BENGALS WEEKLY WEAKLY

Here we are at the start of another NFL season.  This year, instead of picking all the pro football winners, I'm going to concentrate on the home town team.  Each Thursday, I'll give you something to talk about with your spouse or co-workers or friends...something that might make them think you actually know something about pro football and the Bengals.

The Bengals play Sunday at 1 pm at Paul Brown Stadium.  Their opponent is the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens are a division opponent - so they play home and away with them every year.  Last year the Bengals lost to the Ravens in Baltimore 19-14 in week 12 and whipped them at home 27-10 the last game of the season.  The second time they play this year will be in Baltimore;  the last game of the regular season on December 31.

The Bengals have reduced their roster to 53 men per league rules.  This does not include two of their defensive starters, Adam Jones and Vontaze Burfict, who are under suspension by the league.  Also not included are Cedric Peerman (all-star special teams player) and Jeff Driskell (3rd string quarterback) who are on the injured reserve list and cannot play.  Additionally, our number one draft choice this year, wide receiver John Ross, cannot play because of injury but is expected to be back in a week or two.  One thing to watch is how Randy Bullock #4 does as the kicker.  The Bengals drafted kicker Jake Elliott but Bullock, a free agent, looked better in preseason so the team went with him and put Elliott on the practice squad.

The Ravens have their problems.  Starting quarterback Joe Flacco has been injured and only began practicing this week.  The Ravens are saying he will play.  Baltimore has lost starting cornerback Maurice Canady to the injured reserve list.   They have been shuffling their offensive line and have personel problems their just like the Bengals.

Both of these teams are in a chase to overtake the Steelers this year.  Las Vegas has them about even. The betting line for the game favored the Bengals by 3 points at the beginning of the week.  Three points is basically the home field advantage.  The over/under combined scoring is set at about 42-1/2. That would make this the lowest scoring game of the weekend.

My favorite snack for watching football is a platter full of hanky pankys.
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