But the point is that the mastermind behind the turnaround of Cincinnati's defense is back for at least three more years. Terms have not been released but it will be interesting to find out in the coming days exactly what Zim will be paid. He sure deserves every dime he makes and the defense should be even better next season. Not only were they a young unit in 2009, but they suffered more than their fair share of injuries.

* Bengals will draft 21^st - It would have been 24^th in the old system, which was based strictly on regular season record (except for the Super Bowl teams). Hopefully the team doesn't reach based on a need and takes the best player that falls into their lap. For a change, they actually did that last year. They always talk about it, but they did it in 2009. They weren't looking for a linebacker, but couldn't pass up Rey Maualuga when he slid to them in the second round. They weren't looking for a defensive end, but didn't pass up Michael Johnson when he fell to them in the third round. Hopefully they follow the same blueprint as last year. The guy I really want for the Bengals is wide receiver Dez Bryant from Oklahoma State (via the Deion Sanders Academy) but he won't be available at 21. The Bengals would have to trade up to get him and I'm usually not a fan of trading up. However, if Bryant started to slide and the Bengals only had to trade up a few spots, say maybe to pick No. 15, then I would be in favor of it. But probably the best strategy is to just stay pat at No. 21 and see who falls into their lap. There are always a few surprises on draft day and not enough teams stay patient and just see who slides to them.

* If the Bengals don't draft Bryant - They have to draft a WR at some point. The current crop is not going to get the job done. Laveranues Coles won't even be on the team next season if I had to guess. You know Mike Brown will be looking to cut that contract given Coles' lack of production. ... Chad Ochocinco is as talented as anyone in the league, but he's almost 32 and will always be a headcase. You have to wonder how things will go for Ochocinco as he begins to wind down the years on his career. ... Andre Caldwell is a solid No. 3, but nothing more. Like Coles, he doesn't have much ability to get yards after the catch. Caldwell might have ran a fast 40 at the combine a couple years ago, but he doesn't play very fast with pads on. Again, I like Caldwell as a No. 3, but the Bengals need to find a true No. 2 to take some of the heat off Ochocinco. And it needs to be someone who is explosive. ... I like Quan Cosby a lot and think he can be a very good No. 4 WR for the Bengals in 2010 and maybe a solid No. 3. Just like on his punt returns, he does a good job of knowing when it's time to go north-south and get as many yards as you can. Could be the ideal slot receiver if he continues to develop. ... So, to summarize, look for the Bengals to take a wideout sometime in the first three rounds of the draft. And if a DeSean Jackson-like player is available, hopefully they don't pass on him to take a Jerome Simpon-like player.

* Marvin Lewis - Still looks like he's learning on the job even though he just completed his seventh year as an NFL head coach. He is so bad with clock management and knowing when to use challenges that I sometimes refer to him as "The Clueless Marvin Lewis." That might not be fair for a guy that just took the Bengals to the playoffs as the champions of the AFC North, but he simply makes too many questionable decisions.

* Bob Bratkowski - Maybe it wasn't all his fault and Lewis was telling Bratkowski how he wanted the games to be called. However, if the offense was 100 percent Brat's call this season, he should be fired immediately. The lack of production from the offense in 2009 was embarrassing. And for whatever reason, Carson Palmer appears to be regressing. Part of that is due to the mediocre group of wide receivers (other than Chad) and part of that is due to the offensive line not being competent at pass protection. However, Palmer doesn't look sharp even when he gets plenty of time and has wide-open receivers. I still think Palmer will be fine though in the long run. However, doesn't the offensive coordinator get some blame here for turning what used to be a Pro Bowl quarterback into someone who got outplayed by a rookie in the playoffs last week? And Brat's play calls are just so predictable at times that it's painful. Brat does not put Palmer in very good positions most of the time with his questionable play-calling.

* Shayne Graham - Has he played his final game in a Bengal uniform? Perhaps, but before you decide to get rid of Graham (who is a free agent, but the Bengals could franchise him again ... you can stop laughing now ... seriously stop laughing) you have to find someone who is better. I would suggest Mike Nugent who was a second-round pick by the Jets in 2005 and was last with the Arizona Cardinals when Neil Rackers was injured this year (and Nugent kicked well). Nugent holds every record in the book at Ohio State and could be a good option for the Bengals. Not that his college resume means anything now, but I think he would be an upgrade over Graham.

* Free agents - The Bengals need to re-sign Bobbie Williams, Tank Johnson and Roy Williams. The latter is the least-important in the group since Chinedum Ndukwe is a solid strong safety, but hopefully the Bengals learned you need depth in this league if you hope to go far in the playoffs. Roy Williams is a good enforcer at safety and I would love to see him back. Won't cost much either. ... Bobbie Williams is a no-brainer, even at the age of 34. In fact, with such a young offensive line, I'm glad Williams has a few years on his tires. The team needs his experience up front. Look for him to re-sign for two years if I had to make an educated guess. ... I also think Johnson will be back. The Bengals might have to pay him more than they want after he turned in a solid year and played through pain, but I think they'll get it done. The team has good depth at DT with Domata Peko and Pat Sims, but Sims is best suited as a No. 3 tackle. The team would like to get Johnson back as a starter next to the disruptive Peko.

However, was it meaningful? Will there be a lasting effect?

I don't think so. The Jets had everything to play for and the Bengals had already mentally packed it in. Therefore, despite how bad the Bengals have looked recently, I think they're going to turn around and beat the Jets in the playoffs on Saturday in Cincinnati.

First of all, I will take a match-up against a rookie quarterback anytime in the playoffs. Mark Sanchez is probably going to be a good NFL QB down the line; right now he's pedestrian at best.

New York has a great running game (No. 1 in the NFL in rushing at 172.2 yards per game), an excellent defense (No. 1 in the NFL in total defense at 252.3 ypg) and that is what makes them a difficult opponent. But guess what, the same is true of the Bengals. They are a good running team (No. 9 in the NFL at 128.5 ypg) with a quality defense (No. 4 in the NFL at 301.4 ypg).

The difference is Cincinnati can pass the ball and the Jets struggle in that department. The Bengals rank just 26^th in the NFL in passing this season at 180.6 ypg, but the Jets are 31^st - second-to-last in the NFL only in front of the Browns - with 148.8 ypg. And while the Bengals haven't been prolific throwing the ball this season, I'll gladly take Carson Palmer in a playoff game over Sanchez. At least there is a chance Palmer could get hot in the postseason. (Then again, that would take offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski having a clue as to what he's doing. So, maybe I'm off base here. But I still think Palmer is capable of making some big throws, even against a defense like the Jets.)

Oh yeah, and the Bengals are playing at home. It is going to be a loud environment in Paul Brown Stadium with Bengal fans starving for their first playoff victory since 1990. If the Bengals can stack the box and make Sanchez beat them -- which is exactly the blueprint defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will probably use -- they might be able to get an early lead and really get the fans into the game. I think the Jets will be surprised just how loud it gets in The Jungle at times.

I am somewhat concerned about the amount of injuries the Bengals have racked up, but it's time to just enjoy the ride. The Bengals haven't qualified for the postseason very much in any of our lifetimes and they got it done this year. Can they flip the switch and perform like they did during the middle-part of the 2009 season? We shall find out very soon.

But I'm confident they will get it done. Prediction: Bengals 20, Jets 13.

As it turned out, the Bengals could have lost and still clinched the AFCN title (due to the Steelers' win over the Ravens) but it was much sweeter for the Bengals to make their playoffs reservations following a victory.

We'll even pretend for a moment that it wasn't another terribly-called game from Cincinnati offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski. No time to be negative when we're in celebratory mode. Let's be honest: moments like these don't happen all that often for the Bengals and it's time to soak it up and enjoy it.

The Bengals are 10-5 and will probably finish 10-6 since they have to wrap up the regular season in New York next week against the Jets who need a win to get in the playoffs. If the Jets win, they are in without help from anyone else. Therefore, you know they are going to be bringing it, while the Bengals might decide to rest a few starters for the playoffs.

Someone like Carson Palmer will undoubtedly start the game against the Jets, but might he take an early seat - Peyton Manning-style - after a few series? It's a good possibility. (And it's exactly what the Bengals did in 2005 against the Chiefs in week 17 after wrapping up the AFC North title.)

Another interesting storyline is who the Bengals will face at Paul Brown Stadium in the opening round of the playoffs. It will either be the Broncos, Jets, Ravens, Steelers or Texans. All of them are 8-7 and are battling for one of the two wildcard spots.

I would love to see the Broncos as a rematch of sorts of that opening-week game where Denver won on the fluke play. I don't want to have to try and beat the Ravens or Steelers for a third time this year. So, that will definitely be something intriguing to monitor this week.

As for the win over the Chiefs, rookie third-round defensive end Michael Johnson continues to flash. He had a big sack, swatted down a pass and looks more comfortable every time he's on the field.

Props also go out to defensive tackle Tank Johnson who has played outstanding football recently, wide receiver Laveranues Coles (who I've been hard on, but stepped up and played well against KC), safety Chinedum Ndukwe and the entire offensive line.

The only bad news to come out of the Chiefs game - other than the Bengals once again playing down to their competition - was the injury to rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga. He is out for the rest of the year with a broken ankle.

The Bengals have already been bit harder than most teams by the injury bug this year and now another starter is out. Just what the team needed with the playoffs on the horizon.

Oh well, put it on our tab, I guess. That's how it feels at this point.

So, does the team replace him with Rashad Jeanty at the strong-side linebacker spot? Or does backup weak-side ‘backer Brandon Johnson move to SAM? Johnson started when Keith Rivers was injured (earlier this year and last year) and was very solid. But the Bengals will most-likely go with Jeanty since he knows the position the best and was a starter before Maualuga arrived.

Either way, just a tough blow because you need guys like Maualuga to go deep in the playoffs. But at least the Bengals were able to clinch the AFC North title. That's what this season will be remembered best for unless the Bengals go on some incredible postseason run.

And an extra home game means more money for Mike Brown, and we all know he will turn that around and spend it on free agents this offseason. Ha, I know, you needed a good laugh.

What the Bengals want of course is a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday to (finally) clinch the AFC North championship and reserve their spot in the playoffs.

Knowing the Bengals like we do, it probably won't come easy, even against the hapless 3-11 Chiefs. Kansas City has finally found an offensive identity with Matt Cassel settling in at quarterback and Jamaal Charles establishing himself as a quality running back.

However, the Chiefs have a terrible defense and that's where the Bengals need to take advantage.

Of course, that would mean offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski actually calling a good game for a change, but that would be like asking for a holiday miracle. Screw it, we're asking anyway: "Hey, Bob, could you not call a game like a novice for once in your 'how the hell are you still here' career? And if a guy is hot - like Chad Ochocinco last week against San Diego - could you actually throw him the ball at least once the entire second half? Thanks. Signed - Bengal fans. The same ones that curse you every Sunday."

Other targets of the Rapid Fire...

Bernard Scott - Need this guy back this week (and it sounds like he will be). He's an excellent backup running back, but the team needs him most for his kickoff returning abilities. Even my boy Quan Cosby has proven to be not very good as a kick returner (but still looks way better than Andre Caldwell). Have to get Scott back so the Bengals aren't starting every drive following a kickoff at their own 18.

I would say getting him back as a running back is key as well, but with Larry Johnson looking good as Cedric Benson's backup, I don't envision Scott getting too many carries. And yes, it's going to be real interesting to see how Johnson performs against his former KC teammates when they come to town. LJ is saying all the right things this week - saying the Bengals going for the playoffs is far more important than him going up against the Chiefs. But you know how he really feels. He told the world when he signed with the Bengals that having a good game against the Chiefs would be the "perfect Christmas present" for him.

Leon Hall - That was one of the most-boneheaded plays I have ever seen from a cornerback and I'll leave it at that. He's had a solid year overall, so he doesn't deserve to be ripped, but wow that was dumb. The Chargers' only chance to win in regulation was to throw the ball to the sidelines and Hall bit on a fake inside. Amazing. (And no, I didn't do a good job of stopping writing like I intended after my first sentence on Hall. Just such a stupid play that I can't get over it. Or quit writing about it. I'm still writing. Still writing. Sti... .)

Tank Johnson - Who was that possessed man wearing the No. 99 jersey in San Diego? Keep it up big man, this is more like what was expected out of you. It's probably a function of him finally getting healthy, but I definitely saw more intensity out of him against the Chargers and he was a difference-maker. With Domata Peko out until at least next week (and probably until the playoffs if the Bengals make it) Johnson needed to elevate his game and he has. I'd still like to see more out of the Bengals' other starting DT -- Pat Sims -- although he's been decent most of the time. I still think Sims was a nice find in the third round of the 2008 draft. Peko is a big loss, but Johnson and Sims are doing a good job of holding down the fort. And if Johnson is able to play even close to the level that he played at against the Chargers, that is real good news for the Bengals down the stretch.

The safety position - Man the Bengals are screwed right now at safety. Chinedum Ndukwe is playing pretty well and he deserves some credit. However, Tom Nelson is not ready to be a starting safety in the NFL or even close. Hopefully Chris Crocker gets back soon - like this week. Have to treat the KC game like a playoff tilt because you don't want to have to go into New York needing a win over the schizophrenic Jets to get in the playoffs in week 17. Of course, there always is a chance Baltimore will lose one of its two final games, which would clinch the division for the Bengals even if they lose out, but you don't want to back into the playoffs at 9-7. That would be almost embarrassing considering the way this season started out. Have to beat the Chiefs this week and restore the swagger and confidence.

Anyway, got off track there a little bit. As for safety, I still think losing Roy Williams at SS was a bigger loss than most believed. He was an enforcer back there. The Bengals need Ndukwe and Crocker to stay healthy the rest of the way and be productive.

Maurice Purify vs. Fui Vakapuna - Why is Purify on the practice squad and Vakapuna on the active roster? Can someone explain that one to me? Purify proved he was a good special teams player - perhaps the best at covering kickoffs on the team. (Certainly better than Kyries Hebert who the coaching staff is always praising for some reason even though he rarely makes a play on special teams. He is the special teams captain in case you didn't know.) Vakapuna adds absolutely nothing, other than a reminder that if the Bengals wanted to keep a backup fullback, they should have kept Chris Pressley. Pressley was signed off the Bengals' practice squad earlier this year by the Bucs and he was clearly better than Vakapuna in training camp.

I like that Jerome Simpson is finally getting a chance to be on the game-day roster and hopefully he will do something crazy - like, you know, catch a pass - pretty soon. And I really love it that Cosby is finally getting reps as the No. 4 receiver.

However, the Bengals need to have Purify on the active roster in case one of those guys gets hurt and in case they need him for special teams. Marvin Lewis preaches the importance of special teams, but then a guy like Purify doesn't get rewarded for excelling on special teams?

Furthermore, I just don't see the value in protecting Vakapuna with one of the 53 active-roster spots. Let another team have him if they want. What do you want to bet no one would sign him to their active roster?

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Henry died at 6:36 a.m. Thursday. He was 26.

Loleini Tonga is the mother of Henry's three children and homicide investigators have been called in to study the case. No charges were immediately filed according to the Associated Press.

The AP also released a statement from police that reads: "Detectives continue to work diligently on this active investigation."

A memorable Bengals season just became even more memorable for all the wrong reasons. What a senseless death and it will be interesting when more details come out. There is a lot to this story that we currently don't know.

Following an argument, Henry's girlfriend tried to drive away in a pickup truck, but Henry jumped in the bed of the truck. He eventually fell out of the truck and suffered "life-threatening" injuries according to Bengals.com. Several news outlets jumped the gun and reported that Henry had died earlier in the day.

Those reports turned out to be erroneous, but Henry is currently clinging to life by a proverbial thread. Our prayers go out to him and his family.

Henry is on injured reserve with the Bengals this year after suffering a broken arm against Baltimore. He had reportedly turned his personal life around after a series of arrests earlier in his career.

Henry, 26, is in his fifth season with the Bengals who drafted him in the third round out of West Virginia in 2005. In eight games this season, he had 12 receptions for 236 yards (a team-best 19.7 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.

Henry's best season came in his second year in 2006 when he hauled in 36 receptions for 605 yards (16.8) and nine touchdowns.

Starting free safety Chris Crocker is out at least this week and probably longer with an ankle injury, meaning rookie free agent defensive back Rico Murray will stay on the active roster for now. That makes a whopping four undrafted free agent rookies that have played for Cincinnati this year (Quan Cosby, Tom Nelson and Dan Skuta being the others).

Murray was promoted from the practice squad last week and defensive tackle Shaun Smith was cut. However, the team announced on Wednesday that it re-signed Smith and released wide receiver Maurice Purify. It's a bit surprising because Purify was such a standout on special teams. The team is hoping that Purify clears waivers so they can re-sign him to the practice squad.

The big news here is that second-year wide receiver Jerome Simpson will finally get a chance to show what he can do. He will move into the No. 4 WR spot and might give the Bengals some much-needed athletic ability on the outside. Hopefully he can prove people like me that called him a bust wrong. Simpson was a second-round pick in 2008 and it will be interesting to see if he can make the most of the opportunity.

Something else to monitor going into the showdown at San Diego on Sunday is the health of rookie running back Bernard Scott. The Bengals need him to play for his kickoff returning abilities if nothing else. Andre Caldwell is as bad as they come at returning kicks and Cosby doesn't seem all that great in the role either. (I love Cosby as a punt returner though.) I also like what Scott brings as a running back, but with Cedric Benson and Larry Johnson, Scott is definitely needed most as a kickoff returner right now.

As for the Chargers game this week, the Bengals are 6.5-point underdogs for the second straight week. The Vikings certainly didn't have trouble covering that spread last week, but I think the Bengals will show up ready to play this time around. I know a lot of Who Dey fans aren't feeling good about this game - and rightfully so - but it would be a huge win if the Bengals can pull it off. Suddenly, they would be tied with the Chargers for the second-best record in the AFC and would own the tiebreaker over the Chargers if the teams ended up tied at the conclusion of the regular season. That would mean a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Then again, if the Bengals go out and lay another egg this week, the only things fans will be concerned about will be beating the Chiefs at home next week (Dec. 27) and just getting in the playoffs. (The Bengals will clinch the AFC North championship with any win in their last three games, or any loss from the Ravens.)

So, at this point, they could earn the coveted No. 2 seed, or they could potentially miss the playoffs altogether. Yes, it will probably be somewhere in between. They'll likely make the playoffs as the No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the AFC. However, everything can change with a strong performance in San Diego. It's time for the Bengals to make a statement in a game outside of their division. Well, there was the Green Bay game this year on the road, but that seems like so long ago (because it was). The Bengals seem to be going in the wrong direction and a win over the Chargers is exactly what the team needs from a confidence perspective. They need to get momentum going in their favor if they want to make any noise in the postseason (presuming they get there, which is no sure thing with the way they've looked lately).

However, the Bengals need to turn the page and get ready for the game at San Diego next week because Cincinnati is still very much in the hunt for the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs, which would mean a first-round bye and a home game in the divisional round.

As for those awful moments in the Vikings game...

* If there is a head coach in the NFL worse at time management than Marvin Lewis, I'd love to know who it is. Lewis is clueless when it comes to clock management at the end of halves.

Against the Vikings, the Bengals were very much in the game at 13-7 in the final moments of the second quarter. The defense had just held Minnesota to a field goal deep in Cincinnati territory and it looked like the Bengals would go into halftime down by just six points.

The Bengals got the ball back with 35 seconds left and two timeouts. As any competent football coach would know, they had two options there: Throw the ball down the field and try for a last-second field goal, or kneel on the ball and run the clock out.

Lewis and the Bengals decided to try something in between. They didn't want to go for big yardage, but they didn't want to completely kneel on the ball either. They were stuck in the middle. And on the second play of the drive, Brian Leonard fumbled after catching a screen pass (it was debatable if he had the ball long enough for the catch to count - but they didn't even replay the play) and the Vikings recovered. They kicked a field goal on the very next play to take a 16-7 lead with them into the locker room at halftime. Talk about giving away three points there. And I put the blame solely on the head coach. Make up your mind, Marvin. You are either gambling and throwing the ball down the field, or you're taking a knee. There is no room for indecision in the NFL and it cost the Bengals in that situation.

* More proof that the Bengals are a poorly coached team? All the penalties. They were racking up so many penalties today (11 for 85 yards to be exact) that the Raiders' teams of the 1970's would be jealous. But how can you say Marvin Lewis is not a good coach? The Bengals are 9-4 this year. True, but I just see too many things that would not happen on a well-coached team. I don't think Lewis is a terrible coach by any means; I just think he's average at best. Honestly, I think the Bengals have won in spite of him at times this year. I see a coach that has no idea what he's doing in the clock management department and I see a team that plays with not enough discipline.

* Speaking of coaching letdowns, offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski should be ashamed of himself. The Bengals managed just 210 yards of total offense against the Vikings. And yes, Minnesota has one of the best defensive units in the NFL, but that's still inexcusable when you have as much talent as the Bengals do on the offensive side of the ball. I'll continue to say it until I'm blue in the face: Can you imagine what a good offensive coordinator would be getting out of this offense? There is plenty of talent in place with Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, the deep stable of running backs and a solid offensive line. Simply put, Bratkowski is not getting enough production out of this offense. I think often time he comes into games with a questionable plan and doesn't do a good job of adjusting during the game and calling the right plays.

* In fairness to Brat, the loss of Chris Henry has really hurt this team. The Bengals don't have a legitimate deep threat other than Ochocinco and teams key on him so much that it's difficult for him to get behind defenders. Not throwing the ball down the field is also part of the problem. You have to take some shots deep and we're not seeing the Bengals do that enough this year.

* What has happened to Kevin Huber? I thought the rookie punter looked great early in the year, but he's really hit a dry spell. Against the Vikings, he managed a paltry 32.4 yards per punt (on seven attempts).

* Hey Shayne Graham, I know you have a weak leg on kickoffs, but can you at least not kick the ball out of bounds and give the opposing team the ball at the 40? Thanks. When the hell are the Bengals going to sign a kickoff specialist? If Graham is your placekicker, you need someone else handling kickoffs. That must be obvious to everyone except Mike Brown and the Bengals coaches.

* Man Dhani Jones is awful in pass coverage. And Rey Maualuga had his worst game of his career against the Vikings with a boneheaded late hit out of bounds and some missed tackles. Poor day at the office for the Bengals' linebackers. And I continue to think Keith Rivers is the reincarnation of Brian Simmons (and I don't mean that as a compliment). Brandon Johnson is the better player for my money. (Oh yeah, money, that's why Rivers is playing. He is a former first-rounder, Johnson is a former fifth-rounder that the Bengals signed as a free agent.)

* Laveranues Coles, are you still on the team? Are you still alive? Should someone call the police or something? Has anyone heard from him? (For the record, I think momma Coles meant to spell his first name "Laverneus." Because the way it's spelled now, it looks like it should be pronounced "Lav-er-a-noose." Maybe that only bothers me though. ... Kind of like that safety Herana-Daze Jones the Bengals had a few years ago. He somehow pronounced his first-name "Hernandez." But that didn't make any sense the way it was spelled. It looked like it should have been pronounced "Her-ANA-daze." I think his momma meant to spell it "Hernan-Daze" ... and that would have been plenty stupid too, but at least would have made a little more sense.) But as for Coles, talk about a guy not earning his paycheck or even close.

* Jerome Simpson, how pathetic are you to not even be able to make the game-day roster on a team that needs athletic wide receivers (as opposed to undersized possession receivers like Lav-er-a-noose)? Calling Simpson a bust doesn't even do justice to how big of a disappointment he's been. But it's not his fault the Bengals foolishly passed on DeSean Jackson in the second round of the 2008 draft for him. Jackson was an obvious pick because at the time the Bengals needed a WR and a return specialist. Jackson would have filled both voids and would have filled them well. But somehow, Brown and his brain(less) trust messed it up. Shocking, I know. And now the team is left with Simpson taking up a spot on the roster and adding absolutely nothing to the team. C'mon, he's got to be better than Lav-er-a-noose, right? No? OK, you're probably right. I shouldn't be so hard on Coles. He's at least better than Jerome Simpson, I'll give him that much.

* As for that signing of defensive tackle Shaun Smith, it certainly didn't last for long. Smith was released and defensive back Rico Murray was signed from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. However, there are reports that the Bengals could re-sign Smith next week or later in the season if need be.

* Starting DT Domata Peko is a huge loss for this team (arthroscopic knee surgery) and it will be interesting to see if he can get back in three weeks for the season finale against the Jets. I just hope he's OK for the playoffs. The Bengals need just one win in their final three games -- or a loss from Baltimore -- to clinch the AFC North championship. But Cincinnati has bigger plans than that and it will all start with the showdown at the Chargers this coming Sunday. The Bengals and Chargers are neck-and-neck for the No. 2 seed and that game could basically decide who gets the coveted first-round playoff bye (the Chargers are currently one game up, but the Bengals would obviously own the tiebreaker if they defeat San Diego). But yeah, the way the Bengals looked on Sunday, maybe we should just hope they get in the playoffs. However, I'm not worried about that at all considering the lone home game remaining is against the lowly Chiefs. The Bengals are going to make the playoffs. My only questions are how high of a seed will they get and can they do any damage once they get in.

Veteran defensive tackle Shaun Smith will reportedly sign with the Bengals on Wednesday, which tells me the team must be concerned about Tank Johnson's injury situation.

We already know Domata Peko is out at least until the season finale at the Jets following arthroscopic knee surgery, but Johnson is dealing with back and foot injuries. And for the Bengals to go to such drastic measures as to sign Smith means the team probably isn't convinced Johnson will make it through the rest of the season.

Smith, 28, has good size at 6-foot-2, 325 pounds and he played for the Bengals from 2004-06. He started five games at defensive tackle during the '05 season when the Bengals won the AFC North championship.

In 2007, Smith signed a four-year, $8.6 million dollar contract with the Cleveland Browns (which the Bengals could have matched, but wisely chose not to) and he started 10 games in 2007 and nine in '08. Smith -- who was best known in Cleveland for punching quarterback Brady Quinn during a dispute last year in the weight room -- was cut by the Browns during the preseason this year. Smith was then signed by the Detroit Lions, who quickly cut him.

It was learned soon after that Smith was suspended four games by the NFL for testing positive for a banned supplement. However, he was somehow able to serve said suspension while looking for work this year. So, he will be able to play for the Bengals immediately, although I find it highly unlikely that he will. This is just an insurance policy and he will be on the active roster, but inactive for game days. At least for now.

Even if Johnson is hurt worse than the team is letting on, they could activate Orien Harris who they picked up off the street before they went after Smith (which would lead one to believe they like Harris -- who they traded straight-up for Brian Leonard and then got back -- more than they like Smith).

Or, a more likely option is to "go small" with Frostee Rucker seeing most of his action at tackle, Jonathan Fanene seeing snaps at tackle, and Michael Johnson playing more at DE (if Fanene moves inside, Johnson would take his snaps on the outside). That scenario isn't ideal because it leaves the Bengals susceptible to the run up the middle, but with Peko out and Johnson hurting, they've got to do something. Thank goodness Pat Sims is healthy ... knock on wood. Not that Sims has been tearing it up or anything, but the 2008 third-round pick out of Auburn is a solid player and maybe he will break out now that he's starting and getting more playing time.

Final analysis: This is kind of a ho-hum move but I like that the Bengals are trying to cover all their bases. Smith is a bit of a clown (did I say "a bit of"?) but he's probably as good as you could hope to find off the scrap heap at a position like D-tackle.

Now if the Bengals could just do something about that depleted depth at safety.

If the Cincinnati Bengals win any of their final four games, they will clinch the AFC North championship.

The Bengals are 9-3, while Pittsburgh and Baltimore are struggling at 6-6. The best the Steelers and Ravens can finish this season is 10-6. And since the Bengals own the tiebreaker, that means the proverbial magic number for Cincinnati is exactly one. If the Bengals get to 10 wins, they are automatically in the playoffs as the division champ.

However, they have much bigger plans than that and I see no reason why they can't go into Minnesota this week and upset the 10-2 Vikings (the Bengals are 6.5-point underdogs). Brett Favre is having an excellent season - especially at the age of 40 - but isn't he due for one of those games when he throws a slew of picks? We've seen it from him several times during his illustrious career. (The Bengals also ushered in the Favre era in 1992 when he led a comeback victory over Cincinnati in Green Bay after coming in off the bench.)

It's going to be difficult holding down running back Adrian Peterson - especially with Domata Peko out (the Bengals' defensive tackle had arthroscopic knee surgery on Monday and will be out for the next 2-4 weeks) - but I think the Bengals' defense can cause some problems for Favre.

Minnesota also has an excellent defense led by end Jared Allen, who is probably going to be too much for Bengals right tackle Dennis Roland to handle. The Vikings also have the "Williams Wall" with run-stuffing defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams. Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield has been out lately with an injury and the Bengals better hope he will miss at least one more game.

This is a very good Vikings team, but the Bengals have the ability to go on the road and get a victory. They need to force Favre into making mistakes - which he has done throughout his career, but has largely avoided this year. Favre has never had a better supporting cast and that's why he's taking less chances. But he's still Brett Favre. There are going to be opportunities for the Bengals to get turnovers and they need to capitalize on those chances. Favre's favorite target is wide receiver Sidney Rice and it will be interesting to see if Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall - one of the best corner tandems in the NFL - will be able to shut him down.

If any defense can get it done against Favre, Peterson, Rice and the rest of the Vikings' offense, it's the Bengals. Cincinnati is putting up staggering defensive statistics this season, things Bengal fans have never seen before.

Three-fourths of the way through the regular season, the Bengals rank No. 1 in the NFL in scoring defense (15.6 points-allowed per game) and No. 4 in the NFL in total defense (293.2 yards-allowed per game). You don't put up numbers like that by accident and the Bengals have proven they don't just have a good defense - they have a borderline great one.

However, there are some concerns from my point of view because injuries are starting to catch up to them. Peko is a huge loss because he's one of the best run-pluggers in the NFL (and also does a good job collapsing the pocket on passing plays). I like Tank Johnson and Pat Sims as the starters, but now there is zero depth behind them. Johnson has been battling injuries most of the season, so who knows how long he will last. Hopefully Peko is able to get back by the playoffs; I doubt he plays much if at all the rest of the regular season.

Safety is also a concern. I thought Roy Williams was a bigger loss than most people seemed to think, and now Chris Crocker is injured as well. He's not out for the year like Williams, but the Bengals are suddenly begging for quality depth at safety. Maybe rookie free agent Tom Nelson will continue to be a pleasant surprise (hey, Quan Cosby has proven that UFAs can make an immediate impact) and he did play well against the Lions last week.

However, I can't help but think the Bengals should have held on to Marvin White, who looked good last week playing against his former team. The Bengals cut the 2007 fourth-round draft pick this year and he was picked up by the Cowboys. Dallas released him and he was snatched up by the Lions, where he's carved out a starting role for himself.

Hindsight is definitely 20/20 with this one. I can't say I was upset when White was let go by the Bengals because he hadn't proven anything up to that point of his career - especially for someone drafted relatively high. But now, he would definitely look good on the roster as a top backup.

At it stands, Chinedum Ndukwe - a player that runs a 4.7 40 - is the best safety on the roster. (It would be Crocker, but he's hurt right now.) Consider me very concerned about the situation at safety.

Switching gears, I'm not at all concerned about the Bengals' running game. How could you be? They rank sixth in the NFL at 133.9 rushing yards per game. It was good to see Cedric Benson back in workhorse form last week and there is no question that him and Larry Johnson form an excellent 1-2 punch, something that the Vikings have not seen this year. Johnson looked great two weeks ago against the Browns and that kind of play will be needed if the Bengals are to pull off the upset.

Hopefully Carson Palmer continues to take a couple deep shots down the field as well. We haven't seen nearly enough of that this year. But if Winfield is out, the Bengals need to attack down the field. (Actually, Winfield's best attribute is his excellent tackling ability, but he's also solid in coverage.) Chad Ochocinco needs to be more of a big-play guy and less of a possession receiver.
The Bengals miss Chris Henry because he was definitely the best deep threat on the field. Andre Caldwell and Laveranues Coles are possession receivers. I like what they bring to the table for the most part, but there's no getting around the fact that the Bengals lack a deep threat this year. But Ochocinco needs to become that. He still has the speed to do that and no one in the NFL runs better routes.

While this week's game will be fun, next week against the Chargers will be even bigger because the Bengals could put themselves in a position to claim the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs, which would mean a first-round bye.

But we'll worry about that next week. This week is about going up to the dome and beating Old Man Favre. Can one of the NFL's best defenses force him into a bunch of mistakes? Stay tuned, but I at least think it will be a close game with the Bengals giving the Vikings all they can handle. Don't forget how tough the Steelers and Ravens played the Vikings (the Steelers won in Pittsburgh, the Ravens lost in Minneapolis).

The Vikings might be the second-best team in the NFC, but the AFC is so much better than the NFC this year that it's absurd. This is certainly a winnable game for the Bengals.