Is Cedric Benson back?

[MooshooGawd]

Most of you don't know what you're talking about. (Don't mean for that to sound rude) It's one thing to look at the guys stats, it's another to have seen him play.

I have a hard time believing that any team in the NFL has a worse offensive line than the Bengals. For the better part of 2008, this was the starting lineup for the Cincinnati Bengals:

LT - Anthony Collins (Rookie)
LG - Nate Livings (Practice Squad)
C - Eric Ghiaciuc (The worst player in the NFL)
RG - Bobbie Williams (Decent)
RT - Stacey Andrews (Had a terrible, terrible season)
FB - Daniel Coats (A 3rd string TE converted)

You add in the fact that opposing defenses were stacking the box because they knew QB Ryan Fitzpatrick wasn't going to beat them with his arm. Guys, Michael Turner and Adrian Peterson wouldn't have gotten 1000 yards behind that line.

Having watched every single Bengals snap this year, the only good things to come away from this season was the emergence of a potentially really, really good defense and Cedric Benson.

I haven't spoken to him personally, but I think that getting cut, and having to sit on the couch and watch football for 4 weeks before anyone calls you about a job had a big impact on Cedric. His style has changed. He's a real bruiser. He was having to make cuts in his own backfield; he had to work for every single yard he got. I'll never forget him lowering his shoulder and knocking Troy Polamalu out cold. He was getting better and better every week. He had something like 500 yards total offense in the final weeks of the season.

He was so good that there isn't a single Bengals fan that doesn't want him back. The guy got a second chance and he made the most of it. His stats don't do him justice.

The Bengals have already started talking to his agent, and hopefully he's in the fold so that we don't have to draft Wells. But I do agree that a Moreno or Sproles type back to change the pace is desperately needed.

[MarioPalmer]

I agree Moo, no lie, I would love to see him in the orange and black and I'm glad that we don't have to worry about taking Beanie Wells or Moreno now with the 6th pick.

[Monomach]

Originally Posted by locseti

OK you Bear fans saw how he ran like a scared little girl, are you surprised he was able to have some success with Cincinnati of all teams?

Benson didn't run scared as a Bear. That was Thomas Jones. Jones used to jump out of bounds to avoid contact. Benson used to lower his shoulder and plow right into defenders.

Benson showed flashes of good stuff in Chicago. The thing that caused all of his problems was his amazing ME ME ME ME ME ME arrogant %$#hole attitude. It was like he thought he was still playing at Texas, where they treated him like a king.

Maybe getting cut gave him a kick start. I dunno. I always thought cutting him without waiting for the result of his legal problems was stupid. Turns out the charges were dropped, and we now need a power runner to share the load with Forte.

[MetSox17]

Originally Posted by Monomach

Benson didn't run scared as a Bear. That was Thomas Jones. Jones used to jump out of bounds to avoid contact. Benson used to lower his shoulder and plow right into defenders.

Benson showed flashes of good stuff in Chicago. The thing that caused all of his problems was his amazing ME ME ME ME ME ME arrogant %$#hole attitude. It was like he thought he was still playing at Texas, where they treated him like a king.

Maybe getting cut gave him a kick start. I dunno. I always thought cutting him without waiting for the result of his legal problems was stupid. Turns out the charges were dropped, and we now need a power runner to share the load with Forte.

I think you hit the nail on the head right here. His attitude from Texas transferred into the NFL, and that's never a good thing when a player is the stud of the school for four straight years. You start believing your **** don't smell, and that's when problems arise.

He has never run like a little girl, or scared. He's the definition of a power runner. If he gains his focus, and realizes that he is broke and without a job if he doesn't, he'll be a decent to good back in this league.