Three suggestions for Cincinnati's bye
October, 30, 2009
10/30/09
10:00
AM ET
By
James Walker | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com’s James Walker
The Cincinnati Bengals are 5-2 and in first place in the AFC North entering their bye week.
Here are some things the team can do to improve during its break:
1. Take a mental break
No team has had a more emotionally draining start to the season than the Bengals.
On the field, Cincinnati had its first five games come down to the final possession. Sometimes it didn’t work -- such as the loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 1 -- but most of the time it did as a four-game winning streak followed for the Bengals. But every game presented new challenges and new ways to come down to the wire.
Off the field the Bengals’ organization, coaches and players had to deal with the loss of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s wife, Vikki, and this is the first extended break for the team since her passing. Hopefully this time off will allow all parties involved to take a step back and recover from a tough situation.
2. Get Andre Smith up to speed
Cincinnati’s first-round pick Andre Smith is cleared to practice but has yet to see his first NFL action. It’s the job of the training staff and coaches to get the rookie right tackle prepared to contribute after the bye.
Smith joined the Bengals with lofty expectations after the team chose him with the No. 6 overall pick in last April's NFL draft. But a lengthy contract dispute caused him to miss all of training camp and the preseason, then a broken bone in his foot forced him out of the first seven games in the regular season.
The Bengals are 5-2 without Smith, but that doesn’t mean they can’t use him. Look for Smith to gradually contribute next month and get up to speed, before he is eventually thrown in the starting lineup for the stretch run.
3. Prepare for Baltimore
The Bengals will take the field next on Nov. 8 against the rival Baltimore Ravens (3-3) at Paul Brown Stadium. This will be one of the most important games of the season for both teams as Cincinnati tries to create further separation and the Ravens attempt to keep the AFC North a three-team race.
Cincinnati already beat the Ravens in Baltimore. That puts a lot of pressure on the Ravens to even the series and negate the head-to-head tiebreaker. It’s going to be very difficult for the AFC North to get three teams into the playoffs. So the Bengals have an advantage of extra prep time for his huge matchup.
The Cincinnati Bengals are 5-2 and in first place in the AFC North entering their bye week.
Here are some things the team can do to improve during its break:
1. Take a mental break
No team has had a more emotionally draining start to the season than the Bengals.
On the field, Cincinnati had its first five games come down to the final possession. Sometimes it didn’t work -- such as the loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 1 -- but most of the time it did as a four-game winning streak followed for the Bengals. But every game presented new challenges and new ways to come down to the wire.
Off the field the Bengals’ organization, coaches and players had to deal with the loss of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s wife, Vikki, and this is the first extended break for the team since her passing. Hopefully this time off will allow all parties involved to take a step back and recover from a tough situation.
2. Get Andre Smith up to speed
Cincinnati’s first-round pick Andre Smith is cleared to practice but has yet to see his first NFL action. It’s the job of the training staff and coaches to get the rookie right tackle prepared to contribute after the bye.
Smith joined the Bengals with lofty expectations after the team chose him with the No. 6 overall pick in last April's NFL draft. But a lengthy contract dispute caused him to miss all of training camp and the preseason, then a broken bone in his foot forced him out of the first seven games in the regular season.
The Bengals are 5-2 without Smith, but that doesn’t mean they can’t use him. Look for Smith to gradually contribute next month and get up to speed, before he is eventually thrown in the starting lineup for the stretch run.
3. Prepare for Baltimore
The Bengals will take the field next on Nov. 8 against the rival Baltimore Ravens (3-3) at Paul Brown Stadium. This will be one of the most important games of the season for both teams as Cincinnati tries to create further separation and the Ravens attempt to keep the AFC North a three-team race.
Cincinnati already beat the Ravens in Baltimore. That puts a lot of pressure on the Ravens to even the series and negate the head-to-head tiebreaker. It’s going to be very difficult for the AFC North to get three teams into the playoffs. So the Bengals have an advantage of extra prep time for his huge matchup.
James Walker | email
NFL- ESPN AFC East Blogger
- Joined ESPN in 2008
- A Temple graduate and Hyattsville, Md. native who lives in Miami
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Jamison Hensley
Hensley joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun for 11 years. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he lives in the Baltimore area with his wife.
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