Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Bengals Avoid Blackout, Free Tickets For Military

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November 7

KYPost.com

"The Cincinnati Bengals game against the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday will be shown on local television, the team announced Friday. The team says in spite of the blackout being lifted, there are seats remaining for the game. They can be purchased by phone through the Bengals Ticket Hotline at 513-621-8383 (TDTD) until 8 p.m. Friday or between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday. Tickets may be ordered at any time Friday or Saturday through www.ticketmaster.com. Also, tickets may be purchased in person at the Bengals ticket office at Paul Brown Stadium until 5 p.m. Friday, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and on game day beginning at 9 a.m."

Bengals' Smith, Williams questionable

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November 7

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Everyone practiced again on Friday for the Bengals. That will make the leadup to Sunday's announcement of those inactive even more interesting. On the injury report, offensive tackle Andre Smith (foot) and safety Roy Williams (forearm) are questionable while defensive tackle Tank Johnson (foot), safety Tom Nelson (shoulder), fullback Jeremi Johnson (knee) and running back Bernard Scott (knee) are probable. Tank Johnson was a new listing on the injury report and was limited in practice. He has missed two games due to plantar fasciitis. Williams, who was also limited, has missed three of the last four games. "I don't know if I ever write 61 guys down starting practice very often (the 53 on ..."

Bengals avoid blackout again

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November 7

Cincinnati Enquirer

"The Bengals have avoided a blackout again. The team announced Friday afternoon that Sunday's game against Baltimore will air locally after the necessary sales to achieve a sellout. This extends the Bengals' streak of sellouts for regular season and playoff games to 49. The Bengals, Local 12 and Kroger worked together to ensure the blackout would be lifted. In honor of Veterans' Day, Kroger will give away 500 tickets (250 pairs of tickets) to members of the military. They will be distributed at stores today in Hyde Park (10-11 a.m.); Lebanon, Union and Fairborn (11 a.m.-noon) and Anderson Towne Center (1-2 p.m.). The first 50 people who come to the promotional van outside the store and show ..."

Lewis not one to back down

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November 7

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Say one thing for Ray Lewis. The man has chutzpah. Here's what the Ravens linebacker says about his hit four weeks ago on Chad Ochocinco (the hit for which he would later be fined $25,000 by the league) helped keep the Bengals game-winning drive alive. "You look at the hit I had on him - you don't go helmet-to-helmet, you're running toward the ball, you make a clean hit, and then you still get penalized for it," Lewis said. "So then you can ask yourself: 'Are you going to slow down the way you play or are you going to keep playing football the way you know how to play football?' For us, it's an easy process: Just keep playing football the way you play football, and everything will take its ..."

Bengals not worried about being 'dogs against Ravens

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November 6

Baltimore Sun

"Even though the Cincinnati Bengals won the first meeting and get to stay home and play host to the Ravens this Sunday, the Ravens are three-point favorites. Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said he was unaware of what could be perceived as a major slight. "Well, I didnâ€™t know I was an underdog, so it doesnâ€™t matter what we are," he said Wednesday. "Weâ€™ve just got to play. We have a nine-game season and our first week is this week against the Ravens, and what counts is this game. This one counts, and all the other stuff is peripheral. Itâ€™s good for people to talk about, but when you come out there on Sunday the team that executes, runs and tackles and takes care of the football will ..."

Can the Ravens stop Vikings' Peterson?

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November 6

Baltimore Sun

"A chance at redemption awaits the Ravens' run defense at an uninviting Metrodome today. After their streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher was trampled last week by the Cincinnati Bengals' Cedric Benson - "sickening," as linebacker Jarret Johnson describes it - the next assignment for the Ravens (3-2) is the most dynamic running back in the NFL: Adrian Peterson of the undefeated Minnesota Vikings (5-0). Most would consider this a tough break. The Ravens' prideful front seven sees this as the ultimate opportunity to regain respect. "I think it's a perfect opponent for us," Johnson said without even a hint of sarcasm. Stopping the run has been the foundation of the Ravens' defense during ..."

In a down economy, NFL viewership is up

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November 6

Washington Post

"When this NFL season began with some franchises struggling to sell tickets, there were concerns about the impact that the uncertain U.S. economy would have on the nation's most prosperous sport. While those concerns have turned out to be justified in a few NFL cities and unfounded in others, there has been an unforeseen development: The NFL's television ratings are soaring this season, and some analysts say it appears to be the result of consumers cutting back on other, more costly leisure activities in favor of watching pro football on TV. "I think there's only one answer and that is the NFL and television are actually getting the so-called 'benefit' of the recession," said Neal Pilson, ..."

Caldwell's taking it all in

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November 5

Cincinnati Enquirer

"There has been a lot of the noise coming out of Seattle about how unhappy former Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh is about not being more of a passing target in his first season with the Seahawks. But the man who has filled Houshmandzadeh's role as a go-to guy for the Bengals is very glad to be here. "I'm happy to get the ball thrown my way, happy they depend on me on some plays," Andre Caldwell said. "When you win games, everything else works itself out. I'd rather have a win than have 10 catches for 150 yards. It means more when you win a ballgame, and it's a whole team effort." The Bengals are 5-2 this season and sit atop the AFC North. But they're a three-point underdog for ..."

Bengals tight end Coffman making progress

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November 4

Dayton Daily News

"The Cincinnati Bengals appear to be taking baby steps inserting rookie third-round draft choice tight end Chase Coffman into the lineup. That being said his long awaited pro debut could be on the horizon. The 2008 John Mackey Award winner is believed to be making progress and may soon be in the Bengals lineup. "I feel like I have been doing pretty well in practice making some nice plays," Coffman said in a recent interview. "Not being able to suit up on Sundays has been a learning experience. I wish I could be out there helping the team because that's what I love to do. I just have to make my time count during the week in practice." The thought of Coffman receiving on the job training may ..."

Bengals' sellout streak in jeopardy

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November 3

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Not much of a dent was made in ticket sales over the weekend for Sunday's game against Baltimore as 4,500 seats remain available. None of the remaining four home games are sold out as the team has a 48-game regular-season and postseason sellout streak. Ticket manager Andrew Brown did say that the amount of tickets remaining is slightly lower than the Denver and Houston games, which went down to the wire before they were sold out. The game must be sold out by 1 p.m. on Thursday to be televised, but it is likely that a 24-hour extension will be given by the league. Only one NFL game was blacked out last week and 93 percent of all games have been shown locally (108 of 116). The eight ..."

Bengals' Hayes, Palmer happy with tight end play

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October 30

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Less than a week into training camp, Bengals tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes knew that this year was going to be a work in progress. Through seven games, that process keeps evolving. Going into next Sunday's game against Baltimore, J.P. Foschi has moved past Dan Coats on the depth chart while rookie Chase Coffman continues to learn the position. Foschi wasn't with the Bengals when they began training camp, but season-ending injuries to Reggie Kelly and Ben Utecht forced them to adjust. "I've been happy with it so far," said Hayes about the progress of his position group. "One of our guys wasn't with us until two days before camp broke while the other guy was at fullback last year before ..."

Bengals' Evan Mathis unsung hero

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October 30

Cincinnati Enquirer

"It is often said that the offensive linemen are the unsung heroes of a football team. Of that group, the guards may be the most unsung, because at least the tackles seem to get the most credit for keeping the quarterback's jersey clean. The center, after all, is the guy who snaps the ball to the QB. And nobody with the engaging personality of right guard Bobbie William can go unnoticed for long, especially in the Bengals lockerroom, where he practically qualifies as a standup comic. So, if you were choosing the "most unsung of the unsung," No. 66, left guard Evan Mathis, might be your guy. The lack of attention doesn't seem to bother the 6-foot-5, 295-pounder from Homewood, Ala.. He's all ..."

Bengals depth at WR goes deep

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October 30

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Even if the Bengals' first drive against Chicago last Sunday hadn't concluded with a touchdown, wide receiver Andre Caldwell said the team would come to the sidelines with its confidence undiminished. "We studied (the Bears' defense) a lot on film, and we felt we had the edge on them a little bit," Caldwell said. "We knew about the strength of their front seven, and we knew if we could block 'em up, we had the talent to get open." The fact that the first drive did end with a touchdown - on a Carson Palmer to Chris Henry pass - served to validate the team's confidence. It's no accident the Bengals feel good about their offense. Henry said constant practice allows for the QB and receivers to ..."

Palmer looking in 2005 form

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October 29

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Early in the season, he was known for putting together late come-from-behind drives, but during the last four weeks Carson Palmer has shown an all-around game that also has started to pay dividends for the Bengals. Fresh off Sunday's 45-10 win over the Bears, Palmer was honored as the AFC Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday. The seventh-year NFL quarterback had shown flashes of progress over the previous three games before the Bengals' matchup against the Bears, but he put it all together in the win over Chicago. From showing mobility in the pocket to creating touchdown plays to getting receivers involved, Palmer is beginning to approach his level of play from 2005, when he passed ..."

Bengals' Huber right at home in NFL

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October 28

Cincinnati Enquirer

"The Bengals' Kevin Huber grew up practicing punts on Benham Court in Anderson Township. So maybe it's no surprise he's tied for 10th in the NFL with 12 punts inside the 20-yard line. The man has touch. Touch is what allows a punter to flutter a ball inside the 20, pinch a return man against the sideline or hang the ball high enough that the return man has to fair-catch it. Huber, the former McNicholas High and University of Cincinnati product, continues to improve in all categories. The rookie is validating the Bengals' faith in him as the first specialist taken in the 2009 draft, one of only three punters drafted. It all started when Huber began bending it on Benham -- from the end of his ..."

NFL Films thrilled with Bengals 5-2 start

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October 28

Cincinnati Enquirer

"There's another group besides Bengals' fans who are thrilled with the team's 5-2 start - the folks at NFL Films. After spending six weeks with the team for the "Hard Knocks: Training Camp" series, the Bengals are off to the best start of a team that has appeared on the series. In three previous cases teams have started 4-3 only to stumble down the stretch. "For us it's been terrific because we know the coaches and players," NFL Films president Steve Sabol said. "We all sit around on Monday's and try to think if there was anything we saw that could've predicted they season they are having." Sabol selected the Bengals because he wanted to profile a team that was fighting back from tough ..."

Bengals Head To Bye With Statement Effort/ Win

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October 27

KYPost.com

"No one saw this one coming. Oh, they knew that they'd have a better effort than they showed against the Houston Texas the previous Sunday but they didn't figure anything like this would result. Carson Palmer talked Monday about how since training camp, everyone on the offensive units, thought they'd have this kind of success consistently. When it didn't happen and the heavy lifting fell to the defense, they started to retreat into their thoughts about why things weren't clicking. The Bears came in flat. That was abundantly clear. While the Bengals were as precise, as sharp, as focused and as effective as they've been in several seasons. There is no reason to believe they would have been ..."

Bengals' offensive line big surprise

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October 27

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Over the past couple weeks when talking about his group, there's been more of a gleam in offensive line coach Paul Alexander's eye. Now that the Bengals are 5-2 and at the bye week, that gleam has been substituted for sheer joy. With the league's leading rusher and Carson Palmer looking more and more like he was before his knee injury, the offensive line so far has been one of the biggest turnarounds of the season for the Bengals. This despite having three new starters and only one player who is in the same position as last year. "To be honest with you, they're beyond my expectations right now and unfortunately it's made me greedy because now I'm shooting for the moon and they can be even ..."

Rest, review for Bengals during bye week

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October 27

Cincinnati Enquirer

"While some of the upcoming bye week will be used to rest some players and get them healthy, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and his staff will also be evaluating the team through the seven weeks of the regular season. "All in all, we take a critical look at what we're doing," Lewis said. "I've got guys looking at each side of the football and at where we can get better. There are some things you've been holding as far as installation-wise that we'll get a chance to introduce to some guys, at least conceptually, and get through that as we go through the last nine football games." Lewis was happy the day after the Bengals 45-10 throttling of the Bears but still noted that there are areas for ..."

Benson basks in the moment

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October 26

Chicago Sun-Times

"Cedric Benson finally couldn't contain his emotions. The 2005 first-round pick of the Bears sprinted from the field after scoring on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter against his former mates. Benson headed straight for the stands behind the Cincinnati bench, took off his helmet and celebrated with the fans who have embraced him in his new home. He was met by the Bengals' master of celebrations, wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, who gave Benson a hug and a message. ''Ced and I kept talking about going 'Ham,''' Ochocinco said. ''It's a new [phrase], so just let it soak in, and he'll tell you about it.'' Benson went ''Ham'' -- which he explained as a Southern phrase that means to keep going ..."

Against Ced's Bengals, Bears pull off historic underachievement

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October 26

Chicago Sun-Times

"This was something nobody had ever seen before, making it like Secretariat's 31-length victory in the 1973 Belmont Stakes and Nadia Comaneci's perfect 10. Replace goose bumps with the gag reflex, and it was like witnessing Nolan Ryan's seventh no-hitter or Roger Bannister's sub-four-minute mile. It was an athletic contest that made the 64,900 in attendance want to keep their ticket stubs as souvenirs because the Bears turned in what might've been the worst performance in franchise history. Some might argue that. The Bears have, after all, fielded some perfectly putrid teams since George Halas helped found the league in Ralph Hay's Hupmobile showroom 89 years ago. But when you consider the ..."

No defense for this mess

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October 26

Chicago Sun-Times

"The temptation is to issue a threatening proclamation of sorts -- something along the lines that if the defense suffers another collapse like it did in Cincinnati on Sunday, then Lovie Smith needs the ''Jim Zorn treatment,'' meaning someone from ownership or management has to pull play-calling duties from the coach. Sunday's loss was a double-whammy for Smith, a combination of failure in defensive tactics and the nonfulfillment of the first basic tenant of coaching: prepare your team to play. The Bears are supposed to be in the middle of a cultural revolution, transitioning to a new era of offensive football. They were offensive in an unexpected way Sunday, as in unpleasant or ..."

Bears humiliated by Benson, Bengals

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October 26

Chicago Sun-Times

"Cedric Benson said last week that ''my dreams are coming true'' with the Cincinnati Bengals, but he didn't mention anything about nightmares beginning for the Bears. The Bears' former No. 4 overall pick justified his selection by general manager Jerry Angelo in one afternoon, and the Bears' 2009 season was put on notice as the Cincinnati Bengals humiliated them 45-10 Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals (5-2) scored on their first seven possessions as if they were playing against air. Benson ran for a career-high 189 yards while Chad Ochocinco, who called out the Bears all week on Twitter, caught 10 passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns. The Bears (3-3) have not been this woefully ..."

After win, Bengals' Chad Ochocinco turns diplomatic

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October 26

Chicago Tribune

"Chad Ochocinco said there is a time to taunt and tease, and then there is a time to be professional. The Bengals wide receiver caught 10 passes for 118 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns in Cincinnati's 45-10 thrashing of the Bears on Sunday. Ochocinco had spent much of last week sending Tweets and text messages to Bears players such as cornerback Charles "Peanut" Tillman. "I know I did the talking before the game, man, but I respect Peanut to the fullest," said Ochocinco. "I have fun with the talking part. But there is a line that is drawn. Once we touch the field, I continue to work. So I talked to him positively throughout the game. I don't egg at people during the game. I always ..."

Bengals' Cedric Benson missed chance to thank Lovie Smith after game

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October 26

Chicago Tribune

"Cedric Benson said he wanted to shake hands with and thank Bears coach Lovie Smith after Sunday's 45-10 Bengals thrashing of the Bears. "I wanted to say hello to Lovie. But I think he shook (Bengals coach Marvin Lewis') hand and he ran off the field," said Benson, who rushed for a career-high 189 yards and a touchdown. "If I was a head coach I probably would be a little disappointed if my team played that way, too, considering the outcome of the game. But it would have been really nice to kind of look him in the eyes again and say thank you." Benson said he tried all week to downplay the media attention that referred to Sunday's game as the "Benson Bowl." But at one point late in Sunday's ..."

Bengals' Cedric Benson basks in an I-told-you-so day

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October 26

Chicago Tribune

"One look at Cedric Benson standing at the locker beside him and you might say Chad Ochocinco had doscientos on his mind. It was obvious from the first, forceful carry that Benson did too. "You get 200?" Ochocinco asked Benson after the Bengals' 45-10 win Sunday over the Bears at Paul Brown Stadium. One stool away, still dressed in game gear, Benson just cracked the grin he had been waiting all season to crack. "Close," he shot back. "I got 189." Benson answered quickly enough to suggest he was carrying the football in one hand and a calculator in the other, mentally computing every satisfying yard against the team that threw him on the NFL scrap heap. The allure of 200 yards had to be why ..."

Bears' Jay Cutler embarrassed

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October 26

Chicago Tribune

"One of the reasons the Bears traded for Jay Cutler in the off-season, and then made him the fourth-highest-paid quarterback in football last week, is Cutler is supposed to give them a come-from-behind dimension. But there was none of that Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. In fact, Cutler helped the Bengals' lead grow bigger by throwing three interceptions that led to 17 points. Cutler gave no excuses for his play. "We've done it before," he said. "We've been behind. We just have to execute. In those first three drives, we had a chance, but we had penalties and I missed a few throws." Cutler finished with 251 passing yards and a 64.1 passer rating. He completed 26 of 37 passes and threw a ..."

Cincinnati Bengals rout Chicago Bears 45-10

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October 26

Chicago Tribune

"The Bears' 45-10 loss to the Bengals on Sunday challenged the axiom that it is better to give than receive. The Bengals received to the tune of five touchdown catches. The Bears gave way beyond the point where it hurt. And there was no question who got the better of this deal. If giving the Bengals the running back who leads the NFL in rushing and a starting defensive tackle weren't enough, the Bears also spotted their opponent 31 points before they scored a meager field goal at the end of the half. They gave them almost everything they could, short of George Halas' dusty fedora and a game program from the 1985 Super Bowl. The Bears gave the Bengals yards -- 448 of them. They gave them the ..."

Bengals defense stands out too

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October 26

Cincinnati Enquirer

"The Bears' offense never stood a chance at the start of Sunday's game at Paul Brown Stadium. It faced a wired, confident and clamoring Bengals' defense that doled out immediate devastation in a lopsided 45-10 victory that was ultimately decided in the first quarter. How strong was the Bengals' defense to start the game? It limited the Bears to 22 first-quarter yards and two first downs. It procured a fumble recovery and interception in the first half. It held Chicago to a first-half field goal and allowed the home team to head to the locker room with a 31-3 lead as the University of Cincinnati's band took the field. In the end, Chicago turned over the ball four times and amassed a ..."

Cedric Benson ready to move on from Bears

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October 26

Cincinnati Enquirer

"How frightening was it? It was "The Nightmare Before Halloween" -- and for a change the opposing club was on the receiving end of it. Bengals 45, Bears, 10. Meting out much of the punishment was Bengals running back Cedric Benson, the former Bear, who had 189 yards rushing, a single-game high for his career. His longest run of the day was a 26-yarder; there were many times he was carrying defensive players on his back like bags on a burro. Benson had to practically put himself through yoga sessions this week to keep from going into overdrive about this game. "I didn't want it to be revenge," he said. "I knew I was going to be faced with getting over-emotional about it at times." After the ..."

Benson has last laugh on Chicago Bears

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October 26

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Earlier this week Bengals special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons said he was waiting for that one game when all three phases - offense, defense and special teams - would be in synch at the same time. Simmons, and the rest of the Bengaldom, finally got that game on Sunday. The offense scored on its first seven possessions, the defense forced four turnovers and special teams did a solid job as the Bengals rolled to a 45-10 victory over Chicago at Paul Brown Stadium. It is the Bengals' biggest win since their 38-3 win over Houston in Week 8 of the 2002 season. "Last Sunday the guys got their nose rubbed a little bit and didn't like it," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "We had a good week. ..."

Benson shows Bears not to judge book by its cover

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October 26

Dayton Daily News

"He can sit there after the game and say this "wasn't about revenge" and talk about how he's "friends" with a lot of his old Chicago teammates and how he had wanted to find Bears coach Lovie Smith afterward and "thank him" for all he did for him. But that's nothing but a verbal juke step from Cedric Benson, similar to the on-field one he put on Lance Briggs early in the game that froze the Bears linebacker in midstep as he scooted by for a 23-yard gain. The true feelings of the Cincinnati running back could be seen in the fourth quarter of the 45-10 trouncing the Bengals put on the Bears, Sunday, Oct. 25, at Paul Brown Stadium. After scampering for another 14-yard run - part of a career day ..."

Bengals have chance to gain momentum

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October 25

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Take away the main subplot of today's Bengals-Bears game being called the Benson Bowl, and there are bigger, long-term ramifications for both teams. The Bengals need a win to go into the bye week 5-2 and maintain at least a share of the AFC North lead. A win also would give them momentum going into the November part of their schedule, which features three division opponents in four weeks, including Baltimore and Pittsburgh back to back. "We've got to get a win this week," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "We have a week off, and then we have a couple more division games and some big games coming up. "But to go into the bye at 5-2 and be in the position where we could be if we get a win out ..."

Tillman on covering Chad and being a dad

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October 25

Chicago Sun-Times

"Shadowing Chad Ochocinco, Charles Tillman's expected assignment today, won't be an easy task, but the Bears cornerback can put it in perspective. Tillman will travel Tuesday with his wife, Jackie, to Washington, where they'll speak with lawmakers about the Berlin Heart, the device that saved his daughter Tiana's life just before the start of last season. She was the first patient in Illinois to benefit from the small, computerized device that helps the heart pump blood until a donor transplant is available. The device is not FDA-approved yet and has been used on a clinical basis. ''I've got the easy part; talking about my daughter is easy,'' Tillman said. ''Obviously, she's the reason I'm ..."

Drab Chicago sports scene in need of some personality

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October 25

Chicago Tribune

columnist Rick Morrissey

"A week of Chad Ochocinco's creative Tweets has brought home something that once seemed unthinkable: We followers of Chicago sports figures are living in Snoozeville. We're dangerously low on personalities. We're lacking free spirits. We're experiencing a critical shortage of true originals. If it weren't for White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, we would be almost completely devoid of characters. All right, we will include Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano, who is given to violent outbursts and exuberant twitchiness. Let's put it this way: There's nobody in the non-Venezuelan division who makes you laugh or roll your eyes or even shake your head at another Gatorade container taking a beating. Right ..."

Cincinnati Bengals Chad Ochocinco still a big threat

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October 25

Chicago Tribune

"Chad Ochocinco is a 31-year-old, ninth-year Bengal who has been in five Pro Bowls. His 455 receiving yards rank sixth in the NFL, and he is averaging 15.7 yards per catch. He is the Bengals' all-time leading receiver. Ochocinco is coming off a down year in 2008, probably because he was fighting through hamstring and shoulder injuries. He has been playing faster this season. You can see him accelerating better and cutting quicker than he did a year ago, but he still isn't a burner. He did miss practice Friday with a hip injury that could affect him Sunday. What stands out about Ochocinco is how he loves the game and competes. At 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds he plays physically. Ochocinco gets ..."

Cedric Benson still running his mouth

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October 25

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"Expressed in the trendy, 140-character-or-less form of communication preferred by the Bears and Bengals last week: @Ochocinco -- You should've told Ced to keep his mouth shut. Child, please. Everybody knows the Bears' D plays better angry. Back to the Tweet-free zone, if the Bears' defense responds as expected Sunday to Cedric Benson casting aspersions on his former employer, he will have done what he rarely did in Chicago. That is, contribute to a Bears victory. The stat sheet showing Benson as the NFL's third-leading rusher convinced many he had changed since he left Halas Hall. Then Benson opened his mouth. It revealed only the uniform is different. The man inside sounded familiarly ..."

Chicago Bears played fair with Jay Cutler and Cedric Benson

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October 25

Chicago Tribune

columnist Dan Pompei

"If you believe everything you hear, the Bears have been doing some balling -- lowballing Jay Cutler and blackballing Cedric Benson. Neither is true. The Bears did get Cutler at a very reasonable price when they signed him to a two-year contract extension, but Cutler won in the deal, too, with $29,377,000 in new money. And he stacks up very well with his peers. As for Benson, the Bears never tried to prevent him from working in the NFL. But they were honest with people like Bengals coach Marvin Lewis who called and asked what led to the Bears cutting the former fourth pick in the draft. Part of that honesty included an expression of faith in Benson's ability. Coach Lovie Smith told Lewis ..."

'Healthy' Harris out for Bengals game

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October 24

Chicago Sun-Times

"Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said Thursday morning on WSCR-AM (670) that defensive tackle Tommie Harris ''is healthy.'' A statement on Harris' health hasn't been that inaccurate since coach Lovie Smith announced at the start of training camp that Harris was ''100 percent healthy.'' Since Angelo's radio appearance, Harris has missed his second and third practices of the week, and he will be held out of the game Sunday at Cincinnati. A source said Harris has undergone extra treatments on his left knee after experiencing persistent pain since last week's game on the artificial surface in Atlanta. Marcus Harrison, who made his first career start against the Falcons, will move from nose ..."

Fork over $4.99 to chill with Chad Ochocinco? I'll pass

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October 24

Dayton Daily News

columnist D.L. Stewart

"Just when I was starting to fear that modern technology couldn't possibly come up with anything new to make all of our lives worth living, modern technology has risen to the challenge once again. Because now we all can chill with Chad Ochocinco without leaving the comfort of our living rooms. We could, at least, if we were willing to spend up to $549 for an iPhone and then add a Chad Ochocinco application on to it. As the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver himself informed the reported 300,000 fans who already follow him on Twitter: "If you can't fly here to chill with me, you can with this app." According to an Associated Press report, chilling with Chad includes sound bites in English and ..."

Bengals' Domata Peko should play Sunday against the Bears

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October 24

Cincinnati Enquirer

"It appears as if Domata Peko will be able to go for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears. The Bengals defensive tackle had full participation during Friday's practice and said his left knee is feeling better. He is officially listed as probable, meaning there is a virtual certainty he will be available to play. "Right now it's feeling great," Peko said. "I'm excited. I want to get out there and be with my dudes against Chicago but if it ain't right I'm not going to go." Coach Marvin Lewis said Peko did well during the 90-minute practice and that "he'll be fine." With defensive end Antwan Odom (Achilles) lost for the season, the defensive line has been battling injuries all this week. ..."

Zimmer's defense looks for answers

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October 23

Cincinnati Enquirer

"After his defense was carved up for 472 yards by Houston last week, Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is dealing with many of the same problems as the offense. On one side, the defense is forcing a lot more three-and-outs than last year. But they have allowed a league-leading 25 plays of 20 yards or more. So as they prepare for Sunday's game against Chicago, consistency and discipline have been words mentioned a lot this week. "We're undisciplined enough that we allow teams to make big plays on us, and we've been getting away with it because we haven't allowed teams to score when they get in the red zone," Zimmer said. "Last week was a perfect example of it catching up to us. They ..."

With defense ailing, Cutler key for Bears

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October 23

Cincinnati Enquirer

"The "Benson Bowl" between the Bengals and Bears Sunday may come down to a lot more than running back Cedric Benson, who was drafted No. 4 by Chicago in 2005 and now plays for Cincinnati. The beauty of sports is that you never know who the hero is going to be. The one staple in the NFL is that the defense usually must play well if a team is going to win. Chicago's defense is trying to recover from some tough blows. The Bears (3-2) lost superstar linebacker Brian Urlacher to a season-ending wrist injury in their opener against Green Bay. "When you lose the face of your franchise - first game, first half of your season - it's tough," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "You have to go through an ..."

His routes start in Fort Thomas

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October 22

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Andre Caldwell is one of the most engaging of the 4-2 Bengals, and he's a heck of a player, too. Everybody would like to claim this guy as their own, but only the Bengals, Florida (his home state and alma mater) and Fort Thomas can do that. Fort Thomas? Yes, Fort Thomas. It's where Caldwell makes his in-season home. "The cost of living is a little bit better on the Kentucky side," is the way Caldwell puts it. "It was pretty easy to find a place over there," the wide receiver said. "I actually found the place myself - saw it on a little ad posted on a little billboard here at the stadium - and moved right in." The reason I was in the Bengals locker room Wednesday was not to talk about the ..."

Bengal Benson on the prowl

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October 22

Chicago Sun-Times

"Cedric Benson is a different player on the field for the Cincinnati Bengals than he ever was for the Bears. Off the field, the mercurial fourth pick from the 2005 draft remains the same person. Benson speaks what's on his mind, says what he believes to be the truth and doesn't care who is listening or what they think of his opinion. He resurrected his career last season with the Bengals when he was signed Sept. 30, nearly four months after being bounced by the Bears following a second booze-related arrest in Texas in five weeks. This season, he has emerged as one of the better power backs in the NFL, third in rushing with 531 yards and four touchdowns. Benson blames the Bears for his time ..."

Benson says he was blackballed

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October 22

Washington Times

"Cedric Benson believes the Chicago Bears did all they could to keep him from signing with another team. Released in June 2008 after two alcohol-related arrests, Benson will face his former team when the Cincinnati Bengals host the Bears on Sunday. Although he insisted he's not out for revenge and won't try to send a message, Benson clearly has some bad feelings for the Bears. "I heard all the rumors that were said coming out of Chicago," Benson said. "Even the Bengals told me all the things, that they would call and inquire about me and get nothing but negative things. Just that I didn't work hard, that I was I guess a prima donna or I didn't work hard on the field, just wasn't focused. ..."

Cedric Benson out to prove Chicago Bears wrong

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October 22

Chicago Tribune

"Ex-Bear Cedric Benson sounded like a man looking forward instead of behind until someone pushed his button Wednesday, asking if his former team "blackballed" him. The Bears released Benson on June 9, 2008, after two alcohol-related arrests, and he did not sign with the Bengals until Sept. 30 of last year. Now he's the league's third-leading rusher. "I heard all the rumors that were said coming out of Chicago," the Bengals running back said during a conference call. "Even the Bengals said they would call and inquire about me and get nothing but negative things ... that I didn't work hard, that I was, I guess, a prima donna, didn't work hard on the field, just wasn't focused. "Anything ..."

Benson finds right fit

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October 22

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Since he re-signed with the Bengals on March 3, the Bears have not been far from Cedric Benson's mind. Seven months later, now that it is Chicago week, they are front and center. Even though he said he is not seeking any revenge Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium, Benson is out to prove a lot of people in Chicago wrong. While saying to Cincinnati reporters that he is "above and beyond anything that happened there," that wasn't the message he told Chicago reporters four hours later during a teleconference. When asked if he was blackballed last June after being released by the Bears Benson said: "No doubt. I heard all the rumors that were said coming out of Chicago. Even the Bengals told me that ..."

Fanene ready to step in for Bengals

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October 22

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Jonathan Fanene knows he has big shoes to fill at defensive end in the Bengals' game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday now that starter Antwan Odom is out for the season because of a torn right Achilles' tendon. "I've got to step up; everybody has to step up," Fanene said. "The Bears have an experienced O-line. We're a young defensive line, so we've got to come out fast and quick and run to the ball and make plays." Fanene was credited with a sack Sunday against Houston and has three this season, second-most on the team to Odom's eight. Fanene's sack against the Texans was unorthodox."

Still no contact for Andre Smith

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October 22

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Andre Smith was out on the practice field and in shoulder pads on Wednesday. But that was the only change for the Bengals' first-round pick. In a continuation from last week, the offensive tackle did some individual drills during the two-hour practice, but he has not been cleared for contact work yet. "He can't do contact. What is that? We saw him do the same things as last week," offensive line coach Paul Alexander said. "I don't know (how much progress he has made). I have to see him do something. I wish I knew. I wish I had some more information." Before Wednesday's practice, Smith was eager to get back out on the practice field. With the exception of two practices when he signed, Smith ..."

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