The Bengals will play the Chiefs in the opener Sunday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium. Bengals' Coach Marvin Lewis said the Chiefs would essentially be the same team under first-year coach Herm Edwards. he insists if the Bengals can provide Rudi Johnson running room Sunday against the Chiefs,-it would go a long way to silencing the crowd at Arrowhead Stadium, the NFL's loudest venue.
The last time the Bengals played the Chiefs was on New Years Day, nine months ago. This Bengals team insist, they went out and tried not to get anyone hurt for their playoff run. In suffering the 37-3 loss, Rudi barely broke his own season rushing record with 18 yards on 10 carries. This same Rudi today says, he wants to make it right,
"We had that date circled on the calendar. It left a bad taste in our mouth. It was what it was, but we didn't play our best football."
Even with the horrible Chiefs game, Rudi played last year with a torn knee cartilage- in all but one game. That you gotta admit is badass. Against Larry's 5.2 yards per carry that won him the AFC rushing title with 1,750, the same Rudi still managed to finish fourth with 1,458. He has followed that effort, responding with what he calls, the best offseason of his life, though after carrying 77 times over the previous two preseasons, Johnson got cut back to 15 this year. No one seems worried. Particularly Rudi.
"We just want to win, baby, Rudi said. The rest will take care of itself.
With a recovering Carson Palmer, coach Marvin Lewis insists he is not going to give Rudi more carries just to protect his young quarterback. We'll have to see.
Two players, two bad knees in the backfield means someone somewhere likely is just going to have to give! Hope it is both.
So! Which Johnson will rush for the big game on Sunday? The Bengals Rudi or the Chiefs Larry.
Larry smacked the Bengals for 201 yards in last seasons regular-season finale. But now, for this Cincinnati defense that was a different era. Only three defensive starters are in the same spot that they were on New Years Day. Strong-side David Pollack is the only linebacker in his same spot, and right corner Tory James is the only defensive back in the same spot against Kansas City quarterback Trent Green. He lit them up on New Years for 344 yards while missing six of his 29 passes. They remember that too.
Right defensive tackle John Thornton is the only line starter in the same spot. Bryan Robinson, didn't play New Years, he is at a new position at left end, moving Justin Smith to the right end position and then the key, *Sam Adams, -now anchors Shaun Smith at left tackle.
Yes, the other big change in Defense "Big Sam Adams". You remember him dont cha? He usta play with New England, for about... oh, a decade!
"Sam is a big wide body that takes up two guys" said Shaun Smith, in with a new tackle rotation. "I like him. He's a big guy that can rush the passer, too". Adding, "We've got more depth. I think we're going to rotate more, so we'll be all right.�"
What? Say What? Are these guys reading the Chiefs defensive schemes??
So enter Adams and safety Dexter Jackson both newly aquired free agents into this mix, the pair that supposedly fit nicely into this new gameplan. Adams is there to stop the run and Jackson prevent the big play. That team remembers. Larry's touchdowns last year went for 49, 20 and 14 yards.
At any rate it'll all be tested come Sunday.
ATTENTION: Instead of seeing tackle Matthias Askew in the trenches- a "former" Bengal (who played in his ONLY game last New Years Day)- perennial Chiefs All Pro Bowl guard Will Shields will tale on Adams.
All I can say is... Herm wants us to be tested against the best!
Let me know what you think leave me a comment:
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