Monday morning reader e-mail

Bengals fans are looking forward to the team getting back on the field after the bye.

Question, from Tom in New Vienna: Why are people starting to panic? The Bengals' only glaring problem is run defense, and that's going to be hard to fix in a season.

Ben Roethlisberger is not surrounded by superior athletes, as you suggested. He is surrounded by proven veterans, a healthy offensive line and a top 10 defensive team. Ben doesn't
have to win games for the Steelers, just don't lose it for them, kind of like (Kyle) Boller in
Baltimore.

Here are some simple solutions:
1 -- We must run the ball for 150-plus yards;
2 -- We must hold opponents less than 150 yards rushing;
3 -- Win the turnover battle.
In order to stop the running game, we need heavyweight Gilbert Brown-type tackles to keep
the linemen off the linebackers.

Answer: Roethlisberger is surrounded by better athletes and a much better team. The
Steelers are an organization with high standards that won't let their team drop off too
dramatically.

Your solutions are not simple. Well, maybe they are simple to articulate, but
accomplishing them -- for the Bengals -- will be difficult. The Browns should run the ball 40
times against the Bengals.

Question, from Sheal: As long-time Season ticket holder since 1967 at Nippert Stadium,
plus all of Riverfront Stadium, I speak somewhat knowingly and rightfully about our disappointing Bengals team this year. Namely, we changed for much better last year by bringing in Marvin Lewis, except I was under the impression that his principle expertise was as a highly experienced defensive coach, right? And he brought in his own staff of defensive experts.

All I can see right now is that we are in the very unhappy "rebuilding-year" syndrome.
It's just one big disappointing pain in the butt.

Answer: Lewis is rebuilding, but it's fair to question his choices of staff and defensive
free agents and draft picks. Eight of the 11 starters on defense are new since his arrival. And
he had a big hand in picking the six defensive players of the team's top seven picks this past
draft.

Still, Lewis is an extremely bright coach whose track record as a defensive coach is
impressive. The dominating Baltimore defense of 1999-2001 took Lewis and Ozzie Newsome three years to build.

Question, from John in Fairfield Township: I read your Bengals blog and could not believe it.
Five interceptions in a the fourth quarter is not a problem?
Thirty-one consecutive possessions without a touchdown is not troubling?
A 58.8 quarterback passer does not contribute to losing?
What boat did you just get off?

Answer: Carson Palmer's play, which almost won the Jets game and did help win the Miami
game, is far less of a problem than the run defense.

One hundred sixty five point eight yards a game against the run is the single biggest
problem with the Bengals.

Put Palmer on the Steelers and Roethlisberger with the Bengals and see what would happen.