Johnson & Johnson: A Band-Aid for the Bengals

By Tre Hutcherson  |   Tuesday, October 17, 2006  |  Comments( 1 )

Cincinnati Bengals
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The Cincinnati Bengals are bleeding. It's not life threatening, but the team has a wound and it needs time to heal. It isn't necessary for a doctor to treat it, but the Bengals do need to protect it from getting worse. They need a Band-Aid. And Johnson & Johnson should be their brand of choice.

Running back Rudi Johnson and wide receiver Chad Johnson need to be moved to the forefront of the Cincinnati Bengals' game plan. The playmakers of 2005 have yet to make a real impact this year, and the season isn't getting any younger.

Now is the time to get them the ball!

With this week's upcoming game versus the Carolina Panthers, the Bengals need to inject a cure into their sickly offense. That means a heavy dose of J & J.

Carolina has a tough defense, spear-headed by current NFL sack-leader Julius Peppers. The Bengals have a banged-up offensive line reconstructed of reserve players. They need confidence. They have to build up their immunities against the pass rush. Keeping Carolina off Carson Palmer's back would be a good remedy.

The play callers need to keep Peppers honest or he could be settling into the Bengals' backfield like a staph infection.

The best way to keep the Carolina fever down is to get Rudi Johnson involved early and often. He is averaging about 20 carries and 80 yards a game, but he needs to get 25 or more to be truly effective. Over the last three games, which have included a narrow win and two losses, he has had 19, 14 and 17 carries, respectively.

The offense needs to do more than just hand him the ball and hope to move straight ahead. It also has to incorporate Johnson into the game plan by using a few screens and draws. These types of plays would be a good deterrent against a Panthers team that if not challenged, could lock into over pursuing the quarterback.

Establishing Rudi Johnson is vital. If the Bengals can get the Panthers to crowd the box, it will allow the other Johnson, receiver Chad, to stretch the defense. Carolina has shown some susceptibility to the long ball, and although Carolina's defensive backs are physical, Chad Johnson has the height, speed and athletic advantage over either starting corner, Chris Gamble or Ken Lucas.

Carson Palmer needs to put an emphasis on trying to get the ball into Chad Johnson's hands. It is time for the Stoppable, err, I mean, Unstoppable One to get into the end zone. He has to become more than a decoy. It has to be demonstrated that Chad Johnson is an integral part of the game plan. Any time there is one-on-one isolation, Palmer has to put faith in his patchwork line, audible and try to work the ball deep downfield.

If the Bengals use Johnson & Johnson effectively, they will get a much-needed win, and, come Monday morning, they can take off the Band-Aid and find that only a little scar from two consecutive losses remains. If not, it may be time to head to the emergency room.

Get more Cincinnati Bengals analysis at RealFootball365.com
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