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AFC NEWS ‘N’ NOTES
BENGALS GROWL WITH CONFIDENCEThe Cincinnati Bengals are ready, willing and definitely feel able for the 2002 NFL season with training camps only a month away. The optimism on the Ohio River’s north bank comes from the combination of a consistency in offensive philosophy, a young receiving corps with tested mettle, another anticipated Pro Bowl season from running back COREY DILLON, and the return of all key personnel to a defense that finished the 2001 regular season ranked No. 9 in the NFL. That defense also set a franchise record with 48.0 sacks in 2001, tied with Chicago for the league’s fourth-highest team total. Bengals head coach DICK LE BEAU enters his second full season at the helm along with offensive coordinator BOB BRATKOWSKI. Playbook continuity promises to help the Bengals improve on their No. 23 passing offense ranking and 6-10 mark of a year ago. Expectations are that this season, offensive terminology will come as naturally to players as chili on spaghetti (it’s a Cincinnati thing). Our offense is miles ahead of where it was last year,” says Bratkowski. LeBeau agrees. “From veteran leadership, talking communication, and level of practice, we’re starting to look like a team that’s got a chance to compete and that’s what we’re looking to do,” the head coach says. “I feel we’re farther ahead now than we were at any point last year, even at the end of the season,” says quarterback JON KITNA, referring to Cincinnati’s back-to-back wins against Pittsburgh and Tennessee to close the year. Kitna noted that the passing offense is “light years” ahead of where it was last season at this point. Cincinnati’s receiver nucleus features third-year veterans PETER WARRICK, RON DUGANS and DANNY FARMER and second-year pros CHAD JOHNSON and T.J. HOUSHMANDZADEH. The pass-catching group has a full year of experience paired with Bratkowski’s offense and QB Kitna. In the Bengals’ Week 16 win against Pittsburgh last season, a franchise-record 384 of the team’s 411 passing yards were gained by wide receivers. In addition, Warrick was fitted with his first pair of contact lenses last month after an eye test showed they would improve his vision. “The receivers were more in tune with what they were doing (during the team’s recent minicamp),” says Bratkowski. “Their consistency in their routes was better, which enabled the quarterback to trust them and anticipate better.” The Bengals’ No. 9 defensive ranking is more impressive when considering the club led the NFL in interceptions thrown last season (26), allowing opponents more opportunities to move the football. Cincinnati selected linebackers TAKEO SPIKES and BRIAN SIMMONS in the 1998 NFL Draft with the No. 13 and 17 picks, respectively. The duo has ranked 1-2 on the team in tackles every season since except for 2000. And the Bengals’ first-round pick in 2001, defensive end JUSTIN SMITH, finished second among NFL rookies in sacks (8.5) to Pittsburgh linebacker KENDRELL BELL (9.0). “I’m sure that it (the team’s upbeat attitude) will have a positive effect and it really is to some extent an outcropping of our success at the end of the year against two pretty good teams,” says LeBeau. “I think we’ve got a team that’s going to fight you and I think we’re going to build on that.” AFC EXTRA POINTS: The shotgun formation is being practiced in Baltimore. The Ravens did not use the shotgun in 2001……Indianapolis QB PEYTON MANNING on new Colts head coach TONY DUNGY: “One of the first things he told us was, ‘I’m not here to help you win two years from now or three years from now.’ This is go time”……Kansas City K MORTON ANDERSEN: “I'm a big guy, and I hit the weight room a lot. I try to bring something different to the position so people don't think kickers are wimps."
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