Willie Anderson's agent is awaiting a contract proposal from the Chargers. However, this blog says that the awesomest former Bengals right tackle will be visiting Tampa Bay Thursday.

Sorry mate, but if either Chad or Houshmandzadeh, the Bengals won't die. That's why the visionary Mike Brown signed Chris Henry. See, he knows what he's doing (that's dripping sarcasm, by the way).

Deltha O'Neal was shocked after being cut from the Bengals, but thrilled to be on the Patriots. I don't doubt it. Now he'll actually play to his talents that he's happy.

Colton Lynch, Corey's youngest brother, might be the best Lynch of all.

"Peckerwood Rescue Squad looks to great year after fundraiser". I'm purposefully not commenting on that link.

The San Diego Tribute reviews the AFC, division by division, and ranks the Bengals last in the AFC North. They play football in California? Go BUCKS!

It would appear that there's some interest in the Minnesota media about the Vikings contacting Willie Anderson.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh tells ESPN's James Walker to stop disrespecting the Bengals: "But we're going to be better than what your co-workers [at ESPN] think we are. So tell your co-workers we will see how much they really know, because we will be better than what you all think."

The Jaguars have become the new Bengals for off-the-field conduct? This blogger (aka, me) says, "ABOUT DAMN TIME".

Peter King's predictions are typically around the popularity of the sport. So, let's examine. AFC Champions, New England Patriots. Check. NFL MVP, Tom Brady. Check. Though I'm giving some love to Kay in Dallas.

Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback, Dustin Grutza won the Big East Offensive Player of the Week (21 of 28, 296 yards, three touchdowns, 33 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown).

The Bengals announced their team Captains on Monday: Carson Palmer, Bobbie Williams, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Dexter Jackson, and Dhani Jones. Good group of veterans. I like it.

Curnutte observes the team's first regular season practice. Mostly of note is how the team looks health-wise. Antwan Odom, Dexter Jackson, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Rashad Jeanty returned to practice fully. Pat Sims, Andre Caldwell and Dan Howell (practice squad) worked on the sidelines with strength and conditioning coaches while "Chinedum Ndukwe (leg) went inside after stretches."

This is the irony of the Bengals team this year. Everyone suggests that our offense will be the only reason we win games; our defense is so bad, we're told to believe, that it couldn't even contain the Louisville Cardinals offense.

James Walker named his all-AC North team, on offense and defense.

OFFENSE: Big Ben got the nod over Honorable Mention, Carson Palmer. Behind Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes, is Honorable Mention, T.J. Houshmandzadeh. No reference of Chad Johnson Ocho Cinco. Bobbie Williams is the only player on the Bengals offense to get the nod over everyone at their respective position; with Andrew Whitworth getting the Honorable Mention.

DEFENSE: Johnathan Joseph was the only player named to lead his respective position; Robert Geathers was named Honorable Mention. Shayne Graham got the nod as the division's best place kicker.

Apparently Pat Kirwan forgot about Keith Rivers when talking about rookies starting during kickoff weekend.

Don Banks surprisingly ranked Ryan Fitzpatrick as the league's 28th best backup quarterback while predicting the Bengals finish third in the AFC North at 6-10.

This blog named the Cincinnati backfield, the worst in the NFL. We think it's about fantasy football rankings, but we don't care. It still pisses us off, right?

With three preseason games in the books, I wanted to take the time to review each position (in some cases, units) as we prepare this week to play the meaningless of meaningless of preseason games, as well as upcoming roster cuts. While I'm not trying to predict the roster -- and definitely not projecting depth chart -- I didn't include every player in some scenarios, but included more than what the team is expected to take (mostly because I'm just not sure who they take, or the play is pretty even between the competition).

Quarterback - Even though Palmer has been assaulted on nearly every play (it seems), he hasn't been sharp -- likely a result of being assaulted. Twice against the Saints, Palmer nearly threw interceptions because 1) the ball was overthrown and 2) the pass was too near the middle of the field intended for a receiver sprinting down the sidelines. With the assault by the opposing pass rush, Palmer is becoming too aware of what's going on around the pocket rather than what's going on downfield. Once protection flaws are worked out, and communication issues resolved, we're confident that Palmer will be Palmer and give the Bengals their best chance to win each week.

Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has been one of the few successful offensive players, completing 70% of his passes, with a 6.8 pass-per-attempt average and a 101.3 passer rating (all team highs). His 44 yards rushing is third on the team behind Chris Perry and Kenny Watson. Fitzpatrick's performance proves he'll be a coveted unrestricted free agent next season as a "veteran" quarterback that so many teams need.

1. Carson Palmer
2. Ryan Fitzpatrick
3. Jeff Rowe

Running Back - While it's exciting to see Chris Perry back to full strength, we've been missing our primary feature back, Rudi Johnson due to another hamstring injury -- this time to the other leg. However, along with their troubles protecting their quarterbacks, the offensive line has struggled rush blocking for Perry -- mostly Eric Ghiaciuc. Since the first game, Perry's yards-per-attempt has fallen from 3.8 to 3.4. Watson's 4.7 yards-per-attempt is encouraging, but a majority of his attempts have come against second team defenses, with only one attempt the entire game against the Saints.

I think the Bengals keep Dorsey over James Johnson. Though neither have done much this preseason, Dorsey is a more explosive back while James Johnson is eligible for the team's practice squad. If the Bengals haven't cut Jeremi by now, they won't.

1. Rudi Johnson
2. Chris Perry
3. Kenny Watson
4. DeDe Dorsey
5. Jeremi Johnson

Wide Receiver - Talk about depressing. With Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh nursing and rehabbing injuries ("supposedly", if you believe in conspiracies), the Bengals have been searching for that evasive receiver we hoped would step up. Jerome Simpson's 144 yards receiving is far above Chatman's 63 yards among the yardage leaders at wide receiver. However, passes are being dropped and receivers are not separating from defensive backs, forcing Palmer to hold onto the ball longer. One has to appreciate this bit of irony. If Chad Johnson was traded, then this unit has absolutely no hope going into the season, even though the team signed Chris Henry to help.

I think Andre Caldwell's injury hurts him big. While he's not on the field battling for a spot, the Bengals would be more inclined to keep Holt for experience and versatility on special teams. Caldwell is another player eligible for the practice squad. This is all based on the assumption when Henry returns, not when the season starts. When Henry is reinstated after the fourth game, the Bengals will need to decide whether to keep Holt or Caldwell -- and it's doubtful, no matter what other writers suggest, that the Bengals will let Henry go.

1. Chad Johnson
2. T.J. Houshmandzadeh
3. Antonio Chatman
4. Jerome Simpson
5. Glenn Holt
6. Andre Caldwell

Tight End - Stable as stable comes. Ben Utecht, another glowing offensive player this preseason, leads the team with 10 receptions, second with 108 yards receiving and only one of two players with a receiving touchdown through three games. Reggie Kelly is the league's best tight end blocker, taking a lot of reps in the backfield. If the Bengals keep four tight ends (which includes long snapper Brad St. Louis), then Daniel Coats makes the team.

1. Reggie Kelly
2. Ben Utecht
3. Daniel Coats
4. Brad St. Louis

Offensive Line - We've talked about their struggles, and fantasized of a Jurassic Line. Still, the running game hasn't really taken off and the quarterbacks are struggling to focus downfield rather than the pass rush -- Bengals quarterbacks have been sacked 10 times, and knocked down three times as much. I'm not sure the Bengals will keep a second center, depending on Bobbie Williams to play that role. On the other hand, you could easily replace Nate Livings with Dan Santucci with limited fall in production. Something of note: Kyle Cook took some first-team snaps against the Saints in the third quarter.

1. Levi Jones
2. Andrew Whitworth
3. Eric Ghiaciuc
4. Bobbie Williams
5. Stacy Andrews
6. Willie Anderson
7. Nate Livings
8. Scott Kooistra
9. Anthony Collins
10. Dan Santucci

Defensive Line - Domata Peko has impressed me this preseason against the rush. He's working the line, challenging double teams and finding ways to stuff gaps at the point of attack. Other than that, I think this unit is just down right dreadful. Fanene and Rucker appear like average ends with limited upside, while John Thornton and Jason Shirley have made a library seem like a Metallica concert. Pat Sims, before his injury, impressed me with his aggressiveness and motor-style play. Hopefully we get him back when the season starts. While Angelo Craig has made plays, I've labeled him a practice squad player until either Rucker or Fanene (even though he signed an extension this offseason) are let go. I see no scenario in the world in which Eric Henderson makes this squad -- nor did I see any scenario that the Bengals sign Chris Henry.

1. Antwan Odom (DE)
2. Robert Geathers (DE)
3. Johnathan Fanene (DE)
4. Frostee Rucker (DE)
5. John Thornton
6. Domata Peko
7. Jason Shirley
8. Pat Sims
9. Michael Myers -- I'm adding Myers here for two reasons. The team could be concerned about Shirley's upcoming court case and keeping Myers adds an insurance policy in case Pat Sims' rehabs slowly.

Linebacker - I'm actually more impressed with this unit than I thought I would be before training camp. At WILL, Keith Rivers and Brandon Johnson have combined for 28 tackles and a sack -- Rivers accounts for 17 tackles and that sack. Corey Mays has been solid at backup middle linebacker and Darryl Blackstock's two sacks leads the team. The thing I would be most concerned about is Dhani Jones' nine total tackles through three games. Ahmad Brooks had some first-team snaps at defense when Blackstock suffered a cramp against the Saints. Also expect Carl-Johan Bjork to make the team as he's exempt from the 53-man roster.

1. Dhani Jones
2. Keith Rivers
3. Darryl Blackstock
4. Rashad Jeanty
5. Corey Mays
6. Brandon Johnson
7. Jim Maxwell
8. Ahmad Brooks
9. Anthony Hoke (?)

Secondary - For the most part, I think our starting cornerbacks have done a decent job working on an island. For the plays that you see them get beat, either a dump-truck named Calvin Johnson used his super-size advantage, or the quarterback found a hole in zone coverage. I don't like the play of our safeties -- Dexter Jackson is Dexter Jackson and Marvin White still struggles keeping the receiver in front preventing long plays. White is a hitter though, and his efforts to make sure-tackles have improved greatly since the first game.

David Jones scares the hell out of me, and I don't see much of an improvement with Castille. O'Neal has accepted his role, and done well, as the team's third cornerback giving the Bengals good depth at the position.

1. Leon Hall (CB)
2. Johnathan Joseph (CB)
3. Deltha O'Neal (CB)
4. David Jones (CB)
5. Simeon Castille (CB)
6. Dexter Jackson (S)
7. Marvin White (S)
8. Chinedum Ndukwe (S)
9. Corey Lynch (S)
10. Herana-Daze Jones (S) -- mostly for his special teams work.

Anyway, those are my impressions at this point. If you have more, or want to adjust my impressions because I always miss at least one player (or two) when I do these things, it's all yours.

In truth, I was shocked and disappointed that the Bengals signed Chris Henry back; but what exactly can anyone do about it? It's not like the Bengals listen to you, anyway; considering Marvin Lewis said pointedly that the fans "can be frustrated all they want....it's a waste of time". Though likely that was in frustration with the front office, rather than the fans or even the media -- oh, how Marvin loves Chick Ludwig. T.J. too! Is there going to be a call for another boycott? Brown paper bags? No, not likely. Mike Brown has assured a legacy that will never be endearing -- and he deserves it.

My point isn't to suggest that you have to accept the signing Henry. It never was. For the six years I've done this gig I've always wrote with a style to angle, examine and bring up any arguments for the issue and let you develop your own opinion. I'm not arrogant enough to think that my opinion is all that you're interested in. It's something I learned when I did political commentaries "back in the day" that Dave (Stripe Hype) was always so fond of -- and always agreeable.

At this point in the process, what can anyone do or say that will make the team understand why we cringed when the Bengals signed Henry, or why the nation of NFL fans laugh at our ridiculous missteps, or understand why we've demanded for almost two decades that Mike Brown reconsider the process in which the team acquires players? He won't change, he's too fond of accomplishments that few "successful" business owners ever accomplish -- a lengthy period of a failing product, and yet able to make good money. You know, like Microsoft.

Chris Henry is a small story this season accelerated and inflated by the media that's surprised it actually happened, the fans exploding anger against Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis doing an excellent job promoting hope, but failing at translating that into success on the field. There's more to this season than Chris Henry. There's always Carson Palmer, his famous receivers and an offensive line that protected Palmer so well, that they'll go down in the books for lowest sack numbers in franchise history. There's the project of continual growth (KOOL-AID ALERT) of a better-than-last year defense that we keep hoping for with this season being the most promising. There's an exciting return of Chris Perry that seems like the '05 version, a pass-catching tight end for the first time since the Reagan administration and decent depth on the offensive line. There's the promising pass-rushing tandem of Robert Geathers and Antwan Odom, or the promising secondary tandem of Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall. There's Keith Rivers and Brandon Johnson cooperating as the team's most promising WILL linebacker duo in recent memory.

Yea, I know, a lot of promising, nothing truly known. But that's my point, there's more to this season than just Chris Henry.

Moving on...

Marvin Lewis on T.J. Houshmandzadeh:

"I think T.J. needs more time than he thinks he needs (to be ready to play). I'll tell you that. I think for the runner, it's not quite as significant. We want to see him and make sure he can withstand it. I think for T.J., there's more to it. Things change, things have changed. When you're not out there and doing it, things move within the snap of the football, so it's important that T.J. gets some snaps going and gets going here. He's a very smart guy, he understands football very well, and understands the offense and the nuances of what we're doing very well. But until you're doing it, there are going to be some things. Now, you start working to a game plan and everything's limited and it comes down, but yeah, it's important for them to get some snaps and some time."

I'm not exactly sure how you look into this. But do you get the impression that Lewis is talking about an injury? If you were a casual fan of any NFL team, and replaced "T.J." with some unknown (let's call him Frank), would you think that the head coach is talking injury or prepping for the speed of an NFL game?

Geoff Hobson reacts to the Ludwig piece that Houshmandzadeh is "sandbagging his injury" (which wasn't something we wrote -- just responded to). "But isn't guessing about a person's integrity merely on gut instinct strike you as irresponsible?"

You guys were pretty split. Of the 99 that voted, 51 of you said that Houshmandzadeh was "sandbagging" while the other 48 said no.

Marcus Maxwell on being lost for the season:

"I'm sick to my stomach, because you think of all the hard work you put in," Maxwell said. "I put in a lot of hard work in the off-season, I made 100 percent of my workouts in the off-season. And then there's training camp, that was the hardest training camp I'd been in and then for this to happen. I felt like I had a lot of room to grow, I'm not near my max potential, that's what gets me as well. There's a lot of things mentally and physically I could improve upon. Now, it's more mental, which I know will make me a better player in the future."

I agree with those that say Joe Horn won't (and shouldn't) be a receiver in Cincinnati. He's talented, no doubt. But he's not the type of receiver that would be third or fourth on the depth chart, and be cool about it.

A season ticket holder writes to PFW in response to the Bengals signing Henry. "My only concern is the affect it may have on the players perception of Marvin Lewis – he was definitely over-ridden on this issue by Brown."

Rudi Johnson intends on keeping his starting job responding to Lewis' declaration that Perry would start if the season starts now. Johnson says, "The season doesn't start now." Touche.

However, Chris Perry is set on becoming the team's feature back. And you have to love this guy's attitude. "I want to make it so they (the coaches) have to make a decision. I want to be taken seriously.”

As long as Bob Bratkowski actually uses the running game, and doesn't freak when the team doesn't rush successfully in the first quarter, this could be the team's best core of feature backs during the Marvin Lewis era. Nah, I'll actually go out on a limb and say it is the best core of feature backs during the Marvin Lewis era.

Marcus Maxwell tore his quad muscle while working with Jeff Rowe after practice on deep routes. Maxwell worked his ass off this entire off-season, getting more work in after practice and gets hurt for the season. That's depressing irony.

The Bengals will wear black at PBS this Saturday night.

Paul Alexander says that "Eric Ghiaciuc is unquestionably the No. 1 center."

Pine Riders project the Bengals as most people are. "I have this team pegged for about 7 wins, but that 7 could easily be 8 or 9." I agree. But it could easily be only five wins, too. Or ten.

Fantasy Football experts are high on Kenny Watson this year. Matthew Berry suggests that Watson will be the team's leading rusher by gaining over 1,000 yards rushing.

Is Chick Ludwig inciting a story that T.J. Houshmandzadeh is sandbagging his injury, a subtle form of protesting his contract situation? Ludwig writes that his gut tells him that Houshmandzadeh is "sandbagging his hamstring 'injury' because he’s upset the club hasn’t renegotiated and extended his contract." Ludwig continues after a Sunday night observation saying "Houshmandzadeh ran numerous 60-yard sprints — effortlessly — along the sidelines prior" to the loss to the Lions and "yet he still refuses to practice. It’s his version of a personal protest."

That's pretty poignant, and a bit surprising. This off-season, when it became known that Chad Johnson would return to the Bengals, I were suspicious. During mandatory camp, it was learned that Johnson would have ankle surgery. I thought to myself, what a way to stage a protest/hold out, by not being the bad guy? Hey, it's injury, whose going to rip the guy for not participating with the team when he's hurt?

But T.J. Houshmandzadeh?

In July, Houshmandzadeh didn't expect an extension saying, "So if I don't have any expectations, I can't have any disappointments. If I re-sign, I re-sign and get a new deal. Cool. If I don't that's cool, too." Apparently, it's not cool.

Now let's be clear. Ludwig isn't really speaking as a matter of fact; he's intellectually guessing the situation based on the facts presented to him. Yes, he's inciting a story and yes, he's drawing reaction. At the same time, you can't argue against his points with any additional level of certainty.

Maybe T.J. is, maybe he's not. Who knows? It seems that we, the fans and media, are witnessing an absolute breakdown from the Bengals front office to the coaching staff -- well, more than usual or reflections from the 90s. And that's the most discouraging thing of all.

In March, 2005, Houshmandzadeh was given a four-year deal worth $13 million. In those three seasons since, he's averaged 93 receptions, 1,060 yards receiving and nine touchdowns. In 2007, Houshmandzadeh reached career highs in receptions (112), yards receiving (1,143) and touchdowns (12). Houshmandzadeh is scheduled to make $2,650,000 this season.

Bengal Stripes is right: the move to sign Henry has minimal impact (other than the butt of jokes) and only benefits the team. The money is going to be limited and if he fails to his 54,262nd chance, then he's gone. It's either that, or having two injured receivers with several rookies and young receivers that the coaching staff just don't trust right now.

Even though the Bengals signed him, National Football Post thinks that there's still only a 50% chance he's with the team when his suspension is up. Football is about making money. And winning games makes the most money.

Rudi Johnson still isn't practicing because of tightness in his hamstring.

Andre Caldwell and Pat Sims are walking with a boot and crutches after suffering injuries to their foot.

Marcus Maxwell is working both wide out positions (X and Z) while Glenn Holt is working the inside slot.

Bleacher Report says along with the injury, T.J. Houshmandzadeh is actually holding out for a new contract. That's news to me.

Going camping: Corey Lynch.

Finally, from Mo Egger's blog. A billboard, off the highway (I think) in Cincinnati. UPDATE: Prag says the billboard is in Covington.

Chad Johnson isn't expected to play anymore during the pre-season hoping that his shoulder heals quickly. Speculation is that the injury could be severe enough that he could miss the opening game this season -- though Marvin Lewis and Johnson are confident he'll be ready for Baltimore.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh won't play Saturday against the New Orleans Saints with his hamstring injury. Which leaves us with Chris Henry, Jerome Simpson, Marcus Maxwell, Glenn Holt, Antonio Chatman, Clyde Logan, Mario Urrutia and Maurice Purify as the team's only receivers.

Offensively, the Bengals are clearly struggling. Much of it has to do with an offensive line that struggled pass blocking. But other factors include the lack of a consistent running game (while Palmer was in), T.J. Houshmandzadeh being out and Chad Johnson not really apart of the passing offenses game plan (plus injury); overall spirit and attitude seemed low. Nothing has come together for this first-team offense. Ryan Fitzpatrick improvised in the pocket, while Kenny Watson loved the Jurassic Line's potential run blocking -- note, Dave Lapham and Anthony Munoz love the Jurassic Line. Once Watson and Chris Perry were removed from the game, the Bengals offense skydived without a parachute. It also doesn't help the Bengals when the offense goes three and out three times in the second half as well as failing to convert a goal-line rush attempt with the team's smallest running back.

Defensively, I saw more good than bad. Twenty seven points wasn't allowed by the first team -- 17 of the Lions 27 points came in the fourth quarter. I thought the cornerbacks were average, but I attached that to a bigger and tougher Calvin Johnson -- who was Kitna's only receiver while he was in the first two series'. I thought the secondary as a whole, was average. Not terribly bad, but for the love of god, they have room to improve.

I believe that Deltha O'Neal, aside two first down receptions allowed, moved himself to the team's third cornerback -- if he's not, I'm writing a letter to someone. David Jones isn't the type of cornerback that can sit on an island. Darryl Blackstock and Brandon Johnson are two of the most underrated free agent acquisitions. Ahmad Brooks isn't just in danger of being cut, but he's so far behind other linebackers on the team that if he's not cut, I'll be surprised. He makes no impression during the game, even against third team offensive players. Dhani Jones is playing better than last season. One thing that impressed me about Keith Rivers is that when the play goes away from him, he stays home, watching cutback lanes; he's not over-pursuing. He's the team's perfect WILL linebacker. The Bengals front four puts zero pressure on the quarterback, allowing the passer to sit in the pocket comfortably (numb). Even hall of fame cornerbacks can't defend an NFL wide receiver for seven-plus seconds.

With all that said, the Bengals first-team defense gets a passing grade from me. I'm not expecting shutout football, nor every drive to end in three-and-outs. I expect the other team to score -- they're also professional football teams. However, just to point out that our first-team defense wasn't all that bad, take a look at the breakdown by half:

In fact, if you take out the touchdown given up to Jon Kitna and Calvin Johnson on the Lion's second drive, the Bengals defense forced the Lions into four drives with five plays or less, all ending in punt.

It wasn't until the Bengals brought in their second and third-team that the struggles began. The game's final three possessions for the Lions ended with a field goal and two touchdowns.

Offensively, the Bengals were disgusting. Palmer throws a pick, Shayne Graham misses a field goal (actually, a block) and the Bengals punt twice before Ryan Fitzgerald takes the Bengals 99 yards on 13 plays for the team's lone touchdown.

Concluding... what I'm going to offer you is something to think on. The Bengals defense is improving. While they're not instantaneously blowing people away, the first team did much better against the Lions than the Packers. And if we got that effort in the first half, all of last season, we'd be pumped. With two games left to work, I believe the Bengals defense will be vastly improved over last year -- if not the best of the Marvin Lewis era.

As for the offense, well, they have a lot of work to do -- like the offensive line getting comfortable and receivers stepping up.

5 - Sacks allowed by the Bengals offensive line.
2 to 1 - Pass to run ratio by the Bengals offense (48 passes, 21 rushes)... note, five pass calls actually ended in sack.
13 - Number of different receivers by the Bengals offense.
33 - Yards returned by one Antonio Chatman punt return -- thanks to DeAngelo Craig.
114 - Yards receiving by rookie receiver, Jerome Simpson.

Chad Johnson says "I'll be back in a week." However, Marvin Lewis has already declared Johnson out next week against the Saints. Either way, it doesn't appear that he'll miss any regular season time healing from a shoulder strain.

Marvin Lewis on Jerome Simpson: "Every time we turn on the lights, he comes through and makes some good plays." Palmer had a different take, but felt Simpson is improving. Palmer says that Simpson has a "long way to go before he can come into a game and you can count on him."

Pat Sims "left the locker room on crutches with a sprained foot and turf toe, respectively."

One of the most intriguing fantasy's this training camp is moving Bobbie Williams to center, (franchise player) Stacy Andrews to right guard and (four-time Pro Bowl) Willie Anderson to right tackle. Thursday's afternoon practice offered another look at the The Jurassic Line. However, Paul Alexander cautions that everyone should settle down on the possibility. "You look at it and it's huge and all that, but playing center is not something you all of a sudden just do. To me, today was just another day in training camp working on options." Williams is being groomed as the backup center after Dan Santucci suffered a "severe right ankle injury".

I loved Jason Shirley's comment about the Jurassic Line. "That's a lot of meat in there."

Justin Britt was let go after "suffering a shoulder injury".

It's Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh who are playing little games, keeping Chris Henry's mind in the fact that the Bengals are still interested. Ludwig:

Folks, here’s what’s happening. Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are in touch with Henry, telling him how much they miss him … telling him that he’s better than the crop of Bengals wideouts vying for the No. 3 role. Natch, Henry tells his agent that his former teammates love him and miss him, and Frazier spreads the word — discreetly — to selected members of the media (in this case, NFL Network’s Adam Schefter) that the Bengals are unhappy with rookie draft picks Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell. Don’t buy it because nothing is further from the truth.

Chris Perry, not Rudi Johnson, worked with the first team as the number one tail back. Lewis has already made it known that Perry is competing for the starting spot after the win against Green Bay.

Mark Curnutte actually puts out an opinion on Chris Henry and Chad Johnson. But he thanks Willie Anderson for being Willie Anderson -- my personal favorite Bengals player since the late 90s.

The Ravens signed former Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl full back, Lorenzo Neal (only Bengals player in the Pro Bowl in 2002). The deal is one-year that pays a base salary of $830,000 -- that's $120,000 less than what the Bengals are paying overweight and PUP-member, Jeremi Johnson this season.

Ravens are concerned about mounting injuries affecting the start of the regular season.

The Steelers lost 24-21 Thursday night after a 104-yard, two touchdown performance by Trent Edwards. Save for an interception, Big Ben had a great night, though his two back ups didn't fair as well. The Bills rushed for 159 yards in their Toronto Debut.

I watched the Eagles host (and beat) the Carolina Panthers. I was impressed with Desean Jackson's work in their 24-13 win that took until after midnight to finish after a thunderstorm forced the game to be delayed about an hour.