Kaspers Korner

The Cincinnati Bengals have a huge weapon whose contract is about to expire, and become a free agent, in TJ Houshmandzadeh.  Letting TJ walk would be the wrong thing to do.

TJ has been a consumate professional, while his fellow starting wide reciever Chad Ochocinco looked childish.  Also, TJ has performed just as well as Johnson.

TJ, yes I am using TJ for the obvious reason of not having to type out Houshmandzadeh each time I mention his name, had 92 for 904 without star quarterback Carson Palmer, while Johnson’s numbers dropped.

That means that TJ is a pressure player.  When Palmer went down it was up to him, and Johnson, to pick up their play.  Meaning that they had to get themselves a little bit more open.

For any team he is a a franchise’s dream to have.  A player that works hard, performs, a leader, and most important of all does not cause distractions on the field.

It would be foolish of the Bengals to let TJ walk away, especially when Ochocinco has expressed several times last offseason that he wants to be traded.

If they let TJ walk it will be one of the most mind blowing things to happen, and the Bengals would be even more one of the worst teams in the league.

Rumours have been flying around about former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher’s return to the National Football League.  The Steelers did the classy thing by announcing that they will not block his return to the NFL.

Cowher had one year left on his contract when he retired from the NFL.  When a coach tries to return to the NFL most teams want compensation, because the coach had time remaining on his contract.

It was unexpected, but very good news none the less.  Cowher served his one year out of football, and the Steelers have found a very good head coach to replace him in Mike Tomlin.

With the Steelers announcing that they will not block Cowher’s return the next two questions are when, and for how much.

Most likely his return would be for complete control over the football operations of the team.  Also, with the likes of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and Washinton Redskins owner Dan Snyder needing better head coaches Cowher could command of the likes of $10 million from a desperate club that wants to win.

However, according to Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney his return will most likely be sometime after 2009. 

Cowher and Rooney still have a good relationship, and talk very frequently.  His return has come up in talks between the two, and he has stated to Rooney that he is very happy with what he does.

Most likely Cowher has realized that what is more important than football is family.  You only get once to watch your kids growup, and with Cowher winning a Superbowl, he is most likely taking the time to be with his family.

Also, he is a involved on Sunday’s still by being in the studio crew on CBS.  That for now is most likely fullfilling his craving for football.

One day Cowher will return to the NFL, but that will not be likely for another couple of years.

The rumours are flying about a fight that occurred on Monday December 15th of a fight that involved two Cleveland Browns players.  The team’s handling of the incident is just another example of the mess the team is.

According to Pro Football Talk.com the two players involved are defensive end Shaun Smith and quarterback Brady Quinn.  It is still not known how the fight started, but what is known that after some verbal exchanges between the two Smith punched Quinn, and then after being separated other players Smith picked up a ten pound weight and threw it at Quinn.

Things have just gone bad right from the start of training camp for the Browns.  There were high expectations, and with their implosion there is bound to be internal conflict.

Head coach Romeo Crennel has neither confirmed, nor deny the story.  So, that pretty much means that the story is true, and they are trying to keep it in house, so that they do not look bad.

The thing is that covering it up is the worst thing a organization can do.  The reason being that fans want to know what is going on, since a lot of the money the team makes is from their hard earned money.

Also, this is the age of technology, and with all the different type of media coverage it is bound to get out anyways. 

The problem is that covering it up only makes the organization look worst, because now they look like they cannot even discipline, or handle simple problems, that come up.

Now, owner Randy Lerner is going to have no choice, but to fire both head coach Crennel, and general manager Phil Savage that is if he wants fans buying tickets next year.  

The Baltimore Ravens last year franchised tagged defensive end/ outside linebacker Terrel Suggs.  With the way the defense is performing it looks like that is going to haunt them.

The Ravens defense is one of the top defenses in the National Football League.  With that comes a hefty price to pay when players contracts come up.

As Adam Schetfer points out it looks like that the Ravens will not have enough cap space to keep its three starters whose contract is up after this year.  In addition to Suggs linebackers Ray Lewis and Bart Scott are also up after this year.

If it were anyother year the Ravens might have been able to pull off signing all three by back loading Lewis’s contract.  However, the 2010 season is an uncapped year, and that means the rules in regards to how contracts are done is totally different.

So, what does it mean for the Ravens?  It means that the Ravens will try to keep Scott and Suggs, which means for Lewis that he will hit free agency.

If Suggs and Scott have any decency at all the will work with the team to get something done where the Ravens could also keep Lewis.

If the Ravens were smart they get something done now, so that the signing bonus would apply to this year.  That is if they have room for it under the salary cap, along with there being enough time to do so according to the collective bargaining agreement.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer has been sidelined with a tear in a ligament in his elbow, which has been thought to be not bad enough to have surgery.  With the season lost the Bengals need to test Palmer’s elbow now.

It was thought that with rest Palmer’s injury should heal up, thus allowing him to play by the end of the year.  That is the right thing to do, especially with no surgery being involved.

The reason is that with playing by the end of the year the Bengals can see if the injury is fine, or worst.  Obviously, if it gets worst then Palmer will need surgery.

What the Bengals should not do is wait till next season to find out.  The reason being that if the elbow gets worst, then the 2009 season will be a complete lost.

In addition the Bengals need to drastically improve their running game.  They have not had one for several years now.

The glaring example of that is in Carolina, which after quarterback Jake Delhomme tore his elbow up decided to go back to relying on the running game.

Ligament injuries in either the elbow or the knee take time to get back to where it was before the injury.  Thus, if the Benglas are going to win next year they need to start improving the running game.

Hopefully, Palmer will comeback, and everything will be fine.  After all a league without stars is a dull one.

The Baltimore Ravens are in the position right now to get a spot in the playoffs by winning a Wild Card slot.  However, with their remaining schedule the Ravens will be lucky to make the playoffs.

The Ravens for most of the season has been riding the backs of their defense, which is one of the best in the league this year.  If they are to make the playoffs they are going to have to just that against the next three teams.

The Ravens schedule is not easy at all.  The next three weeks they face the Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, and then the Dallas Cowboys.

All three teams are fighting for a spot in the playoffs, and are within the top ten in defense in the league.

On offense the only team that has a lower total yard average than the Ravens is the Steelers, but that is due in part to running back Rashard Mendenhall out for the year, and Willie Parker has missed five of the twelve games played so far.

However, Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been much better the last two games throwing for 422 yards passing, with three touchdowns, and one interception.

So, the only way the Ravens will get in is if quarterback Joe Flacco is up to the huge task ahead, and leads the Ravens into the playoffs.

The Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Novemeber 20th, 2008 faced the Cincinnati Bengals for the second time this season.  The Steelers defense stole the show as they dominated the Bengals again.

This time around it was the Bengals that jumped out first.  The reason being that the Steelers offense struggled to get going in the first quarter.

However, the Steelers offense does not need to show up right away.  The reason being that the Steelers defense is that good.

However, the Bengals played an extra quarter last week, and most likely tired out quicker than normal.  Also, the Bengals are a bad team, so the game wasn’t going to be that tough in the first place.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger solidified that he was fully back by passing for 243 yards, with one touchdown, and no interceptions.

Also, wide receiver Hines Ward got through the game in one piece.  That was after some of the other Bengal defenders stated they were looking to get Ward after knocking out rookie linebacker Keith Rivers for the season, with a clean hit.

The news is not all good for the Steelers.  That being running back Willie Parker tweaked the same knee injury that he just came back from.

The Steelers most likely now will ride the arm of Roethlisberger in to the playoffs.  Unless Parker’s injury is not that serious as first thought. 

As for the Bengals the best thing to come out of this game is that head coach Marvin Lewis means business.  Lewis deactivated wide receiver Chad Ochocinco for the game, because he violated team rules.

Also, the Bengals look like they have a complimentry weapon in Ben Utecht.  Utecht is eight games he has played has caught 15 passes for 116 yards.

That is not bad for a player who is usually the third option behind wide recievers TJ Houshmandzadeh, and Chad Ochocinco.

At least now maybe the Bengals can get back to heading in the right direction.

The Cleveland Browns went from a team that barely missed the playoffs last year to a miserable team this year.  Even the general manager is acting miserably.

General manager Phils Savage has confirmed to the associated press today that he sent a letter saying “Go root for Buffalo F#$* Y*&.  

The email was a response to an email from a fan that stated this regime is worst than former head coach Butch Davis.

What Savage did was down right stupid.  That what people want you to do, and this is what happens when it does.

Savage had to take the high road in this instance, but he didn’t.  In the end this should cost him his job.  Which, it looks like it possibly has.

According to Pro Football Talk.com the Cleveland Browns have approached former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher.

The Browns offered a contract worth eight to nine million dollars a year.  Also, Cowher would have final say in personnel matters, and install some people he trusts at key positions.

The only thing now is for the Browns to wait for a response from Cowher.  A yes, and it is most likely bye-bye to Savage.  A no would most likely save his bacon.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a banged up team that everyone that pays attention to football knows about.  However, that has not prevented them from messing around with the injury report.

It has been widely known that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has a bad shoulder, and so does running back Willie Parker.  According to Pro Football Talk.com neither of the two are on the injury report.

Even the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Parker will wear a brace on his shoulder, becasue he dislocated his shoulder in a game on November 3rd against the Washington Redskins. When Parker’s shoulder dislocated it also tore his labrum, which Parker has denied.

It is getting to be a problem everywhere.  Even to the point of ridiculousness.  A lot of coaches are being confronted with reports from sources within a team, but still they deny the report.

People are not stupid.  If a player does not practice all week people know that player is not going to play. 

However, coaches treat the media, and the people that way for the simply trying to get an advantage on their opponent that week.

Get real coaches you are not fooling anyone.  Everyone has a training staff that can asses the situation from their office.  Also, teams are just going to find out some way anyways. 

In the end the only people that it is affecting is the fans at home.

The AFC North has the most brutal schedule of all the divisions of the AFC.  The reason is that they face the NFC East.

Baltimore Ravens: They simply by far have the most brutal schedule left between them and the Steelers.  In thier last seven games they play each team of the AFC East, and each of their division opponents.

The key for the Ravens will be two things.  First, the defense has to stay healthy.  Second, quarterback Joe Flacco needs to be consistently good down the stretch.

Pittsburgh Steelers:  Tied for the division lead they have an easier schedule. 

Key for them is to stay healthy as possible, while key players return to the lineup.  Also, quarteback Ben Roethlisberger needs to better than what he was.

Cleveland Browns:  A team on the verge of implosion, and had players accuse other teammates of quiting.  They face this week on Monday nite a desperate Buffalo Bills team.

Key for them winning is simply control the trenches.  The Bills have been unable to run the ball, or pass block well.  Also, have not been able to stop the run.

Cincinnati Bengals:  A team that is a mess, and will be until owner Paul Brown changes his ways.

Key to their game against the Philadelphia Eagles is to run the ball well, and keep Donovan McNabb, and running back Brian Westbrook off the field as much as possible.

Both the Steelers and the Ravens need tough wins this week to remain at the top.