How much will `character' affect 2006 Bengals?

Just finished an hour on "Sports of All Sorts" on WCPO-TV; it's difficult to come down and get to sleep right away. So it’s a perfect time to blog.

Bengals news the past few days has been dominated by the character question because several of their players have ongoing legal problems, and now linebacker Odell Thurman will be unavailable for the first four games. He will be suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy for the second time.

While on the air, I found the perspective I had been looking for: Will off-field issues of some Bengals’ players cause the team to lose? Or how much will those individuals’ problems affect the team?

There will be some effect. There has to be.

But the fortunes of the 2006 Bengals will turn more on the health of Carson Palmer’s left knee and the strength of schedule, tied with the Giants for most difficult in the NFL.