Pro Football Weekly’s 2007 preview, for my money the best pro football yearbook on the market, is at your local newsstand now. Truth be told, the magazine hasn’t fully recovered from the death of ace writer/evaluator Joel Buschbaum. The writing is not quite as sharp or insightful. But the overall package is still an excellent buy.
And this year’s edition predicts that the Cincinnati Bengals will finish 10-6, good enough for second place in the AFC North. Some of PFW’s comments on the Bengals:
- Preview: "No one doubts the Bengals’ ability to win a high-paced, offense-driven game. But are they tough and diligent enough to be Super Bowl contenders?"
- Running backs: "Evaluators say Rudi Johnson is one of the most underrated players at his position."
- Receivers: "At 29, Chad Johnson is in the prime of his career, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down."
- Offensive linemen: "The retirement of C Rich Brahm and the departure of OLG Eric Steinbach weakens this group, but the Bengals believe they have good replacements for both players."
- Defense: "Marvin Lewis’ five drafts in Cincinnati haven’t bolstered the roster with the defensive talent he had anticipated, and as a result, the Bengals have been a below-average defense for much of his tenure."
- Linebackers: "The Bengals have tried to build the depth and talent at this position with mixed results. . . . If (Ahmad Brooks) is ready for a starting role, he could have the impact Odell Thurman had on the defense in 2005."
- Defensive backs: "The Bengals finished tied for last in pass defense in 2006, a result that’s hard to figure when looking at the talent on the roster."
- Overview: If the Bengals falter, "the questions about the direction of the franchise on Marvin Lewis’ watch will be louder than ever."
