Cedric Benson Won't Make Me Forget...

(Picture of Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis eating Klondike Bars, or something)

Listen, Cedric Benson might be the answer for the Bengals running back situation going forward. I wouldn't bet my life on it, but you never know. I never was high on him at Texas, but he was a consensus top ten pick coming out - so he's not without talent. Anyway, just because the Bengals may have landed a gem doesn't mean they should be absolved for their unforgivable mistake this spring.

At the time of the 2008 NFL draft the Bengals had big holes in three areas: pass rush, which everybody needs, offensive line and the running game. Rudi Johnson was dead (and had been for two years); Kenny Watson had never once been an above average ball carrier (and he wasn't exactly young); Chris Perry redefined unreliable; De De Dorsey...do I need to keep going? The Bengals were desperate at running back and neglected the position entirely in what will almost certainly go down as the greatest running back draft of all time.

The reason I bring this to your attention?

Because rookies Matt Forte (2nd round), Ray Rice (2nd), Jamaal Charles (3rd) and Tim Hightower (5th) all rushed for over 100 yards Sunday. (And 5th rounder Ryan Torain is looking like the starter in Denver for the rest of the season.)

What did the Bengals do in the offseason to improve their pathetic backfield? They brought in an undrafted midget from Kansas State and flirted with Shaun Alexander's corpse for a weekend! That's it...that's the list. Yee-haw!

I keep telling myself I don't care...

-Brad Spieser (Brad@TwinKilling.com)
11/3/08