Moderator (Sep 12, 2003 12:01:00 PM)

Welcome to today's chat with Enquirer Bengals writer Mark Curnutte.

Amy (Sep 12, 2003 12:07:00 PM)

Mark, What's your prediction for this weekend's game.

It doesn't look good. Even though Oakland has some injury problems at receiver and in its secondary, this is the Bengals' toughest trip of the season. Raiders by at least two touchdowns.

boomer (Sep 12, 2003 12:07:00 PM)

What's your take on the QB situation? Will Marvin pull the plug on Kitna if he can't get things going this week? Will he go to Matthews or Palmer?

Kitna seems to know the pressure is on to perform better. If the offense doesn't move in the first half, Marvin Lewis might make a change in the second half. It would definitely be Matthews.

Landis (Sep 12, 2003 12:11:13 PM)

What are the Bengals going to do to stop Garner?

Good question. To stop Garner, the Bengals will need good pursuit from their quick defensive ends (on screen and dump passes). The Bengals had better hope, too, that Brian Simmons can play with his rib injury. Against the run, the tackles have to stay put and no overpursue.

Guest (Sep 12, 2003 12:12:50 PM)

Are the Bengals going to win at least 3 games this year??

I think so. They still should win five or maybe even six. Sunday's game might end up being the low point of the season. We're all going to see exactly how good a coach Marvin Lewis is. After their Oct. 12 bye, the Bengals have some very winnable games for the next five weeks.

Moderator (Sep 12, 2003 1:03:29 PM)

Thank you all for your patience as we work through some technical problems with our chat provider. We have reopened the chatroom, and Bengals writer Mark Curnutte is ready to answer your questions.

whodey (Sep 12, 2003 1:05:33 PM)

Will Keyon Whiteside play Sunday?

He'll make the trip, but he's likely to be one of the seven inactive players again. I know the coaches like him. He's the under-sized type of fast linebacker similar to Khalid Abdullah.

TheSickness07 (Sep 12, 2003 1:06:11 PM)

Pending the performance of Kitna this week, will Marvin Lewis step up and give Carson Palmer or Shane Matthews a chance?

There's a chance you might see Shane Matthews in the second half if Kitna and the offense struggle early. While Kitna made some poor decisions against Denver, he had no help from his line.

Bengal00 (Sep 12, 2003 1:07:03 PM)

Mark do you think we will see a different team arrive to play in Oakland?

Marvin Lewis hopes so. I can't imagine a more difficult Week 2 game for this team. It's a lot to ask of them to go out there and win, but a good showing would do a lot for morale.

cjar (Sep 12, 2003 1:08:34 PM)

Mark, are the changes on the offensive line really going to help the running game in Oakland this weekend? I think the only thing that is going to help is if we get the passing game going from the start. Any chance of that? Helps that Woodson is out.

The changes in the line might help a little. Braham is under appreciated as a center. With Rod Woodson out, the Raiders secondary is decidedly less effective. There should be the opportunity for some movement in the pass offense, provided the offensive line plays well.

smiley (Sep 12, 2003 1:09:33 PM)

The Bengals black pants looked much better tham the Bearcats, will the Bengals seek league approval for them?

The black pants and other changes in the uniform are in the works with the league for the Bengals. There are expected to be changes in the uniform in 2004, except for the helmets. They will stay the same.

Bengal00 (Sep 12, 2003 1:10:58 PM)

Can we expect to see more out of Corey Dillon or will the Bengals try to air it out down field more, like they should ahve done last weekend?

The offensive game plan last week was to use the run game to take pressure off the pass game. The thinking was there was less chance of error and that running the ball well would settle the players, who clearly were over-hyped. I don't know for sure, but I would think the Bengals will look down the field earlier this week. Look for Matt Schobel earlier, too. He was wide open in the middle.

cjar (Sep 12, 2003 1:12:00 PM)

Think the Bengals will look down the middle to the Tight Ends a little earlier in the game this week? Maybe get Reggie Kelly in the game a little more often?

I was just getting to that. The middle of the field with the tight ends was open in the second half against Denver, and Kitna and Matt Schobel hooked up for a couple of big gains. Reggie Kelly had to stay in and block more than coaches wanted to help with the pass rush.

whodey (Sep 12, 2003 1:13:41 PM)

How about Dennis Weathersby, He was rated high on everyones draft sheets before the shooting and really hasn't made any news since.

Weathersby's comeback is remarkable, even if he doesn't play until later this year. It's difficult to imagine what he went through, being shot as an innocent bystander and losing half of his blood. His strength continues to improve, and so does his mental outlook. He's a quiet, shy person. I've seen him cut loose on the field in the preseason, and he moves especially well.

Guest (Sep 12, 2003 1:15:03 PM)

Mark, what are your thoughts on Kitna?

I have a great deal of respect for him as a person and admire how he has maximized his physical ability. Again, he did not play well against Denver, but the line was terrible, and the rookie receivers limited what they could do in the offense. Matthews is the guy they will go to this year if they make a change, but it looks like Carson Palmer will be No. 1 next year.

Guest (Sep 12, 2003 1:16:51 PM)

What can the secondary do to stop Gannon? Do they have any sort of gameplan?

Sure, the defense has a gameplan, but the coaches don't tell us. Tennessee did a good job of pressuring Gannon, which is what the Bengals will have to do to help out the defensive backs. If there is not pass rush on Gannon from the front four and with the blitz, it will be a long day.

Guest (Sep 12, 2003 1:18:17 PM)

Mark, what is the transfer of power plan from Mike to Katie?

I don't know if there is an exact plan, other than Katie Blackburn is her father's heir apparent as team president. Mike Brown has given no indications of retirement, although he clearly is letting new coach Marvin Lewis make a majority of the decisions on travel, personnel, etc.

ben-gal (Sep 12, 2003 1:20:27 PM)

what's the best part of being a football writer?

Wow, that's a curve ball of a question. Well, I'm impressed by the NFL as an industry. And like any newspaper job, the people you meet make the job different every day. The best part, though, is the writing after you've done your best with the reporting.

Guest (Sep 12, 2003 1:22:06 PM)

I was really impressed with the D-Back play this past week. I haven't seen Bengal D-Backs play that well in a long time. Do you think it was the inconsistent play of Plummer, or can we be confident that they will play like this the entire year.

The play of the secondary was a legitimate bright spot on Sunday. In the last three year on the beat, I can't remember defensive backs making so many plays on the ball in the air. Of course, Jake Plummer is not the league's best QB. But Tory James and Mark Roman closed on the ball especially well. The three total interceptions, two by defensive backs, is a third of their total from last yer.

jake (Sep 12, 2003 1:24:02 PM)

I've heard bad things about Willie Anderson being a negative influence on other players, specifically encouraging others last year to leave (e.g., Takeo). He has a good rep. in the press, probably because he's willing to talk and speak his mind. But, is he a negative influence?

I don't see Willie Anderson as a negative influence at all. True, reporters like Willie because he does speak his mind, in good times and the many, many bad times he has endured here. As for Takeo Spikes, nobody, not even a close friend like Willie, could tell him what to do. Takeo's decision to push to leave the Bengals was all his, and he didn't back down even after he met with Lewis.

brusm (Sep 12, 2003 1:26:15 PM)

anything done in practice this week to improve the passing game?

Another good question: What has been done in practice to improve the pass game? First off, there was a lineup change with Braham starting at center and Goff switching to right guard. Matt O'Dwyer is out of the lineup. T.J. Houshmandzadeh's injury hurts the pass offense. Rookies Kelley Washington and Lawrence Hamilton weren't sure of everything they needed to do. There's really nothing dramatic to do, other than keep working on it.

Scottyron (Sep 12, 2003 1:27:21 PM)

The NFL is doing something interesting this year...trying to draw the younger fans, for example Britney Spears and Rock bands. A couple of years ago, it was Country Music fans, example, Hank Williams Jr. Can the younger fans afford to attend games? What is your take on it.

It would appear the NFL is reaching out to younger fans. But the best attraction is a winning team. That generates excitement for people of all ages, even if they're not the biggest football fans.

gd (Sep 12, 2003 1:29:29 PM)

Mark - With last week's reaction from the fans and media alike being very harsh and negative, do you see the organization changing it's gameplan for the season? That being - are they more likely to try and appease the remaning fanbase, or will they stay the course and simply try and work for slow steady improvement over the season?

Lewis and his backers in the organization really have no choice but to continue building a solid foundation. There are 24 new players and significant changes in place in the infrastructure (strength and conditioning program). Lewis is not a patient man, but he's being forced to go slower than he'd like. There is a lot to fix after 12 years of bad decisions. Lewis does need to give fans clear indications with the play on the field that the team is improving, even it it doesn't always result in a victory.

bowie (Sep 12, 2003 1:31:15 PM)

It seems the Bengals are blaming the majority of the O-line's failure on Matt O'Dwyer. However, I fear he is just the scapegoat. Are the two book ends overrated as big-time, NFL tackles?

O'Dwyer did have a rough game by his own admission. He was beaten on one of Kitna's fumble and on the shovel pass interception. The problem is the depth on the offensive line is not that good, and they're making about the only move they can. As for the tackles, Willie Anderson played most of the game with a strained hamstring. Levi Jones also is a good player who had a sub-standard game.

scorb (Sep 12, 2003 1:33:02 PM)

I know only after one week you can't lose faith in your qb, but do you sense that the other players are looking for Matthews to step and take control of the team, or are they still behind Kitna?

There is a feeling in the locker room that Kitna took all of the heat for many things that were not his fault Sunday. Again, the offensive line play could not have been much worse. And it resulted in the inability to run Corey Dillon. But the coaches might be a different story than the players. Lewis wasn't happy with Kitna's mistakes, and Kitna needs to play almost errorless football for the Bengals to have a chance.

CincyKid (Sep 12, 2003 1:34:12 PM)

What is the rationale behind dropping Travis Dorsch, but keeping Harris even though Harris did not punt as well in the preseason?

Dorsch is inconsistent. Harris is more consistent and a better holder (in spite of the preseason drops). Dorsch could not have been handled much worse than he was in his year-plus with the Bengals, especially as a rookie.

cjar (Sep 12, 2003 1:35:25 PM)

Kelley Washington, is he going to be more involved this week? Maybe at the goal line where he can use his size to go up after a ball in the corner?

It would make sense to involve Washington more, but he needs to go to all of the right spots on the routes. You might see them try a jump-ball play with him in the end zone. He is a big receiver.

Bengal00 (Sep 12, 2003 1:36:21 PM)

Whenever the bengals run the ball east and west they tend to lose yards. However when Corey goes north and south we gain yards. Why do we continue to run to the sides even when we realize they is nothing there?

Good observation on the problems the Bengals have running wide. The trouble last Sunday was that the off-tackle plays were stuffed too, especially to the right side of the Bengals line.

Guest (Sep 12, 2003 1:37:13 PM)

DO you think Chad Johnson is going to be a STAR in the NFL

Do I think Chad Johnson will be a star? Yes, and he's closing fast. He is learning fast what it takes to reach his very lofty goals, and that is attention to fundamentals and detail.

jbengal (Sep 12, 2003 1:38:49 PM)

Any chance the Bengals will consider switching from Grass to Field turn for the Stadium?? That grass already looks worn out by the end of the 1st game!! Field Turf looks so much nicer and the players seem to like it. What do you think.

The word around the stadium is that Field Turf and other new-age articifial fields have not been around long enough to determine how they will wear. I would guess that it's a possibility, and I know there are people in county government who support it. This isn't the only field that looks the way it does. Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Cleveland. They all look somewhat the same.

jake (Sep 12, 2003 1:39:25 PM)

Numerous times last week, Denver had all 11 men inside of 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. We noticed it several times on back-to-back plays. Couldn't Kitna just roll out and toss the ball 15 yards down field to Chad for a big gain? For an offense that has been together for a while, they sure seemed stumped.

It was not a good day for the offense. And, yes, they should be able to throw the ball well enough to force the safeties back some.

Bengal_Brad (Sep 12, 2003 1:40:20 PM)

How has the team responded this week in practice? What is the teams mood?

The mood is always pretty positive on Thursday and Friday. Lewis has told the players Denver was just one game. The pressure is on this week, though. Oakland is a tough road trip.

cjar (Sep 12, 2003 1:41:04 PM)

How about some sacks from Justin Smith. Are they double teaming him...getting rid of the ball to fast? Whats holding him back this year?

It was just one game, and Denver ran more often than it threw. Coaches are trying to get Smith more sacks by rotating the linemen. We'll see.

lou (Sep 12, 2003 1:42:04 PM)

Is it just me or do the Bengals running plays always seem very slow to develop as compared to what I see from other teams?

The Bengals do run a number of delayed running plays. I remember how well Nicolas Luchey ran last year against the Saints when the line attacked the defensive front.

rudy (Sep 12, 2003 1:42:33 PM)

Do you expect to see an overhaul of talent on this team where very few of the current players are around in say, 2-3 years?

Yes, the overhaul of talent will continue. Lewis has had just one offseason.

bushwacker (Sep 12, 2003 1:43:12 PM)

what is the next big step for the bengals to take? Marvin Lewis was the first.

The next big step is to stay out of Lewis' way and continue to let him run the football program. Credit management so far for leaving him alone. Another draft and free agency period will rehape the team even further.

jbodinejr (Sep 12, 2003 1:43:45 PM)

how many games do you think the bengals can win this year

In spite of the poor performance against a very good Denver team, I still see five or maybe even six wins. The team will have to play better, though.

Bengal_Brad (Sep 12, 2003 1:45:24 PM)

do you think there would be a QB change if they are winless at the bye, or do you think Lewis will stick with Kitna no matter what?

There might be a quarterback change earlier than the bye if the Bengals are winless and continue to struggle in the pass game. Matthews was signed because Lewis trusts him. But nobody will do well unless the line play improves over last week.

Bengal_Brad (Sep 12, 2003 1:50:57 PM)

Your gut feeling....do the Bengals have a chance with Sunday?

Not really. Oakland has some injuries to key players -- WR Jerry Porter is now out, as is safety Rod Woodson -- but they have too much talent top to bottom. It's a moral victory of the Bengals beat the 12-point spread. But that's just my opinion.

Moderator (Sep 12, 2003 1:52:48 PM)

That's a wrap, Bengals fans. Thanks for joining us. Hope you'll come back for the next chat.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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