Cardinals' Paris Johnson Jr. looks forward to facing hometown team, Cincinnati Bengals
Paris Johnson Jr.'s fifth NFL game of his career will be against his hometown team, the Cincinnati Bengals, when the Arizona Cardinals host them on Sunday.
"It's a cool opportunity. I have a lot of family that's coming out for this game. I think it's awesome," said Johnson, the Cardinals' starting right tackle and first-round pick this year. "Growing up in Cincinnati, when I was a kid, the Bengals weren't all that great. But we still had that hometown pride in the Bengals."
Johnson said locals were fans of such Bengals legends as Carson Palmer, Chad (Johnson) Ochocinco, Terrell Owens and offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth, and not so much the team as a whole. But since the Bengals have turned into one of the AFC's top teams, things have changed.
"Cincinnati fans who I know weren't Bengals fans, when I was in college all of a sudden they started claiming the Bengals once (quarterback) Joe (Burrow) came and started winning. Now they have all this Bengals gear that I've never seen in the city," Johnson said. "Growing up I wasn't so much of a Bengals fan as much as I was a fan of individual players."
Johnson wanted Ochocinco's autograph when he would go to Bengals' training camp to watch the team, and even had the outspoken wide receiver's model of shoes.
Johnson said he wants to remain involved in the community in his hometown, as well as in Columbus, Ohio, where he played in college at Ohio State. He got to know Bengals players who were active at that time as well as future Bengals when he played in high school at St. Xavier and Princeton high schools in the city.
Hollywood’s thumb
Wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown has seven receptions for a team-high 96 yards during Sunday’s game at the 49ers. He did it despite playing with a right thumb injury that remains in a small cast this week.
“It was tough last week, more tough last week than this week. I didn’t really think I was going to play,” Brown said. “But credit the training staff and my team outside of here getting me right and getting me able to play.”
Brown leads the Cardinals in catches (21), targets (32) and receiving yards (239). He is tied with rookie Michael Wilson for the team lead in touchdown receptions (two) and catches of 20 yards or longer (three).
About that fake punt
The Cardinals were backed up at their own 21-yard line against the 49ers and facing a fourth-and-two when a play they’ve been working on in practice the past few weeks was called. The punter was on the field, but instead, it was a direct snap to linebacker/special teams player Zeke Turner, who plowed straight ahead and got the first down by a nose.
The play turned out to be huge because it helped continue a drive that led Arizona’s first touchdown and cut the 49ers’ deficit to 21-10 late in the first half.
“You’re always happy when you do something a little bit out of the ordinary and it works,” special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers said this week. “That particular one extended a drive that ended up being a touchdown so we’re certainly happy about that. … Credit San Fran. They reacted better than anybody else that we’ve run anything against. They had people where they needed to have them. It was fourth-and-2 and Zeke made the right decision with where he went. There appeared to be a little bit of assistance getting him across that first down line so that part of it was good, too.”
Asked if there was anything else special about the play call, Rodgers said, “Our players were sick of practicing it for three, four weeks, but we were able to run it and execute it.”
Scouting report: Arizona Cardinals to face Cincinnati Bengals as both teams seek second win of season
Murray remains upbeat
Gannon was asked if injured quarterback Kyler Murray, who remains on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list as he continues his rehab back from ACL surgery, is disappointed about not yet being cleared to practice with the team.
Murray looks to be running well on when out on the field for rehab work.
“I don’t think there’s disappointment,” he said. “We knew his timeline in where he’s at and that’s kind of a day-by-day deal as with all of our guys that are coming off an injury. He’s been very upbeat the whole time, but these past couple of weeks I’ve seen a little bit of a different bounce in his step. He’ll keep going day-by-day and when he’s ready to get out there we’ll get him out there.”
Injury report: Ledbetter out, Hernandez questionable
The Cardinals won't have defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter for a second straight game after he was ruled out Friday with an injured finger. Defensive back Garrett Williams, who started practicing this week after coming off the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list, is also out.
Of bigger concern, though, is the possibility that starting right guard Will Hernandez won't play this Sunday. Hernandez was limited due to a back injury Thursday and did not practice Friday.
Keith Ismael is listed as Hernandez's backup on the depth chart this week. Ismael has seen brief action in three games.
Offensive lineman Dennis Daley got in a full practice coming off injured reserve this week, so there's a chance he is activated. Running back Keaontay Ingram is questionable with a neck injury, as is linebacker Josh Woods with an ankle injury. Woods fully practiced Friday.
"He had a good day Wednesday and Thursday. So he wants to play and be out there with his guys, but we gotta do what's best for the team, too," Gannon said of Woods, who opened the season as a starter.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals rookie getting ready for team he followed as a kid
