Bengals roll into Jacksonville - Sports handicapping Forum

BadCo · 10-09-2005, 05:28 PM

Sunday, October 9, 2005
Bengals roll into JacksonvilleBy Scouts, Inc.

Why To Watch
These are two young teams with playoff aspirations heading into Week 5 with vastly different mindsets. The Bengals ooze confidence on both sides of the ball, have that 4-0 swagger and expect to win each week. Jacksonville is at an early crossroads with injuries and inconsistent offensive play, and now their usually reliable defense even seems vulnerable.
The Jags will look to rebound on defense and confuse QB Carson Palmer and slow down WR Chad Johnson. They'll also try to get back to running Fred Taylor effectively to take pressure off Byron Leftwich and a beleaguered offensive line. Both of these offenses are capable of putting on an exciting show, and the Jags' sense of urgency will have them pressing for success early in the game.

When the Bengals have the ball
Rushing: One of the keys to the Bengals' offensive success has been their commitment to the run game. They lead the NFL in time of possession. The run game with Rudi Johnson opens up the play-action passing game for Carson Palmer. The Jaguars are usually rock-steady vs. the run, but they were gashed last week by the Broncos for 188 yards on the ground. What is even more alarming is that most of the damage came between the tackles, supposedly the strength of the Jacksonville defense. The Bengals are banged up in the interior offensive line, and the center position is especially a concern. Both centers -- Rich Braham and Larry Moore -- are probably out and OG Eric Steinbach, who played against Houston, will probably have to step in again.

If there is a week for Jacksonville's defensive tackles Marcus Stroud and John Henderson to step up their game and get some inside pressure, this is it. We may see the Bengals stretch their run game a little wider to not only avoid the talented tackles but also attack defensive ends Reggie Hayward and Paul Spicer, who are better pass rushers than run defenders. Also, look for the Bengals to utilize RB Chris Perry as a receiver out of the slot, which will force Jacksonville to take a linebacker out of the box in coverage, giving Rudi Johnson better running angles.

Passing: The maturation of QB Carson Palmer over the last year is amazing. The game seems to have slowed down for him and he seems to be seeing defenses in slow motion. Not only does he make good decisions (only 2 INT), but he is spreading the ball around to all of his offensive weapons and identifying his best one-on-one matchups. The Bengals love to come out throwing to establish an early lead with a quick-strike approach. They try to go to WR Chad Johnson right off the bat with the right matchup, which also keeps him mentally in the game. Palmer will also test the Jaguars and SS Deke Cooper with some crossing routes by T.J. Houshmandzadeh designed to produce yards after the catch. If Palmer can establish the run game early, he can exploit the aggressive Jacksonville linebackers and safeties, who will bite on play fakes.

There may be some good opportunities for Palmer to attack the deep middle of the field off the play action. Jacksonville cannot play straight man-on-man vs. the Bengals' wide receivers, and they will need some safety help on the perimeter. The best way to slow down this passing game is with a strong inside push from the defensive tackles. Cincinnati is vulnerable in their interior pass protection because of injuries and Palmer is not as effective when he is flushed out of the pocket and throwing on the move. Jacksonville must not let Palmer get comfortable.

When the Jaguars have the ball
Rushing: The Jaguars' rushing attack was nonexistent vs. Denver. Fred Taylor only had 14 yards on eight carries behind mediocre offensive line blocking. The Bengals are playing with confidence on defense, especially in the interior against the run. Their defensive front seven isn't overly physical, but they are quick and active and they do a nice job of slipping blocks and getting to the football. The Bengals love to mix up their defensive fronts and alignments with some passing movement, but they play pretty sound and basic schemes behind their fronts. What does impress you is their ability to play good gap control defense. Even through they are active and on the move, they don't leave their lanes and this discipline and quickness will cause huge problems for a Jaguars' offensive line that struggles to adjust on the move.

Somehow the Jaguars O-line must not only block the Cincinnati front 4four but more importantly, they must get to the 2nd level and make contact with the Bengals' linebackers, who are very active and make a lot of plays. If that doesn't happen, Taylor will struggle and his outside speed will be negated. It's hard to imagine Jacksonville handling the movement and quickness of Cincinnati's front seven.

Passing: The first thing the Jaguars must do in passing situations vs. the Bengals is figure out how to protect QB Byron Leftwich, especially from the left tackle position. Jacksonville has tried veterans Ephraim Salaam and Mike Pearson and rookie Khalif Barnes all with marginal results. In all likelihood, they will be forced to move blocking TE Kyle Brady to the left side to help out, but they would like to avoid leaving a back in to block. Cincinnati already has 12 INTs through four games (best in the NFL) and they are doing it with sound secondary play and a lot of man-off and zone schemes. They don't take a lot of chances and they don't blitz a lot.

The Bengals defense isn't going to put a lot of big sack numbers. But they do play with a lot of confidence, especially corners Deltha O'Neal and Tory James. They do a great job of recognizing routes and breaking on the ball. However, Marvin Lewis may rethink his philosophy after watching the Jaguars give up two sacks and several hits on Leftwich vs. Denver. Cincinnati may do some overload blitzes in this game, mostly with their linebackers to bring more bodies than the Jaguars can block. Jacksonville does have a size advantage at wide receiver and they should be able to create some good red zone plays and matchups, if they can get there.

BadCo · 10-09-2005, 05:30 PM

Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars – Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) Preview

Bengals
1st, AFC North
Record: 4-0 at Jaguars
2nd, AFC South
Record: 2-2

The Bengals feel they'll be getting their first big test in Jacksonville, and what will be tested most will be Cincinnati's interior running game. You don't see a lot of teams running the ball inside on Jaguars defensive tackles John Henderson and Marcus Stroud, but the Bengals love to run the ball between the tackles with Rudi Johnson.
What could also slow down Cincy is its banged-up offensive line. Good teams have their depth tested every year, but how deep are the Bengals? If they're going to be a marquee team – a contender and not a pretender – they will have to overcome things such as injuries.

Prediction: Cincinnati. The thing I've been impressed with the most about Cincinnati has been its ability to make big plays on defense. The Bengals can get to the quarterback, and the cornerback play they've been getting from Deltha O'Neal and Tory James has been outstanding. When you have that combination of pressure and coverage, it becomes very difficult for any offense. Jacksonville's passing game is not one of the league's best anyway. Take Jimmy Smith away and you take away the Jags' entire passing game.

BadCo · 10-09-2005, 05:36 PM

Sunday, October 9, 2005
Take 2: Bengals vs. JaguarsBy Scouts, Inc.

Cincinnati at Jacksonville Matchups
QB RB WR OL DL LB DB ST Coach Overall

Tuesday, our scouts filed their advance advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Bengals and Jaguars. Now they're back with a second look.

Although Carson Palmer is considered a pocket quarterback who doesn't like to run a lot, he's actually more mobile than you think in the pocket. His footwork improved in the offseason and he does a nice job of feeling the rush and avoiding pressure without tucking the ball and running. If his pocket protection holds up, he is deadly at stepping up and delivering the ball -- and he's not afraid to take a hit. His vision and pocket presence have dramatically improved over the last year.
A big challenge in this game for the Jaguars will be how they defend the Bengals' running game. Cincinnati likes to run Rudi Johnson between the tackles in a power, clock-consuming style, and it usually forces opposing defenses to bring a safety into the box. However, Jacksonville may take their chances with trying to get the job done in run defense without safety help. Bringing an eighth defender in the box may help stop Johnson, but it gives Carson Palmer excellent man-to-man match-ups against the Jaguars' corners. If there is only one safety to help, it means Palmer will have at least one single matchup with either Chad Johnson or T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Those are battles Jacksonville cannot win. The Jaguars' front four needs to come up big in run support.

• The combination of Jacksonville QB Byron Leftwich's immobility (he's a statue in the pocket) and horrible pass protection especially on the left side (his blind side) have really changed the way defenses attack the Jaguars. Look for the Bengals to continue the trend of some heavy blitz packages with some overload blitzes on the left side of the Jags' offensive line. With WR Jimmy Smith the only dependable target in the passing game, the Bengals can blitz and still double cover Smith without making themselves vulnerable in the other match ups. If Smith doesn't get open, Leftwich holds on to the ball and takes a lot of hits. Cincinnati recorded seven sacks last week vs. Houston, they lead the NFL in interceptions with 12, and are an outstanding plus-13 in turnover differential. They are a group of confident ball hawks and right now the Jaguars don't show the ability to slow them down or make them pay for their mistakes and gambling.

• It is crucial that Jacksonville does not self destruct early in this game. They must take care of the football, avoid turnover and penalties and not play from behind. Cincinnati leads the NFL in takeaways with 17 and they love to do it early. The Bengals are aggressive in the 1st half, and if they can build a lead, they give the ball to Rudi Johnson and grind out the 2nd half. Leftwich must get some pass protection and not force the ball into coverage and the Jags must convert some 3rd downs. If they are close at halftime, Jacksonville has a chance. But if they are behind and forced to throw every down, that's when the playmaking abilities of the Cincinnati defense will manifest.

• Look for the Bengals to slightly adjust their inside run game vs. the stout Jags' interior defense by running a little wider to the left side over LOT Levi Jones and LOG Eric Steinbach, the strength of their O-line. Johnson likes to run right up the gut, but the Bengals are devastated at OC -- Larry Moore is out, Rich Braham may be out with injuries, and untested Eric Ghiaciuc will likely start. The middle is the strength of the Jaguars' defense with tackles John Henderson and Marcus Stroud, and middle linebacker Mike Peterson, so running away from them makes a lot of sense.

• Although the Bengals are fairly sound schematically on defense, they give you a lot of looks along the defensive front. They can go from 4-3 to 3-4 and show some over and under alignments, but with all their movement, they don't take a lot of chances and have surprisingly good gap discipline. Count on their movement to confuse a struggling Jacksonville offensive line before the snap which could lead to some blown assignments and free shots at Leftwich.

• Jacksonville has a potentially outstanding group of big, physical receivers, but they are not taking advantage of it. Veteran Jimmy Smith is big, but the other guys -- Reggie Williams, Matt Jones and Ernest Wilford -- are all big, rangy guys who are ridiculous size match-ups for defensive backs. Still, Jacksonville has only two red zone TDs despite the fact that Leftwich should be throwing up a lot of jump balls for completions. Smith remains the only guy Leftwich trusts in the passing game.

• Although statistically it looks like the Bengals defense is struggling vs. the inside run more than last year, they are actually playing better. Although they are giving up almost five yards per carry, they are doing a good job on 3rd down. Plus, the defensive line -- even thought they are a gap control defense -- is doing a nice job of eating up blockers and letting the linebackers like rookie Odell Thurman come up and make plays. It's a work in progress that will be tested by strong rushing teams in the upcoming weeks, but at least they are not giving up big runs like they did in 2004.

• We could see backup Chris Perry get some snaps at running back if the Bengals decide to run away from Stroud and Henderson. Perry is quicker and more elusive on the 2nd level than Rudi Johnson, and despite the Jaguars' strong inside run defense, they don't match up real well on the 2nd level because their linebackers aren't physical run stoppers. If Perry can get to the corner, there are some plays to be made.

• The Bengals are clearly concerned about the health of their offensive line. The injuries at center have been well documented, but they also affect the guard position because OG Eric Steinbach had to move to center last Sunday and weakened the guard position. The injury that really worries them is the back spasms of ROT Willie Anderson, their best player. This has been an underrated unit so far in 2005 and they have given Palmer confidence with time to throw. The Bengals need to keep that continuity on the offensive line.

Special Teams
The Bengals are doing a good job on cover teams in their kicking game. They are in the top third of the league in covering kickoffs and punts. They have done a great job of drafting in recent years, something that shows up in the quality of their young back-up players. They have guys who excel in coverage. Palmer will often get good field position to work with.

The Jaguars are struggling on their coverage units, something that they usually excel in. They are average in punt return coverage but terrible in kickoff coverage. Chris Perry is capable of giving Cincinnati good field position on kick off. The rest of the kicking game for Jacksonville is solid, but they cannot afford to give Carson Palmer a short field to work with.

Matchups
• Cincinnati WR Chad Johnson vs. Jacksonville DC Rashean Mathis
• Jacksonville WR Jimmy Smith vs. Cincinnati DC Tory James
• Cincinnati QB Carson Perry vs. Jacksonville SS Deke Cooper
• Jacksonville LOT Ephraim Salaam vs. Cincinnati RDE Robert Geathers
• Cincinnati OC Eric Ghiaciuc vs. Jacksonville DTs Marcus Stroud and John Henderson

Scouts' Edge
The Bengals are playing with tremendous confidence and rightfully so. They are a complete football team right now with big-time playmakers on both sides of the ball. Jacksonville is a wounded animal right now and we just don't know what to expect. On paper, the Jaguars should have offensive balance with RB Fred Taylor and a versatile and explosive passing game. However, right now there is no running game, the offensive line has leaks all over, Byron Leftwich is taking a beating and Jimmy Smith is the only dependable target. This is a national stage for Jacksonville and they still can play defense.

The key in this game is for Cincinnati to jump out fast with some big scoring plays, probably to Chad Johnson, and then force Jacksonville to play from behind and abandon the run game -- that's when Cincinnati's ability to produce takeaways became a big factor. If Jacksonville keeps it close in the first half, they have a chance, but stopping this cocky Cincinnati offense is a big mountain to climb.

Prediction: Bengals 24, Jaguars 10

nasty c · 10-09-2005, 05:57 PM

shouldsa posted here...JAGS -3 AND 37??37 thats way too low...or so u thinks.....JAGS EASY...GL

10-09-2005, 05:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
BadCo Degenerate Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 371	Bengals roll into Jacksonville Sunday, October 9, 2005 Bengals roll into JacksonvilleBy Scouts, Inc. Why To Watch These are two young teams with playoff aspirations heading into Week 5 with vastly different mindsets. The Bengals ooze confidence on both sides of the ball, have that 4-0 swagger and expect to win each week. Jacksonville is at an early crossroads with injuries and inconsistent offensive play, and now their usually reliable defense even seems vulnerable. The Jags will look to rebound on defense and confuse QB Carson Palmer and slow down WR Chad Johnson. They'll also try to get back to running Fred Taylor effectively to take pressure off Byron Leftwich and a beleaguered offensive line. Both of these offenses are capable of putting on an exciting show, and the Jags' sense of urgency will have them pressing for success early in the game. When the Bengals have the ball Rushing: One of the keys to the Bengals' offensive success has been their commitment to the run game. They lead the NFL in time of possession. The run game with Rudi Johnson opens up the play-action passing game for Carson Palmer. The Jaguars are usually rock-steady vs. the run, but they were gashed last week by the Broncos for 188 yards on the ground. What is even more alarming is that most of the damage came between the tackles, supposedly the strength of the Jacksonville defense. The Bengals are banged up in the interior offensive line, and the center position is especially a concern. Both centers -- Rich Braham and Larry Moore -- are probably out and OG Eric Steinbach, who played against Houston, will probably have to step in again. If there is a week for Jacksonville's defensive tackles Marcus Stroud and John Henderson to step up their game and get some inside pressure, this is it. We may see the Bengals stretch their run game a little wider to not only avoid the talented tackles but also attack defensive ends Reggie Hayward and Paul Spicer, who are better pass rushers than run defenders. Also, look for the Bengals to utilize RB Chris Perry as a receiver out of the slot, which will force Jacksonville to take a linebacker out of the box in coverage, giving Rudi Johnson better running angles. Passing: The maturation of QB Carson Palmer over the last year is amazing. The game seems to have slowed down for him and he seems to be seeing defenses in slow motion. Not only does he make good decisions (only 2 INT), but he is spreading the ball around to all of his offensive weapons and identifying his best one-on-one matchups. The Bengals love to come out throwing to establish an early lead with a quick-strike approach. They try to go to WR Chad Johnson right off the bat with the right matchup, which also keeps him mentally in the game. Palmer will also test the Jaguars and SS Deke Cooper with some crossing routes by T.J. Houshmandzadeh designed to produce yards after the catch. If Palmer can establish the run game early, he can exploit the aggressive Jacksonville linebackers and safeties, who will bite on play fakes. There may be some good opportunities for Palmer to attack the deep middle of the field off the play action. Jacksonville cannot play straight man-on-man vs. the Bengals' wide receivers, and they will need some safety help on the perimeter. The best way to slow down this passing game is with a strong inside push from the defensive tackles. Cincinnati is vulnerable in their interior pass protection because of injuries and Palmer is not as effective when he is flushed out of the pocket and throwing on the move. Jacksonville must not let Palmer get comfortable. When the Jaguars have the ball Rushing: The Jaguars' rushing attack was nonexistent vs. Denver. Fred Taylor only had 14 yards on eight carries behind mediocre offensive line blocking. The Bengals are playing with confidence on defense, especially in the interior against the run. Their defensive front seven isn't overly physical, but they are quick and active and they do a nice job of slipping blocks and getting to the football. The Bengals love to mix up their defensive fronts and alignments with some passing movement, but they play pretty sound and basic schemes behind their fronts. What does impress you is their ability to play good gap control defense. Even through they are active and on the move, they don't leave their lanes and this discipline and quickness will cause huge problems for a Jaguars' offensive line that struggles to adjust on the move. Somehow the Jaguars O-line must not only block the Cincinnati front 4four but more importantly, they must get to the 2nd level and make contact with the Bengals' linebackers, who are very active and make a lot of plays. If that doesn't happen, Taylor will struggle and his outside speed will be negated. It's hard to imagine Jacksonville handling the movement and quickness of Cincinnati's front seven. Passing: The first thing the Jaguars must do in passing situations vs. the Bengals is figure out how to protect QB Byron Leftwich, especially from the left tackle position. Jacksonville has tried veterans Ephraim Salaam and Mike Pearson and rookie Khalif Barnes all with marginal results. In all likelihood, they will be forced to move blocking TE Kyle Brady to the left side to help out, but they would like to avoid leaving a back in to block. Cincinnati already has 12 INTs through four games (best in the NFL) and they are doing it with sound secondary play and a lot of man-off and zone schemes. They don't take a lot of chances and they don't blitz a lot. The Bengals defense isn't going to put a lot of big sack numbers. But they do play with a lot of confidence, especially corners Deltha O'Neal and Tory James. They do a great job of recognizing routes and breaking on the ball. However, Marvin Lewis may rethink his philosophy after watching the Jaguars give up two sacks and several hits on Leftwich vs. Denver. Cincinnati may do some overload blitzes in this game, mostly with their linebackers to bring more bodies than the Jaguars can block. Jacksonville does have a size advantage at wide receiver and they should be able to create some good red zone plays and matchups, if they can get there.

10-09-2005, 05:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
nasty c Rookie Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MILWAUKEE,WI Posts: 42	oops shouldsa posted here...JAGS -3 AND 37??37 thats way too low...or so u thinks.....JAGS EASY...GL __________________ SOME ONE CALL NASA CAUSE THIS FORUM IS OUT OF THIS WORLD

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10-09-2005, 05:30 PM	#2 (permalink)
BadCo Degenerate Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 371	Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars – Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) Preview Bengals 1st, AFC North Record: 4-0 at Jaguars 2nd, AFC South Record: 2-2 The Bengals feel they'll be getting their first big test in Jacksonville, and what will be tested most will be Cincinnati's interior running game. You don't see a lot of teams running the ball inside on Jaguars defensive tackles John Henderson and Marcus Stroud, but the Bengals love to run the ball between the tackles with Rudi Johnson. What could also slow down Cincy is its banged-up offensive line. Good teams have their depth tested every year, but how deep are the Bengals? If they're going to be a marquee team – a contender and not a pretender – they will have to overcome things such as injuries. Prediction: Cincinnati. The thing I've been impressed with the most about Cincinnati has been its ability to make big plays on defense. The Bengals can get to the quarterback, and the cornerback play they've been getting from Deltha O'Neal and Tory James has been outstanding. When you have that combination of pressure and coverage, it becomes very difficult for any offense. Jacksonville's passing game is not one of the league's best anyway. Take Jimmy Smith away and you take away the Jags' entire passing game.

10-09-2005, 05:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
BadCo Degenerate Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 371	Sunday, October 9, 2005 Take 2: Bengals vs. JaguarsBy Scouts, Inc. Cincinnati at Jacksonville Matchups QB RB WR OL DL LB DB ST Coach Overall Tuesday, our scouts filed their advance advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Bengals and Jaguars. Now they're back with a second look. Although Carson Palmer is considered a pocket quarterback who doesn't like to run a lot, he's actually more mobile than you think in the pocket. His footwork improved in the offseason and he does a nice job of feeling the rush and avoiding pressure without tucking the ball and running. If his pocket protection holds up, he is deadly at stepping up and delivering the ball -- and he's not afraid to take a hit. His vision and pocket presence have dramatically improved over the last year. A big challenge in this game for the Jaguars will be how they defend the Bengals' running game. Cincinnati likes to run Rudi Johnson between the tackles in a power, clock-consuming style, and it usually forces opposing defenses to bring a safety into the box. However, Jacksonville may take their chances with trying to get the job done in run defense without safety help. Bringing an eighth defender in the box may help stop Johnson, but it gives Carson Palmer excellent man-to-man match-ups against the Jaguars' corners. If there is only one safety to help, it means Palmer will have at least one single matchup with either Chad Johnson or T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Those are battles Jacksonville cannot win. The Jaguars' front four needs to come up big in run support. • The combination of Jacksonville QB Byron Leftwich's immobility (he's a statue in the pocket) and horrible pass protection especially on the left side (his blind side) have really changed the way defenses attack the Jaguars. Look for the Bengals to continue the trend of some heavy blitz packages with some overload blitzes on the left side of the Jags' offensive line. With WR Jimmy Smith the only dependable target in the passing game, the Bengals can blitz and still double cover Smith without making themselves vulnerable in the other match ups. If Smith doesn't get open, Leftwich holds on to the ball and takes a lot of hits. Cincinnati recorded seven sacks last week vs. Houston, they lead the NFL in interceptions with 12, and are an outstanding plus-13 in turnover differential. They are a group of confident ball hawks and right now the Jaguars don't show the ability to slow them down or make them pay for their mistakes and gambling. • It is crucial that Jacksonville does not self destruct early in this game. They must take care of the football, avoid turnover and penalties and not play from behind. Cincinnati leads the NFL in takeaways with 17 and they love to do it early. The Bengals are aggressive in the 1st half, and if they can build a lead, they give the ball to Rudi Johnson and grind out the 2nd half. Leftwich must get some pass protection and not force the ball into coverage and the Jags must convert some 3rd downs. If they are close at halftime, Jacksonville has a chance. But if they are behind and forced to throw every down, that's when the playmaking abilities of the Cincinnati defense will manifest. • Look for the Bengals to slightly adjust their inside run game vs. the stout Jags' interior defense by running a little wider to the left side over LOT Levi Jones and LOG Eric Steinbach, the strength of their O-line. Johnson likes to run right up the gut, but the Bengals are devastated at OC -- Larry Moore is out, Rich Braham may be out with injuries, and untested Eric Ghiaciuc will likely start. The middle is the strength of the Jaguars' defense with tackles John Henderson and Marcus Stroud, and middle linebacker Mike Peterson, so running away from them makes a lot of sense. • Although the Bengals are fairly sound schematically on defense, they give you a lot of looks along the defensive front. They can go from 4-3 to 3-4 and show some over and under alignments, but with all their movement, they don't take a lot of chances and have surprisingly good gap discipline. Count on their movement to confuse a struggling Jacksonville offensive line before the snap which could lead to some blown assignments and free shots at Leftwich. • Jacksonville has a potentially outstanding group of big, physical receivers, but they are not taking advantage of it. Veteran Jimmy Smith is big, but the other guys -- Reggie Williams, Matt Jones and Ernest Wilford -- are all big, rangy guys who are ridiculous size match-ups for defensive backs. Still, Jacksonville has only two red zone TDs despite the fact that Leftwich should be throwing up a lot of jump balls for completions. Smith remains the only guy Leftwich trusts in the passing game. • Although statistically it looks like the Bengals defense is struggling vs. the inside run more than last year, they are actually playing better. Although they are giving up almost five yards per carry, they are doing a good job on 3rd down. Plus, the defensive line -- even thought they are a gap control defense -- is doing a nice job of eating up blockers and letting the linebackers like rookie Odell Thurman come up and make plays. It's a work in progress that will be tested by strong rushing teams in the upcoming weeks, but at least they are not giving up big runs like they did in 2004. • We could see backup Chris Perry get some snaps at running back if the Bengals decide to run away from Stroud and Henderson. Perry is quicker and more elusive on the 2nd level than Rudi Johnson, and despite the Jaguars' strong inside run defense, they don't match up real well on the 2nd level because their linebackers aren't physical run stoppers. If Perry can get to the corner, there are some plays to be made. • The Bengals are clearly concerned about the health of their offensive line. The injuries at center have been well documented, but they also affect the guard position because OG Eric Steinbach had to move to center last Sunday and weakened the guard position. The injury that really worries them is the back spasms of ROT Willie Anderson, their best player. This has been an underrated unit so far in 2005 and they have given Palmer confidence with time to throw. The Bengals need to keep that continuity on the offensive line. Special Teams The Bengals are doing a good job on cover teams in their kicking game. They are in the top third of the league in covering kickoffs and punts. They have done a great job of drafting in recent years, something that shows up in the quality of their young back-up players. They have guys who excel in coverage. Palmer will often get good field position to work with. The Jaguars are struggling on their coverage units, something that they usually excel in. They are average in punt return coverage but terrible in kickoff coverage. Chris Perry is capable of giving Cincinnati good field position on kick off. The rest of the kicking game for Jacksonville is solid, but they cannot afford to give Carson Palmer a short field to work with. Matchups • Cincinnati WR Chad Johnson vs. Jacksonville DC Rashean Mathis • Jacksonville WR Jimmy Smith vs. Cincinnati DC Tory James • Cincinnati QB Carson Perry vs. Jacksonville SS Deke Cooper • Jacksonville LOT Ephraim Salaam vs. Cincinnati RDE Robert Geathers • Cincinnati OC Eric Ghiaciuc vs. Jacksonville DTs Marcus Stroud and John Henderson Scouts' Edge The Bengals are playing with tremendous confidence and rightfully so. They are a complete football team right now with big-time playmakers on both sides of the ball. Jacksonville is a wounded animal right now and we just don't know what to expect. On paper, the Jaguars should have offensive balance with RB Fred Taylor and a versatile and explosive passing game. However, right now there is no running game, the offensive line has leaks all over, Byron Leftwich is taking a beating and Jimmy Smith is the only dependable target. This is a national stage for Jacksonville and they still can play defense. The key in this game is for Cincinnati to jump out fast with some big scoring plays, probably to Chad Johnson, and then force Jacksonville to play from behind and abandon the run game -- that's when Cincinnati's ability to produce takeaways became a big factor. If Jacksonville keeps it close in the first half, they have a chance, but stopping this cocky Cincinnati offense is a big mountain to climb. Prediction: Bengals 24, Jaguars 10