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MONDAY NIGHT NOTES
MONDAY NIGHT
FOOTBALL RETURNS TO CINCINNATI Hey, Cincinnati – are you ready for some football? A new generation of Bengals football with first-year starting quarterback CARSON PALMER, head coach MARVIN LEWIS, and a sold-out Paul Brown Stadium await a national television audience as ABC’s Monday Night Football rolls into Cincinnati for the first time since 1989 when the Bengals (1-4) face the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos (5-1). Lewis firmly believes that his Bengals, whose victory came at home in the primetime glow of an ESPN Sunday Night stage against Miami in Week 2, can get back on track. The coach has seen his club click in practice, but "we have to do it when the lights are on," he says. "The good thing is the lights are on Monday night." And on this Monday night, Cincinnati hosts its first MNF game in Paul Brown Stadium. In the past 10 instances that a team appeared on ABC’s Monday Night Football for the first time in its stadium, that team has won seven times. A look at the past 10 instances that a team hosted a Monday night game in its stadium for the first time.
Denver’s defense leads the NFL in fewest yards allowed (224.8 per game) and has yielded the second-fewest points per game (12.8) – including a league-low three points in the fourth quarter. The Broncos are tied for the fourth-most sacks in the AFC (13), led by defensive end REGGIE HAYWARD with 2.5. Quarterback JAKE PLUMMER has passed for the AFC’s third-most yards per game (221.3) and is tied for second in the conference in touchdown passes (10), thanks in part to an offensive line that has only allowed him to be sacked three times – tied with Indianapolis for the fewest sacks allowed. Meanwhile, running back REUBEN DROUGHNS has been Denver’s featured running back for the past two games and has promptly delivered two of the season’s top five rushing outputs (193 and 176 yards, respectively). Broncos head coach MIKE SHANAHAN views keeping a level mindset to avoid a mid-season slump. "If you start thinking that you’re good in the National Football League and you don’t prepare yourself, you will get embarrassed and embarrassed very quickly. Every team, regardless of their record, has a chance to beat you very easily if, mentally, you’re not ready to play.
GOTTA "HANDS" IT TO HIM: Denver receiver ROD SMITH aims to surpass former Broncos tight end SHANNON SHARPE for the franchise’s all-time lead in touchdown catches and total receptions on Monday night. Sharpe currently owns the top slots for Denver in both categories with Smith fast approaching:
MONDAY NIGHT MUSINGS – DENVER BRONCOS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS FAMILY MATTERS Broncos defensive tackle LUTHER ELLISS and his wife, REBECCA, have eight children, four of whom they adopted. "'Cheaper by the Dozen' is a true story," Elliss says of the large family. "We're not quite there, but that's how our household goes. It's fun." The couple never had plans to adopt children. Five years ago, while Ellis was playing for the University of Utah, Rebecca heard a story about a healthy newborn boy who did not have an adoptive family because he was bi-racial. She suggested adoption to Ellis and the rest is history. SO WHAT DOES YOUR DAD DO Broncos head coach MIKE SHANAHAN’s daughter, KRYSTAL, graduated from the University of Texas, where she was a roommate of President GEORGE W. BUSH’s daughter, JENNA. TAKE A PLAYER TO SCHOOL For 11-year-old TIM LAY and 12-year-old JACOB STOLLER, the friends they brought to Mulberry Elementary in Miami Township, Ohio and York Middle School in Denver, instantly made them the "coolest" kids in their class. Both youngsters shared limousine rides to school with their hometown team’s quarterback – CARSON PALMER of the Bengals and the Broncos’ JAKE PLUMMER – as winners of the "Take a Player to School Sweepstakes," co-sponsored by the NFL and JCPenney. The 82 wide-eyed third-graders of Mulberry listened intently to the Bengals signal-caller as he read them a book and the morning announcements. Palmer also fielded questions about football, where he went to college (USC), and his favorite food (pizza). "The best part about it was they got to hear from a role model on how important reading is to their future," says Mulberry teacher ANNA KELLEY of Palmer’s visit. Plummer spoke to 225 sixth-graders about the importance of studying hard and participating in after-school programs by recounting his personal and academic background. He also reminded the students to never lose faith in their goals. Plummer opened the floor up for questions, signed autographs and threw some passes. "They didn’t know I was coming, and it is always fun to put a smile on a child’s face," says the Denver quarterback. Palmer and Plummer’s day was repeated throughout the country Tuesday, as players from all 32 NFL teams have or will accompany sweepstakes winners to their respective schools. The NFL player school visits began this past Tuesday (Oct. 19) and continue next week (Oct. 26) in 17 markets. FOOTBALL WITHOUT BORDERS Monday night’s game features two players who were born overseas: Bengals tight end TONY STEWART (Lohne, Germany), and Broncos linebacker PATRICK CHUKWURAH (Nigeria). CLASS YEARBOOKS TO GAMEDAY PROGRAMS Two players in Monday’s game represent high schools that lead the nation in NFL-bound graduates: Broncos guard P.J. ALEXANDER, who attended Lincoln High School in Tallahassee, Florida (four alums in NFL); and rookie linebacker D.J. WILLIAMS, who played at De LaSalle High School in Concord, California (four). BIG FOOT Bengals offensive tackle WILLIE ANDERSON has the largest shoe size (19-EEE) in Bengals team history.
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