- Will Carson Play?
He was wearing a boot late Friday. While the Bengals were clearly being cautious I still wouldn't play him. Carson showed (despite just average stats) that he is healthy and is one the same page as his receivers. His throws had zip and with the exception of the deep ball to Chad and the pick were very accurate. He completed a pass to Coles, Henry, Chad, Coats and Benson. He looked good and if I was Marvin Lewis I would sit him until the preseason finale, then give him a series or two.
2. Leon Hall vs Randy Moss
Remember in '07 when the Bengals played the Pats? Remember that jump ball in the endzone that Randy Moss effortlessly caught over Jonathan Joseph? Well, now he'll have to do it over Leon Hall. Leon Hall has shown the strentgh to cover the tall, athletic, physical wideouts in the league. No one sums those attributes up better than Randy Moss. Moss and Hall will each only play a few series but I think how Hall does in that time will show if he is ready to cover the elite physical freaks in this league. Hall will probably cover Brandon Marshall, Braylon Edwards, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Vincent Jackson and Dwayne Bowe this year. This will be a practice run.
3. Dede Dorsey and James Johnson
With Benson being the feature back and Scott and Leonard both being solid backups there is probably enough room for only one more HB on the roster. These two will fight for that spot. Dorsey has shown good burst and big play ability but he hasn't been able to stay healthy and has struggled blocking. Johnson has solid all around skills but his lack of explosiveness and receiving ability make people wonder why keep him? For now, I give the edge to Dorsey but this battle will be decided by preseason game action.
4. A Sack Maybe?
The only legitimate complaint about the Bengals defense last year was their lack of pass rush. On top of being last in sacks they didn't get one in the preseason opener. Antwan Odom needs to show us he deserves the money we gave him. I like Robert Geathers, always have, but I'm starting to question whether or not he can be a starting end in the league. Maybe Michael Johnson can continue his progress and lay licking on Tom Brady. Hell, I'd like to see Chris Crocker blitz a few times.
5. Is Jerome Simpson finally ready?
Simpson began to show us why we picked him in the 2nd round. He ran good routes and had 3 grabs for 3o yards on Friday. I would like to see him get a ton of reps in this one. I am comfortable with our top 4 WR's (Chad, Coles, Henry and Caldwell) but I would like to have one more established target going into the year. With the continued improvement of Maurice Purify the pressure is on Simpson, let's see how he repsonds.
6. Bernard Scott, Bengals Offensive Rookie of the Year?
Let's not underhype this, Scott was amazing on Friday. He showed great burst, quickness and vision. A lot of his carries were against the first team defense as well. I think he was a steal in the 6th round. He can provide a change of pace for the bruising style of Ced. I'm excited to see more explosive cuts from him.
7. Can the O-Line keep it up?
The starting O-Line played very well friday. They protected Palmer, gave Benson holes and just controlled the game. The Saints lineman are notihng compared to Seymour, Wilfork, Green and Warren for New England. I am excited to see how we handle a talented D-line.
8. The Linebacker Battle.
We can all agree that 7 LB's will make the team. Jeanty, Jones, Rivers, Johnson and Maualuga are all in. That leaves two spots for 4 guys. I like Dan Skuta, the rookie is very athletic (he runs a 4.7 40, has a 35" vertical and becnhed 20 reps at 225 lbs) and versatile (he can play all three spots). Darryl Blackstock is alright but he doesn't play well on special teams and isn't good enough to crack the rotation on defense. Jim Maxwell has 12 career tackles in 5 seasons, he has proven he can't produce in the NFL. Abdul Hodge struggles in coverage but he can play special teams and shows good hitting ability. I like Hodge and Skuta to make the team, but preseason play will decide this battle.
9. Are Chris Crocker and Roy Williams the toughest safety combo in football?
You can sya what you want about Roy Williams' lack of speed, his age and his inability to cover wideouts. But I still look at this guy as one of the best intimidators in the NFL. Chris Crocker was a monster last season and he can hit. Did you see that licking he put on Robert Meachem on Friday? I am excited to see if these guys can rough up Moss and Welker.
10. Can Chatman step up?
He may lose his spot. Andre Caldwell, Quan Cosby and Bernard Scott have all shown the ability to return kicks and punts. And with our deep group of receivers I can't see Chatman getting any time on offense. It's unfortunate that we probably won't be able to find a role for a solid player. He needs a huge showing this preseason or he may be out of a job.
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