broncos.

It may have only been the first week of the regular season, but it will be tough to top Stokley's catch when considering the best play of the 2009 season. It may have only been one game, but as we learned last season, one loss can determine whether or not a team earns the rights to go to the playoffs (just ask the Jets, Bucs, Broncos, Cowboys, Patriots and Bears).

Each of the six teams listed above could have made the playoffs last season had a few games gone differently. The Jets could have made the playoffs had they beat the Dolphins in Week 17. The Broncos could have won the AFC West had they not lost their final three games of the season.

These are just two examples of how one single game can affect whether or not a team makes the playoffs or not. Hopefully, the last-second loss against the Broncos doesn't come back to ruin the Bengals' playoff hopes at the end of the season.

Unfortunately, the Bengals play in the same AFC North division as the Steelers, who are reigning Super Bowl Champions, and the Ravens, whose ferocious defense helped lead them to the AFC Championship game.

The Bengals know how important each game of the regular season can be when it comes to making the playoffs. The team is already at a disadvantage for playing in a tough AFC North and can't afford to lose any more games they should win. Last weekend's game was the perfect example.

A victory over the Broncos last weekend would have been the perfect start for a Bengals team that is considered a possible "sleeper" team this season. With the return of quarterback Carson Palmer and a handful of weapons to throw to, the Bengals have the potential to have one of the top-10 offenses in the NFL.

Lucky for the Bengals, their strength of schedule ranks them 22nd in the NFL, with only six of their 16 games against playoff teams. Still, an advantage in the strength of schedule is only as helpful as the team wants to make it.

If the Bengals have any intention of reaching the playoffs this upcoming season, they will need to avoid last-minute collapses like last weekend against the Broncos.

Otherwise, it may be another long NFL season for the players and fans in Cincinnati.

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Posted on Bleacher Report 9/15/2009

When Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson scored the team's first touchdown of the 2009 season to take a 7-6 lead over the Denver Broncos with 38 seconds to play, it appeared to be the perfect way to end a game that consisted of two struggling offenses.

Instead, the Bengals were left watching Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley sprint down the sideline for an 87-yard touchdown pass. What makes this play even more frustrating for the Bengals is that the only reason Stokley caught the ball was a pass intended for wide receiver Brandon Marshall was deflected his way.

Even though the Bengals lost 12-7 on Stokley's miraculous game-winning touchdown, the passing game was part of the reason why the team lost Sunday's game against the Broncos.

Many analysts have selected the Bengals as a possible sleeper team for 2009. With a healthy quarterback in Carson Palmer and a wide-receiving corps that has the potential to cause headaches for opposing defenses, it appeared that the Bengals offense would put up similar numbers to the same team that was crowned champions of the AFC North in 2005.

Chad Ochocinco was looking to bounce back from arguably one of his worst seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver, finishing with just 540 yards and four touchdowns. Laveranues Coles was looking to use his quickness and speed to fill in the void left by T.J. Houshmanzadeh, who signed with the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason. Even Chris Henry had high expectations after he appeared to be a more mature player, as he had one of the best offseason's of any member on the team's roster.

With all of the hype surrounding the Bengals wide receivers, fans of Cincinnati were hoping for a high-powered performance from Palmer and company in the team's opening game against the Broncos.

Instead, the Bengals failed to record a single touchdown from one of their wide receivers, with their only touchdown coming off Benson's score in the final minute of the fourth quarter.

Palmer finished 21-of-33 for 247 yards and two interceptions. Ochocinco performed well, hauling in five receptions for 89 yards and leading all Bengals wide receivers.

As far as the other two wideouts with high expectations, they each finished with just one reception. Henry hauled in an 18-yard reception while Coles snagged an 11-yard catch from Palmer.

If the Bengals want to be the "sleeper" team that many have anticipated them to be, they will need their wide receivers to step it up in Week Two against the Green Bay Packers.

It may not be easy, but the Bengals will have to live up to the challenge against the Packers defense if they want to be contenders in 2009.

Otherwise, they may find themselves chasing the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North for the rest of the season.

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