http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.d...341/1066/rss07
excerpt:
There is a statistic for pretty much every movement made on the field. And no position is measured in as many ways as quarterback.
There are categories for yards, attempts, completions, victories and losses, interceptions, touchdowns, yards per attempt, completion percentage, third-down passing and passer rating among them.
But when Bengals quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese looks ahead to the fifth NFL season of Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, he sees one statistic stand out from the rest: touchdown pass-interception differential.
In his three years as a Bengals starter, Palmer has accumulated the fifth-best touchdown pass-interception differential in the NFL over that span. He is plus-35, with 78 touchdown passes and 43 interceptions.
"Touchdown-interception ratio, that's a monster," Zampese said.
And now, entering his fourth season as an NFL starting quarterback, Palmer is poised to elevate his game as he begins the prime years of his career.
He is one year removed from a grueling offseason rehabilitation of his left knee, and he has enjoyed a healthy and productive offseason on the field with his teammates and in the classroom with coaches.
"It's comforting to know that I am confident in my knee and it can withstand whatever is thrown at it," said Palmer, who looked sharp in his first 2007 training camp practice Friday. "I don't have to worry about the rehab and all the stuff I had to worry about last year."
Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski offered this assessment of Palmer after practice: "He is ahead of where he was this time last year, and a lot of it is because of the work he did in the spring and the natural healing process."
Palmer, for his part, said he needs to work on "everything ... my feet, my accuracy, my arm strength, my decision-making, my timing, my rhythm."
Quarterbacks coach Zampese hopes those elements add up to at least twice as many touchdowns as interceptions for Palmer this season.
The pressure is on Palmer in the pass game. In his three years as starter, the Bengals have scored 83 of their 126 offensive touchdowns on pass plays.
"Some other teams, it's switched around," Zampese said. "The TD throws are a big deal. They're not once-in-awhile deals. They are things that need to happen, minimum, twice a game, average. So if we can get something at the minimum of 2-1 in that area, we're in pretty good shape."
Palmer's health brings additional confidence to his offensive teammates.
Palmer poised to pour it on
Palmer poised to pour it on
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