Ask Mark

They're pulling for the Bengals from afar.

Question, from Daniel in An Najaf, Iraq: My name is Capt. Daniel Gilkey. I am a U.S. Marine and Cincinnati native currently in An Najaf, Iraq. I am a die-hard Bengals fan who still dwells on the glory days of the Jungle in the 1980s.

How do this year's Bengals really stack up against the other teams in our division? Should I hope for a division title, a wild-card berth, perhaps a .500 record? Or am I going to be losing bets again?

Answer: It would be inappropriate, especially on this Memorial Day weekend, not to first say thank you for your service and best wishes for your safe return.

As for the Bengals, look at them this way: They can't do worse this year than last, when they finished 0-6 against AFC North Division rivals.

Cleveland looks to be down from last year's wild-card run. The Browns appear unsettled at quarterback, and they have several holes in the defense. Pittsburgh is always good, though its defense is coming off a disappointing season.

Baltimore was in the playoff chase until the last weekend of the season in spite of a major rebuilding project. The Ravens had an outstanding draft, though major questions remain at quarterback.

The Bengals had fourth-quarter leads on the Steelers and Ravens last season before losing. So the distance to close might not be as great as it would appear. The Bengals had one of the league's top drafts. They have signed veteran free agents who figure to contribute. Of course, the only measure of success is victories.

Q, from Rocky in Erlanger: I am a huge Bengals fan and was very high on the Bengals' second-round pick last year, Lamont Thompson. Is he going to be a factor this year and start at safety? Who will start in the secondary this season?

A: Thompson again will have the opportunity to earn playing time. His rookie season was a disappointment, with only one interception and his inability to hold the starting job.

Although coach Marvin Lewis has yet to release a depth chart, Mark Roman is running with the first team at free safety, and Marquand Manuel is the strong safety. Look for converted cornerback Kevin Kaesviharn to be in the mix at safety, too. The cornerbacks, at this point, appear to be Artrell Hawkins and Tory James. Jeff Burris will play, and rookie Dennis Weathersby, if his health returns, should challenge for a role.

Q, from Brent in Cypress, Texas: Do you think the combination of Lewis and new players will have an immediate impact in reducing big plays given up on defense, or will his system take most of the season to see results? Do you anticipate the defense to be more smash-mouth tough or more aggressive in creating turnovers?

A: All of the above. It took Lewis' Washington Redskins defense part of the season to turn into a unit that finished fifth in overall league defensive rankings.

The plan is to mold an aggressive defense in Cincinnati that forces turnovers and makes offenses adjust to it. The Bengals forced just 20 turnovers in 2002, better only than Buffalo's 19.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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