Bengals Team Report

INSIDE SLANT

The Cincinnati Bengals’ top free agent this season is not a player. It is the architect behind their renaissance on defense.

Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said earlier this week that the team has talked about a contract extension with him but that “nothing came to fruition.” Zimmer joined the Bengals last season after one season in Atlanta as defensive coordinator and 13 years in Dallas.

Depending on if the Bengals make the playoffs and how far they advance, Zimmer could be a head coaching candidate for what is expected to be at least eight openings at the end of the season.

With Zimmer’s tutelage of working under Bill Parcells and Marvin Lewis, he would be an excellent hire. But there are still five games remaining, starting Sunday against Detroit.

“I think I know what I’m worth. I’d like to stay with these players but like anybody you have to do what you want to do,” Zimmer said. “As far as a head coaching job, no one has called me. I hear all the little things but I don’t even pay attention right now, to be honest.”

When asked if he would like to remain, Zimmer didn’t hesitate. “I like these guys and players. I think we’ve built a good foundation.”

At midseason, the Bengals were playing pretty solid defense but the numbers didn’t bear that out. With their performance in the month of November, not only are they playing like a top 10 defense, but it finally shows up in the statistics.

In their four November games, which included three AFC North teams, the Bengals have vaulted to sixth in total defense (297.6 yards per game) and now lead the league in scoring defense (15.8 points per game). Going into the bye week they were 20th in total defense (351.7 ypg) and ninth in points allowed (18.3 ppg).

One of the keys: not allowing big plays. In the first seven games, the Bengals allowed 30 plays of 20 yards or more. In the last four, they have allowed only five.

“We’ve been playing good all year long,” Zimmer said. “I said at the middle of the season that we are playing better than what we were showing in the numbers. If we can get to rushing the passer more we’ll be a little bit better.”

During the November stretch, the Bengals allowed just 221.3 yards per game, which is 76 yards below their season average, and 11.5 points per game.

The defense has also gone a team record eight straight games in not allowing 100 yards on the ground and have allowed just one 100-yard rusher the entire season (Cleveland’s Jerome Harrison(notes) in Week 4). In the league stats, the Bengals are third against the run (81.9 ypg).

Series History:   10th regular-season meeting. Bengals lead series 6-3. The Bengals have won six of the last seven in the series. The last meeting was in 2005 in Detroit, a 41-17 Bengals win that clinched the AFC North division title.

NOTES, QUOTES

Cincinnati cornerback Leon Hall(notes) has done well when facing top receivers from the NFC North this season, but on Sunday he faces another tough receiver in Detroit’s Calvin Johnson(notes).

Both players are in their third season and were drafted in the first round. Johnson was second overall and Hall was the 18th pick.

“It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be another challenge for us like we have every week,” Hall said.

The combination of Hall and Johnathan Joseph(notes) held Green Bay’s Greg Jennings(notes) without a catch in Week 2 and then contained Chicago’s Devin Hester(notes) in Week 7 (he had 101 yards on eight catches, but most of those came when the Bengals were up by three touchdowns).

Johnson, though, presents a different test. At 6-foot-5, 239 pounds he is a bigger receiver than what the Bengals are used to facing.

“We really don’t have a guy like him here,” Hall said. “We’ve faced receivers like him before and we’ve faced him in the preseason a couple of times. This is going to be a different test because you don’t come across a guy like him as far as physical and speed.”

Johnson enters the game with 41 catches for 607 yards and three touchdowns. He missed two games with a knee injury but has had two 100-yard games, most recently two weeks ago against Cleveland when he had seven catches for 161 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown.

“They play a lot of man coverage. They play zone as well, but it’s going to be a good battle out there on the outside,” Johnson told Detroit reporters. “We’ve just got to be able to go out there and execute, run good routes and get ourselves open. The quarterback’s got to deliver us the ball on time and where it needs to be.”

• The Lions are the Bengals’ most-played opponent in preseason (35 games), but Detroit and Cincinnati are meeting for only the 10th time in the regular season. The first game of the series, on Sept. 27, 1970, was played at Tiger Stadium, which the Lions won, 38-3. It was the first year after the NFL-AFL merger, and it was the Bengals’ first game against an old-line NFL team.

• The last three meetings in the series have been in Detroit, with the Lions not having a regular-season game in Cincinnati since 1992. They are the last team to be playing their first regular-season game at Paul Brown Stadium, which opened in 2000. In four previous games in Cincinnati, the Bengals and Lions have split the four games.

• Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and Lions first-year coach Jim Schwartz have a long friendship. Schwartz served as Lewis’ defensive assistant when he was the defensive coordinator in Baltimore.

When Schwartz became the coach in Detroit, Lewis was one of the first people he called for advice.

“He’s been a good friend for a long time and I think he’s an excellent football coach,” Lewis said. “We talked once he got the job and as he was putting his staff together and some things he was looking to do and he asked a couple questions. He’s really a smart, smart person. We’d be on vacation and Schwartzie would have his laptop out and he’d be working on an opponent while he was with the Titans. So, he’s a hard working guy and you can see as I talk about him it brings a smile to my face. Just in every way, I was very fortunate enough to have him.”

• Chad Ochocinco(notes) is an admirer of Detroit receiver Calvin Johnson. So much so that he would like a nickname, too (as if changing his last name wasn’t enough).

“I want a name. They call him Megatron, so I want a name too, like Ochotron or like Optimisttron,” he said during a conference call with Detroit reporters.

Ochocinco was also asked about his opinion of Tiger Woods.

“I love Tiger. Man, I could care less what he did,” Ochocinco said. “He’s a great golfer. He’s still an idol of mine. He’s still the best at what he does. I mean, he’s human. We all make mistakes. I could care less. It’s his household. Other than that, because of the figure that he is, it’s being blown out of proportion, so it is what it is. We are all human.”

By The Numbers:   27—Games since a Bengals quarterback has thrown for 300 yards in a game. Carson Palmer(notes) threw for 316 in the 2007 season finale at Miami.

Quote To Note:   “I’ve said it time and time again, I’d love to go out and throw the ball all over the place like it’s a 7-on-7 drill. But whatever helps us and puts us in position to win—if that’s running the football, I’m more than happy with it. We used to be a run-second, pass-first and take a bunch of shots, but that was five years ago.”—QB Carson Palmer, on the Bengals becoming a run first team.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Cedric Benson(notes) is back this week and will start at running back on Sunday after missing the last two games with a hip flexor injury. What it does to the remaining backs remains to be seen. It might become easier in the week as Bernard Scott(notes) did not practice on Wednesday due to turf toe. If he is inactive, the Bengals can stick with three backs on the 45-man game day roster.

Keith Rivers(notes), who has missed the last three games with a calf injury, will be back in the lineup at WIL (outside) linebacker. Offensive tackle Andre Smith(notes), who saw action only in run formations, could see some action in pass formations as they try to work him in more at right tackle.

Player Notes  

• RB Bernard Scott was not on crutches but was still in a walking boot as he tries to come back from turf toe on his left foot. He did not practice on Thursday and his status for Sunday’s game against Detroit is doubtful.

• RB Cedric Benson had his second straight day of full participation and will start on Sunday. He has missed the last two games with a hip flexor injury.

• DT Domata Peko(notes) did not practice for the second straight day as he recovers from a knee injury suffered two weeks ago against Oakland. He is expected to practice on Friday and play against Detroit.

• DT Orien Harris(notes) did not practice on Thursday due to illness. He was a healthy inactive last Sunday and is expected to be inactive this week.

• C Jonathan Luigs(notes) did not practice for a second straight day because of a back injury. He is expected to be inactive for Sunday’s game.

Game Plan:   Even though the Bengals have been sticking mainly to the ground the last couple of weeks, expect them to try to air it out a little bit against a Detroit pass defense ranked last in the league. On defense, Mike Zimmer wants to get more of a pass rush going. They have had only one the past two weeks with none by the offensive line.

Matchups To Watch:   Bengals CB Leon Hall vs. Lions WR Calvin Johnson. Hall has four interceptions this season and along with Johnathan Joseph has done a great job in shutting down opposing team’s top receivers. Johnson, who has 41 receptions for 607 yards and three touchdowns, is a big and physical receiver, but Hall goes up against that every day in practice against the likes of Chad Ochocinco, Laveranues Coles(notes) and Andre Caldwell(notes).

Bengals DT Tank Johnson(notes) vs. Lions LG Manny Ramirez(notes). Ramirez is in his first season as a starter but is inconsistent and slow off the snap. Johnson has only one sack this season but has been getting off the ball quicker and does a good job of applying pressure and disrupting quarterbacks.

Injury Impact:   If Scott is unable to go due to his turf toe injury, either Andre Caldwell or Quan Cosby(notes) will get the call at kick returner. Caldwell has two fumbles on returns, though. Peko will be limited in practice on Thursday before trying to give it a full go on Friday. It is the same timetable as last week.