Readers express QB opinions

So much e-mail. So little time. Nothing brings out the reader e-mail like a Bengals loss.
Beside Chris Perry, most of the letters deal with the quarterback situation.

Question, from Robert in Clarksville: What's the real reason Chris Perry is not playing?
Have we another Akili Smith on our team: grab your siging bonus and afraid to play?

Answer: Smith wanted to play. So does Perry. As you probably know by now, he has seen a
specialist to to try to determine the extent of the abdominal strain and why it has taken so long
to heal.

Question, from Anonymous: Was there ever any doubt about Carson Palmer being a great
draft pick? Jon Kitna's performance on Sunday should put that question to rest. You have to
believe that had a healthy Palmer played against Buffalo, the Bengals would have prevailed.

It is such a shame that the great defensive play by Cincinnati was wasted by the poor performance of Kitna. My concern at this point would be finding a suitable backup for Palmer for next season.

Answer: Kitna is a better quarterback than he showed Sunday. Much better. But Palmer is
developing into a star. Kitna is a good backup.

Question, from Mark: Your comparison of Palmer to Kitna is wrong (Monday, Dec. 20). You
are comparing apples and oranges. Kitna's play in one game doesn't put Palmer's entire year in
perspective and to think it does is not logical.

If Kitna had a great day and the Bengals win, I bet you don't even write the article. Physical ability can overcome lack of experience for a while and then you either learn or get sacked. Take a look at Bengal history with young quarterbacks: Right now Palmer just has more
physical ability than any.

The real test is if he learns from his experience. Hopefully Kitna is helping him learn which is what an excellent quarterback and a real teammate does.

I don't know Jon Kitna, don't know Carson Palmer and I am not a fan of either one, but
your article was wrong.

Answer: I disagree. Kitna played worse than I thought he would. As I wrote above, I think
he is better than he showed. But I stand by my point that Palmer has developed into a fine
quarterback.

For a player with just a dozen starts, Palmer is ahead of the curve. Palmer is learning from his mistakes. He is much better than Akili Smith or David Klingler. Palmer already is showing that he's an excellent teammate. So is Kitna.

Question, from Dave in Canfield: For all of the times Kitna has yelled at Palmer coming
off the field after a turnover, I wonder if Carson returned the favor(s) Sunday?

Answer: Kitna isn't yelling at Palmer in a critical way. Kinta is like a second quarterbacks coach on the sideline and Palmer's biggest fan and supporter. They have an excellent relationship.

Question, from Tom: No doubt Jon Kitna is a good Christian man, and a wonderful father,
but it's his time to leave the game. Palmer is the real deal, and it is exciting just to watch
him handle the ball. Now we need a strong second string QB.

Answer: It's not time for Kitna to leave. Yes, he played poorly. With the exception of Rudi Johnson, not much good happened on offense against the Bills. But get rid of Kitna? No way. Not unless another team offers a lot in a trade.

The Bengals are fortunate to have Kitna. And Kitna's many contributions can be seen in Palmer's development.

Question, from Steve in Mt. Lookout: Will Casey Bramlet get any snaps in these last two games?

Answer: Unlikely. Not unless both Palmer and Kitna can't play.