17 Nov
Breaking News: LJ Inks Deal With Bengals will Play Chiefs Dec. 27th
Posted by: Randy5k-Arrowhead Adventurer
LJ has officially signed with the Bengals, and will face us in Cincinnati on Dec 27th. Marv Lewis has said that LJ will not disrupt the current roster and none of the current RB’s will be displaced. Though not a big deal for us the Dec. 27th game would be a key win for the Bengals.
Several questions come to mind.
1. Will LJ help the Bengals or disrupt a 7-2 teams bid for post season?
2. Is Marv’s statement coach speak or is LJ really going to sit on the sidelines?
3. Was this Bengal move a genuine desire to use LJ as a backup or a chess move to keep him from division rivals?
1. LJ is an insurance policy. He’ll exhibit good behavior, with the exception of continuing to blast the Chiefs on his Twitter account, “Gonna gallop all over the Chiefs. Cleat prints on the chests. Mud in the face masks.” Indy and NE are the class of the AFC. The Bengals will probably win their division, but a divisional-round draw of either of those two teams will be the end of it.
2. Lewis doesn’t really have a reputation for letting talent sit on the bench. He certainly hasn’t used the bench as punishment for bad behavior, so even if LJ becomes a problem on that front, if he can contribute, he’ll play.
3. Just like every other move in the NFL, I’m sure this was a multifaceted decision-making process. Keeping him from another division foe is one thing, but they’re already through 5 of their 6 division games (and they’re 5-0). The biggest factors I see are: Cedric Benson’s injury (even though Lewis said it wasn’t a factor) and the ‘thrifty’ pricetag. League minimum (for veterans) for a 2-time probowler? The Bengals can’t lose on this deal. KC pays the majority of the high-dollar stuff, and they get 8 games to try him out before they have to fork out any real money.
I, for one, didn’t need another excuse to cheer against the classless Bengals, but it looks like Christmas came early this year.
As a side note, how ’bout Jamaal Charles?
Against Oakland, Charles had 18 rushes for 103 yards (5.7 yards per carry – 3 more per carry than LJ had all season)and a TD (also the first 100-yard rushing game for a Chief’s player this year, and the team’s first rushing TD).
He also had 4 catches for 14 yards.
Compare those stats to LJ’s best game of ‘09 against Washington:
LJ had 23 carries for 83 yards for an average of 3.6 per carry. He had 3 receptions for 12 yards. No scores.
I’ll take an up-and-coming vs. a malcontent any day of the week. Add actual PRODUCTION to the equation and we end up with the better end of the deal all the way around.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:59 am[...] The Bengals Have Themselves Another Tweeter [...]
November 17th, 2009 at 11:45 amWho really gives a shit? I don’t. He is gone and that is great. HE IS NO LONGER A CHIEF!!! If no one ever wrote another word about the prick it would be fine by me!
November 17th, 2009 at 12:36 pmJosh Looney at kcchiefs.com just reported that Dwayne Bowe has been suspended for 4 games for using a banned substance
November 17th, 2009 at 12:40 pmShane I think thats a good point, I think there was interest up to this point, we know where he landed and that we are playing him in December, Im done with the subject personally.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:34 pmThe Bengals signing LJ was probably based on the realization that they have no depth at running back. Also, they probably figure they had success with Cedric Benson, so why can’t they do the same for LJ?
We’ll see.
November 18th, 2009 at 12:33 amI second shane.smith’s comments
November 20th, 2009 at 10:35 am