Published: Sunday, September 17, 2006
Down-and-out Browns look for rebound in Queen City
CINCINNATI (AP) — Chad Johnson's weekend calendar was mighty full:
Publicly unveil this year's "who-didn't-cover-me" list.
Do the "Chicken Dance" at the city's Oktoberfest.
Top it off with a big game, and, maybe, a new touchdown celebration, against the Cleveland Browns.
Nothing could be finer for the defending AFC North champs.
"Everyone will have something to look forward to," the Pro Bowl receiver said. "If I'm able to score this week, it's not going to be a big shebang but more of a teaser, more of a warmup, with better things to come later."
The Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) feel they're just getting started on a very special season. A 23-10 drubbing of Kansas City in the opener showed that Carson Palmer is all the way back from knee surgery, and he's got a defense to back him up this year.
"You look at it, five or six teams realistically have a shot at winning the Super Bowl," receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. "I believe we're one of those five or six teams."
Suffering continues
In Cleveland, long-suffering fans are already wondering if the Browns (0-1) will again wind up as one of the league's worst. A chic pick as an up-and-coming team during the preseason, the Browns went out on their home field and lost to New Orleans 19-14 in their opener.
Instead of up-and-coming, they looked more down-and-out. Cleveland managed only 2 yards in the first quarter, and quarterback Charlie Frye was the leading rusher with 44 yards on scrambles.
Another bad showing in Cincinnati could lead to very bad things.
"This is a must-win for us, just for the confidence factor of the team," tight end Kellen Winslow said.
A couple of things are working in the Browns' favor. The intrastate rivalry is one of the NFL's closest — the two franchises with a link to Paul Brown are separated by only one game (Cleveland leads the series 33-32) and a few points (the Browns have outscored the Bengals, 1,354 to 1,345).
Last meeting
And, Cleveland's defense has shown a knack for containing the Bengals' offense. The Browns came to town last December and lost 23-20 on Shayne Graham's field goal as time ran out.
Palmer threw for only 93 yards in that game, and Johnson had a season-low two catches for 22 yards.
The Browns' cornerbacks were so impressive that Johnson gave them a check mark on his who-covered-me list — the only defensive backs who got credit all season.
"I owe both of them," Johnson said. "You know, 'Welcome to the Jungle.' Everyone can look forward to a good game not out of myself, but us as a team offensively."
Browns coach Romeo Crennel has an explanation for the Browns' good showing last season: Cincinnati was coming off a victory in Pittsburgh that essentially clinched the division title.
Crennel's theory
"Last year when we came down there, I think [the Bengals] had come off an emotional victory and were riding pretty high, and the lowly Browns were coming to town," Crennel said. "So I don't think the guys were at their best for that game."
This time, the intrastate rivalry comes one week before the Bengals head to Pittsburgh for an emotional rematch of their playoff game.
"It might be a similar situation this time, because the lowly Browns are coming to town and I think you have the mighty Steelers after that," Crennel said.
Not a chance.
"That's what he's hoping," Palmer said, emphatically.
The difference is that this time, the Bengals feel they have something important to accomplish before they play the team that knocked them out of the playoffs.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
CINCINNATI (AP) — Chad Johnson's weekend calendar was mighty full:
Publicly unveil this year's "who-didn't-cover-me" list.
Do the "Chicken Dance" at the city's Oktoberfest.
Top it off with a big game, and, maybe, a new touchdown celebration, against the Cleveland Browns.
Nothing could be finer for the defending AFC North champs.
"Everyone will have something to look forward to," the Pro Bowl receiver said. "If I'm able to score this week, it's not going to be a big shebang but more of a teaser, more of a warmup, with better things to come later."
The Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) feel they're just getting started on a very special season. A 23-10 drubbing of Kansas City in the opener showed that Carson Palmer is all the way back from knee surgery, and he's got a defense to back him up this year.
"You look at it, five or six teams realistically have a shot at winning the Super Bowl," receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. "I believe we're one of those five or six teams."
Suffering continues
In Cleveland, long-suffering fans are already wondering if the Browns (0-1) will again wind up as one of the league's worst. A chic pick as an up-and-coming team during the preseason, the Browns went out on their home field and lost to New Orleans 19-14 in their opener.
Instead of up-and-coming, they looked more down-and-out. Cleveland managed only 2 yards in the first quarter, and quarterback Charlie Frye was the leading rusher with 44 yards on scrambles.
Another bad showing in Cincinnati could lead to very bad things.
"This is a must-win for us, just for the confidence factor of the team," tight end Kellen Winslow said.
A couple of things are working in the Browns' favor. The intrastate rivalry is one of the NFL's closest — the two franchises with a link to Paul Brown are separated by only one game (Cleveland leads the series 33-32) and a few points (the Browns have outscored the Bengals, 1,354 to 1,345).
Last meeting
And, Cleveland's defense has shown a knack for containing the Bengals' offense. The Browns came to town last December and lost 23-20 on Shayne Graham's field goal as time ran out.
Palmer threw for only 93 yards in that game, and Johnson had a season-low two catches for 22 yards.
The Browns' cornerbacks were so impressive that Johnson gave them a check mark on his who-covered-me list — the only defensive backs who got credit all season.
"I owe both of them," Johnson said. "You know, 'Welcome to the Jungle.' Everyone can look forward to a good game not out of myself, but us as a team offensively."
Browns coach Romeo Crennel has an explanation for the Browns' good showing last season: Cincinnati was coming off a victory in Pittsburgh that essentially clinched the division title.
Crennel's theory
"Last year when we came down there, I think [the Bengals] had come off an emotional victory and were riding pretty high, and the lowly Browns were coming to town," Crennel said. "So I don't think the guys were at their best for that game."
This time, the intrastate rivalry comes one week before the Bengals head to Pittsburgh for an emotional rematch of their playoff game.
"It might be a similar situation this time, because the lowly Browns are coming to town and I think you have the mighty Steelers after that," Crennel said.
Not a chance.
"That's what he's hoping," Palmer said, emphatically.
The difference is that this time, the Bengals feel they have something important to accomplish before they play the team that knocked them out of the playoffs.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Chad Johnson's weekend calendar was mighty full:
Publicly unveil this year's "who-didn't-cover-me" list.
Do the...
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