Carson Palmer has wrestled with a lot of demons in his time since joining the Cardinals. Many weren’t sure he was still capable of playing after his poor showings in Oakland and even more thought that his playing days were done after the knee injury he suffered against the Steelers in a 2005 Wild Card Playoff game. That injury took place in The Queen City. Now he has an opportunity to get back at his old squad for giving up on him and he certainly has the weapons to make the new face of the Bengals in Andy Dalton green with envy.
Hot Palm For Carson
Carson Palmer is throwing perhaps the best football of his life right now. The last few string of games he has managed have been gems with the production he is putting up. Within just two weeks Palmer has collected 737 yards through the air and dropped in seven dimes in the endzone with only two errant throws that turned into interceptions. Both of those performances coming on the road against a tough Cleveland defense and an always tricky Seattle Seahawks team those numbers are not something to scoff at. With his help the team now finds themselves just one point behind league leading New England for the most points scored in the league and on pace to not only break 2008’s point total of 427 but ultimately crush it. The defense for Cincinnati however seems to take great pride in the strength of their unit coming in the back end. Safety Reggie Nelson leads the team in interceptions with 4 already for the former Jacksonville Jaguar player still playing tremendous ball for being at the ripe age of 32 in the league. The depth at the corner position has also helped emphasize nickel corner and former first-round pick Adam “Pacman” Jones’ skill that may land him his first Pro Bowl selection with his two picks and stellar return skills. Palmer will have to stay hot in order to keep these defensive backs on their heels and finding the right spot in the zone to guard.
Getting Strung Up With Injuries
If there is one thing that Cardinals fans don’t want to hear about it would be injuries. Last year’s trek to the playoffs turned into a struggle after the knee injury to Palmer against the Rams. This year the team has been able to avoid serious losses due to health but now suddenly find themselves struggling to get the full squad on the field. Receiver Michael Floyd has battled throughout the year to shake off injuries that kept him on the sideline earlier on this year and had himself a game last week against the Legion of Boom in Seattle with two touchdowns on the road but now appears to be paying for his efforts. The former Notre Dame star is battling a hamstring injury that leaves him questionable for the game and with him also sits John Brown with the same problem after the Seattle game. Two hamstring injuries limits the wide receiver position for Arizona who also has Larry Fitzgerald battling a slight ankle injury and could push players like J.J. Nelson and Jaron Brown into bigger roles that they aren’t used to yet. Also the offensive line is trying to shake off some cobwebs as well as some nerves after the terrifying incident that took place with Mike Iuapati in the game last week where it was feared that the former 49ers left guard may have paralyzed himself with a neck injury. He has since told reporters he should be good to go for the game this Sunday but he will be watched closely by doctors and coaches once game speed is reached. Not only that but Jonathan Cooper will not be starting this week as the best he will be available for is backup material due to his knee. If the Cardinals can overcome these bumps and bruises it would be a surprise as this is the part in the year where those kinds of injuries just continue to mount after almost double digit games have been played up to now.
Getting The Red Rocket Firing Blanks
Last week the Bengals failed to get into the endzone and score a touchdown against a Houston Texans team that is in the running for a division crowd simply based on sheer ineptitude. This week against one of the more talented squads in the league it only gets more difficult. Tight end Tyler Eifert has suddenly become a go to target due to his tremendous frame at 6′ 6” and 250 pounds of force he can generate down the field to fight for the ball. Being as big as he is he surprises people with his speed and can hurt a defense going deep on a go route and collecting 25 yards easily. That kind of weapon makes the life of A.J. Green all the more easier as the similarly huge 6′ 4” 200 plus pound wide out carries with him the talent to make any ball thrown in his wheelhouse a catch. It is up to Andy Dalton to find that range for both those targets as well as get the ball to his underneath route runners such as Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu. Last week Dalton had a day to forget with his 57% completion percentage and 197 total yards. Against Patrick Peterson and the rest of the Cardinal defense those numbers might look better compared to what he may give this week in terms of a performance. That is if the defense limits the chances Dalton has to get the ball down the field and out of his hands.
The game kicks off at 6:30 PM on Sunday Night Football on NBC in University of Phoenix Stadium November the 22nd. The idea of the Bengals recovering from the loss they suffered at home last Monday night becomes all the more unlikely when you look at the performances that Dalton has given during his time as the Bengal’s signal caller on prime time. If the Bengals get the ball to their big targets in Green and Eifert then they may have a chance. With this defense however, that window isn’t very wide.
Bengals – 13 Cardinals – 28