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09/18/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chalk the Bengals' 51-45 loss to the Browns on Sunday up as a fluke if you wish, Cincinnati fans, but be sure not to pick and choose the elements you'd like to keep.
If you're discounting the 328-yard, five-touchdown day of formerly anonymous Cleveland quarterback Derek Anderson, than you also have to admit Carson Palmer's 401-yard, six-TD day was something of an aberration.
Don't think the combined 14 catches, 246 yards, and three touchdowns that went to Browns targets Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards can happen again? Then wipe out Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh's combined 19 grabs, 278 yards, and four TDs.
The 211 rushing yard day of Browns running back Jamal Lewis can also go, if you'll allow Rudi Johnson's 118-yard day to be brushed aside along with it.
Oh sure, a proven Cincinnati offense is capable of putting up big numbers every time it steps on the field, that much we know. But the Bengals have also proven in their four years under head coach Marvin Lewis that they're more than capable of defensive meltdowns like the one experienced Sunday. It's all part of the same vexing package that will shadow the Bengals for the rest of the year, so try to enjoy the ride.
We should have seen this coming in August, when Lewis put a defense on the field that had very few measurable alterations to the one that ranked tied for last in the league against the pass and 30th overall last year.
Moving second-year man Ahmad Brooks to a full-time job at middle linebacker, placing Redskins castoff Lemar Marshall next to him on the strong side, and adding rookie cornerback Leon Hall to the secondary rotation wasn't about to transform last year's defense into a world-beating, or even steady one.
The flaws were masked in the opener against Baltimore, when the Ravens ended drives of their own accord by turning the ball over six times.
Knowing that protecting the ball meant beating the Bengals, the Browns' offensive game plan revolved around protecting the ball, and eventually beating the Bengals. In embarrassing, flag-football fashion, too.
"Obviously, it was not a very good performance," said Lewis. "We didn't play well in any of the three phases. It's very disappointing how we played defensively. We didn't play well on third down. We allowed them to rush for over 200 yards and we weren't very sharp. As the game went on we seemed to invent some things and tried to do too much individually. Offensively, we hung in there, although we didn't do as well on third down as we know we are capable of. We had chances, but came up a little short."
Bengals end Justin Smith had harsher words for his group, showing his frustration at being forced to work with a green unit.
"We scaled down the defense to play base stuff; we weren't on the same page," said Smith. "Anytime you do that in this league, you're going to see what happened today. Guys are too good, too fast, and too strong to not be where you're supposed to be. It's ridiculous and that's what we did all day."
Where do the Bengals go from here?
To Seattle, for starters, where Cincinnati will face a team fighting mad over a frustrating victory of its own. Getting things corrected in seven days against former Pro Bowlers Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, and one-time Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch is going to be an extraordinarily difficult feat for Lewis' team, and looming just over the horizon is a Monday night meeting with New England in Week 4.
If the Bengals play the Patriots the way they did the Browns, look out, NFL scoring record, though noting the early date of the season, Lewis was still preaching patience in his Monday press conference
"As I've always said, you're never as good as you seem to be after a win, and never as bad as you seem to be after a loss," remarked Lewis. "So we just need to play football -- make our corrections and move forward."
LEWIS NOT HANGING CHAD?
Chad Johnson had a huge statistical outing against the Browns, turning in an 11-catch, 209-yard, two touchdown game that ranked as one of the best of the receiver's illustrious career.
The 11 receptions equaled a career-high, set against Detroit in 2005 and matched in a loss to San Diego last season. The 200-yard game was the second of his career, ranking just behind the 260-yard day against the Chargers.
Johnson now leads the NFL in receiving yards with 304 on the year.
Despite the performance, much of the talk after the game was in reference to comments ex-Steelers head coach Bill Cowher made on CBS' post-game show, when he remarked that he would not tolerate Johnson's post-touchdown shenanigans. On Sunday, Johnson jumped into the Cleveland stands following the second of his TDs.
Lewis was left to defend his star wideout when the dust settled on Monday, and also took some shots at Cowher's agenda.
"It's unfortunate [Cowher] said that because he would know better than that, because he knows me as well," Lewis said. "He's coached Chad in the Pro Bowl and all he had was glowing things to say about Chad. Now he's in a different position, where part of the job is to create controversy. It's unfortunate. Now he's in a position where he can create controversy."
In other Cincinnati receiver news, T.J. Houshmandzadeh's eight receptions give him 17 for the year, which is tied for the league lead along with New England's Randy Moss and Denver's Javon Walker as Week 3 begins.
PALMER PARADE
It was a bittersweet day for Palmer, more bitter than sweet due to the loss.
The six touchdown passes were a personal best for the former No. 1 pick, surpassing his previous high of four, set against Cleveland in 2004 and matched against the Steelers last season; and also topping the team mark of five established by Boomer Esiason in 1986 and matched by Esiason in 1989.
The 401 yards were the second-most of Palmer's career, bettered only by the 440 he put up in that infamous 49-41 loss to San Diego last season.
As in that defeat, Palmer was in no mood to celebrate afterward.
"This is one of the tougher losses," said Palmer, who now leads the NFL in touchdown passes with eight. "I thought we had this win. I thought for sure we would go down there and score at the end. I feel like I'm mourning over a loss."
NEXT UP
The all-time series between the Bengals and Seahawks is knotted, 8-8, with Cincinnati evening the series by virtue of a 27-24 home victory during the 2003 campaign. Seattle won the previous meeting, a 37-20 triumph at home in 1999. The Bengals are 0-2 in road games against the Seahawks since earning a 20-17 overtime win in the great Northwest in 1994.
Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren is 4-1 in his career against Cincinnati, including 3-0 while with Green Bay from 1992 through 1998. The Bengals' Lewis is 0-1 against both the Seahawks and Holmgren all-time.
<< Ravens must learn how to finish
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - This time around, the Ravens were the team begrudgingly
accepting their opponent's generous gifts.
In a 27-20 loss to Cincinnati six days prior, the Ravens committed six
turnovers, though the Bengals couldn't salt the game
<< Steelers Feasting On Early-Season Cupcakes
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Does Mike Tomlin coach in the NFL, or the Big Ten?
Because the Steelers' early-season schedule appears tailor-made to set the
first-year head coach up for immediate success, sort of like Penn State
opening the slate with a
<< Meltdown in Miami
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The final score may not indicate it, but the Miami Dolphins
were really in position to beat the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
The Dolphins were ahead 13-10 late in the third quarter, but three penalties
completely changed the
<< FIFA moves two games to avoid typhoon
Shanghai, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FIFA decided on Tuesday to reschedule two
World Cup games because of Typhoon Wipha.
Wednesday's early game between Norway and Ghana in Group C was moved from
Shanghai to Hangzhou on Thursday. The gam
Give some love to the Sun Belt >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - There were more important games played
this past week than Oklahoma State at Troy and Minnesota at Florida Atlantic,
such as Kentucky topping Louisville and USC demolishing Nebraska, but the
number one story
Browns experience offensive explosion against Bengals >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Brady Quinn era might have to wait a little longer in
Cleveland.
After a disappointing opening-week loss to Pittsburgh, the Browns capped a
strange week with an unbelievable 51-45 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Fo
Sean Burke announces retirement from NHL >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Longtime goaltender Sean Burke announced his
retirement from the National Hockey League on Tuesday.
The well-traveled Burke appeared in 820 games over his 19-year career with the
New Jersey Devils, Hartford
Defense bails out defending champion Colts >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Even though Peyton Manning played up to his usual standards
on Sunday, it was the Indianapolis Colts' defense that saved the day in a
22-20 win over the AFC South-rival Tennessee Titans at LP Field.
Colts defensive coordin
Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?
I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.
Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.
There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.
Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.
For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.
A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.
The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.
Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.
So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.
Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.
“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.
Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.
“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.
It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.
Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.
The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.
“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.
“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”
Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.
The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.
“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”
Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?
“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.
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