In my humble opinion, the Cleveland Browns’ Eric Mangini is a knucklehead who borders on being a phony and fraud as a head coach.
I’ve heard he was a pretty good ball boy at one time for the Browns.
And he did an outstanding job getting coffee for everybody as a Browns’ public relations intern.
But a head coach? The dude’s lacking in so many areas — from the treatment of his staff (when he came on board, he fired a lot of friends of mine), to the treatment of his players (like dawgs) to his PR savvy (zip-zilch-none) to his interaction with the media (zero personality).
He puts you to sleep in his news conferences, and makes Packers GM Ted Thompson — the most boring cat I’ve ever met — seem like Ronald Reagan.
Rule No. 1 for a head coach …
… Never, ever, ever, ever, ever let a quarterback controversy exist on your club.
Mangini not only let it exist, he massaged it, let it linger, and fester, and now it’s too late.
He didn’t make up his mind on Brady Quinn-Derek Anderson until opening day, choosing Quinn.
He yanked Quinn at halftime against Baltimore, and won’t reveal his starter against Cincinnati until Wednesday.
If Quinn doesn’t start, his confidence will be destroyed. If Anderson starts, the Browns have a better chance to win because he’s had success against Cincinnati in the past.
The only reason Anderson is still drawing a paycheck from Cleveland is because of the Bengals, who keep resurrecting the guy’s career.
I couldn’t care less about which QB starts for Cleveland. It’s Mangini’s indecisiveness that’s killing the Browns, who resemble an expansion team. It’s almost like 1999 all over again.
Mangini should have traded Quinn or Anderson in the off-season. After all, in the NFL, when you have two quarterbacks, you really have none.
That said, the Bengals better be careful. If they play up to their potential, they’ll win in a blowout. If they take Cleveland for granted, the Browns could pull off the upset and ruin the momentum Cincinnati achieved in its stunning victory over the Steelers.
It takes a village to sack Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
One man simply can’t do it. Big Ben is too big, too strong, too mobile and too tough for one dude to bring down.
The Cincinnati Bengals sacked him once in their 23-20 victory over the Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 27.
And the timing was perfect for Cincinnati because it was the beginning of the end for Big Ben’s dominance at Paul Brown Stadium.
The Steelers led 20-15 when they faced a third-and-six situation at their 42-yard line with 5:54 to go.
Bengals defensive end Antwan Odom was the first to reach Big Ben, grabbing hold of his jersey after bulling through the Steelers line. Tackle Pat Sims and end Robert Geathers were the next to arrive.
Officially, the sack was split between Sims and Geathers, but Odom deserves most of the credit for the 5-yard loss.
At any rate, Daniel Sepulveda punts 51 yards to the12 and Quan Cosby’s 17-yard return allowed the Bengals to set up shop at the 29.
THE DRIVE …
1-10-CIN 29 (5:14) C.Benson right tackle to CIN 32 for 3 yards (J.Harrison).
2-7-CIN 32 (4:34) (Shotgun) C.Palmer pass short right to L.Coles to CIN 49 for 17 yards (R.Clark).
1-10-CIN 49 (3:50) (Shotgun) C.Palmer pass short right to C.Benson to PIT 46 for 5 yards (W.Gay; J.Farrior).
2-5-PIT 46 (3:05) C.Benson right tackle to PIT 38 for 8 yards (R.Clark).
1-10-PIT 38 (2:26) (Shotgun) C.Palmer pass short middle to A.Caldwell to PIT 29 for 9 yards (I.Taylor).
Two-Minute Warning
2-1-PIT 29 (2:00) C.Palmer right guard to PIT 28 for 1 yard (Team).
1-10-PIT 28 (1:20) (Shotgun) C.Palmer pass incomplete short right to A.Caldwell (I.Taylor).
2-10-PIT 28 (1:20) (Shotgun) C.Palmer pass short right to A.Caldwell to PIT 20 for 8 yards (D.Townsend).
Timeout #1 by CIN at 01:05.
3-2-PIT 20 (1:05) (Shotgun) C.Palmer pass incomplete deep right to C.Ochocinco (I.Taylor).
Timeout #1 by PIT at 01:00.
4-2-PIT 20 (1:00) (Shotgun) C.Palmer pass short right to L.Coles to PIT 15 for 5 yards (I.Taylor).
1-10-PIT 15 (:48) C.Palmer spiked the ball to stop the clock.
2-10-PIT 15 (:47) (Shotgun) C.Palmer pass incomplete short middle to C.Ochocinco (I.Taylor).
3-10-PIT 15 (:42) (Shotgun) C.Palmer pass incomplete short right to C.Henry.
Timeout #2 by CIN at 00:36.
Timeout #2 by PIT at 00:36.
4-10-PIT 15 (:36) (Shotgun) C.Palmer pass short right to B.Leonard to PIT 4 for 11 yards (J.Farrior).
1-4-PIT 4 (:19) C.Palmer spiked the ball to stop the clock.
P192-4-PIT 4 (:18) (Shotgun) C.Palmer pass short middle to A.Caldwell for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
(Pass formation) TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. C.Palmer pass to B.Leonard is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.
===LUDWIG AT LARGE predicted the Bengals would beat the Steelers — guaranteed. And I was correct, although I had my doubts at halftime when Cincy trailed, 13-3.===
For a half, the Cincinnati Bengals were abysmal. They got knocked down and nearly got knocked out.
In the second half, they stayed poised, fought back and came back.
And in the end, on the final drive, they were unstoppable.
The Bengals cast out all their demons, shocking the Pittsburgh Steelers with a stunning, 23-20 upset victory on Sunday, Sept. 27, pushing their record to 2-1, one game ahead of the 1-2 Steelers, who built a 13-0 lead but couldn’t slam the door.
Andre Caldwell: Game-winning TD catch
Quarterback Carson Palmer’s 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Caldwell with 14 seconds remaining culminated a 16-play, 71-yard drive that consumed five minutes.
It included a pair of fourth-down conversions — a Palmer pass to Laveranues Coles on fourth-and-2, then a mind-boggling fourth-and-10 pass to backup tailback Brian Leonard, who released out of the backfield and gave an extra-effort dive to the 4-yard line, good for a first down, setting up the game-winning TD.
Brian Leonard: Key fourth-down conversion
Caldwell’s catch gave the Bengals their first lead of the game at 21-20, then Palmer found Leonard again on the 2-point conversion in a game that goes down as the 75th — and most memorable — game in the 10-year history of Paul Brown Stadium.
The last time the Bengals had defeated the Steelers at home was Dec. 30, 2001. Cincinnati had lost eight straight at PBS to the Steelers. Now the Bengals are 1 for 9.
Everywhere head coach Marvin Lewis looked, there were heroes.
Palmer was 20 of 37 passing for 183 yards and a TD.
Tailback Cedric Benson rushed 16 times for 78 yards (4.8), including a 23-yard TD.
Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco caught five passes for 54 yards, including a long gain of 21.
Caldwell — who has emerged as the “new” T.J. Houshmandzadeh — had six receptions for 52 yards.
And left cornerback Johnathan Joseph came up with the big-momentum-swing play of the game, a 30-yard interception return for a TD.
Put all of the above together and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lost for the first time in Ohio as a pro. He’s now 11-1 in The Buckeye State (6-1 against Cincinnati; 5-0 against the Cleveland Browns).
Carson Palmer: Cool & calm in the heat of battle
IN CARSON PALMER’S WORDS
“We just stayed calm, cool and collected (on the final drive). We just went about our business, We got great blocking up front, and the guys on the outside made plays.
“It’s just a great feeling — a great team win.
“The defense played great. JohnJoe’s interception was huge. We have a salty group up front, a heads-up, gritty group. It’s fun going against them in practice.
“We love watching Andre (Caldwell) work, and Brian’s fourth-down play — to keep his balance — that’s what won the game. He makes big plays. He has spin moves. He can hurdle people. He has great hands.
“This is big. We didn’t come out great. We came out slow and a little bit tentative. But we got going with a quicker pace in the pass game and I got the ball out quicker.
“We believe in each other. We trust each other. Our guys didn’t get nervous. Even though we made mistakes, we felt like we had this game.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t just beating Cincinnati, 13-3, at halftime.
They’re beating the Bengals up …
… and down.
The Steelers are dominating with quarterback Big Ben Roethlisberger doing whatever he wants.
It resembles men against boys.
Andre Caldwell returned the opening kickoff past midfield. Then the Bengals proceeded to march backward.
Six snaps the first two series netted minus-10 yards.
Pittsburgh is marching up and down the field at will as Big Ben is proving to be his invincible self with the Bengals unable to get him on the ground.
Steelers nose tackle is making Bengals center Kyle Cook look like Eric Ghiaciuc.
Bengals free safety Chris Crocker is gunning for an ESPN SportsCenter highlight … and failing miserably. He’s putting his shoulder into Steelers’ receivers and they’re bouncing off him like ping-pong balls.
The Bengals safeties can’t cover. And left cornerback Johnathan Joseph can’t either. He’s making Steelers rookie wideout Mike Wallace look like an All-Pro.
The only thing the Bengals have done right is force two red zone field goals by the Steelers.
Chad Ochocinco looks good when Carson Palmer gets him the ball.
Other than that, the Bengals are embarrassing themselves, the franchise and the city — again — with their amazing, stunning and incredible ineptitude at home.
The Steelers feel right at home at Paul Brown Stadium, which annually transforms into Heinz Field West.
I had the pleasure of meeting some fantastic Bengals fans on my recent visit to Cincinnati, where I was Lance McAlister’s guest on “1530 Homer, The Sports Animal” as part of the “Bengals Breakdown” radio show live from Chi-nnati’s Pizza in Madeira.
Jane Freeman and her friends told me they were headed to Green Bay, and I asked her to fill me in on her experience. Here goes …
IN JANE FREEMAN’S WORDS…
“Everyone in our group had an amazing weekend. The atmosphere around the stadium was nothing like we have ever seen before. The best part was the Packer fans. As we were walking into the game, people were actually telling us to enjoy the game instead of yelling profanities (like they do in some places such as Cleveland).
And you were definitely correct, It is tucked in the middle of neighborhood with people living across the street. How fun would that be on Sundays to live across the street from your NFL team? Some of the decorations on the houses were awesome — especially the balcony on top of a garage with the Packer :”G” etched in the glass wall.
Bengals fans: (L-R) Michelle Chavez, Staci Terry, Jane Freeman
“The stadium itself was pretty amazing as well. From the outside it doesn’t even look like a stadium and the inside is filled with all of their history. I wish the Bengals would have more history at PBS.
“There were plenty of concession stands & vendors so there was never much time spent waiting in line (only had to miss 1 play instead of 5 or 6). For women, the important thing is the restroom. Most places you spend a long time waiting in line — not at Lambeau (even at halftime). They even had real restrooms on the outside of the stadium for tailgaters.
Bengals fans: (L-R) Staci Terry, Jeff Merrill, Jane Freeman
“I thought maybe the Packer fans were nice to us before the game because they thought it would be an easy win. I was wrong. Even during the game when the Packers were losing & after the game when the Packers had lost, the Packer fans were very accommodating. We only had 1 Packer fan in our area that was razzing Bengals fans, and another Packer fan told him to be quiet. That was my 8th NFL stadium other than PBS and it was by far the best experience (with Tennessee & Baltimore close behind).”
And what did “The Chickster” think of Chi-nnati’s? Well, it’s the best pizza I’ve ever tasted.
That the Pittsburgh Steelers go DOWN, Down, down in The Nati.
Guaranteed.
Pittsburgh is without strong safety Troy Polamalu, who has a sprained knee.
The Steelers desperately miss inside linebacker Larry Foote, who is now with the Detroit Lions.
Ben Roethlisberger
And they sorely miss wide receiver Nate Washington, who is now with the Tennessee Titans.
They aren’t as deep as they used to be.
And, from talking to my sources in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are worried about Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry.
As they should be.
Henry is the ‘X’ factor. If he shows up, the Bengals don’t just win. They romp.
Carson Palmer
There are more reasons why the Bengals will win. They’re much more physical than they used to be. They’re much more mature than they used to be.
And, oh, one other thing.
Carson Palmer is healthy.
WHY WE NEED TO WATCH
• Blood war — The Bengals-Steelers rivalry it’s extremely intense, and the importance of this early-season matchup is heightened by the fact both clubs are 1-1 and need a win in order to tie or stay within a game of the 2-0 Baltimore Ravens. The Bengals haven’t beaten the Steelers in Cincinnati since 2001, two years before Marvin Lewis took over as head coach. This is a watershed game in which the winner gets a huge, positive momentum boost, while the loser is forced to claw uphill.
• Revenge minded — Bengals WLB Keith Rivers’ rookie 2008 season ended at home against Pittsburgh (Week 7, Oct. 19) when he absorbed a vicious, blind-side block from Steelers WR Hines Ward that fractured Rivers’ jaw. Rivers hasn’t forgotten. The Bengals, too, haven’t forgotten how the Steelers wrecked QB Carson Palmer’s left knee in a 2005 playoff game. The best way to retaliate is on the scoreboard.
• Chess match — It’s always fun to watch the machinations between Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski. LeBeau always seems to know what strings to pull with his 3-4, zone-blitz schemes to keep the Bengals off balance. Meanwhile, Bratkowski has the kind of offensive weapons needed to give the Steelers’ defense headaches. The difference this time around is the fact that Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu, a longtime Bengals nemesis, is sidelined with a sprained knee.
3 KEYS FOR SUCCESS
• Turnover city — The Bengals are woefully lacking in this department. If they don’t force at least two turnovers and cut down on their penalties — they were flagged 13 times for 100 yards at Green Bay — Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will have plenty of success. Bengals cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph are doing a good job in coverage, allowing right defensive end Antwan Odom to generate an NFL-best seven sacks in two games. The coverage must stay the same, but the number of turnovers must change.
• Create mismatches — Part of LeBeau’s game plan is to take away Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco, who gets crowded by a corner, safety and linebacker. With Polamalu out, the Bengals need to attack his replacement, Tyrone Carter, who can’t match Polamalu’s talent, athleticism or playmaking ability. And if Ochocinco gets bracketed, then Chris Henry, Laveranues Coles and Andre Caldwell must step forward.
• Enough ‘Ced’ — Tailback Cedric Benson (50 carries, 217 yards, 4.3 average, 1 TD) is off to a fast start, and must keep rolling against a physical, swarming Steelers defense. The Steelers’ defense has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 20 straight games. The key to snapping that string is the Bengals’ offensive line, which needs to clean up its physical and mental errors. The linemen have been too sloppy with their hand placement, triggering penalties. They must do a better job of moving their feet so they can get themselves in better position to block more crisply.
BOTTOM LINE
The Bengals have had this game circled since NFL schedules were released in April. They see it as their opportunity to make a statement that they can compete with, and defeat, the World Champion Steelers.
The Bengals’ offseason goal was to become a more physical, aggressive defensive team and a more explosive offensive unit. So they added the pieces to mirror the Steelers and Ravens. This game serves as the barometer for how far the Bengals have come, and where they stand.
They know Roethlisberger is undefeated in Ohio in his pro career and 23-13 on the road as a starter. He’s a big, mobile QB who is difficult to bring down. Cincinnati’s secondary is covering better and the defensive line shows good pressure, and Big Ben will finally feel the Bengals’ wrath.
Head coach Marvin Lewis calls it “a big-weighted game” and the weight that gets lifted off the Bengals’ shoulders will fall on the Steelers.
Rodney Harrison wasn’t just a good football player.
He was an outstanding player.
Not Pro Football Hall of Fame great, but terrific nonetheless.
Harrison was a two-time Pro Bowler with the distinction of being the only player in NFL history to record both 30 sacks and 30 interceptions.
Rodney Harrison
Armed with two Super Bowl rings from his days with the the New England Patriots, Harrison — like so many retired guys — has taken his act to the broadcasting booth, joining the NBC Sports’ NFL team with Tony Dungy.
As a pro football analyst, Harrison hits hard, just like he played the game. And lots of people, especially Cincinnati Bengals fans, don’t like it.
Harrison was Tuesday night’s guest on a new show — hosted by ex-Bengals’ Artrell Hawkins and Charles Fisher — called “Two-Deep Zone,” a production of WCKY-AM 1530 Homer, The Sports Animal.
And Harrison angered a plethora of Cincinnati fans by calling the Bengals a “clown show.”
That may have been true in the past, but not today.
The clown show is 1-1, and it’ll be 2-1 after the Bengals beat the Steelers on Sunday. And the clown show will finish 10-6 with a playoff berth at the end of the 2009 regular-season rainbow.
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Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.
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