Oh, Those Bengals

This year could actually be the year where the Bengals actually become known as the Bengals and not the all-too familiar Bungals of the past 20 years or so.

Many are saying that this is the most talented team since they went to the Super Bowl (1988). I agree.

Their defense, which in light of the TO signing, no one is talking about, ranked fourth overall. And it returns every starter.

The offense, which since Carson came aboard, has usually been a strength, but it really withered down the stretch last year. So much has been done to improve it. First, they brought in Antonio Bryant to play opposite their only real playmaker at the receiver position, Chad Ochocinco. Next, they drafted Jermaine Gresham, a tight end from Oklahoma, in the first round. In the third round they drafted Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley. Now, they brought in TO.

If that doesn't improve the offense, nothing will.

Now at first the TO signing is typical Mike Brown. I mean that he loves to bring in aging veterans on the cheap hoping to wring one or two productive years out of them before they decline (Richmond Webb, Louis Oliver, James Hasty, Dereck Fenner, Mark Duper, Clyde Simmons) all come to mind. And none of those moves really worked out.

But the TO signing is different. He actually has some tread left on his tires. I mean the man TO is essentially replacing is TJ Houshmanzadeh. The Bengals botched his contract extension (in typical Bungal fashion, trying to low-ball him. Finally, they insulted him enough that by the time they put the most lucrative contract out there, he spurned them to take a bit less of a deal in Seattle). I don't think there are many people in the league that would say right now that TJ is a better player than TO. So that is a win situation.

The Bengals were committed to running the ball and playing defense last year (something that would make Bill Parcells quite proud). They passed rarely, and it ended up costing them. However, with every started back on offense too now (except the under-achieving Lavernous Coles), the Bengals should only improve their woeful offensive ranking.

How the AFC North will shake out is anyone's guess. Baltimore will be tough with some of their offseason moves (but their secondary is shaky and their defense is growing old). Plus, Palmer is a sick 7-3 against them in his career.

The Steelers are always tough, but they are minus Big Ben for the first six games.

The Browns will be better, but that might only mean 6 wins.

So the division is there for the Bengals. But can they have back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in 28 years?

Who knows? I'm hoping for 10 wins again. Many people are saying that the schedule is much tougher, but it's not like the rest of the AFC North doesn't have to play those same teams (they all face New England). Plus, the NFL is so erradic that it's hard to say who will be good this year based off of who was good last year (everyone's darling seems to be the Jets. I'm betting they don't even make the playoffs).

Is TO the missing piece? Doubtful. It all comes down to Palmer. If he plays like he did in '04-'07, we'll be fine. If he even plays like he did for the first ten games of this year, we'll be fine. But he did seem to wear down toward the end of last season.

If he struggles this year, the only option will be to look toward that excellent group of first round prospects for next year (Ryan Mallett out of Arkansas and Jake Locker out of Washington and Andrew Luck out of Stanford come right to mind). But that might mean rebuilding and that means goodbye to TO and Ocho and also rebuilding the skill positions again.

Either way, it's fun to see the media descend on Georgetown to watch the buzz of TO and Ocho on the same team.

Anything is better than that damned Favre watch!