The Cincinnati Bengals are turning to Jay Gruden to guide their offense, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. The team fired longtime offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski on Monday.

The Bengals' decision to hire Gruden was first reported by Profootballtalk.com.

Gruden, the younger brother of ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, was an offensive assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2002 to 2008 while his brother was the coach.

He coached the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League in 2010 after leading the UFL's Florida Tuskers in 2009. He also has coached in the Arena Football League, winning AFL titles with the Orlando Predators in 1998 and 2000.

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The Bengals fired longtime offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski on Monday, the first change in their coaching staff following a 4-12 season that is still reverberating through the franchise.

The move came two weeks after quarterback Carson Palmer asked to be traded because of the franchise's futility. The Bengals have only two winning records in the last 20 years.

"I want to thank Bob for his role in helping us win two division championships," coach Marvin Lewis said. "But after reviewing our season in depth, we've decided it's best for the team to make this change at this time."

Bratkowski has been the offensive coordinator since 2001, two years before Lewis took over as coach. The Bengals reached the playoffs in 2005 with a balanced offense that featured Palmer and a core of young receivers. Knee and elbow injuries limited Palmer over the next few years.

The Bengals made it back to the playoffs in 2009 after switching to a run-based offense that Lewis preferred. Their inability to throw the ball successfully in the playoffs prompted yet another philosophical switch -- Cincinnati signed receiver Terrell Owens at the start of training camp last July to team with receiver Chad Ochocinco.

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Carson Palmer will ask the Cincinnati Bengals to trade him and will contemplate retirement if he does not get his wish, according to several sources.

Palmer, the No. 1 overall pick by the Bengals in 2003, was unavailable for comment as he and his wife, Shaelynn, were awaiting the birth of their third child.

A Bengals spokesman had no comment. The team has Palmer under contract through 2014.

Palmer has become the object of fan frustration in the past two years and sources said he has grown frustrated with the team's inconsistencies. The Bengals finished 4-12 in 2010.

Sources familiar with Palmer's plan and mindset said he is financially secure for the rest of his life and willing to follow through and retire.

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The front office won't change significantly. The Cincinnati Bengals will still be practicing in the cold. Even with all that, Marvin Lewis decided to stay.

Lewis agreed to an unspecified contract extension on Tuesday that will make him the longest-tenured coach in club history. Owner Mike Brown agreed to changes in the coaching staff and the roster as part of a deal that left both sides comfortable.

The Bengals are coming off a 4-12 season and have had only two winning records in the past 20 years -- both under Lewis, who is 60-69-1 in eight seasons, including losses in both playoff appearances.

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"For the second straight year at Heinz Field, the Bengals defense held the Steelers without an offensive touchdown.

Then again Ben Roethlisberger & Co. really didn't need to produce one on Sunday. Not on a day when Carson Palmer gave the Steelers early Christmas presents with two Pick 6's.

Those two touchdowns, three Shaun Suisham field goals and an ugly afternoon on offense were the catalysts for a 23-7 Pittsburgh win.

"You can't turn the football over and you certainly can't stop them 14 points like we did today. That's too difficult to overcome and led to our demise here," coach Marvin Lewis said.

The loss is the 10th straight for the 2-11 Bengals and ties the team record for the longest in-season losing streak in team history (Dave Shula's 1993 squad started 0-10). A loss next week at home to Cleveland would tie the overall mark of 11 set in 1992-93.

Pittsburgh, which won its third straight, improves to 10-3 and maintains its one-game lead over Baltimore in the AFC North.

Wins by Buffalo and Detroit on Sunday also mean the Bengals move into sole possession of the second pick in the NFL Draft.

With fans already wistfully dreaming of Andrew Luck or Cam Newton being available when the Bengals go on the clock, Palmer's performance on Sunday didn't do anything to allay talk or concerns about his future.

For the second time in his career, he had two interceptions returned for touchdowns with the other being a 2007 game against Arizona. He leads the league in Pick 6's on the season (five) and since 2004 (15).

Palmer, who was 20 of 32 for 178 yards and a TD, had three picks on the day, which ties him with Brett Favre for the league-lead with 18. It is also his third three-interception game of the season. The 48.7 passer rating was his second under 50 in the last three games."

Read more: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...PT02/312120051

"Troy Polamalu ought to be easy to find on the football field, his distinctive mane flowing out of the back of his helmet.

Yet the Pittsburgh safety keeps eluding offenses and confounding opposing quarterbacks, as he did to the Bengals and Carson Palmer Sunday in the Steelers' 23-7 victory at Heinz Field.

Polamalu had two interceptions against his former college roommate at Southern California, including a 45-yard return for a touchdown in the second quarter that erased Cincinnati's 7-0 lead and flipped the momentum of the game.

It was the second week in a row that Polamalu made a game-changing play for the Steelers, who are now 10-3 and in first place in the AFC North.

"We know what Troy brings to the table; there is no other safety in the league playing better than Troy," said Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward. "I guess you guys (media) want to justify it by us saying it but we know what he brings to the table and we know what he means to our team. He's the best safety in the league."

The Steelers are now 21-3 when Polamalu intercepts a pass.

The effect of Polamalu's big plays spread throughout the team. On Pittsburgh's first three possessions of the game, the Steelers ran 18 plays, gained 74 yards, picking up four first downs and punting three times.

On the four drives following Polamalu's touchdown the Steelers' offense produced 224 yards net (it lost 40 yards in penalties) and three field goals while running 45 plays and consuming 22 minutes and four seconds of the clock."

Read more: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...PT02/312120050

Even missing a shoe, Brad Smith didn't miss a step.

The Jets' Mr. Everything sparked New York to its second-best start after scoring on an 89-yard kickoff return -- during which a cleat slipped off -- and also had a 53-yard touchdown run in a 26-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night.

"He's a phenomenal athlete," coach Rex Ryan said. "Everything we ask him to do, he does."

With or without all of his footwear.

"I think all that running in the backyard with no shoes on with my brother," the versatile wide receiver said with a big grin, "that helped."

Hours after New England beat Detroit to improve to 9-2, New York matched the Patriots. The two meet for the AFC East lead in their next game, a meaty Monday night matchup Dec. 6 at New England.

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"Last year the Bengals were sound in not allowing the big run. This year, as has been the case with most things with the defense, that has been one area where they have struggled.

The Bengals have already allowed eight carries of 20 yards or more and are 23rd against the run going into Monday night's game against Pittsburgh.

The task doesn't get any easier this week as the Steelers' Rashard Mendenhall is sixth in the AFC in rushing, averaging 4.1 yards per carry with six touchdowns.

The third-year player is different and possibly more of a complete back compared to past Steelers. He has the speed of a Willie Parker to get outside but also is more physical and can go between the tackles in the mold of Jerome Bettis.

"He's kind of a combination," said defensive tackle Domata Peko, when comparing Mendenhall to the Steelers other Steeler backs. "He has the quick step that Parker has but the physical part that takes two guys to get him down."

One reason why the big gains are disconcerting is that the Bengals allowed just five all of last season. They have also allowed two 100-yard rushers already - in Cleveland's Peyton Hillis and Atlanta's Michael Turner - after only one went over the century mark in the first 12 games last season.

"We have a great period where we give up just one and two-yard gains and then you have a 20-yard gain," cornerback Johnathan Joseph said. "Stats wise we're not doing as bad as it looks but we're not doing as well as we should be."

Ask other players about the struggles against the run and it comes down to missed tackles and not executing. That's a big difference between the Bengals being 2-5 this year compared to 5-2 at this point last year.

"Everything ties together. You could be in the wrong gap and miss a tackle. It's a lot of things," safety Chris Crocker said.

Peko said the one thing the coaches have stressed this week is better tackling and doing better wrapping up ball carriers along with being mentally strong and not preventing breakdowns that have led to big carries.

"We have guys who are clean in the hole who are missing tackles. We have to get better," he said.

With a number of injuries on the defensive line, coach Marvin Lewis wants to see more progress from second-round pick Carlos Dunlap and third-round pick Geno Atkins against Pittsburgh Monday night.

Dunlap saw his most extensive playing time of the season last week against Miami, playing 32 of 68 snaps (according to the Enquirer's analysis of the TV broadcast). Atkins is averaging around 18 snaps a game.

Said Lewis of Dunlap: "Hopefully he'll continue to grow a little bit and get better and give us some quality snaps. He has all the ability we expect. Right now he's had more practice than play. He's got to learn how to prepare and practice in the National Football League to play on Sundays."

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2...st-ahead-for-D

The NFL betting on the Cincinnati Bengals (2-5) this season has been unpredictable. When wide receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco both get involved in a game, then the betting can lean towards the Bengals. But quarterback Carson Palmer has been extremely inconsistent this season, and with the disappearance of the Bengals running game it has become a long season for Cincinnati.

The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be able to post winning NFL scores with our without Big Ben. The Steelers are even finding the game officials helpful in creating wins. But with all of the controversy that the Steelers have gone through this season, they are still living up to the NFL predictions in preseason that saw them playing deep into the AFC playoffs.

Offense

Running back Cedric Benson has been a huge disappointment so far this season for the Bengals. The running game is only averaging 101 yards per game, and that means that teams can key in on Carson Palmer and the passing game to shut down the Bengals offense. When Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco get their hands on the ball, they can make plays happen. But with Carson Palmer constantly running for his life in the pocket, it is difficult to get the ball airborne.

The Steelers have a well-balanced offensive attack. Even though the Steelers are not statistically that impressive, they manage to put enough pressure on the opposing defense to move the ball down the field on a regular basis. Teams have to respect the big play ability of running back Rashad Mendenhall and that helps Ben Roethlisberger to get the ball deep down the field.

Defense

The Steelers defense is ranked fifth overall allowing only 302 total yards per game, but they are 25th against the pass giving up an average of 243 passing yards per game. Pittsburgh is brutal against the run only giving up an average of 59 yards per game on the ground. That means that Carson Palmer will be in that familiar mode of watching the running game fail and running for his life.

The Bengals defense is just not strong enough to contain the Steelers offense. The biggest problem for the Bengals is that their defense is ranked 23rd overall giving up an average of 121 yards per game. If Cincinnati cannot stop Rashad Mendenhall then that will open up the whole field to Roethlisberger and the passing game. That could mean a lot of points for the Steelers.

The Bottom Line

This game should have been a battle between two AFC North powerhouses fighting for top spot in the division. Instead it looks like the Bengals are being led out to for slaughter. The Steelers will hit the Bengals offense with lots of Mendenhall early, and when the Bengals defense is nice and confused Ben Roethlisberger will start throwing the ball deep to go along with a continued ground attack. The Bengals will watch their running game get shut down yet again, and Carson Palmer will get to spend another Sunday afternoon running for his life.

Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Dolphins knotted their ties, slipped on their suit coats and headed for the bus, another impressive win in their travel bag.

"The plane ride home will be a nice one," receiver Brandon Marshall said.

Always is for the NFL's kings of the road.

Dan Carpenter kicked five field goals for the second game in a row -- a rare feat -- and the Dolphins overcame another goofy play Sunday, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 22-14 to stay unbeaten on the road.

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Cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones will miss the rest of his comeback season with the Cincinnati Bengals because of a neck injury that might require surgery.

The Bengals placed Jones on injured reserve Tuesday with a herniated disk in his neck. Jones was injured late in a 39-32 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. He was examined by a doctor who indicated that surgery was needed, agent Tom Hunter told The Associated Press.

Jones will see other specialists before deciding whether to have surgery, Hunter said. An operation wouldn't necessarily end his career.

"It looks very promising for him," Hunter said. "Do not ever count this man out. He is going to be back."

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