Readers want Bengals to bolster D-line

Nothing brings out the e-mail like a Bengals season going sour. More than 50 pieces came
in Monday alone in the wake of the stinker game on Lake Erie. I had asked readers on Sunday night what positions on the roster need help in the draft. Here's a sampling:

Question, from Jerry in Indian Hill: What is your record for picking the Bengals games in
the Enquirer this year? It seems you always pick the Bengals, you always go against the vegas
spread and your always wrong?

Answer: I'm 3-2 picking the Bengals games this season. I predicted losses against the
Jets and Ravens and a victory against Miami. I incorrectly picked the Bengals to defeat
Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Honestly, after studying the matchups, I thought the Bengals would win each of their last two games. It will be many weeks before I pick the Bengals to win again,
regardless of the opponent.

Question, from Tony in Aiken, S.C.: Forget Jon Kitna vs Carson Palmer. The results were
expected and are the price of a new but promising quarterback. What happened to the defense? It has got significantly worse with Marvin Lewis? They are lightweights playing against men.

Answer: Good question. The defense against the run is the team's biggest problem. These
are Lewis' players, at least eight of the 11 preseason starters. The front seven gets pushed
around and can't consistently get off blocks. Should Adrian Ross being playing middle linebacker? Should the Bengals have traded up from No. 17 overall instead of down and drafted a defensive tackle?

Question, from David in Hamilton, Ontario: I know the chant for Kitna is getting louder,
but my understanding is that the change at QB was made because Marvin felt that the other parts of the offense would protect a rookie QB: Secifically, the offenisve line and wide receivers, as well as a strong running game. What has happened to our OL? Please don't say injuries, everyone else has them to.

P.S. -- You asked about what position would I draft. Either a big defensive tackle or a
fast defensive end. The Bengals get no penetration into the backfield, and it kills them on both
rush and pass defense.

Answer: Yes, the plan was for the offense to insulate or protect Palmer. Instead, the
pressure is greater on Palmer than just about any quarterback in the league. He's throwing way
too much because the team is behind. The line had its five starters together for the first time,
and the Browns front seven won that battle handily.

Question, from Daniel in Cincinnati: If the Bengals and Steelers traded their startingquarterbacks right now, how do you think each one would perform with his new team?

Answer: I posed this question a couple of weeks ago with the first Ben
Roethlisberger-Carson Palmer comparisons were made. The results would probably be about how they are now. Palmer would perform well with the Steelers, who would have surrounded him with a better team and not ask him to do too much to win games. Roethlisberger would look about like Palmer does with the Bengals, which is taking nothing away from what Roethlisberger has done at 4-0 as a starter with the Steelers.

Question, from Anonymous: The prospect of a 1-15 season looms. How about some Pepto for the poor fans?

Answer: It won't be 1-15. But 5-11, 6-10 is looking like a possibility right now.

Question, from Craig in Conneaut Lake, Pa.: I am a Cleveland Browns fan and Cincinnati
Reds fan. I just read your article, which was written prior to the game yesterday. I attended the
game. Your assessment of the Browns/Bengals strengths/weaknesses left a lot to be desired. My question is this: Are you still employed?

Answer: I hope so. I'll call my editor and check with him. I do recall anticipating that
the Browns would run successfully on the Bengals and would be a challenge for the Bengals to run on, especially given their previous two home performances against Washington and Baltimore.

I did think the Bengals would be able to pass the ball more productively, but I also gave Jeff Garcia the edge over Palmer and mentioned how he had two of his top three career games against the Bengals.

Question, from Jan in London, England: Interesting e-mails this Monday morning, Oct. 18. I think all Bengal fans (including myself) need to take a step back and look at the big picture. We were lucky to be 8-8 last year, and all that did was raise expectations to an unrealistic
level this year. I think Coach Lewis is on the right track, and I have confidence that he can
turn this around. ... Also, if they aren't going to re-sign Rudi Johnson, they better start
getting Chris Perry some carries so he is ready next year.

As far as your question about draft picks -- I would go after defensive linemen. I think
our front four is the worst in the NFL, and everything snowballs from there.

Answer: You make several good points.

Question, from Kelly in Louisville: You asked about draft picks -- Defensive linemen and
tight ends would be a good start. Can we draft new offensive and defensive coordinators while we are at it?

Answer: Even good coaching can't overcome possible mistakes in talent evaluation.

Question, from D.J. in White Oak: You asked what and where the Bengals will draft.Where? Somewhere between Nos. 3 and 10. What? It begins up front, and the Bengals need help on both lines and at linebacker and defensive back. They don't need any more "skilled" position players.

Answer: Defensive line appears to be the consensus winner of this highly unscientific
poll. Read on.

Question, from John in New York (Middletown native): To answer your question regarding the Bengals Draft and position in the draft. At this point we have to be looking at a Top 5 pick. With teams like the Eagles, Pats, and Ravens (all road games) still looming, things do not look to be improving any time soon. I think it starts with our D-Line, we MUST get bigger and are simply outmatched. Whether it is via the draft or free agency, we must get a big run stuffing tackle(s) in there for next year.

I love Thornton and Williams' heart, but heart alone does not get it done at this level. Until this defensive line situation gets resolved, expect the same thing the rest of the year. Guys like William Green will continue to look like Jim Brown against us.

Answer: Lewis says defense is played with 11 players. True. But his actions of going
after Warren Sapp and counting on Daryl Gardener speak louder than words.

Question, from Ernie in Boston: How are the Bengals coping with the fact thatthey made a major mistake by dealing Corey Dillon to our world champions? Do you think they miss
him?

Answer: No, they don't miss him. You're seeing Good Citizen Corey in New England. He is a
magnificent talent who is fitting in well. He'll probably rush for 1,500-1,600 yards, which is
something I predicted the night of the trade when interviewed on Boston radio.

However, Dillon would not behave the same if he had stayed in Cincinnati. He was a cancer
in the clubhouse and the one player who was not in step with Lewis' program in 2003. Rudi Johnson is a fine young talent whose 16-game numbers will be comparable to Dillon's with the Bengals. Dillon had plenty of 50-yard games as a Bengal, too.

Question, from Victor in Barcelona, Spain: Really, following last game via nfl.com, I got
the impression that the problem with the Bengals this year relies mainly on both lines. They both seemed to be dominated most of the game by Cleveland, and I was wondering if Marvin Lewis is trying to fix this situation somehow.

Answer: He is trying to improve them, but the results are not what he had expected. The
inconstency of the offensive line is hard to figure out. The Bengals drafted two defensive
linemen, Matthias Askew and Robert Geathers, but they are both development projects.