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Fourth and Nothing -- I'll confess to not seeing a down of tonight's Bengals win against Indianapolis. The bigger question is who will confess to having watched it?!  I can get much out of a box score, and what I see from game 4 of the preseason is that Manning, Johnson, Johnson and Palmer (a great law firm heading into the regular season) saw no action at all. So, tell me why NFL teams require season ticket holders to purchase these games? At least I'll be in personal attendance at the Monday Night home opener . . . 

Cornerback Controversy? -- Major publications and scouts alike are gushing about first round pick Leon Hall (CB) from the school up north. Still, the Bengals appear to be calling Jonathan Joseph and Deltha O'Neal the starters. With the Bengals' anemic pass defense (league worst 3818 yards in 2006), Hall seems sure to get significant playing time. It doesn't hurt that he's been keeping tight on Chad Johnson in drills . . .

Carson's Cruisin' -- Despite the Bengals falling to 0-3 in the preseason with Monday's loss to the Falcons, Carson Palmer looked sharp. The savior went 15 for 22 with 136 yards and 2 touchdowns. The golden-toothed Chad Johnson looked in mid-season form as well, with 5 catches for 83 yards. For those who care, Joey Harrington did not go to the dogs, firing 13 completions for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns as well, mostly against Bengals first stringers. 

Receiver Race -- It's a bustling business in the vying for the third receiver spot for the Cincinnati Bengals behind Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The main candidates seem to be Reggie McNeal, Tab Perry, Antonio Chatman and Bennie Brazell. Perry is the frontrunner, but failed to get a catch in 5 throws in the second preseason game. Perry had just 1 catch for 5 yards against the Falcons as well. Brazell just straight out drops balls. Chatman, a former Cincinnati Bearcat, has an injured hamstring and McNeal is most famous for switching from quarterback and being involved in one of the Bengals' legal bungles last year. None of Brazell, Chatman or McNeal registered a catch in Atlanta.

Tab's Got Fizz -- Tab Perry has that speed Bengals fans love, and his size at 6'3" and 208 is a plus.  Perry has already shown great promise as a kickoff returner, breaking a 50 yarder on his first return in his 2005 rookie campaign and several more of 30 plus yards. He had 2 touchdowns that year and then was off to a promising 2006 season with 5 catches and 4 kickoff returns through one and a half games when he suffered a hip injury that flattened him for the rest of the year. So, with the inimitable Bengals logic, he is not listed on the depth chart for kick returner . . .

Night Night Time -- The Bengals play their third preseason game Monday night at Atlanta.  The season opener, of course, is the headliner of the Monday Night Football doubleheader at home against the Ravens on September 10. The Bengals return for their next home game to Paul Brown Stadium on, you guessed it, Monday night October 1 against the Patriots. Cincinnati does not have a "normal" Sunday 1:00 PM home game until game 7 on October 28. The schedule then provides two more night games later in the year, at Pittsburgh and at San Francisco.

Tags: cincinnati bengals