Guestblog: The Cincinnati Bengals

I've been needling my brother Bradley to write me up a Bengals post since we started this blog-- it seemed perfect with his love of the game and my complete lack of football know-how. You can read more of Bradley's writing at his own blog and at Defenders of the Hate. (I added the pictures.)

The Cincinnati Bengals: A Re-adventure

So it finally arrives, that golden time of year when the collective overlap of hockey, baseball and football make for a sports fan's biggest month. Mock-drafts are in the air, jerseys are being worn with pride, and Chad Ochocinco's Twitter is now rowdy with smack-talk.

Ah, it's a wonderful thing.

But new restaurants and public transportation aren't the only thing getting a revamped image in Cincinnati this year, as the Bengals look to make a playoff berth reminiscent of 2005, which was the last time the jungle was home to the division's leading team. But why the re-adventure? Why are the Bengals so suddenly contenders? as my sister asks when I run upstairs to tell her the score. The answer is simple: 9 + 85 = TD.

Ok, so there are a few more things to it than that --like excellent coaching by Mike Zimmer-- but the most important event of the season has been the return of the God of Golden Arms, Carson Palmer. After battling a partially torn ligament and tendon for most of the previous season, and a career low in passing, the "human Jugs machine" rebounded in 2009 by taking control of the team, and stepping up both as an accurate, reliable quarterback, but as a team leader that we desperately needed.

Carson is key the Bengals' success in this season. A healthy, safe quarterback means more shots at the endzone through our terrific corp of wideout options, like Laveranues Coles or Chris Henry. But more responsible for the passing game's overall success has been our offensive line, which was significantly strengthened through particularly smart drafting, and coaching. Our o-line has allowed more time for Carson to have in the pocket, increasing the effectiveness of our throws by a noticeable amount.

(And, Bengals fans, look forward to an even better offensive line when Andre Smith returns,)

Next, is my personal favorite reason why the Cincinnati Bengals have improved so much over last year: Kevin Huber. Born in Porkopolis, playing for UC, and getting drafted by the Bengals, Huber punted his way into my heart as an all-Cincinnati guy, and boasting some of the best skills the NCAA has ever seen. You can attribute quite a few great field positions to this guy, who's managed to make many a veteran punt-returner think twice before taking off.

Finally, a huge momentum shift in our team dynamic has come from the aggressive and talented group of defensive players we've collected. Players like draft pick Rey Maualuga help create an excellent pass rush, something last year's Bengals struggled with. No list could be complete without the mention of Antwan Odom as well, who made a brief but triumphant return from injuries to tie the franchise sack-record, and garner the NFL's defensive player of the month award.

So you can already see how one major change in a team can have a positive effect on other aspects of the game. A good draft leads to good offensive lines, which leads to more time for a quarterback to make the throws. But while our passing game is getting off the ground, running back Cendric Benson has managed to keep the chains moving with an amazing display of talent. Having turned his life around both on and off the field, Benson believes he's more focused than ever, which translates to Marvin Lewis having another deployable weapon on the gridiron, as opponents now face a significant threat from the air, or the ground.

But the most exciting thing about the Bengals re-adventure, is that we currently have the youngest roster in the NFL: which translates to rookies only getting better, and the team getting more experienced with every game, and every season. Ladies and gentlemen, look forward to winning.

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And head over to One Man Crime Wave for more in-depth Bengals coverage: interviews and reviews.