Houshmandzadeh says Bengals lack confidence
 

Houshmandzadeh says Bengals lack confidence
"We're just not that good."
Monday, October 29, 2007
By Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


CINCINNATI -- Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh is, if nothing else, honest in his assessment of what is ailing the Bengals, who fell to 2-5 after a 24-13 loss to the Steelers yesterday at Paul Brown Stadium.

"We're just not that good," he said. "The Steelers made plays, and that's why they are a good team at 5-2 while we are the exact opposite at 2-5. Good teams get into the end zone and score touchdowns like they did while teams like us kick field goals ..."

If it sounds as if settling for field goals is a touchy subject for Houshmandzadeh, that's because it is. At least one field goal in particular yesterday, he said, probably speaks to some of the obstacles the Bengals will have to overcome if they want to turn around their season.

The field goal in question came just before the two-minute warning in the first half when the Bengals, trailing, 14-3, faced a fourth-and-1 at the Steelers' 2. The Bengals began to line up as if they were going to go for it, but coach Marvin Lewis called a timeout and opted for a 20-yard field-goal attempt by Shayne Graham, which made it 14-6.

Houshmandzadeh and several of his teammates said they understood Lewis' decision to get some sure points, particularly with more than half a game left to play, but that doesn't mean it was the popular choice. He wasn't surprised, however, because the Bengals have lacked aggressiveness in their offense this year and that has caused some frustration.

"Of course I'm going to lobby for us to go for it, and I thought we were going for it," Houshmandzadeh said. "But it was coach's decision. It was a little bit [deflating] at the time because it is sort of like when you tell a kid he can have some candy and then say 'No, not right now.' Was it a lack of confidence [in the players]? It could possibly be a lack of confidence because at fourth-and-1, why wouldn't you go for it?"

Houshmandzadeh, asked about the Bengals' offense and the lack of big plays thus far, responded that the talent is in place for the offense to be more explosive than it has been.

"I would love for us to go down the field more," he said. "But like any company, so to speak, when you work for somebody, you are going to do what you are told to and you might complain about it but you don't complain too much. You just have to roll with whatever play is called."

Cincinnati tackle Levi Jones said there is a good reason Lewis likely doesn't have confidence in the Bengals' offense right now -- because it doesn't deserve it. On the drive before the field goal, for example, the Bengals faced a third-and-1 and attempted to run Kenny Watson up the middle but failed to convert a first down.

Jones said the team is talking too much about its struggles and needs simply to go out and do its job and let Lewis do his.

"You can pin it on one play or a whole slew of plays, it doesn't matter, we didn't win the football game," Jones said. "None of us are here to lose. Our goal is to win and that is what we get paid to do and we're not doing that right now. ... We have to put confidence in that man that we are going to go out there and make it, and since we didn't do it on third down, what makes him think we're going to be able to do it on fourth?

"That is our fault as an offense. We have to convert those third downs in order to give that man the confidence to know that is what we are going to go out and do on fourth down."

Although the Bengals are struggling, nobody in the locker room seems to be panicking and they certainly haven't lost hope. Quarterback Carson Palmer said the team simply needs to find a way to win a game -- next week at Buffalo -- then build on it. He believes they are talented enough.

He said there is frustration in the locker room, not just because the team isn't winning, but also because they are losing to inferior teams and have not yet played as well as they are capable of playing.

"We're obviously frustrated. When you sit there and look and you are 2-5, I never would have guessed it," Palmer said. "And we have lost some games that we shouldn't have lost and that is the frustrating part of it. But we have a great locker room, a great group of guys, we are close-knit and we enjoy working together. This is not the type of team where I would think that there will be a lot of finger-pointing going on.

"We need to take a few days and figure out how each of us can do a better job and how each of us can do our jobs better and find a way to win a game."

Re: Houshmandzadeh says Bengals lack confidence
 

Good. This is the same jackass who had the balls to say that the Bengals were the better team after we beat them in the playoffs in '05.

Re: Houshmandzadeh says Bengals lack confidence
 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a 2-5 start kinda indicate that they themselves are an inferior team? Face it Carson, your team sucks out loud. :blah:

Re: Houshmandzadeh says Bengals lack confidence
 

Still shining your cleats with a terrible towel TJ?

Re: Houshmandzadeh says Bengals lack confidence
 

Just wait until next year when we have Chris Henry, Odell Thurman, David Pollack, Chris Perry, Kenny Irons, and not to mention Glenn Dorsey with our top 5 pick in the draft.

You guys are totally in for it. :flap:

Re: Houshmandzadeh says Bengals lack confidence
 

LMAO....This is why we love you!!!!!....You can laugh at yourself and your team with no problem at all

:thumbsup:

Re: Houshmandzadeh says Bengals lack confidence
 

Chris Henry will be out of football next year - rack it.

Odell Thurman, IF he is eligible, will be 2 years older and will not have played a down of competitive football in nearly 3 years.

David Pollack - same as Odell, except it'll be 2 years out of the league for him.

Kenny Irons, Chris Perry, Glenn Dorsey - With Rudi Johnson and Kenny Watson already on the roster, 1 or 2 of those guys will not be with the team next season.

And if you get a top 5 pick, chances are he's going to suck anyway. Other than Carson Palmer, you guys haven't had much luck with 1st round picks.

So why would any Steelers fan be scared of anything the Bungles put out there that they call an NFL team? :flap:

Re: Houshmandzadeh says Bengals lack confidence
 

No, he's totally straight now, I heard that he's found the Lord. He's even doing after school tutoring for a local high school in Cincinnati. I think he does it at his apartment, but it's only for girls for some reason. *shrugs*

Hey, he's still gotta be better than what we have now...an out of shape linebacker has gotta be better than no linebacker at all right? ....Right?

He's the terminator, man, he's gonna be better, faster, stronger.

Well, seeing as Glenn Dorsey is a defensive tackle, that leaves us with Kenny Irons, Chris Perry, Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, and DeDe Dorsey. Seeing as Kenny Watson has shown flashes of brilliance, we will probably trade the under-productive Rudi Johnson to the Patriots where he will go on to win a Super Bowl. Then Chris Perry will inevitably have a season-ending knee injury by his 3rd carry of the preseason. That will leave us with 3 active running backs...problem solved!

I'm playing the odds here...we're due for a superstar.

Because of Carson Palmer...he has a Heisman Trophy AND a Pro Bowl MVP. :flap:

Re: Houshmandzadeh says Bengals lack confidence
 

hes got stiller killer chad too!

Re: Houshmandzadeh says Bengals lack confidence
 

Right now one of the best things the bengals have is Kenny Watson. The guy ran for 88 yards on our run D, I know we were missing aaron smith, but it was still a very impressive feat