Who Dey! The Bengals are for real

   Well it looks like the days of the Bengals, not the Bungals, being the punch line of every NFL joke are over, as those jokes are now used for the Ohio team up north.
   These aren't the Bengals I grew up watching. Heck these aren't the Bengals most fans of the tiger-striped helmets grew up watching.
   These aren't the Bengals of David Klingler, Akili Smith, Scott Mitchell, Neil O'Donnell, Jay Schroeder, Donald Hollas or Paul Justin. These aren't even the Bengals of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Gus Frerotte, Jeff Blake or Jon Kitna.
   These Bengals are for real.
   Wait, wait, wait! Did I just type the Bengals and for real in the same sentence?
   Is my mind deceiving me, or did the Bengals actually sweep not only the Baltimore Ravens, but sweep the 6-time Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers this season?
   Who Dey? No wait, it is WHO DEY!
   Right?
   Oh my God, what is happening in the world today? Maybe the world is going to end on Sunday, February 7 as that is the day of Super Bowl XLIV, not in 2012 like some people are predicting.
    No predictions here about the Bengals holding the Vince Lombardi trophy at the end of the season, but really, look at how the Bengals defense is playing thus far this season. OK, throw out the Houston Texans game, and tell me the Bengals defense isn't one of the top defenses in the NFL?
   Who Dey!
   I am not much for stats when it comes to football - those are more reserved for baseball fans - but after nine games and 10 weeks the Bengals defense is second in rushing yards allowed with 83.4 ypg. When was the last time a Bengals defense played like this? In overall defense they are ranked No. 11 according to NFL.com, but again, if they stay healthy, I have a feeling they will climb the stat ladder.
   Who Dey!
   Offensively the Cardiac Cats are No. 17 in points scored (22 ppg), No. 19 in yards per game (334.2), No. 19 in passing yards per game (211.9) and No. 11 in rushing yards per game (122.3).
   Speaking of the rushing game, what a pickup the Bengals gained with Cedric Benson last season. A cast-off in Chicago (Da Bears), Benson has found a home in the Queen City, with 859 yards rushing this season on 205 attempts. He is averaging 4.2 yards per carry and has rushed for six touchdowns. Even though he was injured last week, the Bengals picked up Larry Johnson this week. Johnson is in the same boat as Benson was a season ago, in the fact he was cast off by his team after problems occurred.
   Who Dey!
   I can't put these Bengals in the same category as the two Super Bowl participant teams the Bengals had in the '80s, which were led by Ken Anderson and Boomer Esiason, but they possibly could be headed in that direction.
   These Bengals are led by Carson Palmer. Palmer has regained his confidence and poise he had way back in '05, before he was injured in the divisional playoff game against eventual Super Bowl Champ Pittsburgh. He did throw a touchdown in his one pass attempt in that game.
   This season No. 9 has passed for 14 touchdowns, with 2,010 passing yards. His QB rating is 88.1 percent in his seventh season under center for Cincinnati.
   But really, I have good friends who are real Bengal fans. You know, the fans who have stuck with the Bengals their entire lives, not the ones who have suddenly grabbed a seat on the bandwagon. They suffered through the '90s where Cincinnati went 52-108.
   My friends, who are the least optimistic football fans in the world when it comes to their Bengals winning, are even drinking the Cincinnati (orange) Kool-Aid.
   For me personally it hurts me the Bengals are doing so well. No, not because I dislike the Bengals, but because I have lost my entire arsenal of jokes to make fun of my friends during football season.
   For example, one of my old favorites, "What do you call a Cincinnati Bengal with a Super Bowl Championship ring? Give up? An ex-Steeler."
   Or how about this classic, "What's the difference between the Cincinnati Bengals and a dollar bill? Give up? You can still get four quarters out of a dollar."
   Ugh! What do I do now?
   Who Dey!
   That was basically my NFL Sunday routine for that past 17 years or so. But now, what do I have? The Bengals keep winning and probably will with no stop in sight. No, I am not jumping on the bandwagon, I have my own team to cheer for.
   I guess with the Bengals one win away from not having a losing season, the only thing left to say is, (clearing my throat), "Who Dey. Who Dey. Who Dey think gonna beat dem Bengals?"
   So far this season, not many teams can say that they have.        

   Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press.