FanHouse Robert Geathers

Though a 28-17 loss to the Houston Texans wasn't an ideal way to come off an eye-opening 4-1 start, the Cincinnati Bengals knew it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Unfortunately, the repercussions of Sunday's game at Paul Brown Stadium will be felt for the rest of the season. The club Monday announced that Antwan Odom, who entered the weekend tied for the NFL lead in quarterback sacks, will miss the rest of the season.

After rewatching the Bengals-Packers and the Steelers-Bears games, here are some things to keep an eye on this Sunday:

• If the Bengals have some pass protection problems on the offensive line with right tackle Anthony Collins and left tackle Andrew Whitworth. Collins gave up two sacks against the Broncos in Week One while Whitworth gave up two sacks in Week Two against the Packers. Collins Whitworth (got my linemen mixed up there initially) has some problems with his footwork (he slipped and fell down a couple of times while blocking last week). That should give outside linebackers LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison a chance to create some havoc. For Steelers fans who don't follow the Bengals, first-round pick Andre Smith is out with a broken foot.

As we have done since the FanHouse began, I'll be taking a look every week at some aspect of line play. You can read more features in the series here. Check back every Thursday for a new Between The Lines.

When Marvin Lewis came to Cincinnati he arrived with a reputation as a defensive genius. But Lewis' brilliance quickly seemed to fade once he became a Bengal, much like his former boss Brian Billick's offensive genius in Baltimore. In six seasons in Cincinnati Lewis' Bengals have never finished in the top half of the league in scoring defense.

But thanks to Antwan Odom, Domata Peko, Tank Johnson and Keith Rivers, Lewis is suddenly smart again. They're 1-1 with a win over the Packers and would be 2-0 if not for a flukish tipped pass to Brandon Stokely. Odom not only leads the league in sacks; he's coming off of one of the best days a pass rusher has ever had with five sacks against the Packers.

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

They don't allow you to take a mulligan in pro football. If they did, one has to believe the Cincinnati Bengals would take it for the whole 2008 season. An injured quarterback, problems on defense, and a controversial and somewhat unproductive wide receiver conspired to take Cincinnati down. After a 4-11-1 campaign, the Bengals are ready to (sort of) start over.

(Hat tip: Cincy Jungle)

The Bengals waived backup defensive end Josh Mallard. You don't know who he is and this little bit of transaction news was as earth-shattering as a pin dropping. He was only in Cincinnati for a couple of weeks as a fill-in when Frostee Rucker and Robert Geathers were placed on IR. He has played in just 40 games with the Colts, Falcons, Broncos and Bengals since he was drafted in 2002.

The real reason anyone cares is because it gives us a great chance to look at his Broncos headshot taken before the season began. I don't know if that is intense, scared, confused or oops-I-crapped-my-pants. Did the cameraman ask to see his war face? Or is he really nuts?

At any rate, he is way too serious to be a Bengal. Now he's not.

Training camps are underway, the NFL season is a month off, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Quarterback: If there is one constant on this team, it is Carson Palmer. Sure, Palmer didn't have his best season a year ago, but his off seasons are better than many QBs best years. In reality, other things factored into his poor season (injuries to the line, injury to Rudi Johnson, receivers pouting). The only issue here is what happens in Cincinnati if Palmer gets hurt. They have no one groomed to come in. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jeff Rowe are in their second seasons with the team and Carson's brother, Jordan, is fighting for a spot. Heat Index: 8

Running backs: Injuries have hurt this unit in the past couple of years. Workhorse Rudi Johnson finally hit a wall; Kenny Irons blew out his knee in his first preseason game; Chris Perry has never been able to stay on the field. Well, Rudi and Perry are healthy again, with 2007 surprises Kenny Watson and DeDe Dorsey around to give the offense a different dynamic. Cincy needs this unit to get back to form to allow the entire offense to explode. Heat Index: 4

Receivers: Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are one of the best receiving combos in the NFL. T.J. tied for the lead in receptions; Chad was third in receiving yards. However, this could be the last season either is in Cincinnati. Johnson's issues with the team are well documented. T.J. is in his final contracted season. Chris Henry is finally gone and there are several guys trying to step into that #3 spot. Rookie Jerome Simpson will get a strong look, as will Andre Caldwell and Antonio Chatman. Chatman is the only one with experience and could get the nod. Heat Index: 8

Former defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan took a few parting shots on his way out of town, and former linebackers coach Richard Hunley said the Bengals got too caught up in complex schemes and suggested that the "gameplan has to be about simplicity."

According to Cincinnati Enquirer's Mark Curnutte, Mike Zimmer, recently told by the Falcons to start looking for a new job, could be named to replace Bresnahan next week. And I don't know if this qualifies as "keeping it simple," but there's a chance that Zimmer's hire could signal the Bengals' move to the 3-4 defense.

Zimmer was Atlanta's coordinator in 2007 and was credited as coordinator in Dallas for moving its defense from a three-linebacker to four-linebacker scheme, a possibility this offseason with the Bengals

First things first: Cincinnati needs to stock their roster with linebackers and then hope they can stay healthy. Obviously, injuries are arbitrary and it's hard to fault the Bengals for not carrying 12 linebackers on the roster in 2007. Things were so thin at the position that defensive end Robert Geathers played outside linebacker at times during the second half of the season.

The team also lost 2005 first-round pick OLB David Pollack to a neck injury in 2006, and middle linebacker Odell Thurman has had more than his share of off-field issues.

Assuming Zimmer gets the job, whatever he decides to do can't be much worse than what Bresnahan "accomplished" during his three years in Cincy.

Little late on this news, but it's pretty significant. The Bengals recently signed Robert Geathers to a six year deal worth as much as $33.7 million over the life of the deal if Geathers meets certain incentive bonuses. He'll receive $14 million this coming year.

Geathers had 10.5 sacks in the 2006, the first Bengal to record double digit sacks since Alfred Williams in ... wait for it ... 1992. That fact made me feel sad.

Geathers is only 23 years old (will turn 24 in August) so this seems like a great investment, especially when you consider how poor the Bengals D-line has been in recent years. The play that stands out for me this past season for Geathers was against the Atlanta Falcons when Robert ran down Michael Vick, forcing him out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage. The guy's quick, and I think his level of play should improve in the coming years with experience.

More: Bengals Announce Geathers Signing - Mark Curnutte's Blog

Kevin Hench of Fox Sports has a column up ranking the top six worst calls this season in the NFL. Predictably, number one is the roughing the passer call on Justin Smith that caused the Bengals to lose to Tampa Bay:

And the winner for worst call of the NFL season is ... Mike Carey's indefensible roughing-the-passer penalty on the Bengals' Justin Smith that cost Cincinnati its game at Tampa Bay. With the Bengals leading 13-7 and time winding down, Smith sacked Bucs QB Bruce Gradkowski and forced a fumble that was recovered by Robert Geathers. Ball game. Now obviously this couldn't be roughing the passer because Gradkowski still had the ball. Or could it? Carey ruled that Smith had not been appropriately gentle with the quarterback, awarded Tampa Bay the standard gift set - 15 yards, automatic first down - and the Bucs scored late to win, 14-13. The call led Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis to lament, "I guess you have to cuddle him to the ground."

Indeed. Welcome to today's cuddly NFL.

That call wasn't just the worst of this season; it was the worst I've ever seen in my entire life. I had a sick feeling afterwards that it could cost the Bengals a lot more than one game, and it looks like I'll be right since Cincinnati will probably be missing the playoffs by just a game. The Bengals had one of the toughest schedules in football this year, making one loss far more important than it would have been any other season.

Obviously I'm a homer, and I have no doubt that it clouds my vision at times, but I really don't think any fan with half a brain could say that the officiating in the NFL is up to par. Something really needs to be done, especially when it comes to roughing the passer calls, because the current state of things is absolutely ridiculous.

More: Rougher year for refs than passers - FoxSports.com

The NFL today released a lengthy statement on the play where Trent Green was injured from a hit by Robert Geathers. The NFL declared it a legal hit, noting that Geathers was "blocked in the back by a Kansas City player" and "was no longer in complete control of his body". They also wrote that Geathers tried to avoid the hit, twisting his torso to avoid going helmet to helmet.

I feel bad for the Chiefs and for Chiefs fans. Trust me, if anyone's going to understand how they felt on Sunday, it's going to be a Bengals fan. But at the same time I never thought it was an illegal hit by Geathers, it was just an unlucky situation for Green. Green probably sould have slid a couple of yards earlier, if he had he would have been well short of defenders, something that is his responsiblity as noted by the NFL's release:

Quarterbacks who desire to take advantage of the protection provided to a sliding runner are responsible for starting their slide before contact by a defensive player is imminent.

So my heart goes out to Chiefs fans, and I hope Trent Green recovers fully and quickly, but the NFL made the right call today.

More: NFL: No fine for Geathers hit on Green - Mark Curnutte's Blog
Trent Green Concussion Video Clip - Arrowhead Pride