I definitely agree with your outlook on Palmer. He looked great against the Packers and not just because he threw 2 touchdowns. He was able to step up into the pocket and make strong passes and also move around looking like he had never been injured. Clupepper on the other hand (sorry for switching the subject) really needs to consider if he is healthy enough to make the opener this season. Watching him the other night I noticed he was not stepping into his passes and is moving around with a noticeable limp. He looks to be one awkward tackle away from missing the entire season or even ending his career. I dont think its worth the risk right now! He's putting too much on the line for a team that will possibly make the playoffs but definitely go no further. What do think?

The Steelers beat the Bengals twice last year. It's a pretty safe bet that if Ben would have been healthy all year, they would have had a better record than 11-5 and won the division. Tommy Maddox literally gave the game against the Jaguars away.

i disagree. the bengals defense is dismal. they gave up just as many points as they scored last year. the monday night game was preseason vs the packers horrible defense and lack of offense that wouldve made even kyle boller look like a seasoned vet. while palmer is my favorite QB in the league, i have to say that the injury he suffered was huge. lets see how he looks in week 8, if he makes it that long. he is the key to cinnci's sucess. the bengals have a killer scheduele and im not sure if carson will hold up. we shall see. id like to think the ravens are division favorites as well as the steelers who have a better all around team than the bengals.

I agree 100%. I'm a Ravens fan, but I must say, if Carson doesn't get hurt, Pittsburgh would not have went to the Super Bowl. And their D is goign to surprise a lot of people.

WHODEY! Bring brittle McNair and the ancient Ravens D. We will win this division at least the next 4 years.

Carson Palmer not only looks good, but he remindes me of Troy Akman. He could possible be an MVP candidate this season and be better then Payton Manning. Lets not forget the playoffs last year when he went down in the first quarter against the steelers. I still can't help but to wonder if that doesn't happen, that the bengals go onto win the game and maybe it is them with the super bowl title. As much as the ravens have improved offensively with McNair, it still seems like the same old billick offense without much imagination. If the ravens ever want to be an offensive machine, they need to let McNair open up with the pass, get the back the ball through the air, and be more original and less predictable. Unfortunetly we saw what a good defense can do against our offensive. Just imagine what it will be like playing the steelers, bengels, broncos, chiefs, and i'll even go out their and say the browns. Yet a guy like Palmer can out their and pick apart all those D's, and he prollably will against the ravens too. I just hope by that time in the season we have an offense who sustain a drive a put into the endzone just so we don't get blown out.

Is this the Ravens blog or the Bungles blog? If I want to read about Carson Palmer, I'll go to another website. Thanks.

There is no doubt about it. Carson Palmer is a very special athlete. It makes me ill that he is in our division. With Palmer and Rothlesberger in the AFC north, it kinda reminds me of the days of the old AFC central when we had to face McNair and Burnell at their best. At least back then we also got to face Akili Smith, Cordell Stewart, and Tim Couch twice a year to make up for it.

Ravens fans learned painfully in 2004 that Carson Palmer was a special player. I've been to most Ravens home games since 2002 and have seen many games where, when the Ravens defense forces a key turnover in the second half, the other team quits. In Palmer's first game in Baltimore, he threw an interception that was taken back for a TD with the Ravens up 20-3 near the end of the 3rd quarter. Game over. Except Palmer came right back with two quick scores, and as we all remember, the Bengals went on to win and effectively knock the Ravens out of the playoffs. These aren't your father's Bengals anymore.