Bengals Vs. Falcons: Fake Game #1

Fake Game #1 is hear at last!  Sure season ticket holders had to pay full price for them, sure you may find yourself flipping the channel to a rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond by the start of the 2nd quarter, but the preseason is a very important time for many players and coaches.  As the Bengals are already heading down to the ATL for a couple of practices at the Falcons facilities, we figured we would take a look at what to watch for this Thursday night.

Offensive Line: The Bengals O-Line has become just about as solid as it's counterpart on the other side of the trenches.  With Andrew Whitworth not making the trip to Atlanta as he is still rehabing from his offseason knee surgery, how well will Anthony Collins do against the Falcons 1's in protecting the Red Rifle's blindside?  Will Kyle Cook allow pressure up the middle?  Will Trevor Robinson gain an edge in the battle for center?  Will Andre Smith show improved pass protection?  Sure some of these guys may only be in a quarter, but one quarter in the NFL can leave tape on a guy to cause worry for both fans and coaches alike.

Running Back:   Though Jay Gruden will probably keep Fake Game #1 pretty vanilla from an Offensive standpoint, but does Gio line up in multiple positions?  Does he pick up blitzes?  Does he gain an edge on the Firm in the battle for touches?  Does Rex Burkhead or Boom Herron have a spot in the Jungle this year?  Does Orson Charles clearly take over the FB role as 2012 feel-good-story Chris Pressley stays in Cincy on the PUP?

Wide Receivers:  A.J. Green will also be staying in Cincy as he is nursing his knee in prepartion for games that count.  Look to see how Mohammed Sanu, Ryan Whalen, Sanzenbacher, Brandon Tate and rookie Cobi Hamilton (who has been impressing in camp) do against a solid Falcon Secondary.  Is Mohammed looking like the clear #2?  Timing issues with Dalton?  Wrong routes ran?  Hot reads?  Blocking? Typically the 1's will stay in longer on defense for Atlanta and many of these guys will be playing deep into the 2nd half. 

Linebacker:  Does Rey Maualuga still show signs of struggling in pass coverage and shedding blocks?  Does Tony Gonzalez make him look silly as Owen Daniels did in the playoffs 2 years in a row? Do Vincet Rey and Emmanuel Lemur shine and show signs that they should be on the field more (and less of Rey)?

Secondary: Dre Kirpatrick is anxious to show all and Who Dey Nation that he is not a bust.  He will get an early opportunity with going up against one of the NFL's most dangerous offenses (though Dre is currently listed as 3rd string, really Marvin?).  Look to see how Brandon Ghee and Ontario McCalebb perform once they get their chances as they are primed to offer extra help to this group of veterans led by Leon Hall (top 10 corner in the league), Terrance Newman and Adam Jones.   There is also a battle for Reggie Nelsons sidekick at safety.  George Iloka is leading the way but only slightly as rookie Shawn Williams is looking to show why he needs to start year 1.

Defensive Line:  Clearly the largest strength for the Bengals, but it is in a fake game like this that we can see how up and comers such as Devon Still and Margus Hunt play.  2nd year man Devon Still will look to make the most of his reps so he can see some rotation into this stout D-Line.  Sure Margus could probably wrestle a bear in the middle of a blizzard but can he take a step forward from being a project to being a difference maker?

QB:  Even though we will only see Andy Dalton for a brief time in Atlanta, we can look to see how his timing is with his receivers,  getting in and out of the huddle, how he handles pressure in the pocket and maybe we will get to see some of his decision making skills as well (and if we are lucky he will air out a couple).  Look to see who takes over as the clear back-up as well as this battle is ongoing between Josh Johnson and John Skelton.