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

Depth chart released--Insights on the defense

The Bengals' defense is largely expected to take that next step into the NFL elite this season after retaining every key player on the unit and keeping underrated Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer. The offseason has been reasonably quiet in terms of positioning battles with the defense, so when the depth chart was released, a scan of the starting lineup looks similar to last season at each position group. There can still be movement and spots on the team up for grabs especially at the backup units on the defensive side of the ball, however.

-After receiving his forty plus million dollar extension, it seems Carlos Dunlap has finally been inserted into the starting lineup. Dunlap suffered a concussion in practice, but that won't keep him out more than a week. Dunlap and Michael Johnson on the other side of the defensive line can generated over twenty sacks in 2013. Domata Peko and Geno Atkins start at the inside spots on the defensive line, but expect Devon Still to get plenty of action next to Atkins this season.

-The linebacking starters have been known since James Harrison signed with the Bengals this offseason. Harrison, Rey Maualuga, and Vontaze Burfict can punish players with the ball, so expect some forced fumbles to show up on the stat sheet this season from that position group. Emmanuel Lamur is the fourth linebacker on the team and will be in on third down and longs over the course of the year. He is one of the best young prospects on the Bengals. Sean Porter is the only other linebacker on the roster who can earn snaps with the starters. Aaron Maybin and Vinny Rey have been in the NFL for a few seasons now and it is time for them to step up.

-Dre Kirkpatrick is somehow behind Brandon Ghee on the depth chart at this stage, but that could very well be for motivational purposes. Kirkpatrick has flashed ball skills during training camp and has provided a blanket of coverage that has to be recognized by the coaches. He is beginning to flash his first round potential. The cornerback position looks like it is pretty solid heading into 2013.

-Reggie Nelson is the consistent starter at the free safety spot, but the news of the day is George Iloka getting the nod at strong safety. He is the right pick based on his coverage skills, which are better than the competition right now. Iloka has learned how to read the quarterback from Chris Crocker, who stepped in out of nowhere and played well in 2012. Iloka was one of the greatest defenders in Boise State history, and his rangy athleticism could hold off Shawn Williams and Taylor Mays until the start of the season, although I'm still not convinced the Bengals won't make a call to Crocker at some point.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

Training camp observations

The preparation for 2013 has fully begun with the start of training camp. The Bengals play in a week against the Falcons, and they are beginning to integrate the important details to make the approach of this season successful. The first family night of the Bengals season was a success for fans and players alike on Thursday evening. The team was able to practice inside Paul Brown Stadium and begin to compete with some live hitting action in pads. 

-Tyler Eifert looked like an elite red zone weapon. The Bengals found him on the goal line by lining him up on the outside and throwing a fade route that Eifert fought for and secured. Eifert is tall and strong enough to battle defensive backs from the outside. Putting Eifert on one side of the field and AJ Green on the other should open up some holes in the defense.

-Missing Green and Carlos Dunlap is hurting this team. The starters need to be in practicing with the first unit and an explosive pass rusher and a dominant receiver are two key cogs in any system. Robert Geathers and Marvin Jones are respectable players who will contribute in 2013, but without Green and Dunlap, the potential to have two top five sides of the ball is not quite there.

-The make or break spot on defense this year is the linebacker position group. All three projected starters are thick run stoppers who are known for ferocious hits. It remains to be seen whether Rey Maualuga, James Harrison, and Vontaze Burfict can cover tight ends and receivers over the middle. Maualuga is in better shape than last season and has the attitude to bounce back from a rough last game in 2012, but even if he covers well, the team needs big years from their pass rushing ace Harrison and Burfict, a second year man.

-Injuries are starting to pile up. The Bengals hope to have everyone back by the start of the season, but Green, Brandon Thompson, Andrew Whitworth, Carlos Dunlap, and Andrew Hawkins have all suffered reasonably serious injuries. These players each need a couple of weeks to get into playing shape, so the goal for all of them should be to play in preseason game number three. Realistically, the Bengals will take it very slow with Green and Whitworth, who are leaders of the offense. 

-Is continuity king? The Bengals will have a chance to play all their offensive starters back from a season ago, and the defense will only insert Harrison, Dunlap, and George Iloka or Shawn Williams into the opening day starting eleven. The Bengals have more weapons off the bench like Eifert and Gio Bernard on offense and Emanuel Lamur and Dre Kirkpatrick on defense, but the team better hope each of the starters continue to grow and develop together, or the same problems on third down and covering tight ends could once again haunt the team.

Rich Hidy 

Cincy Sports Spot 

Mandatory Minicamp: What to watch for

The Cincinnati Bengals are now past the stage of the OTA's and on to the mandatory minicamp as training camp inches closer and closer. The minicamp, starting this Tuesday and running through Thursday, features everybody on the roster and will surely be helpful to the coaching staff in figuring out who has the jumpstart on playing time.

Andre Smith, who has been absent during the offseason, will be back on the field for the minicamp. Smith signed a 3 year extension with the Bengals after taking hold of the starting right tackle job for the last 2 seasons. It is widely believed Smith was absent from OTA's because of a minor weight issue, an issue that Smith has hopefully taken care of through strenuous and private workouts over the last few weeks. It will be interesting to see how Smith looks when he arrives in Cincinnati. Will he be closer to his playing weight of 330 pounds, or has he ballooned to his rookie weight, when he broke his foot in training camp, of 350 pounds or more?

The experimentation of the offense will continue this week. Jay Gruden believes the Bengals will take major steps this season, and these opportunities to practice with everyone on the field are invaluable to the growth of the offensive chemistry. Andy Dalton says he has improved his deep ball accuracy this offseason. He should get some looks at one on one coverages on AJ Green and Marvin Jones on deep routes because of the complexity of double tight end sets the Bengals have planned with first round pick Tyler Eifert and Jermaine Gresham. Mohamed Sanu will also display his toughness over the middle on intermediate routes, where Dalton excels with his accuracy given he has the proper protection.

Also, it seems as though Gio Bernard is vying for the starting running back gig. Bernard has impressed Hue Jackson and Marvin Lewis since becoming the first running back taken in the 2013 NFL Draft. Bernard has all the tools to be a standout in the West Coast system, and since he is so versatile, he might beat out Benjarvus Green-Ellis. Green-Ellis is great at fighting for yards, but he isn't a superb pass catcher like Bernard. The competition will continue on through training camp, but Bernard should see plenty of snaps this week.

Finally, Rey Maualuga needs to step up and lead the defense. Maualuga is in the best shape of his career, according to reports. He has been quiet throughout the offseason, but if he really wants to make up for a poor performance in the playoff loss to Houston, Maualuga should take a more vocal role on the defense. The leaders of the defensive unit seem to be Leon Hall, Domata Peko, and Geno Atkins. These three are standouts on the field, and Maualuga should emulate them not only to gain some swagger in his play, but to also become a more noteworthy professional throughout the league.

State of the franchise: Linebackers

The Bengals enter the 2013 season with a top 10 defensive unit. The team excels under Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer year after year. However, the linebacker position is in a state of flux and is by far the Bengals' weakest position group. With the exception of Vontaze Burfict, the unit heavily underperformed last year and is looking for a massive rebounding campaign. Here is a look at what the position group looks like from top to bottom in 2013:

Starters:
SAM: James Harrison-Harrison will certainly be relied on to upgrade the position from Manny Lawson last season. Harrison is coming off of a 6 sack season with Pittsburgh. He is capable of getting many more sacks this year pass rushing behind a dominant defensive line with Geno Atkins, Michael Johnson, and Carlos Dunlap. Harrison won't be asked to cover as much as he did with the Steelers, but his rushing and leadership abilities will help the unit.

MLB: Rey Maualuga-Mauluga was quite frankly awful last season in the middle. He was second on the team in tackles, but couldn't cover the tight end position at all. He looked slow and out of shape for much of the year, and one could question his hustle on the field. The Bengals re-signed Maualuga to a two year deal, thinking he has a lot to prove this season. He'd better do just that, or the Bengals won't hesitate to move Burfict inside.

WILL: Vontaze Burfict-Burfict was fabulous after being a UDFA last year. He led the team in tackles with 127, and consistently showed up week after week with standout games. Burfict is the most talented player in the group and can be a game changer. He might be the second best young linebacker in the game behind Cincinnati native Luke Kuechly.

Backups: Emmanuel Lamur-Lamur could easily step into a starter role this year. He was another UDFA out of Kansas State, and possesses unbelievable athletic ability. Lamur will see plenty of time on the field this year, especially on 3rd downs. He is so athletic with his 6'4, 240 pound frame, that he is the best coverage backer the Bengals have on their roster. Lamur has bulked up this offseason and could be primed for a breakout year.

Vinny Rey-Rey is a solid special teams man for the Bengals. He is one of the leaders on the special teams unit, and will make the team for that reason. He is a consistent backup linebacker who saw some time on the field last year, even earning a sack.

On the bubble: Jayson DiManche, Brandon Joiner, Aaron Maybin, Dontay Moch, and Sean Porter. These 5 players will likely compete for 2 spots on the team. Sean Porter will probably make it. He was a talented player for Texas A&M and was the team's 4th round pick. Porter has some upside as a potential future WILL starter. I think Moch and Maybin have an outside chance of making the Bengals as backups to Harrison. Maybin was a 1st round pick and has bounced around the league with the Bills and Jets. He has the talent to be a contributor to the team this year after he had a 6 sack season 2 years ago. Moch was a 3rd round pick by the Bengals a couple years ago. He has all the speed in the world to win one on one match ups, but lacks the ability to stay healthy. DiManche and Joiner are 2 other UDFA's with a lot of talent. Joiner has a great success story as a player to overcome a jail sentence and reform to compete for a spot in the NFL. DiManche could be this year's Burfict if he adjusts to the NFL level well.