Posted by Matt Williamson
It has been a tumultuous beginning of the season for the Bengals offense. Injuries and off-field issues have seemingly weakened the offense, but I still expect this group to outperform what they accomplished a year ago.
One of the biggest losses Cincinnati suffered was to Kenny Irons, who tore his ACL in the preseason opener and was placed on injured reserve for the season. The Bengals thought so much of Irons that despite holes in their defense, they used their second-round pick to select the former Auburn star. Cincinnati saw him as a runner and receiver who could immediately make an impact on third downs while easing the stress on Rudi Johnson. Instead, they're back where they started before the draft.
Irons' injury is especially damaging since Chris Perry pretty much always is hurt and Johnson might just be beginning to show a slight decline in his game. Johnson is still a well-above-average running back, but isn't the most nifty or explosive guy. A decline in his physical skills could affect him worse than other types of runners. Cincinnati recognized this and took action on draft day. Unfortunately, it has nothing to show for that now.
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