Updated: 4:45 p.m.
Michael Johnson (foot) said he'll play against the Jets on Thursday even though he didn't practice Tuesday and head coach Marvin Lewis said his quarterback is "fine."
But it was the last and only full practice before the Bengals fly to New Jersey Wednesday afternoon, so it was like a normal Friday. And in the weeks Palmer has been sidelined by his sore throwing shoulder, he has practiced on Friday.
Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said after practice that it is possible for Palmer to play without working the game plan on the field. Palmer said he's wearing a boot for precautionary reasons and said the injury wasn't the reason he didn't play in the last series against the Bills on Sunday.
"Just a sore foot and they just stick you in the boot just to be cautious," he said.
But, how's this for irony? If Palmer can't go, his brother Jordan would make his first NFL start against the same team near the same site. Carson made his debut in the old Meadowlands on Sept. 12, 2004, a 31-24 victory for the Jets. Thursday's game is the first at the new building for the Bengals after they closed the old one in last year's regular-season finale.
» Right tackle Dennis Roland (knee) and right end Antwan Odom (wrist) went from not working Monday to limited Tuesday. The secondary is not in good shape. Cornerback Rico Murray, who is playing because of injuries to Johnathan Joseph, Alex Erickson, Morgan Trent and Brandon Ghee, is now struggling himself with an ankle injury and didn't practice Tuesday. It also doesn't look like Joseph (ankle) is going to go, either. Joseph, Ghee and safety Roy Williams (concussion) were all out of practice. That's why the Bengals have rushed in veterans Jonathan Wade and Fred Bennett.
Bennett, who played with the Chargers earlier in the year, just arrived at 7 a.m. Tuesday, in time for a workout, a signing, meetings and lunch with the Jets less than 48 hours away. As Bennett was getting ready for practice, equipment manager Jeff Brickner cleared out a locker for him as he gets ready to probably play a meaningful amount given the injury situation. Bennett played opposite Joseph at South Carolina.
Bennett came off the practice field talking to secondary coach Kevin Coyle and Coyle jokingly tried to hide behind him from the media.
"Come on Fred, help me out," said Coyle, who just met him at the morning walkthrough.
But Coyle said Wade and Bennett picked up things extremely quickly and it's obvious that they've been around the league. And it's good thing, because one of them is probably going to have to start and the other one is going to have to play plenty since Leon Hall is the only healthy corner.
How thin are the Bengals in the secondary? Wide receivers Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby were the next corners up if anybody else went down against Buffalo. Asked if they practiced with him Tuesday, Coyle smiled and politely moved on.
» It is a short week, but there are no short memories. Bengals wide receiver Terrell Owens remembers full well that Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis called him a "slouch" around last year's Super Bowl. The Jets announced this week that Revis, regarded as the NFL's best shutdown corner, is going to cover Owens, but in his Tuesday conference call with the Cincinnati media Jets head coach Rex Ryan played coy and said they got that out there so that the Bengals think he will.
But he said Revis might also get a crack at wide receiver Chad Ochocinco.
"I've heard it, it's in the back of my mind," said Owens of being called a slouch. "As far someone being a slouch, that isn't anything to describe me as a player and the things I bring to the table.
"Just an average corner to me. Everybody has assessed his abilities as far as what he did last year, shutdown corner, this and that. He did very well last year. But I think I'm looking forward to the challenge just like he's looking forward to the challenge. I am not going to back down from anyone. I know my skill set. Last year we played I know why I didn't perform to the best of my abilities. It's going to be a great game on Thursday."
Asked to compare Revis to the corners he's played in his 15 NFL seasons, Owens says, "He's a great corner, uh, good corner," but not there yet with Deion Sanders, Aeneas Williams, Charles Woodson and Todd Lyght.
"No disrespect; he's only done one thing for one year," Owens said. "You talk about shutdown corners you need to repeatedly do it year in and year out. I think he did it one year and everybody made a lot of hoopla about it. I think, you know, he started feeling himself then he wanted to come out and say that I am a slouch. Other than that, dude, I am never going to back down from any competition. That has never been in my nature. I am always going to compete every Sunday and that has always been in my nature." ...
Head coach Marvin Lewis followed Owens to the podium with a smile and said, "I'm bringing my popcorn."
» Told of Owens' comments, Revis pretty much downplayed it.
"I'll see him on Thursday night," and "Everybody knows T.O., he's going to be T.O," Revis said.
When told Owens was still annoyed by the 'slouch' comment, Revis said, "At the time that's what I felt. You guys see the same thing, I'm just saying what I see. That's how I felt, that's what it is."
Owens said he heard that Revis said he took plays off while playing for Buffalo last season. But Revis said Tuesday that he didn't see Owens take plays off.
» Jets head coach Rex Ryan has prepared for Palmer at all stages of his career as the Ravens defensive line coach from 1999-2004 and Baltimore's defensive coordinator from 2005 to 2008 before he faced him in the playoffs last year with the Jets. While Ryan was with Baltimore, Palmer was 6-3 against the Ravens with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
"I think the guy's an amazing talent; that's who he is," Ryan said. "He looks the same to me. He doesn't run quite as well as he used to having the knee injury. This guy can throw it with anyone in this league. The guy has a huge arm, weather doesn't bother him, he's a tremendous player. Do I see a dropoff? No, he's the same guy.
"Concerned with his ability. He can throw it with anyone in the league. He can make every throw so you have to try to hit him and make sure you have guys knocking him around. We have to come get him."
