Weekend review: Bengals downward spiral gets steeper

By Jeff

The weekend review was initially going to include the terrible officiating, but that was covered in this post.

Instead, let's look at how awesomely bad the Cincinnati Bengals are. They lost 49-31 to the Buffalo Bills Sunday. What makes this loss the team's biggest embarrassment this season is they were leading 31-14 at halftime. They were outscored 35-0 in the second half. Anyone still think Carson Palmer is a good quarterback?

"Really, it's all Chad's fault we suck."

The team needs to clean house. The combination of Palmer, Chad Ochocinco and Marvin Lewis can't win consistently in the AFC North or the NFL. Look at the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore  Ravens. They are almost always in the playoff hunt and making waves once they get into the postseason. The Bengals? Not so much. Two postseason appearances under in the Lewis-Palmer-Ochocinco era and no wins. If I can see that, you'd think the rest of the organization can.

Lewis needs to go at the end of the year and get a new start somewhere without a group of divas running the show (Houston).

The rest of the weekend had some pretty fun moments as well.

Apparently, Kunitz tried to trade in the Cup
for the Crown Jewels

• Marc-Andre Fluery wasn't spectacular, but he was good enough to the beat the Carolina Hurricanes Friday night. Four goals against isn't pretty, but all that counts is the two saves he made in the shootout.

• Sidney Crosby put up another 4-point night. He now has a point in eight consecutive games. Man, he sucks.

• Chris Kunitz has been very good this season. He works hard on the boards, gets in front of the net and is actually scoring some goals. Now if only he can do a little more in his own zone. There have been several times this year where the other team scored because Kunitz was late in getting back. 

• The power play is still terrible, but there is always the chance Mario Lemieux gets so frustrated he comes out of retirement and breaths some life into it. One can dream.

• The Pittsburgh Pirates are thinking about adding Jorge de la Rosa to the starting rotation. Can anyone say Oliver Perez 2.0? 

Another lefty strikeout pitcher with command
problems. What could go wrong?

• Pitt basketball continued their good start with good wins against Maryland and Texas. How does Jamie Dixon still have hair with all of the crazy screaming he does? You'd never know Pitt was winning a basketball game if all you saw was Jamie Dixon's face.

•  Heinz Field looks terrible again. Why is it so hard to get good turf on that field? Some blame Pitt, while some blame the high school games. I blame Matt Spaeth for peeing on it before and after every game.

• Pitt football beat South Florida. But it's Big East football, so no one cares.

• Jimmie Johnson won his fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup. And you thought we only talked about sports at this blog.

Favre wasn't the only one sending
Sterger suggestive text messages.

• As I'm writing this, I'm reading that Brad Childress just got fired. I'm also reading that Brett Favre is having a pool party to celebrate. No word on if Jenn Sterger will make an appearance.

• Favre has to be regretting his decision to come back this year. Going out after one of your best season's is much better than retiring following a terrible year where you looked 10 years older than you actually are. And you are already 41.

• Anyone see the end of "The Walking Dead" last night. Friggin' zombies.

• Sorry for the weak review this week. I'd say next week will be better, but that's too much pressure.

Marc Cohn - Walking in Memphis