Fire from the Hip: Thoughts on Sports & Real Life

While watching the Bengals first possession today against the Browns, I realized quickly that the Browns were in real trouble. Forget about Rudy Johnson and the Bengals swarming defense for a minute. Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson's and more emphatically, cornerback Ralph Brown's inability to handle his assignment in the pass defense left the Browns susceptible all day to Carson Palmer's arm. In the first possession, the Bengals wasted no time exploiting these two mismatches. Palmer's first two passes that covered a total of thirty-five yards went to TE Reggie Kelly who isn't exactly known for his receiving prowess. Kelly, Jackson's man both times, beat him in coverage on two consecutive plays. At least Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham recognized this personnel problem and LB Chaun Thompson entered the game on the second offensive possession for the Bengals. Thompson has been singled out by Head Coach Romeo Crennel as being more confident in the pass defense schemes. Kelly didn't make a catch the rest of the game. Unfortunately, Ralph Brown had a more ignominious fate getting burned multiple times in the first half by WR Kelley Washington. He was victimized for the first touchdown of the game, a twenty-two yard strike from Palmer to Washington in which Brown slipped after allowing the catch, thus permitting Washington to walk into the end zone. Brown struggled continually against the receivers in the slot, ultimately forcing the Browns into a zone, a major disadvantage with Palmer's accuracy. Continually, the linebackers of the Browns were sucked toward the line of scrimmage by the play-action pass. This opened up passing lanes for Palmer and allowed all three Bengal receivers space to maneuver in the secondary. Inconsistency by the front four to pressure the Bengals QB led to third down conversions and long drives that wore down the Browns defense on the eighty degree day. Thus, 350 yards for Palmer, 145 for Rudy Johnson, 268 yards receiving by wide outs Chris Henry, Chad Johnson, and Kelley Washington, and 34 points for the Bengals in a romp over the Browns.