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Thursday, June 18, 2009
Bengals off to good start in minicamp
The Cincinnati Bengals kicked off their three-day mandatory minicamp on Thursday, putting all the preseason hype surrounding the team to its first test. From what I witnessed, Bengal fans may actually have something to cheer about this season.
Field General
Quarterback Carson Palmer showed no ill effects from the elbow injury that caused him to miss 12 games last season. He zipped the ball around the field and was precise with his throws. Palmer had some heat on his passes. He smoked one to receiver Chad Ochocinco on a short out-route and he dropped it like it was hot. Palmer also threw the ball with nice touch, completing a number of deep passes.
Ladies and Gentlemen, he’s baaaack!
Ochocinco fantastico
Ochocinco showed up to the first day of minicamp with his game face on. The receiver’s first order of business was taking cornerback Leon Hall to school. The one play that sticks out in my mind is Ochocinco jetting down the field and blowing by Hall like he was standing still to haul in a long touchdown pass. It was a thing of beauty.
Ochocinco looked exceptionally quick and appeared to have spent some time in the weight room this offseason. After practice Ochocinco talked about the mission he’s on.
“Those who know me know how hard I work,” he said. “This year, I have a little chip on my shoulder because I think I have something to prove. I really don’t have anything to prove, but since there are a lot of critics out there I always like to quiet them and that’s what I’ll set out to do this year.
“I’m in super shape right now. I’m in better shape than anyone else in the NFL because of the extra training I’ve done to challenge and push my body. Some people have forgotten about my greatness because of the negative that I brought to myself in pass offseasons. The best way to remind them is my play on the field. Winning cures all. Case closed.”
This and that
The knock on safety Roy Williams coming over from Dallas was that he couldn’t play in coverage. Well, could have fooled me. Williams had no problem covering on this day. He was right in the receiver’s hip pocket on every play. Williams made a nice play breaking up a potential touchdown reception. The Bengals have themselves a real find here.
On the flipside, there are some real concerns with the retooled offensive line. Although Palmer and others had a solid day throwing the ball, they had very little pocket in which to operate. You saw a lot of quick passes and rarely saw the quarterbacks go through their progressions. Bottom line? The defensive line had its way with the O-line.
Veteran linebacker and leader on defense Dhani Jones tackled teammate Kyle Cook instead of the globe in a spirited exchange. Jones ripped Cook’s helmet off, forcing teammates to break up the tussle. A couple of plays later Jones intercepted a batted pass and returned it to the end zone.
Wide receiver Chris Henry’s modus operandi on the field is speed. He showed off that blazing speed by blowing past defenders in double coverage for a long touchdown reception. Henry displayed a third gear and good separation running routes. He’s primed for a big season as the deep threat in the team’s high-powered offense.
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