Palmer, defense dominate in Bengals’ first half

By Connor Byrne  |   Tuesday, August 29, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Cincinnati Bengals
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So much for Carson Palmer never being the same again. After months of intense rehab from a knee injury he suffered last January, the Cincinnati Bengals' all-world quarterback, Palmer, returned last night with a vengeance. Many were concerned over the 26-year-old's health, but he put in an epic performance, like something from a preseason fairy tale.

Palmer played most of the first half against the Green Bay Packers, and had a 31-7 lead when he exited the game. In total, the fourth-year man completed 9-of-14 pass attempts for 140 yards and three, count 'em, three touchdown strikes.

In the process of lighting up the primetime NFL stage, Palmer upstaged the legendary Brett Favre when the two played against each other. Favre had a horrid opening half, turning the ball over twice and essentially looking lost on the field.

Last season, en route to guiding the Bengals to their first postseason appearance since 1990, Palmer threw 32 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions and amassed a tremendous 101.1 QB rating. The former Heisman Trophy winner from USC developed into a true franchise passer, which Cincinnati hasn't possessed in decades.

Oddly enough, Palmer didn't complete any of his nine passes to the Bengals' No. 1 receiver, Chad Johnson, who has been one of the QB's biggest supporters since his injury. There's obviously nothing to worry about, though, since this duo will likely be making the league's All-Pro team for years to come.

Aside from Palmer's brilliance, the Bengals' playmaking first-unit defense came to the foreground in the opening half. The "D" piled up two sacks on Favre, returned a fumble for a 45-yard touchdown and picked off another pass from the Green Bay QB. So far this preseason, Cincinnati's defense has given up its share of yardage, but its made up for those troubles by taking the ball away from the opposition.

In 2006, if Palmer continues his pace and the defense keeps forcing turnovers, there's absolutely no reason why the Cincinnati Bengals won't give last season's 11-5, division-winning finish a run for its money. Many were quick to doubt the Bengals over the offseason, but with Palmer officially back in the starting lineup, they're a serious Super Bowl contender.

--Got feedback? Reach Connor J. Byrne with your questions and comments: cbyrne@realfootball365.com.

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