BENGALS AT A GLANCE
	Jeff Blake
	Last Last year: 3-13, last place in AFC Central Key returnees:: RB Corey Dillon (262 carries, 1,130 yards); WR Darnay Scott (51 rec., 817 yards, 7 TDs); LB Takeo Spikes New faces: QB Akili Smith (first round), OG Brian DeMarco (Jaguars), NT Oliver Gibson (Steelers) New places: CB Ashley Ambrose (Saints), SS Sam Shade (Redskins), DE Clyde Simmons (Bears) Watch out: Pickens swore he'd never play for Bengals again. We'll see. Better than '98: Smith era might begin sooner than Bengals want. Worse than '98: The secondary is young and will miss Ambrose severely. -- Scripps Howard News Service

The Bengals have had three head coaches, changed quarterbacks multiple times and restocked their roster, but nothing seemed to work. Since finishing the '96 season with a 7-2 flourish after replacing Dave Shula, Bruce Coslet has gone 10-22.

Bengals president and general manager Mike Brown, however, remains steadfast in his support of Coslet.

"I have confidence in Bruce," Brown said. "I think he's knowledgeable. I think he's a good teacher. I think he can inspire players. I know his system works. I've seen it work. I think it can come together for us with him at the helm. I really do."

The Bengals turned down a draft-trade bonanza to keep the third overall pick and used it on quarterback Akili Smith, then couldn't sign him in time for him to have a meaningful training camp. That means Jeff Blake will get a longer shot at running the team, because Smith will be too raw to be ready in a hurry.

Cincinnati has been notoriously bad in the first half of the last eight seasons, going 11-53 overall, including three 0-8 starts and one 1-7. But in '99, the Bengals don't play an opponent that made last season's playoffs until their eighth game.

That reprieve should be helpful, because Coslet has a ton of problems to solve on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

Here's a position-by-position look at Cincinnati's roster:

Quarterbacks
This offseason, Blake has shown flashes of the form that made him one of the NFL's most exciting young quarterbacks from 1994 to '96. But he also has shown flashes of the inconsistencies that led him to lose his job to Boomer Esiason in '97 and Neil O'Donnell in '98. Smith is the QB of the future, but his holdout will probably keep him from making much of an impact this season. Eric Kresser is the backup, but only until Smith is ready to start moving up the depth chart. Grade: C-

Running backs
Corey Dillon has started only 22 NFL games, but he has 2,259 yards rushing. He can carry a well-rounded offense -- and maybe even a semi-rounded offense -- but he has to have some help from his quarterback and blockers.

Ki-Jana Carter is hurt again, this time with a cyst in his knee. The Bengals count on their fullback to make a lot of adjustments as a lead blocker and in pass protection, and that should allow veteran Brian Milne to keep his job. Grade: C+

Receivers
If Carl Pickens follows through on his promise to sit out the season if he isn't traded, a team strength becomes a weakness. Darnay Scott is solid, but thus far in his career he has been the home-run threat, not the go-to guy.

Willie Jackson is the likely replacement for Pickens. The Bengals hope to get something from rookie Craig Yeast, but he missed most of training camp with a bad ankle. Stepfret Williams or James Hundon will get some playing time, at least until Yeast is ready.

TE Tony McGee started all 16 games last season but had only 22 catches. The coaches keep saying they have to get him more involved in the offense, but it's not happening. Backup Marco Battaglia has never played like a second-round draft pick. Grade: C-

		The Bengals have a proven running back in Corey Dillon and pretty good receivers, even though Carl Pickens isn't going to be there. That might be an area of concern because Pickens could make a big difference. But what will make or break Cincinnati is how the defense plays. The question is how will a lot of young players who played last year, like linebackers Takeo Spikes and Brian Simmons, continue to adapt to Dick LeBeau's scheme. They need to play consistent defense, apply pressure and execute LeBeau's aggressive style. If that happens, Cincinnati has a chance to salvage the season. I still think the Bengals are looking at some improvement, a 7-9 season, because Cleveland is in the division this year.

Offensive linemen
This rebuilt group will probably feature only one starter in the same position as last season -- ORT Willie Anderson. Rich Braham moves from left guard to center, and Rod Jones, one of the few pleasant surprises in training camp, replaces Kevin Sargent at left tackle.

The new guards are free-agent pickups Matt O'Dwyer (Jets) and Brian DeMarco (Jaguars). The changes were supposed to be positive, but that hasn't been the case so far. Grade: C-

Defensive linemen
This crew should be better than last year, provided DE John Copeland can shake off a nagging hamstring problem. He has increased his strength markedly, but he hasn't been able to show it because of the injury. Michael Bankston, the other end, isn't much of a pass rusher, but he is solid against the run and seldom makes a technical or mental mistake.

Jevon Langford, who has been pressing for increased playing time, and Glen Steele are the outside reserves. Free agent Oliver Gibson was brought in from Pittsburgh to take the NT job from Kimo von Oelhoffen, but that hasn't happened yet. Grade: D+

Linebackers
Last year's two first-round draft picks, Takeo Spikes and Brian Simmons, proved to be top-drawer choices. Spikes started 16 games and led the team in tackles, and Simmons finished fast after being slowed by arthroscopic knee surgery late in the preseason.

On the outside, Reinard Wilson will pair with Steve Foley. Wilson struggles when he has to drop into pass coverage, but he can get after the quarterback. Foley started only one game as a rookie but appears to have beaten out nine-year starter James Francis, who might be headed for the waiver wire. With Billy Granville and Adrian Ross the top backups, none of Cincinnati's top six 'backers is older than 25. Grade: B-

SS Sam Shade, the team's best defensive back for the last two seasons, jumped to Washington as a free agent. Replacement Myron Bell is a quality run stuffer, but his coverage skills don't match Shade's. Greg Myers is the free safety, although he's being pushed by rookie Cory Hall. Grade: D+

Special teams
Kicker Doug Pelfrey made a career-low 70.4 percent of his field-goal attempts last year, but the Bengals have no worries about his dependability. Brad Costello, who averaged 49.5 yards per kick on 10 punts in the last three games in '98, is back for his first full season. He also handles kickoffs.

The return game is up in the air. Tremain Mack, one of the NFL's best on kickoffs, will miss the first four games while serving an alcohol-related suspension. Yeast will eventually return punts, but not until his health improves. The recent emphasis on speed should improve the coverage teams, long a sore spot for Cincinnati. Grade: C-

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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