Chad Johnson+ NFL in LA= Mountains Out Of Molehills

photo from losangelesfootballstadium.com

The week’s hottest topics in the NFL excluding the draft are undeniably Chad Johnson’s latest trade demands and another attempt to bring a football team to Los Angeles. What I’m trippin on is how difficult these situations are potrayed to be. To me, it seems as if  the Bengals and the league are  making mountains out of molehills.

Since December, Ocho-Cinco’s been hollering about wanting out of Cincy. He is laying it out there like carpet that he was determined not to be a Bengal in 2008. The Bengals repeately said that the team will not trade their wide receiever.  The Bengals are typical  for saying that because if Chad goes, they are screwed on the field and in their wallets. Not only will the Bengals take a huge salary cap hit, they will be missing an important part of their team.  On the other hand, If they keep Chad, he will continue to raise hell and be a bigger distraction which will be detrimental to the Bengals’ season.

According to T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chad endlessly talks to him about the drama and problems that the flamboyant pro bowl reciever is having with the team. In a recent interview, Houshmandzadeh beleives that the team should go ahead and give Johnson what he wants.  I agree with T.J. because, if Chad is still with the Bengals next year, he will be a bigger problem than he is now. He would probably have a horrible season on purpose or anything!

The Bengals should just try to work out a draft day deal between Chad and other teams, and call it a day. Cincy’s passing game is still solid with Houshmandzadeh, and free agent pick up Doug Gabriel can and will step up to give T.J. some help. The Bengals should try to improve their defense anyway. Chad Johnson don’t want to be a Cincinnatti Bengal anymore. Let it go and let him go.

Los Angleles Laker and King minority owner, Edward Roski announced plans for a new stadium 20 miles east of Los Angeles in the City of Industry.  Roski said that the 75,000 seat stadium would be privately funded, and will be a part of an entertainment complex including a high end shopping mall.  I’m not in L.A. but I support this latest proposal.

I support it first and foremost for the fact that Roski is using private funds instead of tax dollars, and a stadium along with the mall will help create more jobs  for Industry. I also like the concept of the stadium being built into the existing hillside as opposed to building above ground.

Getting a team to play in this stadium should’nt be hard at all. Its simple really. I say this because the NFL have been whining and crying about returning to the nation’s second largest market for 13 years. There are some teams with stadium  and support issues. How hard is it for one of those team to follow through with moving instead of using LA for leverage for a new stadium?   The Bills, Jaguars, Vikings, and even the Saints could wind up moving. If I was a betting woman, I would say the Vikings would more than likely move. I say this because the team and the State of Minnesota have been at odds for new stadium for years. They just wont build them a stadium. Instead, their focus is on the Twins new facility and the Golden Golphers new football facility. The bridge collapsing made matters worse.

Even Viking owner Zygi Wilf offered to buy some property in downtown Minnapolis but the state legislature decided to sit on that idea. The growing frustration of the Vikings’ brass on this issue can very well drive them out of Minny.

If the league want at team in LA so bad, there is always contraction. The new team whoever it may be, can play in the Colisseum until the new stadium is built.

 

The Saga Of Chad Johnson

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80691a57

Ever since two weeks before the Super Bowl, Bengals WR Chad Johnson has been in rare form. He’s been criticizing his team and holding up the jerseys of other teams. I even believe he was trying to persuade Bill Parcells to sign him at one point.

Now, here he is at the Pro Bowl actin a fool. Now, the media wants to know why he on this tear.  It is obvious that Chad is trying to force a trade.  The Bengal Brass was trying to save face and say that they are not going to trade their star receiver, and that everything is okay. But deep down things are not okay!

Johnson has been unhappy with his team way before they playoffs. I saw the signs of frustration in their game against San Francisco. I saw Ocho-Cinco all up in the face of Carson Palmer. I saw Ocho-Cinco pouting and sulking on the sidelines game after game.

Johnson isnt really pissed about the money and accolades. He is pissed because the Bengals are not winning. He’s upset that the Bengals are regressing and it seems as if his teammates except for a few don’t care.  Bottom line: Chad wants to win and he feels that he can’t win with his team.

Since the Bengals’ brass said that they will not trade Johnson, the wide receiver is trying to force a trade or release buy raising hell.  At the Pro Bowl, he shoved a PR rep, declined an interview with ESPN, and gave a strange interview with the NFL Network.

In the interview shown above, Chad implied that a prominent source undermined him by leaking negative stories. Well, so thats where the stories about Chad being locker room poison are all about. I see what he’s saying because the negative stories will make it harder for Chad to go elsewhere.

 So with this said, what do you think will happen to Ocho-Cinco? Will he…….

A) Get the trade he wants

B) Patch things up with Marvin Lewis and the organization as a whole

C) Get suspended under the league conduct policy

D) Retire

Out Of Sync

Photo from NFL.com

Chad Johnson exchanged dirty looks with his quarterback, Carson Palmer during the Bengals’ 20-13 loss against the 49ers Saturday.  Despite being over 1,000 yards receieving this season, he and Palmer have not been on the same page since last season. It definitely showed at the end of Saturday’s game.

Palmer’s third down completion percentage Saturday was an anemic 33 percent. To make matters worse, Cincinatti scored only two touchdowns in the the red zone during the last three games. In the post game comments, Palmer shifted the blame “It is the same thing every week. We aren’t executing on offense, and you don’t have 11 guys doing each of their jobs. If you have miscues and breakdowns on  offense, you are not going to be successful. They (Niners) did somethings well and they were able to control the game. They had a big advantage in time of possession, and that was one of the keys in tonight’s game. We made it tough on our defense by not holding the ball and we put ourselves in a hole early”

No Carson, you made it tough on your defense by not running the ball. You relied on the pass too much. Sure, T.J. Houshmandzedeh and Chris Henry got theirs but that is not enough.

To pour more salt into the wound, T.J. said that the Niners did not do anything differeent than  anyone else on defense. “This was a a game we definitely should have won,” he said, “They (niners) played us the way everybody else played us-they drop a safety down on us and give looks that everybody else does.”  Houshmandzedeh also had no reason as to why the Bengals’ offense is not clicking.

Now, I’m not a coach but I can say that the reason why Cincinnati’s offense is struggling is because they are one dimensional. Their bread and butter is the pass. Teams know to zero in on Ocho-Cuatro and Ocho-Cinco. They know this and they act accordingly regardless of the number of safeties down on coverage. The opposing defensees may drop one safety on Chad and T.J. but there are different looks . You are not going to tell me otherwise because if it was like this, you guys would be 11-3 or 10-4 instead of 5-9. 

To top it all, there is too much pressure on the offense to perform. The Bengals are 28th in the league in total defense-24th against the pass and 24th against the run. Frank Gore exploited the gaps in the rush defense Saturday just like everybody else.

The only bright side is the fact that this is the first losing season in the Marvin Lewis era and there’s always next year.

Whatever Chad

  

On NFL Live two days ago, Bengals WR Chad Johnson said that he wants to have 2,000 yards receiving for the season. While watching this, all I could do was shake my head and laugh at some of what this guy says.  Don’t get me wrong, I think that Chad is one of the NFL’s elite and exciting to watch. However, 2,000 yards receiving isn’t feasable.

It is not feasible simply because he plays in the toughest division in football-The AFC North. The defenses of Pittsburgh and Baltimore are tough to stop.  Then, the Bengals will have to play New England and Kansas City, both of these guys have a solid defense.

A 1,000+ yard season is likely but 2,000 yards? Yeah right! Those are tailback numbers!

RED ZONE’S SEASON FORECAST: AFC NORTH

Since the preaseason is almost over, I think it is approperate to give my predictions for the regular season. Today, I will feature the AFC North. While this division is the toughest in the NFL, I only see two clear cut favorites.

1. Ravens

Finally, Baltimore’s nasty, stingy, league leading defense do not have to carry the load anymore. This year, the Ravens actually have an offense worth mentioning. Steve McNair is really comfortable in the Ravens’ offensive scheme, while rookie OL Jared Gather, and WRs Demetrius Williams and Mark Clayton are the talk of training camp. The addition of troubled running back Willis McGahee should give the Ravens’ ground game a much needed shot in the arm after finishing 25th last season

On the defense, the loss of Adaleus Thomas should not be a big concern for this talented unit. Look for rookie LB Antwan Barnes to pick up where Thomas left off. Also look for DT Haltoi Ngata to experiment with playing Linebacker. Coordinator Rex Ryan is a mastermind at coming up with different defensive schemes.

2007 projected record 12-4

 2. Steelers

This isn’t your father’s Pittsburgh team! Expect more passing and less running this year!  Ben Rothlinsberger had a hand in rewriting the offensive playbook and in it, 3 and 4 receiver sets and maybe some play action  here and there. Despite the change, Willie Parker will still get his yards, as the offense becomes more ballanced.

Look for the defense espically the corners to be more physical. New Head Coach Mike Tomlin made sure of that with his two a days and extra hitting in training camp.  The Steelers and aformentioned Ravens will be in intense contention for the AFC North crown all year long

2007  projected record  11-5 

3. Bengals

The emergence of the “old” Chad Johnson isn’t going to help this team. The Bengals are weak at the OL and DL positions, and there are even more problems in the  secondary. The team’s off the field problems are only making matters worse. I wonder if they have to pay bail to fill out the depth chart  for the season.

2007 projected record 8-8

4. Browns

While the Browns have solid players like Jamal Lewis, Kellen Winslow II, and Willie McGinest, and an overrated yet promising quarterback in Brady Quinn, these guys can’t get right! These guys haven’t had a decent year since 1987. Unfortunately, look for more medioracy from this storied franchise, and Romeo Crenell in the unemployment line after the season.

2007 projected record  3-13