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Underdog · 10-05-2008, 07:11 AM

Bengals vs. Cowboys
Loss To Redskins Prevents Case Of Attention Deficit

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GAME SET
WHAT: Cincinnati Bengals (0-4) at Dallas Cowboys (3-1)
WHEN: Sunday, 3:15 p.m. (CDT)
WHERE: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas
TELEVISION: CBS (Jim Nantz and Phil Simms)

BIG ISSUE: The Cowboys may be lucky they lost to the Redskins last Sunday, because if they had won and gone 4-0, this game against the winless Bengals could have been considered a trap game. But the Cowboys didn't beat the Redskins, and now they're a team on a mission. A win might not bump them up or down in the division standings, but at least it would help them keep pace. If the Giants beat the Seahawks Sunday, they still would be a half-game ahead of the Cowboys if they beat the Bengals. If the Redskins beat the Eagles, they still would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Cowboys. However, if the Eagles win and the Giants lose, the Cowboys would be in sole possession of first place for the first time all season.

For the Bengals, it's probably win now or else. No matter what happens in the AFC North this week, Cincinnati would still be in last place even with a win. But, beating a high-powered team like the Cowboys could be just what the doctor ordered to get the Bengals back on track. Cincinnati has not had a particularly easy first quarter of the year, losing to three strong defensive teams, Baltimore, Tennessee and the New York Giants, and then facing conference rival Cleveland with starting quarterback Carson Palmer out with an elbow injury. Like wide receiver Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson said earlier in the week, the Bengals will be throwing the kitchen sink at the Cowboys, because at this point, they have to.

NUMBERS, PLEASE: While the most memorable passing gains against the Cowboys defense have been deep catches, Dallas actually excels at limiting the big passing play. The Cowboys are tied for fourth in the league in limiting deep passes, allowing only seven catches of 20 yards or more this season.

Bengals' top receiving options Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh haven't had such a slow scoring start since 2004. That's the last time those two receivers only had one touchdown each through the first four games of the season.

ONE-ON-ONE: The Cowboys cornerback corps, headlined by Terence Newman, Anthony Henry and Adam Jones, did not have a stellar day last week, giving up touchdowns to the likes of James Thrash and Antwaan Randle El, and more than 140 receiving yards to the speedy Santana Moss. While the Bengals' receivers may not be as productive so far this season, they far exceed the Redskins in talent. Chad Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are both Pro Bowl-caliber receivers, and have the talent to go against any corner one-on-one. Aside from being maybe the most talented wide receiver duo in the NFL, they may also be the most interestingly surnamed. After what Washington did to the Cowboys last week through the air, expect Ocho Cinco and Houshmandzadeh to get a lot of looks, especially if Dallas decides to use more man coverage.

Even with the offense out of sync last week, the Cowboys were able to show why you don't cover tight end Jason Witten with a linebacker, since Witten beat Marcus Washington down the seam for a score. Still, linebacker-tight end coverage match-ups are inevitable at some point during the game, and the man who will attempt to corral Witten this week will be linebacker Dhani Jones. Jones has more experience with Witten than most, due to his stints with the Giants and the Eagles (seven years total), and is serviceable in pass coverage, deflecting at least two passes a year since 2002. He already has two breakups in four games this season, and he leads the NFL in tackles.

SUPPORTING ROLE: It's looking like the Cowboys strong safety position has a higher turnover than the local McDonald's. Since starter Roy Williams is still out after fracturing his forearm two weeks ago, and immediate backup Pat Watkins will sit with a chronic neck stinger, Cowboys prodigal son Keith Davis will now start. Davis spent the off-season with the Miami Dolphins in hopes of vying for a starting spot, but a shoulder injury put him out of the picture early in camp, and now he's back as special teams captain in Dallas. It's not as if Davis needs a lot of catching up in the system since he spent all of last season under head coach Wade Phillips, but to preserve his effectiveness on special teams, the team will use second-year safety Courtney Brown in sub-packages. Brown served in the same capacity against Green Bay and Washington the past two weeks.

The Bengals may be relying on someone recently signed as well, but in this case that signing is way more recent than Davis'. Earlier in the week, Cincinnati officially added former Bears running back Cedric Benson to the roster, and head coach Marvin Lewis has said Benson will play Sunday despite his unfamiliarity with the playbook. Benson, who was released by Chicago after being arrested for two unrelated alcohol-related incidents, has since been cleared of all wrongdoing when a Travis County (Texas) Grand Jury decided not to charge him. The Bengals have been hit with a rash of injuries recently at the running back position, with starter Chris Perry probable but still nursing a hamstring injury, backup Kenny Watson questionable with a hamstring injury and third-stringer DeDe Dorsey placed on injured-reserve earlier in the week with a hamstring injury.

HEADSET GAMES: Only giving the ball to running back Marion Barber eight times and not letting rookie runner Felix Jones touch the ball at all are two mistakes the Cowboys will not repeat from last week, especially against a Bengals defense allowing more than 160 yards rushing a game, good for 28th in the league. That doesn't mean they won't pass the ball, though, since Phillips has stressed the need for a balanced attack after a one-dimensional effort last week resulted in a loss despite scoring 24 points. That means Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo won't check out of a ton of running plays at the line of scrimmage, even if the Bengals put eight men in the box. He may check out of the called running play, but possibly into another running play rather than into a pass, Phillips said.

Sitting back in zone coverage hasn't yielded interceptions like the Cowboys hoped, so maybe against the Bengals the Dallas corners will play more man coverage than in previous weeks. That's a tall order against receivers like Ocho Cinco and Houshmandzadeh, but if anyone has the personnel to do it, it's the Cowboys. Playing bump-and-run coverage disrupts timing more than zone does - look at Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens' first half last week for proof of that - and timing will be imperative for Palmer and the Bengals offense with Cowboys outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis bearing down on them. Playing off the line of scrimmage let Washington quarterback Jason Campbell get into a rhythm last week. Don't expect Dallas to make the same mistake with a veteran like Palmer.

HEALTH WATCH:

Cowboys
This will be exhausting, so get comfortable. The injury list for both teams is quite long. The Cowboys have two players out, neither of whom are surprises: Starting left guard Kyle Kosier (foot) and starting strong safety Roy Williams. Backup safety Pat Watkins (neck) is doubtful, and is unlikely to play. Four players are listed as questionable - backup defensive end Stephen Bowen (hamstring), backup nose tackle Tank Johnson (ankle), starting corner Terence Newman (groin) and starting center Andre Gurode (ankle). Newman and Gurode both had limited participation Friday and both figure to be game-time decision. Gurode figures to start, but if he can't, Cory Procter would slide over to center and Montrae Holland would start at left guard. Newman was a surprise addition to the injury report after fully practicing on Wednesday and Thursday. If he's aggravated his recovering groin to the point of having to sit, Pacman Jones would start in his place. Starting tight end Jason Witten (shoulder) and starting fullback Deon Anderson are listed as probable and will play.

Bengals
One player is already ruled out for Sunday's game - starting strong safety Dexter Jackson (thumb). Backup middle linebacker Corey Mays (ankle) is doubtful to play. Three Bengals are listed as questionable - starting quarterback Carson Palmer (elbow), backup running back Kenny Watson (hamstring) and starting cornerback Jonathan Joseph (ankle). Joseph and Palmer had full practices on Friday and seem more likely to play than not. Four players are listed as probable - starting linebacker Dhani Jones (foot), starting left tackle Levi Jones (knee), starting defensive tackle Domata Peko (hand), and starting running back Chris Perry (hamstring).

10-05-2008, 07:11 AM	#3
Underdog Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 41.21.1 Posts: 36,143	Bengals vs. Cowboys Loss To Redskins Prevents Case Of Attention Deficit link GAME SET WHAT: Cincinnati Bengals (0-4) at Dallas Cowboys (3-1) WHEN: Sunday, 3:15 p.m. (CDT) WHERE: Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas TELEVISION: CBS (Jim Nantz and Phil Simms) BIG ISSUE: The Cowboys may be lucky they lost to the Redskins last Sunday, because if they had won and gone 4-0, this game against the winless Bengals could have been considered a trap game. But the Cowboys didn't beat the Redskins, and now they're a team on a mission. A win might not bump them up or down in the division standings, but at least it would help them keep pace. If the Giants beat the Seahawks Sunday, they still would be a half-game ahead of the Cowboys if they beat the Bengals. If the Redskins beat the Eagles, they still would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Cowboys. However, if the Eagles win and the Giants lose, the Cowboys would be in sole possession of first place for the first time all season. For the Bengals, it's probably win now or else. No matter what happens in the AFC North this week, Cincinnati would still be in last place even with a win. But, beating a high-powered team like the Cowboys could be just what the doctor ordered to get the Bengals back on track. Cincinnati has not had a particularly easy first quarter of the year, losing to three strong defensive teams, Baltimore, Tennessee and the New York Giants, and then facing conference rival Cleveland with starting quarterback Carson Palmer out with an elbow injury. Like wide receiver Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson said earlier in the week, the Bengals will be throwing the kitchen sink at the Cowboys, because at this point, they have to. NUMBERS, PLEASE: While the most memorable passing gains against the Cowboys defense have been deep catches, Dallas actually excels at limiting the big passing play. The Cowboys are tied for fourth in the league in limiting deep passes, allowing only seven catches of 20 yards or more this season. Bengals' top receiving options Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh haven't had such a slow scoring start since 2004. That's the last time those two receivers only had one touchdown each through the first four games of the season. ONE-ON-ONE: The Cowboys cornerback corps, headlined by Terence Newman, Anthony Henry and Adam Jones, did not have a stellar day last week, giving up touchdowns to the likes of James Thrash and Antwaan Randle El, and more than 140 receiving yards to the speedy Santana Moss. While the Bengals' receivers may not be as productive so far this season, they far exceed the Redskins in talent. Chad Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are both Pro Bowl-caliber receivers, and have the talent to go against any corner one-on-one. Aside from being maybe the most talented wide receiver duo in the NFL, they may also be the most interestingly surnamed. After what Washington did to the Cowboys last week through the air, expect Ocho Cinco and Houshmandzadeh to get a lot of looks, especially if Dallas decides to use more man coverage. Even with the offense out of sync last week, the Cowboys were able to show why you don't cover tight end Jason Witten with a linebacker, since Witten beat Marcus Washington down the seam for a score. Still, linebacker-tight end coverage match-ups are inevitable at some point during the game, and the man who will attempt to corral Witten this week will be linebacker Dhani Jones. Jones has more experience with Witten than most, due to his stints with the Giants and the Eagles (seven years total), and is serviceable in pass coverage, deflecting at least two passes a year since 2002. He already has two breakups in four games this season, and he leads the NFL in tackles. SUPPORTING ROLE: It's looking like the Cowboys strong safety position has a higher turnover than the local McDonald's. Since starter Roy Williams is still out after fracturing his forearm two weeks ago, and immediate backup Pat Watkins will sit with a chronic neck stinger, Cowboys prodigal son Keith Davis will now start. Davis spent the off-season with the Miami Dolphins in hopes of vying for a starting spot, but a shoulder injury put him out of the picture early in camp, and now he's back as special teams captain in Dallas. It's not as if Davis needs a lot of catching up in the system since he spent all of last season under head coach Wade Phillips, but to preserve his effectiveness on special teams, the team will use second-year safety Courtney Brown in sub-packages. Brown served in the same capacity against Green Bay and Washington the past two weeks. The Bengals may be relying on someone recently signed as well, but in this case that signing is way more recent than Davis'. Earlier in the week, Cincinnati officially added former Bears running back Cedric Benson to the roster, and head coach Marvin Lewis has said Benson will play Sunday despite his unfamiliarity with the playbook. Benson, who was released by Chicago after being arrested for two unrelated alcohol-related incidents, has since been cleared of all wrongdoing when a Travis County (Texas) Grand Jury decided not to charge him. The Bengals have been hit with a rash of injuries recently at the running back position, with starter Chris Perry probable but still nursing a hamstring injury, backup Kenny Watson questionable with a hamstring injury and third-stringer DeDe Dorsey placed on injured-reserve earlier in the week with a hamstring injury. HEADSET GAMES: Only giving the ball to running back Marion Barber eight times and not letting rookie runner Felix Jones touch the ball at all are two mistakes the Cowboys will not repeat from last week, especially against a Bengals defense allowing more than 160 yards rushing a game, good for 28th in the league. That doesn't mean they won't pass the ball, though, since Phillips has stressed the need for a balanced attack after a one-dimensional effort last week resulted in a loss despite scoring 24 points. That means Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo won't check out of a ton of running plays at the line of scrimmage, even if the Bengals put eight men in the box. He may check out of the called running play, but possibly into another running play rather than into a pass, Phillips said. Sitting back in zone coverage hasn't yielded interceptions like the Cowboys hoped, so maybe against the Bengals the Dallas corners will play more man coverage than in previous weeks. That's a tall order against receivers like Ocho Cinco and Houshmandzadeh, but if anyone has the personnel to do it, it's the Cowboys. Playing bump-and-run coverage disrupts timing more than zone does - look at Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens' first half last week for proof of that - and timing will be imperative for Palmer and the Bengals offense with Cowboys outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis bearing down on them. Playing off the line of scrimmage let Washington quarterback Jason Campbell get into a rhythm last week. Don't expect Dallas to make the same mistake with a veteran like Palmer. HEALTH WATCH: Cowboys This will be exhausting, so get comfortable. The injury list for both teams is quite long. The Cowboys have two players out, neither of whom are surprises: Starting left guard Kyle Kosier (foot) and starting strong safety Roy Williams. Backup safety Pat Watkins (neck) is doubtful, and is unlikely to play. Four players are listed as questionable - backup defensive end Stephen Bowen (hamstring), backup nose tackle Tank Johnson (ankle), starting corner Terence Newman (groin) and starting center Andre Gurode (ankle). Newman and Gurode both had limited participation Friday and both figure to be game-time decision. Gurode figures to start, but if he can't, Cory Procter would slide over to center and Montrae Holland would start at left guard. Newman was a surprise addition to the injury report after fully practicing on Wednesday and Thursday. If he's aggravated his recovering groin to the point of having to sit, Pacman Jones would start in his place. Starting tight end Jason Witten (shoulder) and starting fullback Deon Anderson are listed as probable and will play. Bengals One player is already ruled out for Sunday's game - starting strong safety Dexter Jackson (thumb). Backup middle linebacker Corey Mays (ankle) is doubtful to play. Three Bengals are listed as questionable - starting quarterback Carson Palmer (elbow), backup running back Kenny Watson (hamstring) and starting cornerback Jonathan Joseph (ankle). Joseph and Palmer had full practices on Friday and seem more likely to play than not. Four players are listed as probable - starting linebacker Dhani Jones (foot), starting left tackle Levi Jones (knee), starting defensive tackle Domata Peko (hand), and starting running back Chris Perry (hamstring). __________________ These days being a fan is a competition to see who can be the most upset when your team loses. That proves you love winning more. That's how it works.