T1B

Hey Dana, is Paul allowed back in yet? I'd like to see what he thinks about the opening weekends games, and what others think of his opinions. If he is not as of now, they when will he be allowed back in?

Doesn't this Board have Private Messaging????

I thihnk this is what he thinks of the KC game...


Cincinnati at Kansas City

Matchup Breakdown | Game Notes


KANSAS CITY -- A breakout season by Carson Palmer put the Cincinnati Bengals in the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. A devastating injury left the team wondering whether their franchise player would ever be the same.

The Bengals begin the 2006 season against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday looking to see if Palmer's strong preseason showing -- and his knee -- will hold up during the year.

Palmer had an NFL-leading 32 touchdown passes last season and led the Bengals to their first playoff appearance since 1990. The trip to the postseason was turned into an unpleasant one very quickly, with Pittsburgh's Kimo von Oelhoffen crashing into Palmer's left knee on his first pass attempt, and the Bengals went on to lose 31-17.

With two shredded ligaments and a dislocated kneecap, Palmer underwent reconstructive surgery on Jan. 10 and it was believed he might not be available for the start of this season. However, he returned in time to play in Cincinnati's final two preseason games, going 13-of-20 for 173 yards and four touchdowns.

More importantly, his knee was able to withstand some hits.

"He's the juice that makes us go," All-Pro tackle Willie Anderson said. "I don't want to knock our other quarterbacks -- they proved they can do a solid job if we need them -- but Carson's the big gun.


Star RB Larry Johnson is expected to shoulder a chunk of the load for the Chiefs.
"A lot of other teams that might've been thinking he wouldn't be ready now, they have to start getting ready for the real deal."

The Bengals are looking to prove that an 11-5 record last season -- the team's best since 1988 -- wasn't a fluke.

"We're going to be good," said Chad Johnson, who led the AFC with 97 catches and had a club-record 1,432 receiving yards in 2005. "Anyone else that feels we're not going to dominate the AFC North this year, something's wrong.

"Look at the numbers. Look at the players. Look at me. What else could I say?"

The defense still has some question marks. The Bengals gave up an average of 30 points over their last eight games and allowed the seventh-most passing yards in the NFL (3,569).

Plus, starting linebacker Odell Thurman is suspended for the first four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Safety Madieu Williams knows Cincinnati's defense at some point is going to have to step up if the Bengals high-powered offense falters.

"We just want to make sure to be consistent," said Williams, whose shoulder injury sidelined him for most of last season. "We're not a dominating defense -- yet. That's what we want to be by the end of the season."

The defense's biggest challenge this week will be finding a way to contain Chiefs running back Larry Johnson. Johnson started only nine of 16 games last season, relegated to the backup role before Priest Holmes got hurt in October, but ranked third in the NFL with 1,750 rushing yards and was second with 20 rushing touchdowns.

Johnson is expected to carry the offense for first-year coach Herman Edwards.

Trent Green is 36 years old and had only 17 touchdown passes last season -- his fewest since 2001 -- though he did throw for more than 4,000 yards for a third straight year. Star tight end Tony Gonzalez had 78 catches but only two went for touchdowns, matching a career low.

The Chiefs hope to be improved on the other side of the ball under the more defensive-minded Edwards. Under now-retired coach Dick Vermeil, Kansas City allowed an average of 229.9 passing yards per game, third-highest in the NFL.

Edwards went 39-41 in five seasons with the New York Jets, but reached the playoffs three times and was within a field goal of taking the team to the Super Bowl in 2004. He's taking over a Kansas City team that went 10-6 last season, but missed the playoffs.

"I don't know them yet in a game situation," Edwards said of his concerns about Sunday's game. "(I) haven't been in a real game with them, haven't seen our varsity players play 60 minutes. The varsity is going to play a whole game, and I think as we go through the process, I'll find out more about them. I think we're prepared, but we'll find out what type of football team we are after the first two games."

The teams last met on Jan. 1 to close the regular season, and the Chiefs won 37-3 behind Larry Johnson's 201 yards and three touchdowns. Palmer was rested for most of the game with the Bengals having already clinched a playoff spot.


-NFL.COM

Assuming Paul hasn't left us for good to start http://www.baleedat.com, his sabbatical ends with the start of the new season.

Thats tonight right?

He's been active for much of the day.

Qbert wrote:Doesn't this Board have Private Messaging????

Q, sure it does. I use it when I have something to say in confidence, and I am at least a little bit assured that it will stay that way.

On the other hand, my message to Dana was in NO way intended to be private. He and I had a few differences of opinions ON the board, there for they should be resolved ON the board.

Does this present a problem for you, were you questioning the boards private messaging system, or did you simply feel the need to reply with something worthless?

Dave

i was going to TROTS this Thread right away....

Dana stated explicitly in your OTHER TROTS RESIDING Threads about his feelings on this subject.

...but, i didn't.

so, i brought up a Marcus POINT.

i let your PM stay.

get over yourself.