In a year where NCR leaves Dayton, OH for Atlanta, GA where Iams pet food leaves Dayton for Mason, OH, the city of Dayton is at it again. In one year the city of Dayton loses its two biggest companies and now has to say good bye to its two best sports writing journalist / personalities. Under much fan fair and warm heart felt goodbyes, Hal McCoy said goodbye to his beloved loyal Reds fans. Hal got the chance to say goodbye! In October lightning struck twice in Dayton, Ohio, Chick Ludwig is no longer a Dayton sports personality and journalist for the Dayton Daily News. In a Baltimore Colts style move Chick was snuck out the back door of the Cox DDN HQ and is no longer covering the Bengals. He was "cough cough" retired from the Dayton Daily News. Chick didn't even get a chance to say good bye.

Rumor has it; the day Chick went on the Free Agent market he was scooped up by the Cincinnati Enquirer where he will continue his blog. Chick always has an entertaining blog where he gives a lot of good insight about what is going on with the Bengals. He has a lot of good connections inside the organization and he was one of the few journalists Chad Johnson would talk to in his media hiatus. Chick covers the Bengals mostly but he will also discuss some of his other passions. I enjoy his articles on the local high school football scene in S.W. Ohio.

Here is Chick's blog. Read up on it Bengals fans, AFC North fans and really all football fans. Support Chick at his new home.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/ludwig/

Houshmandzadeh fails to deliver, says it's not his fault

The off-seaoson has just started to heat up. The Bengals so far have signed three RFA in Rashad Jeanty, Brandon Johnson, and Darryl Blackstock is rumored to be in the fold. The Bengals have also designated Shayne Graham as their franchise player.

So far today in Free Agency... Stacey Andrews has signed with the Eagles for 7 million per year. TJ is on his way to Seattle to talk contract.

Around the AFC North...

Kellen Winslow has been traded to Tampa Bay for draft picks.

Will update with more news.

Coming Soon... I will be going over potential draft targets, strategies, and an off-season outlook for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Stay Tuned!

Important Dates

January 15th 2009- Last day for underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft

January 19th- 24th 2009- Senior Bowl Week

February 18th-24th 2009- NFL Scouting Combine

February 18th 2009- Last day for NFL teams to use their franchise tag

February 27th 2009- Free agency period begins

April 25th - 26th 2009- NFL Draft

On a frigid Sunday in December the Bengals went out for the second straight week and fought for a victory. The one thing about this team Bengals nation can hang on to is the fight left in this team despite going into the game 2-11-1. Even in a dark season a win sure feels great! Two wins in a row.. Well its almost like ______. Well I will leave that up to your imagination to fill in the blank. Just fill in the blank with something that feels good. You know the funny thing about a dark season, where the wins are few and far between.. You really get to appreciate the wins when they do come.  So I thank you Cincinnati Bengals for a very Merry Christmas present! "A Winning Streak!"

The game wasn't the most entertaining football game I ever watched but if you like Defense and you like the Bengals you sure enjoyed this frigid Sunday. It was so cold I felt bad for the players. Being a former football player I know how a hit stings in the extreme cold so you have to tip your hat to the players playing in the game. The game started off like most Bengals games. They moved the ball to midfield and then had to punt. On the Browns first possession Ken Dorsey threw a pass to Braylon Edwards and Leon Hall (The Player of the Game) jumped the pass beautifully and intercepted the pass and returned it 50 yards for a TD. The Bengals D grabbed the momentum and would not relinquish it. The Defense would play their best game of the year. They didn't allow Cleveland to cross mid-field until the second half. Cedric Benson helped the D has he rumbled for a career high 171 yards on 38 carriers. He was a workhorse. I hope the Bengals can re-sign him. James Johnson also looked like a guy who can spell Benson on carries in the future. The other score came on a beautiful 20-yard fade route to Chris Henry. That would be all the scoring the Bengals would need as they shut out the Browns 14-0. Maybe this score could ease the pain for some Redskins fans that are still upset over their loss in Cincinnati. The Bengals aren't as bad as the record would indicate.

D's Pivotal Play- Leon Hall's 50 yard Interception return for a touchdown. This play set the tone for the defense who would dominate the Browns from start to finish!

Merry Christmas Bengals Nation! We Are Who-Dey United!!!

Was it a win for the ages? Not quite.... But at least they won for the second time this year. The Bengals actually played a decent game for the first time in awhile. The Bengals have gotten crushed the 3 previous weeks by the Steelers, the Colts, and the Ravens. The three previous games were UGLY! But, I stuck by my poor Bengals and they were able to squeak out their second win of the season. They have played the NFC East much better than the AFC North. In honor of their amazing feat I have ended my blog strike and I will be covering the Bengals again. I am excited to see what changes are in-store for the Bengals this off-season. The one bright spot this year has been the play of the young defense. Under Mike Zimmer the defense has really turned things around and has given me hope that maybe someday the Bengals can have a complete team. They need to get better up front on both sides of the ball, but I don't think they are that far off from competing.

D's Upgrades for the Bengals:

1. Oline Upgrade and get Carson Healthy (Center and OT)
2. Find a pass rusher some how.
3. Get a nice RB in the 3rd or 4th round.
4. Re-sign Benson and TJ.
5. Upgrade Depth.

Congrats Bengals on #2!!!

Some say that a tie in a football game is like kissing your sister. Well for the 1-8-1 Bengals it may have been better to tie than win or lose. The Bengals season is over and they showed life on Sunday. The defense and TJ played hard and with a lot of emotion. They fought their way to a tie with a team that was a touchdown plus favorite at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals Defense continues to impress me. Hopefully this year will be something that they can build on. So I ask... Was it better for the Bengals to tie? I think it was.

MY REASONS:

1. The Draft.
2. They didn't lose a game for the 3rd week.
3. They gained more confidence on defense.
4. It could have saved Marvin Lewis's job. Hopefully not Bob Bratkowski's job. 3rd and 6 at midfield in OT and you run the ball? HEY BOB YOUR TEAM IS 1-8!!!
5. The team didn't lose a game, the media is treating it almost like the Bengals won, and they still should be able to grab an elite offensive lineman.

To Win or Not to Win that is the Question, Whether tis nobler in season to win, or suffer through the slings and arrows of losing fortune...

The Bengals coming off their first victory of the season had a week off because of their bye. Us, in Bengals nation were able to enjoy two straight Sundays with out suffering through another Bengals loss. The Bengals play the Eagles on Sunday at Paul Brown stadium. They are a touchdown + underdog at home to the eagles. What Bengals team will we see this Sunday at PBS? Will we see the Bengals that got crushed by the Texans or will we see the Bengals who beat the Jaguars?

I have to believe the Bengals will come out and play another good game. Ryan Fitzpatrick had another week of progression and the Bengals finally had a little success to build on. Hopefully the rookies are starting to come of age and ready to contribute at this point of the season. I liked the effort that I saw the last time the Bengals took the field. They played with emotion and effort despite being 0-8. They were a transformed team from the one that took the field vs. the Texans.

The real question is... Should the Bengals main goal be to win football games or should they be concentrating on 2009'? What I mean is.. Should they start letting the rookies, like Collins, Simpson, Sims, Shirley, and Caldwell, see more playing time? If they win great but get the team ready for the 2009' season. I think they need to see what they got in these young guys. I don't think they should throw games for draft picks.. But they need to see how these guys perform. One of the rookies, Pat Sims had his best game as a pro vs. the Jaguars. Hopefully the Bengals finally found their DT that they have been searching for.  The Bengals also have to have their draft slot on their mind for the upcoming draft. Is winning football games at 1-8 the best thing for the future of the team?

On a perfect November Sunday the Bengals FINALLY got their first win. After eight weeks of "Bungaling" the Bengals FINALLY came out on top with a 21-19 win over the Jaguars! It seemed this day would never come after the Bengals were embarrassed by the Texans 35-6. The Bengals came out and played with heart and emotion and fought their way to a victory. The crowd really helped the Bengals in this game. If you were judging the teams success on the fans and their attitude you would think the Bengals were a playoff contender. The city of Cincinnati was alive with tailgating and "Who-Dey" chants before the game. Hopefully, someday the Bengals will put together a product on the field worthy of their loyal fans. The fans of the Bengals deserve a winner!

The game started off much different than the previous eight. The Bengals actually came out and scored a touchdown in the first quarter. Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Chad Johnson for a 2-yard touchdown pass to give the Bengals a 7-0 lead. The Bengals defense came out and played their best game of the season. They shut the Jaguars vaunted running attack down! They didn't let the Jags score a point in the first quarter. In the 2nd quarter the Bengals continued to move the ball and Fitzpatrick hooked up with Chad Johnson again for a 10-yard touchdown. The Bengals were up 14-0 and it seemed like they could actually win a game. The defense continued to play tough and held the Jaguars to 3 points in the first half. The Bengals went into the half with a 14-3 lead.

The Bengals came out and played determined football. They were able to run on the Jaguars. Cedric Benson had his first 100 yard game as a Bengal and he scored on a 7 yard touchdown run to extend the Bengals lead to 21-3. In the 4th quarter the Bengals had to make it interesting. The Jaguars were able to muster up a field goal to cut the lead to 21-6. On the ensuing kickoff Glenn Holt fumbled and the ball was recovered and returned 18 yards for a Jacksonville Touchdown. The score was 21-13 after the touchdown and it seemed the game was slipping away. The Jaguars made it really scary when they drove down the field and Maurice Jones-Drew scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and it cut the Bengals lead to 2. The Jaguars went for the 2-point conversion but the Bengals stopped the attempt and hung on to win 21-19.

D's Pivotal Play:

- Ryan Fitzpatrick's 2 yard touchdown pass to Chad Johnson in the 1st quarter. The Bengals scored their first 1st quarter touchdown of the year and it set the tone for the game. The Bengals came out and played inspired football and got their first W in 2008.

The Good:

1. The defense overall.
2. The run defense!
3. Cedric Benson.
4. Ryan Fitzpatrick to Chad Johnson.
5. The play of O-line.
6. Pat Sims and Johnathan Joseph

The Bad:

1. No 4th quarter points.

The Ugly:

1. Glenn Holt's fumble.
2. The Jaguars 16 pts in the 4th quarter.

Random Thoughts:

Even though the Bengals were 0-8 the fans have stayed loyal and continue to come out and support their team. The defense played very good. They have to continue to play Pat Sims. Have the Bengals finally found their DT's of the future in Peko and Sims? T.J. has taken over as leader of the Bengals. They have to re-sign T.J. They came out and played inspired football. Hopefully this win is something the Bengals can build on and focus on getting this young team ready for 2009'. The defense played its best game in a long time. Have the Bengals seen enough from Cedric Benson to lock him up long term? He only signed a 1-year deal. I have to think Benson could be the answer at RB. I think they should sign him so they can concentrate on other areas in the draft.

Usually I give a re-cap of the game and how it unfolded... This week I don't even think I can. The Bengals showing was just that ugly.. It wasn't even ugly. It was SAD! 2005' seems like a decade ago. The Bengals didn't even show up or give any sort of effort, so there is really no reason to give a game recap. But, here is one the Bengals looked awful on offense, defense, and special teams and they lost 35-6. They made Matt Schaub to Andre Johnson look like the best QB/WR duo to ever play the game. If you watched the game like I did you will never get that wasted 3+ hours back of your life. My advice go out and have a very productive Monday because you wasted some of your life away watching the Bengals on Sunday.

The Ugly:

1. Offense.
2. Special Teams.
3. Defense.

The Uglier:

1. 3 and outs.
2. Chad Johnson's drops.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick's happy feet.

The Ugliest:

1. The teams effort.
2. The play calling.
3. The Pass Defense!
4. The Pass Rush!
5. THE PUNT RETURN!
6. Johnathan Joseph's 2 hand touch tackle.

D's Pivotal Play: (Turning Point)

- Jacoby Jones 73 yard punt return for a touchdown after the Bengals 1st possesion where they went  3 and out. The Bengals would never have the lead in this game and the punt return set the tone for the game.

D's Thoughts:

Will Marvin Lewis be back as the coach in 2009'? Should he be? Has he lost the team? Only time will tel... Geezz they looked bad!

Notre Dame goes 3-9, then Michigan fans rub it in and look what happens! Coincidence I think not!

Carson Palmer has his knee shredded, then Big Ben is hit by a motorcycle! Coincidence I think not!

Bill Cowher mocks the who-dey chant, then they go 8-8 and he retires! Coincidence I think not!

I went to Canton this weeked to take my new request to the football gods.  TAKE DOWN THE Steelers FRANCHISE!!!

When I find myself in times of trouble
The Football Gods come to me
Speaking words of wisdom, We’ll get em D.
And in my hour of darkness
They are standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, We’ll get em D.
We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D.
Whisper words of wisdom, We’ll get em D.

And when the broken hearted Bengals
Living in the world agree,
There will be an answer, We’ll get em D.
For though they may be parted there is
Still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, We’ll get em D
We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D.

Yeah
There will be an answer, We’ll get em D.
We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D.
Whisper words of wisdom, We’ll get em D.
We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D.
There will be an answer, We’ll get em D.

We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D.
There will be an answer, We’ll get em D.

And when the night is cloudy,
There is still a light that shines on me,
Shine on until tomorrow, We’ll get em D.
I wake up to the sound of cheers
The Football Gods come to me
There will be no sorrow, We’ll get em D..
We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D.
There will be no sorrow, We’ll get em D.
We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D, We’ll get em D.
Whisper words of wisdom, We’ll get em D.
 

Another Sunday, another loss for the hapless Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals dropped their seventh straight game to the visiting rival Steelers 38-10. The score is not totally indicative of how the game went but in the end it was all Steelers and very little Bengals.

The game could not have started off worse for the Bengals when the Steelers WR Hines Ward knocked out and broke Keith Rivers jaw on a questionable crack-back block. The block was clean but it appeared Ward lead with his helmet, which is illegal in the NFL. On their first drive the Steelers scored a touchdown and jumped out 7-0. The Bengals offense like, a 1980 Chevet in January, failed to start. The key kept turning but the engine just wouldn't start. The Bengals offense did not get a first down during the first quarter. They Bengals defense played tough despite being on the field most of the first half and held the Steelers to 10 first half points. The Bengals were able to orchestrate a nice two minute offense touchdown right before half. Fiztpatrick hit Chad Johnson on a nice back of the end zone tiptoe 5-yard touchdown.

After doing nothing in the first half the Bengals actually had the momentum heading into the second half. It would not lasttt. The Bengals did manage to get another field goal to cut the Steelers lead 17-10 before the 4th quarter started. After this field goal it was all Steelers and no Bengals. It seemed like the Steelers were playing against air. They moved the ball at will in the 4th quarter to burry the Bengals 38-10.

D's Pivotal Play: (Turning point)

• Ben Roethlisberger's 50-yard touchdown pass to Nate Washington.

The Good, The Bad, and The UGLY!

The Good:

1. Cedric Benson's running and his collision with Troy Polamalu.
2. Chris Henry's play.
3. Andre Cadwell's kick returns.

The Bad:

1. The play calling on offense.
2. Keith Rivers injury.
3. Chad and TJ's drops.

The Ugly:

1. The punting game.
2. The pass protection.
3. The Offense.
4. The 4th quarter effort.
5. Losing to the Steelers again at Paul Brown Stadium.