We’re underdogs today. No one outside of Cincinnati is giving the Bengals a chance, and many in the Queen City are ready to waive the white flag. They’re talking about how their defense is better. They’re talking about how their coach is better. They’re talking about how their wide receiver is better. They’re talking about how their quarterback is better.
The national media has all but crowned the 2007 Patriots as the greatest football team of all-time. Maybe they are. I’ve never seen a team ranked number one in both offense and defense, but New England has that distinction after three weeks of football.
The Bengals are banged up bad. Landon Johnson is the only remaining starting linebacker, Rudi’s gone, and the offensive line is far from stable. The discrepancy between the two teams is so bad at this point, ESPN called this game a “tune-up” game to get the Patriots ready for the Colts. I get it; there’s no way we can beat the Pats.
But what if…
What if the Bengals can find a way? They go two and two. That puts the Bengals one game outside of first place going into the bye with a noticeable drop-off in schedule difficulty and with a chance to get a lot of guys healthy for the next twelve games.
What if Kenny Watson can run for a hundred yards? He can be a huge lift to the offense, and help keep the chains moving throughout the game. Up to this point, all we’ve seen from Kenny is glimpses of a pace changing third down back. Its worth noting here that the Enquirer reports that Peko could see some snaps in the backfield, so keep your eye on that.
What if the defense can bend, but not break? They’re going to have 67,000 behind them today, and a game like the one against Baltimore would really lift this team. Look for a lot of pressure on Tom Brady. If the secondary can match-up one-on-one, the linebackers are likely to see some success up front.
What if Number Nine can out-duel Tom Brady? Chad and T.J. are still a better receiving duo than Randy Moss and Wes Welker. A couple of touchdowns from these guys is pretty much a requisite for a win, but its certainly not out of the question.
I know its impossible, but what if…
That’s all I’ve got for now. WHO DEY!
