Kyle Cook News

In a pivotal game for positioning in the AFC North, the Bengals got the best of the Ravens once again, throttling Baltimore 17-7 to sweep the season series, improve their record to 6-2 and take a half-game lead on Pittsburgh for the division lead.

The Cincinnati Bengals used an explosive first half en route to a dominating performance against the Chicago Bears this past Sunday.

Over the past couple weeks when talking about his group, there's been more of a gleam in offensive line coach Paul Alexander's eye.

First of all... What a great Start! If someone asked you in July, would you take a 5-2 record with wins over the Steelers and Ravens you would have taken it in a heart beat! The Playoff picture in the AFC: AFC East AFC North AFC South AFC West Patriots Bengals Colts Broncos Jets Steelers Texans Chargers Bills Ravens Jaguars Dolphins It is time for ...

Nine Cincinnati starters were sent packing by their previous teams. And boy, are the Bengals glad.

KYLE COOK IS "THE GLUE" THAT KEEPS LINE TOGETHER Before we bring in the NoDoze, pillows and couch for Marvin Lewis' Monday news conference - complete with a round of Mountain Dew - a few words about the Cincinnati Bengals offensive line.

Before he'd let the post-game TV cameras roll, he said he wanted to put on a shirt.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson flexes his muscles Sunday after scoring a touchdown against the Bears in Cincinnati.

Somewhere in the cosmos, football demigods Paul Brown and George Halas spent the last few days arm wrestling and taking cheap digs at one another in preparation for this week's game.

Those who live and die with the Bengals couldna t be too surprised how this one came out.

The Bengals offense did everything it had to do Sunday in the first half behind a crafty performance by quarterback Carson Palmer but catch the ball and hold on to it while the Ravens took advantage of his one mistake for safety Ed Reeda s 52-yard touchdown interception that gave Baltimore a 7-3 lead at the half at M&T Bank Stadium.

Cedric Benson is more of an elusive, cutback type runner than the Ravens are used to seeing out of the Bengals.

All indications are the Bengals are going to keep working out long snappers as they mull what to do with struggling veteran Brad St.

If his brother is the heart of the team, Dhani Jones the soul, and Bobbie Williams and Andrew Whitworth the conscience, then Jordan Palmer is the poet laureate of these 2009 Bengals.

Since he was named the starting center in May, Kyle Cook has been preparing himself for the three-game gauntlet run through the AFC North.

The character of the Bengals scheme is not only changing with each run call that offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski doles out, but so is the hardened resolve of the players who are those Xs and Os.

After reviewing the tape and extra camera angles provided by CBS' No. 1 team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, here are the grades from the Bengals' 23-20 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday: Carson Palmer was 7 of 13 for 59 yards, including the 4-yard toss to Andre Caldwell.

Pittsburgh's James Harrison didn't have a typical game last Sunday in Chicago, when the Steelers lost to the Bears 17-14. Maybe Harrison, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, is tired.

The left side of the line is embroiled in a season-long wireless game of Scrabble.

How will the Cincinnati Bengals react to a gut-wrenching loss in the opener? We'll see if they're resilient.