Green, Dunlap, and Whitworth key cogs in preparation for season

Even though the Bengals are coming off of a supreme performance against the Falcons, something seems missing with the starting groups on both sides of the ball. Andrew Whitworth and AJ Green are still recovering from injuries to their legs, crucial limbs to play their respective positions, and Carlos Dunlap is struggling to take snaps after a head injury. The Bengals are rightly taking it slow with three of the best five players on the team, but there comes a time in the preseason when the integral players need to knock the rust off.

Expectations for AJ Green are huge this year. He has been consistently rated as the second or third best receiver in the NFL. Star wideouts like Calvin Johnson have had major success in their third seasons, and Green's acumen for the game could easily propel him to over one hundred catches and fifteen touchdowns. The sky is truly the limit. 

Andrew Whitworth arguably plays the most important position on the roster, protecting Andy Dalton's blind side. Whitworth has done an exceptional job at this as an underrated Pro Bowler, and the Bengals need to get away from letting Anthony Collins take snaps on the left side with the starters. If Collins is competing for any starting position, it should be right tackle where he has played well in the past. The continuity of the offensive line is the Bengals' most unrecognized strength, but the starting line from 2012 needs more experience taking snaps with one another.

Carlos Dunlap is a boom or bust player for the Bengals. He has battled many injuries over the past few years, but has shown promise to become a double digit sack ace at times. During his rookie year, Dunlap seemed virtually unblockable in a limited amount of games as a third down rusher. Dunlap's presence opens up lanes for Geno Atkins and Domata Peko to wreak havoc. Coaches underestimate the preseason a great deal because of a fear of injuries and low snap counts for starters displayed in games. Although records in the preseason should be taken with a grain of salt, the in-game action is necessary to prepare for the opener. There is no doubt Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III will be out of sync when he opens up the year without preseason experience. The Bengals need Whitworth, Green, and Dunlap fully in NFL game shape by preseason week three against Dallas or problems could occur early in the year.

Reds down to 3 games back

Who could have predicted after the beating the Reds took at the hands of St. Louis that the team could bounce back so quickly and look to be playing the best baseball? The Pirates and Cardinals are beginning to take a fall mostly because of playing one another right now, and the Reds are taking advantage by beating the teams they should. The Reds have won seven of eight games, including a series win over San Diego on walk off Sunday fashion by Joey Votto and a sweep of the lowly Cubs. The Cubs never seem to have enough scoring prowess to beat the Reds, but they were able to battle for extra innings on Tuesday and the Reds were resilient enough to score two runs on a hit by Shin-Soo Choo and win 6-4.

The pitching has been absolutely incredible for the Reds lately. Bronson Arroyo and Mat Latos are easily noticeable in affecting the Reds in a positive way, but bullpen options like JJ Hoover and Jonathan Broxton have been pitching as well as anyone in baseball. Hoover's scoreless innings streak is starting to put him in elite Reds company. Broxton has given the Reds his classic closer stuff in a lesser role. Aroldis Chapman's fastball is still too tough to pick up for opponents and Sam LeCure is the best Red at getting out of tough spots. 

As the Reds head to Milwaukee, the team expects to continue to get stable pitching and use recent hitting spurts by Todd Frazier and Zack Cozart to guide them to more and more wins. Frazier is finally getting out of his deep slump with multi-hit games and even a homer in today's game. The three game deficit could become 2.5 with another Pittsburgh loss tonight. Watch out for a shift in the Central. This division could easily see the Reds looking down at St. Louis and Pittsburgh in a couple weeks. The team that plays best late in the season usually ends up with the best status in the standings. The Reds are defending champs of the Central and they are playing like they really don't want to give that crown up in 2013. 

State of Bengals roster battles

The Bengals are heading into week two of the preseason with the Titans heading to Paul Brown Stadium for a matchup on Saturday night. Marvin Lewis recently said he could cut the team down to  sixty players, but that was before Cincinnati's 34-10 performance against the talented Falcons. The Bengals have a lot to look forward to in 2013, but the fringe players on the roster are going to have to make a difference for this team to win in the double digits out of their sixteen games. These are some of the roster battles that will take the next few weeks to discover who comes out on top.

Josh Johnson vs. John Skelton-Both backup quarterback candidates performed extremely well in the first preseason game. The Bengals' decision will have to come down to explosiveness versus consistency. Johnson has a chance to do well against first stringers on NFL defenses with his athletic skills and improvisational plays. Skelton doesn't do anything flashy, but he has won games with the Cardinals in the recent past and has a strong arm and the physical stature to earn supporters.

Daniel Herron vs. Rex Burkhead-As long as Burkhead continues to run hard in preseason games, the third down back spot will be his job for the 2013 season. Burkhead is Brian Leonard with more upside and better between the tackles explosiveness. Burkhead ran nine times for fifty-two yards against Atlanta while Herron rushed for less than four yards per carry. Herron can't make much of a difference in the offense, but his special teams skills will make him difficult to cut. Herron blocked two punts for the Bengals against Dallas and Philadelphia last season. Both Herron and Burkhead are tough minded football players that were stars of the Big Ten in the last few years.

Orson Charles vs. John Conner-Do the Bengals want a pass catcher or a blocker at the fullback spot?It depends on how much the team is really going to go with two tight ends in the offense. Charles is a good receiver but the experiment to use him as a lead blocker could end up haunting the team. Conner is nicknamed "the terminator" for a reason. He does a great job of punishing defenders between the tackles to open up holes. Conner is the safer option until Chris Pressley is healthy. Both players should make the team. Charles has the ability move back to tight end so Conner can take over as the primary lead blocker.

Sean Porter vs. Jayson DiManche and J.K. Schaffer-Everyone is on the Schaffer bandwagon after his play in the run game against the Falcons. Schaffer led the Bengals with six tackles against Atlanta. As good as Schaffer was in the game, his pass coverage was a little suspect and it seemed like he did miss a couple plays late in the game alongside the backups. Those miscues might not have been Schaffer's fault, however. DiManche is the most prominent UDFA the team brought in this year. The rookie had a sack and almost stripped the ball against Atlanta, but looks similar to James Harrison as he is primarily a pass rusher. It will be tough for DiManche to make the roster, but the Bengals would be glad to have him on the practice squad. Porter is probably the favorite to stick because of his draft position in the fourth round for the Bengals. He will have to make plays in the final three preseason games to beat out Schaffer though. Porter is pretty solid at everything but is not spectacular at anything, which might end up hurting him in the long run. 

Rich Hidy 

Cincy Sports Spot

Latos safest bet for consistent success in rotation

The Reds got an important opening series win by the score of 2-0 yesterday in Chicago behind the dominant arm of Mat Latos, the workhorse stud of the Reds' deep pitching staff. All Latos has done since he arrived in Cincinnati last season is win. Latos mixed all of his pitches, including two seem
fastballs with sliders and a 95 MPH four seem fastball. Latos is at his best when he is relaxed and focused on the hill.

The 6'6 twenty-five year old hard thrower is now 12-2 on the year and well on pace to surpass his career high win mark of fourteen set last season. Latos is also 4-0 with a 1.32 ERA since the All Star Break. Latos has been widely regarded as a second half pitcher throughout his career, so don't be surprised if he ends up with fifteen to seventeen wins on the year, which would make him one of baseball's elite pitchers.

There is no doubt that if the playoffs started today, Latos would be facing the St. Louis Cardinals in the one game playoff. He is the team's most talented pitcher, and the only other considerable option for starting that game would be Bronson Arroyo due to his veteran prowess in the playoffs.

The Reds relied heavily on Johnny Cueto during last season's run to the playoffs. Without Cueto, Latos has become the most notable option for Bryan Price and Dusty Baker. Latos, unlike Cueto, brings a little bit of attitude to the hill, intimidating hitters that haven't had success off of his pitches. The Reds took a gamble by trading top prospects Yasmani Grandal and Yonder Alonso along with an established starter in Edinson Volquez to acquire the young Latos, but the trade worked out extremely well for Cincinnati with Volquez continuing to show inconsistency and Grandal unable to stay on the field because of suspension.

Latos blamed the Reds' final disappointment of the season, a playoff loss to the Giants, on himself for not pitching as well as he has when he's at his best. If Latos gets another opportunity as the primary option to start games in the playoffs, he will use last season's disappointments as fuel to turn his playoff luck around.

After last night's victory, Latos also brought his ERA down to 3.04 with eight shutout innings of baseball along with nine strikeouts. Latos also threw less than one hundred pitches in the effort, setting himself up for plenty of rest and less fatigue for his next start against Milwaukee. Latos' 154 strikeouts lead all pitchers on the Reds. His 1.24 shows a better control over his location as his evolution as a pitcher continues under the tutelage of Price.

The sky is the limit for Latos over the next few years. That is why Walt Jocketty took a chance on the trade two years ago. Latos was a streaky pitcher as a kid with the Padres. He even let his temper get the best of him sometimes, which is probably why San Diego let him go. Now, Latos is more mature in his mid-twenties and is eyeing players like Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander to rival in the coming years. His pitching stuff is that good. If Latos finishes strong in the postseason, he will begin to get the national attention he deserves.

A look at the other AFC North teams

The Cincinnati Bengals have not won the AFC North since 2009 when the team was able to sweep their opponents in the division. The Bengals have aspirations for much more than a division championship in 2013, but I'm sure one of Marvin Lewis' major goals is to secure a spot over Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cleveland. The AFC North has consistently been the most physical and competitive divisions in football. The NFC West is the only other division that comes close in terms of the inter-division rivalries in the game today. The AFC North team that cleans up with wins against division foes this season will probably be looking at a favorable seed in the entire playoffs. The Bengals are the favorites to do so this year with a roster that looks destined to win 10-12 games this year.

The Steelers return in 2013 with a roster that is arguably improved from a squad that finished 8-8 in 2012. 8-8 is about as bad as it gets in Steeler land, so expect the Steelers to be more competitive than last year. I see the Steelers as the second best team in the division but fighting for the top spot in the end. The Steelers aren't as talented as the Bengals in many spots, but quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has the opportunity to make this team special. A healthy Troy Polamalu could go a long way in returning Dick LeBeau's defense to the NFL's elite. The Steelers also added Jarvis Jones in the first round to pair with LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons. LeVeon Bell and LeRod Stephens-Howling add power and speed to a backfield that needed a reboot. Isaac Redmon and Jonathan Dwyer give the Steelers' running game true depth. The Steelers should be better in 2013, but it would take an MVP effort from Roethlisberger to unseat the Cincinnati Bengals as the favorites for the division.

Prediction: 10-6

The Baltimore Ravens are coming off of a Super Bowl victory as a picture perfect moment for retiring superstar Ray Lewis. Lewis is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever play the game, and he will be missed as the leader of the Ravens' defense. To make matters worse for Baltimore, the team let go of safety Ed Reed, a free agent who easily would have returned to Baltimore if the Ravens offered him a fair contract. Reed is still the best safety in the league right now as he suits up for Houston in 2013. There is nobody else that can collect interceptions at the free safety spot like Reed. Baltimore also lost Anquan Boldin, Dannell Ellerbe, Paul Kruger, Bernard Pollard, Matt Birk and Cary Williams. These losses will severely hurt a team that was primed to compete every year with talented pieces throughout their roster. The Ravens now appear to be rebuilding with youth around the newly paid Joe Flacco, Terrell Suggs, and top running back Ray Rice. The Ravens will struggle with consistent play in 2013. They may win games with their offense and coaching strength of John Harbaugh alone, but to reach the playoffs will be a stretch for this team.

Prediction: 7-9

The Cleveland Browns are still one of the worst team's in the NFL despite an influx of new players and the start of the Rob Chudzinski era. Chudzinski and Norv Turner will attempt to help a Cleveland offense that has been relatively stagnant throughout the last couple of seasons. Cleveland has left something to be desired at the quarterback position, but Brandon Weeden, the thirty year old second year player, is about as good as the Browns have had in a while. There are some good skill players in Cleveland such as Trent Richardson, Josh Gordon, and Greg Little. The Browns also signed Paul Kruger and drafted Barkevious Mingo to provide pass rushing threats to the defense. The Browns could be an average team in a year or two, but starting over yet again will cause the Browns to struggle in 2013.

Prediction: 4-12

Rich Hidy 

Cincy Sports Spot

Ludwick's return comes with team's best chance

Even though it is still only August with over a month of regular season baseball left to play, there are few chances like the upcoming seven games for a team to feast on lower level opponents. The Reds have a chance to get on a roll against the Cubs and Brewers, two division rivals with just over fifty wins. The Pirates and Cardinals are faltering right now, and the Reds find themselves within five games of the first place mark. The Reds have had trouble getting over fifteen games above .500 this season, but they have a good chance to do so by executing in two winnable series.

The Reds are going to insert Ryan Ludwick back in left field tonight in the sixth spot in the order. Ludwick is an explosive bat even when he is not necessarily hitting well. Even the threat of a power hitter like Ludwick will change the way pitchers approach the Reds' lineup. Ludwick will probably need multiple at bats to hit like he did in the second half of last season, but he allows the Reds to shift their order to benefit the top of the lineup.

The Reds are now rejuvenated by the likes of Ludwick, Jonothan Broxton, and Ryan Hanigan, three players who are now ready to insert their veteran sway into the clubhouse. Broxton provides another security blanket for Aroldis Chapman to help close out tight leads. Hanigan is just the ideal catcher as a pitcher's best friend. He hasn't hit all season long, but that's not why the Reds need Hanigan. Hanigan just provides a comfort level that is unmatched behind the plate. Homer Bailey will benefit most from having his no hit catcher back in action.

The Reds came up with an extra inning win against the Padres on Sunday. The Reds haven't had clutch victories really since the beginning of the year when Shin-Soo Choo and Todd Frazier were hitting the cover off of the ball. Yes, that was a long time ago. However, Joey Votto is starting to find the gaps in his hitting once again, rather than accepting walks. Brandon Phillips is also regaining his stroke after a forty plus game slump. All of these factors are contributing to the Reds now having a final chance to make a push for the division. Things are really starting to come together nicely for the heavily favored Reds, a team that was expected to break through and dominate in 2013.

The Reds get to turn to their best stretch of the rotation against the Cubs with Mat Latos, Homer Bailey, and Bronson Arroyo all taking the hill. Latos and Bailey are the two hard throwers of the staff, and both have been impressive against Chicago. Latos is 4-2 with a 3.28 ERA against the Cubs, while Bailey has collected seven wins against Chicago. Bronson Arroyo is the best of them all against the Cubs with twelve wins and a 3.04 ERA with over one hundred strikeouts.

Western and Southern Open Preview

Tennis returns to Cincinnati starting this weekend with the Men's and Women's Qualifier beginning tomorrow and the actual Western and Southern Open beginning Monday. The Cincinnati tournament has become a staple for big name players on both the men's and women's sides. All of the top twenty-five players in the world of both genders are expected to compete in the tournament.

Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Serena Williams headline the group. Federer and Williams are considered two of the best tennis players in the history of the game. Djokovic has proven to be the best singles player in the world in 2013. He won the Australian Open back in January along with the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. 

Djokovic will have some trouble winning in Cincinnati with the past successes of Federer at the tournament. Federer has won the tournament in three of the past four years. This year's Wimbledon winner Andy Murray won in 2008 and 2011, but Djokovic has come close with appearances in four of the past five finals. Don't discount fifth ranked Rafael Nadal in Cincinnati either. Nadal has six tournament top finishes this year, including a victory at Roland Garros. John Isner and Mardy Fish are a couple of dark horse candidates to advance to the later rounds of the tournament on the men's side.

Surprisingly, Serena Williams has never won in Cincinnati and has never even been to the finals. The Cincinnati tournament is great preparation for both the men and women for the US Open in New York later in August, so Williams will look to go on a hot streak starting this week. Maria Sharapova, who is Serena Williams' chief rival, has a track record of success at the Western and Southern Open with two out of the last three finals appearances. Sharapova won the tournament in 2011. Li Na, the sixth ranked player in the world, won the tournament last year. Williams won the French Open in June along with the Swedish Open in July, so she looks to capitalize on the opportunity to win her first August tournament. 

Second ranked Victoria Azarenka won the Australian Open earlier this year and could make a run, but a few lower seeds such as Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams may shock the rest of the field. The tournament should be very competitive this year with no dominant tennis star on the circuit in 2013. The tournament could provide some major surprises for Cincinnati fans as it seems nobody besides Federer has been able to truly take charge of the competition in the recent past.  

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

Bengals roll in Atlanta

The Bengals second and third stringers put on a show in Atlanta on Thursday night by defeating the NFC runner up Falcons 34-10 in the opening game of the season. The Bengals' starters left the contest with a 3-0 deficit, but the team gained all of the momentum shortly after the start of the second quarter. Dominant offensive line play and outstanding plays by skill players allowed the Bengals to build up their lead, enough so to feature the victory formation at the end of the game.

-The starters on defense looked solid with the exception of one play. The Bengals showed blitz and Matt Ryan capitalized with a forty-two yard screen pass to Harry Douglas. Other than that, the secondary, linebackers, and defensive line held the Atlanta offense to quick passes and average runs. Geno Atkins and James Harrison both showed their supreme strength with tackles of Stephen Jackson for losses. Offensively, the Bengals were shaky with their starters. Andy Dalton couldn't get into a rhythm with Brandon Tate and Ryan Whalen. The Bengals desperately need AJ Green and Marvin Jones to return to the receiving corps. The Bengals also didn't show enough of their two tight end sets on passing downs. Jermaine Gresham and Tyler Eifert both can't be covered when they are on the field at the same time. Passing to the two tight ends should be the Bengals' bread and butter.

-The story of the night was Josh Johnson. Johnson looked to put a stronghold on the backup quarterback job, as he looked much better than Andy Dalton throughout the night. Johnson had one hundred yards throwing and a touchdown, and also rushed for 64 yards, including a scamper of 43 yards. Johnson has noticeable arm strength and has an ability to throw the ball on the run. At this point, Johnson looks like a clear upgrade over Bruce Gradkowski and should confuse defenses with his duel threat quarterback style.

-The running backs showed up big time. The Bengals offensive line consistently was able to get a push on the Atlanta defensive line. The second group led by Trevor Robinson and Tanner Hawkinson was rock solid. Hawkinson is looking like a true value pick by the Bengals, so hopefully the ankle injury he sustained will only keep him out next week. Rex Burkhead rushed for fifty-two yards on nine carries. Burkhead is a running back that has the opportunity to unseat Boom Herron and Ced Peerman on the depth chart because of his do it all nature. Burkhead is a tough runner, a solid pass catcher, and a  consistent pass blocker. Peerman and Herron both averaged just below four yards per carry, but both did have a couple of nice runs. Giovani Bernard had a rough first game in the pros. He rushed ten times for 28 yards and scored a touchdown, but he slipped on a catch that would have been a first down and had trouble eluding NFL tacklers. Bernard's nerves certainly played a role in his performance on Thursday.

-Everyone, including Brad Keselowski, was talking about Dane Sanzenbacher last night. Sanzenbacher scored twice, once catching the ball and also on a punt return. Sanzenbacher's 71 yard return looked very smooth as he showed some serious quickness. Sanzenbacher has an evident second gear at the receiver position that fools defenders. He may have earned himself some slot play with the first team unit next week. Sanzenbacher's thirty-six yard touchdown was the textbook play that the Bengals want to see from a slot receiver. John Skelton, who rose to Johnson's competition level with a 4/5 night with 72 yards and a touchdown, also did a nice job of fitting the ball in on the play.

-Dre Kirkpatrick and Rey Maualuga stood out on the Bengals' defense. Kirkpatrick locked down the Atlanta receivers he defended and almost came up with an acrobatic interception. Kirkpatrick is such a tall corner that he can compete for the ball on longer routes. Maualuga looks considerably more motivated and disciplined as a linebacker at this early stage. Maualuga had a nice coverage play against Chase Coffman and was able to chase down ball carriers with much more ease. Maualuga has definitely lost weight and has begun to resurrect his 2012 campaign with better play.

-The only true disappointment last night in my book was Margus Hunt. Hunt looked a little lost during most plays yesterday, standing straight up and even finding himself stationary and just staring at the quarterback. Hunt is currently just relying on brute strength and size, which won't get it done in the NFL. Hunt needs to develop a technique with a lower pad level to beat these offensive linemen. Hunt has the ability to improve over the next few weeks, but right now, he looks no better than almost sure cut Dontay Moch.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

Hunt debuts against Falcons

Margus Hunt has the benefit of playing behind Michael Johnson and Wallace Gilberry this season. Those two have been around the league for a long time and are expected to provide Hunt with a shorter learning curve than most rookie defensive ends. Hunt should be pretty comfortable learning the techniques of an NFL defense all throughout this season because he won't feel the pressure of having to step into the line of fire right away. The Bengals are most likely grooming the rookie from SMU to take over the starting job in a year or two. Hunt is twenty-six years old but has only played the game for four years after coming to the United States from Estonia. Hunt was a talented shot putter in his native country, but his adventurous spirit drove him to the U.S. to eventually pick up the game of football and become the Bengals' second round draft pick.

Hunt is one of the most athletic defensive ends to ever participate in the draft process. According to Mel Kiper, Hunt's pure physical ability is as strong as anyone he's ever seen. Hunt is a towering player whose 6'8, 280 pound frame should intimidate tackles immediately. Hunt has learned the game well enough to earn a reputation as a dominant player on special teams in college and an eight sack rusher his senior year. 

Against the Falcons tonight, Hunt will be on a defensive line with Devon Still and and Dontay Moch. Moch, Still and Hunt all have the same standout pass rushing abilities in common. The defense hasn't been concentrating much on the second round pick just because of the mega-talents Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson already featured on the Bengals' line. Hunt can earn his way onto the field on third down snaps by performing well in the preseason. To be able to go up against backup linemen on the Falcons will be a good measuring strip of Hunt's progress since being drafted. If he looks like a mismatch out there, he may be bumped up to competing with Robert Geathers and Gilberry for regular season snaps. 

The pick on the Bengals' part was a smart one in that the team can afford to take a chance on potential alone with Hunt. The worst case is Hunt doesn't reach the field at all this season, which may be cause for inner motivation for Hunt's NFL future. I don't think that will end up happening though. I believe Hunt will have multiple sacks in the preseason and open the eyes of Mike Zimmer. If Hunt can keep his pad level low enough, he will be a nightmare on the outside. Pass rushers with a combination of immense size and speed are just hard to find in the league. JJ Watt has been the ideal pass rusher for the last couple of years. Hunt is taller and almost as strong as Watt, and probably is quicker off the line as well. All everyone can do is wait and see if Hunt has the fire to excel in the league. His physical tools are already better than most, so he may just have the DNA to mold into a star. 

Bengals vs. Falcons preview

Football is officially back for the Cincinnati Bengals tonight when they open up the preseason with a matchup against one of the most talented teams in the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons. This game inside the Georgia Dome could be a preview of playoff football come February as both teams have Super Bowl aspirations coming off of playoff berths in 2012. The Bengals currently feature one of the top defenses in the NFL dating back to 2009, and the Falcons' offense has been at the top of the league since Matt Ryan began throwing to targets like Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez. Tonight's matchup will involve the starters for a series or two as well as many lower string players on the roster bubble competing to prove their worth. AJ Green, Andrew Whitworth, Julio Jones, and Tony Gonzalez are out of tonight's game, although each would most likely be playing if this were the regular season. The game should still be intriguing to watch on ESPN tonight because of the depth that both teams have proven to maintain on their rosters over the past few seasons. Here are some matchups to watch in preseason game number one.

-Dane Sanzenbacher vs. Falcons secondary/linebackers-Sanzenbacher figures to get a lot of snaps with Andrew Hawkins, AJ Green and Marvin Jones all likely out for the game. Mohamed Sanu will receive plenty of targets from Andy Dalton with the first team unit, but a reliable slot receiver like Sanzenbacher is always useful as a safety valve for short yardage, efficient plays to aid the quarterback. Sean Weatherspoon and Stephen Nicholas are two of the top linebackers in the league, so they will do their best to contain Sanzenbacher on passing plays over the middle.

-James Harrison vs. Falcons O-line-The NFL's most dangerous player is going to suit up in a game for the Bengals for the first time in his career, and the Falcons offensive line should have some trouble containing the pass rusher. Harrison has the blanket of a fabulous Bengals defensive line, which will allow him to expose one on one matchups with the Falcons front. The Falcons also just lost starting tackle Mike Johnson for the season during a recent practice with the Bengals. 

-Brandon Ghee vs. Falcons receivers-Ghee is getting one final opportunity to make his mark in the league after battling season ending injuries since entering the league. Ghee has been known to have stepped up in offseason workouts and at the start of training camp, enough so to beat out Dre Kirkpatrick as one of the backup corners. Ghee is as athletic and quick a corner as the Bengals have on the roster, and could certainly be relied on as the team's fourth cornerback and a valuable reserve. Ghee may even get a little bit of time against the Falcons' best receivers playing in the game, Roddy White and Harry Douglas.

-Andy Dalton vs. Falcons corners/safeties-Dalton is expected to make a huge leap in year three in order to lead the Bengals to playoff glory. Tonight, Dalton may only attempt three to five throws, but William Moore, Thomas DeCoud, Asante Samuel, and Desmond Trufant make up a dynamic secondary on the Falcons eyeing Dalton in the pocket. The Bengals are without Andrew Whitworth, the leader of their offense, for the first couple of preseason games, so the rest of the line needs to step up and allow Dalton to make the proper reads. Dalton will key in on targets like Tyler Eifert, Giovani Bernard, Mohamed Sanu, and Dane Sanzenbacher tonight. Sanu can really show how much of a comeback season he can have by burning Samuel in the opener. As long as Dalton moves the offense a little bit and doesn't force the ball into tight coverages, it should be a successful night for the veteran.

-George Iloka vs. Falcons offense-Iloka earns his first NFL start at the strong safety spot tonight, and it will be a tall task to replace the smartest player Mike Zimmer has had in his system for the past few years, Chris Crocker. Crocker is still waiting for this safety group to falter so he can return in stripes, but Iloka seems to be up to the challenge. Iloka is a smart player who fits the team oriented defensive style. He won't get out of line to try to make the terrorizing hits like Taylor Mays, and something can be said for just staying within the scheme and making the proper reads. You can't help but like Iloka's 6'4 build and his college reputation at Boise State, where he won a ton of games. The fifth round pick is the right choice to start in the preseason at this juncture, although Shawn Williams is only a few notches behind him on that ladder. 

-Rex Burkhead vs. Boom Herron-This is one battle where the two teammates are indirectly fighting each other. Burkhead and Herron are competing for a roster spot right now as the third down back with Benjarvus Green-Ellis, Giovani Bernard, and Cedric Peerman likely already roster locks. Burkhead is an offensive weapon, more so than Peerman and Herron, but he has to beat out Herron on special teams. That could be difficult considering Herron proved his special teams worth on punt returns last year with his punt blocking ability. Burkhead catches, runs, and blocks well, so he could show up big time with the second and third units against the Falcons backups. The second team offense looks much more appealing this season with Josh Johnson and Burkhead providing more explosive and productive options for the offensive game plan.  

Rich Hidy

Cincy Sports Spot

Hard Knocks observations

Doesn't the opening episode of Hard Knocks bring excitement and anticipation for the football season? Last night's debut of the 2013 edition of the show featuring the Cincinnati Bengals packed a great deal of insights into the team and training camp in Cincinnati right from the get go. Training camp has only been occurring for a couple of weeks now, yet it seems like so much has happened with the team. The first show with the Bengals was probably better than any of the Dolphins Hard Knocks episodes last season. Everyone on this year's Bengals team seems unified and determined to reach the goals set forth by the coaching staff. The players seem to be bonding along the way, and their enthusiasm for the game is evident while watching.

-Hue Jackson is an extremely involved Associate Head Coach. His experience with the Raiders in the top job gives him credibility to influence the team almost as much as Marvin Lewis. The players genuinely like and respect Jackson, even jawing with him throughout practice. Jackson has the perspective of working with both the offense and defensive sides of the ball, and he has relationships with each of the Bengals' players. The show reveals Giovani Bernard as Jackson's golden child, and he rightly wants to keep his rookie playmaker healthy. Jackson is a charismatic speech maker and is now on the short list of assistants to watch for in interviews for potential head coaching positions at the end of the year. 

-Watch out for Jermaine Gresham. Not only did Gresham dominate the Oklahoma drill by pancaking star defensive tackle Geno Atkins, but his overall attitude this season seems to be me against the world. I don't care if Gresham may have jumped off the line early in that drill. Taking Geno Atkins to the ground is no small feat. The Bengals are expecting a great deal out of Gresham, who is getting less attention than Tyler Eifert in a contract year. Gresham is determined to rebound after a tough playoff game in 2012 and has a chance to break out as a top five tight end. 

-Gio Bernard is getting a lot of attention. Especially from his teammates on defense, who have seemed to target the diminutive running back in practices. Vontaze Burfict even joked that Bernard is like a tackling dummy. The Bengals have a fierce defense that is not afraid to bring the hammer, so Bernard is getting a crash course in the physicality of the NFL every day in practice. This is the best way for the rookie running back to develop an AFC North running style. Bernard seems like a genuinely nice person who is a great addition to the locker room. 

-The pursuit of excellence. I thought that was the best line of the entire show last night. Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer made it known to his defense that this team has expectations to win the Super Bowl. Jay Gruden said the same thing to his offense. The return of most of the successful players from last year along with an in tact coaching staff makes that dream a possibility. Zimmer's defense may have to carry the Bengals early on with new weapons impacting the lineup on offense such as Bernard, Tyler Eifert, and Orson Charles, but the team on paper is one of the three most talented rosters in football. 

-The emotions of the NFL were shown in the grimmest of ways towards the end of the episode with the season ending knee and ankle injuries of Larry Black. Black, according to Jay Hayes, had the potential to become a solid NFL nose tackle, and now he might not be back on the field for a year. The Bengals placed Black on the waived/IR list, but he will have an opportunity to rejoin the club and rehab for the future. The raw disappointment on Black's face was evident in the trainer's room during Hard Knocks. Black was sobbing after calling his parents to let them know about his injury. The NFL is a cutthroat business, and Black is smart enough to realize this might have been his only shot at the league. Black's teammates are behind him as Domata Peko spoke for everyone by saying Black is part of the Bengals family. Hopefully Black can successfully heal and reach his dream of playing in NFL games. 

Rich Hidy 

Cincy Sports Spot

Sanzenbacher sets sights on slot

Injuries play a large role in earning regular season opportunities for players in football. The Packers won the Super Bowl with fifteen players on IR back in 2011. Lesser known players had to step up that year and fit into the winning ways of the team. The 2013 Bengals would prefer to keep everyone healthy heading into opening day of the football season in September, but the reality is they probably will be without at the very least third year receiver Andrew Hawkins for a number of weeks. Hawkins is a candidate to start the year on the IR-designated to return list, much like Kyle Cook last season when he was able to step into the rotation halfway through the year. The Bengals were certainly relying on Hawkins to progress from his fifty catch season in the slot last year. The explosive Hawkins is an electrifying route runner who relies on his speed to fool defenders, so the ankle injury he suffered will have to completely heal before he steps back on the field.

Into the fray steps Dane Sanzenbacher, one of the most celebrated wideouts in the Jim Tressel era at Ohio State. The 5'11 Sanzenbacher is just twenty-four years old and signed with the Bengals at the end of last season after he was cut by Chicago. He is the ideal slot receiver for a team that has thrived with Hawkins and Jordan Shipley in the recent past. Ryan Whalen will also get a shot to earn snaps with the three wideout first team sets, but Sanzenbacher has proven to be a savvy competitor with an attitude of always defying the odds.

Teams have always questioned Sanzenbacher's physical stature throughout his NFL career. Nobody can question Sanzenbacher's ability to make tight catches and his toughness to be able to stick to his routes. Those traits make up the undervalued duties of a slot man. Sanzenbacher survived final cuts in 2011 after signing with the Bears as an undrafted free agent, and went on to become a valuable weapon for Jay Cutler, playing in all sixteen games and catching twenty-seven balls for almost three hundred yards and three touchdowns. All that production came after a senior season at Ohio State in which Sanzenbacher has 948 yards, thirteen touchdowns, and 17.2 yards per catch. Sanzenbacher finished his Ohio State career eleventh in school history in terms of receiving behind the likes of Joey Galloway, Santonio Holmes, and 2013 Hall of Fame inductee Cris Carter.

Sanzenbacher has had a relatively quiet training camp, but since the Hawkins injury, reports have come from Bengals reporters that say Sanzenbacher has been beating coverages and consistently providing a stable weapon. Sanzenbacher apparently played well in the two practices against the Falcons. Andy Dalton doesn't need many big yardage plays from the slot receiver. AJ Green and Marvin Jones will be the primary deep threats and the receivers that have the ability to squeeze by potential tacklers. Green and Mohamed Sanu also will be rotated into the slot position along with tight end Tyler Eifert.

Sanzenbacher is looking at a two man battle for a roster spot with Ryan Whalen. Give Sanzenbacher the edge with his innate traits for the slot position. Whalen fits more on the outside where he has played in a few games with the Bengals. Green, Sanu, Brandon Tate, and Marvin Jones are locks to make the team with Hawkins on the shelf. Cobi Hamilton will most likely beat the final cuts with an intriguing potential to develop later in the year and into the future. Sanzenbacher and Whalen will separate themselves based on positive preseason snaps with both the first and second team units starting Thursday night in Atlanta. The Falcons have one of the most experienced teams in the NFC, so they will provide a test for the young receivers to try to excel with quarterbacks Andy Dalton and Josh Johnson in the West Coast Offense.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

Reds injury report

The Reds are missing a total of six players who have participated in games at the Major League level for the team due to relatively serious injuries. This has forced Cincinnati to call up minor league subpar talent such as Curtis Partch, Pedro Villareal, and Corky Miller to fill innings and buy time to get the regulars healthy. The Reds would be lucky to get a majority of these players back before September call-ups in order to make a run at the end of the season. It isn't always the best team that wins the World Series. It is usually the hottest team that makes the playoffs at the end of the year that carries its success over to the late rounds of the playoffs. The Reds could use some reinforcements to make that run.

Ryan Hanigan: Hanigan has missed almost a month now as he tries to regain his starting catcher form after a sprained wrist. Hanigan is the best catcher in the league with the exception of Yadier Molina at handling pitching staffs. Devin Mesoraco has stepped up at the plate for the Reds with some home runs and a .253 batting average, but he was behind the plate when the Reds gave up almost thirty runs in two games against the Cardinals. Hanigan is a steady presence in the bottom part of the order and a solid veteran. The latest reports say Hanigan is set to return either tomorrow or Friday in the second game against Oakland or in the opener of the Padres series. The Reds will probably hold off Hanigan until that game Friday because of Mesoraco's sudden hitting burst.

Ryan Ludwick: Everyone wants to see Ludwick back in action playing left field for the Reds. The Reds played their best baseball last season with Ludwick in the fourth spot in the order in the second half of the year. Ludwick is working on his third week with a rehab assignment, currently sporting a 2/28 line for the Louisville Bats. Ludwick is working the rust off and can't be expected to start off with a hot streak when he returns this weekend, but just having a proven commodity in left field and a revamped batting order should kickstart the offense. Ludwick's freak shoulder injury on Opening Day is now behind him and he should be able to focus on helping to get the Reds back to the playoffs.

Sean Marshall: It's a mystery as to whether or not Marshall will return to the bullpen this season. Marshall, Jonathan Broxton, and Aroldis Chapman made up the best 7-8-9 bullpen stretch team in the league, and one of the best trios the league has seen. Marshall had been progressing in his bullpen sessions and probably would have been sent on a short rehab assignment if not for a setback on his shoulder and re-examination on July 30 after throwing. Marshall is the most far off from a comeback besides Johnny Cueto and obviously Nick Masset. Marshall shouldn't be counted on until September, although he may not find his way back at all this year.

Jonathan Broxton: Broxton last threw in a game on August 3 and now the big news of the day is that Broxton will return tomorrow and be available to pitch. Broxton has been missed while the Reds have covered for him with a mixture of Alfredo Simon, Sam LeCure, and JJ Hoover. Despite a tendency to pitch himself into trouble at times, Broxton has a career 3.17 ERA and was an outstanding setup man after coming over at the trade deadline in 2012. Pedro Villareal is the most likely candidate to head back down to Triple A with the Broxton move, which will instantly upgrade a shaky bullpen.

Johnny Cueto: Cueto still hasn't started throwing again since his last start and re-injury of the lat muscle that has plagued him since Game 1 of the NLDS in 2012. Once Cueto does start to throw off the mound again, he might need to rethink his approach and change his windup. Cueto has been missing from the rotation since June 28, and although Tony Cingrani is 5-1 with an ERA in the low 3's, Cueto is the best pitcher on the team. Much like Marshall, Cueto won't be counted on until right before the playoffs. It will take some time before Cueto can make it back to pitching in the big leagues, so he will need multiple bullpen sessions and a second rehab assignment. Cueto is 4-2 with a 3.33 ERA despite his inability to pitch in multiple consecutive starts.

Nick Masset: Will Masset ever reach the MLB and pitch again? It's a fair question after Masset's surgery on his shoulder last September. Masset looked like he would be back with the Reds before that surgery in 2012 and even this year before he was shut down in June after a bullpen session. The bottom line is Masset cannot stay healthy after pitching with his best stuff in trial runs on the mound. He hasn't been with the Reds since 2011 and won't be back until Spring Training in 2014. That might be his last shot to regain his position in a MLB
bullpen with the Reds where he pitched 75 innings with a 3.71 ERA in 2011.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

Hard Knocks: What to watch for in premier

The first episode of the Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals 2013 edition of the show premiers tonight at 10 p.m. on HBO. The Bengals are used to the Hard Knocks spotlight after participating in the documentary in 2009. Camera crews made up of tons of workers have been on the practice field and in Paul Brown Stadium during each practice filming every inch of team activities. The show will certainly focus on a number of story lines and players as the weeks of training camp progress, but the opening show will ultimately set the stage for what is to come.

AJ Green Injury: This might be the most interesting part of the show tonight. There's no doubt the Hard Knocks cameras got shots of Green taking an awkward fall battling Terrence Newman for a deep ball. Green injured his knee and will be out of the lineup over the course of the next couple of weeks. Look for Hard Knocks to capture the play itself with their advanced cameras and follow Green into the locker room to meet with the doctors to get a prognosis.

Bengals pep rally/family night: The Bengals had a rare opportunity to allow a large audience of fans into Paul Brown Stadium to get a glimpse of the players and coaches in the pep rally and the following family night for practice. It will be interesting to hear what the players thought of the events and see how they interact with the fans if the Hard Knocks crew chooses to document those nights. The practices inside Paul Brown Stadium probably aid the crew in taking better shots of plays because of the increase in space in comparison to the practice fields.

Marvin Lewis: It is interesting to witness Lewis' temperament and demeanor this summer. Lewis seems to be more relaxed and confident in this team than in many of the seasons past. Lewis even said he could cut his roster down to about sixty players at this very moment. Hard Knocks always does a thorough job in following the duties and personality of an NFL Head Coach. Not many Bengals fans truly know the real Marvin Lewis because of his nondescript press conferences and tendency to stay under the radar. I think viewers will be surprised to see Lewis loosen up during the show and rave about the 2013 Bengals, a team that he has the highest of hopes for to win multiple playoff games.

Adam Jones: We haven't heard much about Jones in the training camp practices thus far, but there have been reports of the Hard Knocks cameras following Jones into his home to see him interact with his family. Jones is coming off of his most consistent season as a professional in the league, and he is expected to fulfill his duty as the third corner and punt returner once again this season. Jones is eventually going to get a ruling from Commissioner Roger Goodell on whether or not Jones is looking at a suspension because of an incident earlier in the summer in downtown Cincinnati. The Hard Knocks crew will attempt to reveal the real Adam "Pacman" Jones, a man who might be different than the perception of the public eye.

Rookies: One of the best parts about the NFL is the initiation process of players just entering the league. The Bengals have two marquee draft picks who are going to impact the team right away in Giovani Bernard and Tyler Eifert. That doesn't mean those two and the other draft picks won't receive a little bit of hazing from the veterans. There may be a few surprise jokesters on the team. Maybe even a few of the leaders like Geno Atkins and Andy Dalton have funnier personalities than people think. Hard Knocks will help shed light on what the rookies have to do when they first enter the league and some of the pranks that are directed at them in the present day.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

Reds' division chances slipping away

The Reds finished a disappointing opening series of the home stand by losing two out of three games to the St. Louis Cardinals. Losing two out of three wasn't the primary disappointment in the series. The shocker was how the Reds lost those games. The team gave up thirteen runs in game one and fifteen in the series finale. Mike Leake, who has been a money pitcher for the Reds all season, got shelled and couldn't even last six innings against the Redbirds.

As the Pirates and Cardinals continue to climb over twenty games above the .500 mark, the Reds slip to a bottom of the Wild Card battle with the likes of Arizona and Washington. This team would have no chance at the playoffs if this situation had presented itself last season. The Reds are lucky to be playing ten games above .500 and still have a comfortable lead in the chance at a one game playoff with a division rival. The weaknesses of this team are starting to stick out and haunt the Reds in games.

The Reds are missing four of their top players in Ryan Ludwick, Johnny Cueto, Jonathan Broxton, and Sean Marshall. No doubt if the Reds were playing with these four, they would be closer to the division lead. The main issue with these injuries is that there is no end in sight for a couple of the players. Ludwick and Broxton are encouragingly coming along and may both be ready for a return in the next week. Broxton will revert to his eighth inning role in the bullpen and Ludwick will eventually bat cleanup in the lineup. This will help the Reds re-familiarize with the core of last season's NL Central Championship team, but how much will two players really help?

Marshall and Cueto are by the looks of it from a spectator's eye out for the season. This is purely speculation and there are no reports that back this up, but Marshall suffered a setback during one of his last throwing sessions and Cueto hasn't picked up a baseball since his injury. Cueto has been on and off the DL throughout the season so much that the Reds may just concentrate on getting him fully healthy for 2014. If Marshall and Cueto are expected to be back at some point this year, I wouldn't count on either to be activated on the roster until late September.

What the Reds really need right now is more production out of left field and third base. Xavier Paul, Chris Heisey, and Derrick Robinson are just average players starting in the two hole in Dusty Baker's lineup. No doubt these three deserve to be on an MLB roster, but none of them can be expected to win the Reds games with their bats. Ludwick will help defray some of the pressure Baker's lineup is being put under with a less than ideal two hole hitter, but that might take some time. The good thing about the Reds' hitters right now is that Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips seem to be finding the gaps again.

Todd Frazier has been the biggest disappointment of the entire season for Cincinnati. He is undoubtedly a great clubhouse teammate and one of the most promising prospects on the team after a prominent rookie season, but his .235 average and 0/28 hitting slump have really put a damper on one of the players the Reds expected to drive in runs. In all seriousness, if Scott Rolen is in playing shape and wants to take on the challenge of playing in the majors again, I think it would be a good idea to bring one of the greatest leaders in Reds history back and try a proven bat and glove at third base to at least platoon with the young Frazier like in 2012. When Rolen was with the Reds, the Reds won more times than not. That should count for something. I have no idea whether Rolen is enjoying his retirement or if he is itching to play again in the MLB, but it would be worth giving him a call.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot