GEORGETOWN, Ky. — No fireworks this Saturday of training camp. The Bengals ended their first week of practice Saturday with a Real Practice instead of the pass-happy Mock Game before about 2,000 Saturday at Georgetown College. Courtesy of the truncated calendar.
"We needed the work. We needed the work in the red zone. We needed work in the two-minute which we haven't had yet," said secondary coach Kevin Coyle. "We still have to take the approach that there are things we weren't able to get to in the OTAs and minicamps and we have to make up some time now. We don't have the luxury of making this day a show for the fans. This was a work day for the players and I think we got a lot of it."
» The offense opened in the hurryup and quarterback Andy Dalton struggled with a couple of overthrows early. You know it's an overthrow when rookie receiver A.J. Green can't get them. Then Dalton settled down to have a pretty good day. Bruce Gradkowski, the other quarterback who went hurryup, moved the ball better in that set. It's pretty clear it is Dalton and Gradkowski 1-2 with Jordan Palmer having a better day Saturday in his derby with Dan LeFevour for the No. 3 job.
» Mike Nugent is the Comeback Player of Training Camp. Ten days ago he said he felt as good as when he went into last year's camp and his surgically-repaired ACL in his kicking leg has proven him right. Nugent hasn't missed a field goal yet and matched rookie free agent Thomas Weber's 54-yarder at the end of practice but special teams coach Darrin Simmons still doesn't think he's 100 percent. Weber has a huge leg, but he's also missed three here. He sent one from 40 Saturday wide left.
» Coyle was pleased to report that safety Gibril Wilson is back to practice next week, 50 weeks after he suffered an ACL injury in a preseason game. Wilson, 29, who has 80 NFL starts, was playing well before the injury.
» Head coach Marvin Lewis made the offense run three sprints and the defense two at the end of practice for penalties during the scrum.
