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SmackDR · 08-17-2007, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Willie Anderson has been watching ESPN's series on the 1977 Yankees titled "The Bronx is Burning." Now he's suddenly in a starring role of "Bengaldom is Burning" after he showed up Thursday at Paul Brown Stadium with his mysterious right foot in a boot following an undisclosed procedure and the possibility he could miss not only the Sept. 10 opener, but a lot more games than that.

Anderson said he's been told there is a 60 percent chance the procedure will work and that he can get through the season. But he also allowed, "This procedure either works, or bad news comes out. ... I'll know in several weeks."

With quarterback Carson Palmer's other bookend shelved so far for the whole camp with a bothersome knee, left tackle Levi Jones, and speed running back Kenny Irons out for the year with a reconstructed knee, the fire hoses are out.

"I don't know. It depends on who you ask," said Anderson cryptically after the day's morning practice when asked if he could be out for the year. "I'm optimistic the procedure will get me through the season."

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While the Bengals and Saints worked a two-a-day session on the PBS practice fields, the Bengals were wondering if they had been dealt a huge blow to a team that has relied on Anderson's four-time Pro Bowl prowess on the field and in the locker room over the past seven seasons and 112 straight starts.

After finally surfacing Thursday morning following his week-long sojourn to doctors in Cincinnati and Atlanta, Anderson revealed he wouldn't be ready to play if the season started now after undergoing what he only described as "shock treatments" for an undisclosed ailment stemming from an injury he suffered late last season and kept him on the sidelines this spring. The object in question is the biggest foot in Bengals history at 19-EEE and connected to what many believe is the best right tackle in the game.

Head coach Marvin Lewis indicated only that Anderson is getting better, that the procedure wasn't surgery, and he still has a chance to play the first game against the Ravens.

"I kept playing with it," Anderson said. "Kept doing things before the game to keep going out there."

Anderson says, "this procedure either works, or bad news comes out."

Without detailing the injury to the foot, Anderson said doctors "basically injure the area around the injury to get it to heal back. I'm being optimistic about it. I believe our traiing staff can get me back ready to play. It's a disappointment for me because to find out this late in the year, the reality is not good. But I'm being optimistic the procedure will work."

Anderson has struggled with the injury since he missed three quarters of the Dec. 18 loss in Indianapolis.

Anderson said it wasn't an indictment against the Bengals training staff and said he's thankful Lewis suggested last week that he go for a second opinion. Anderson left the club's training camp at Georgetown, Ky., a week ago to visit with foot specialists in Cincinnati and Atlanta and came up with what is either a new diagnosis or a different treatment to combat an old problem.

Anderson, 32, hardly practiced during the spring but he hoped to be ready for the final preseason game. But the first five days of camp revealed to him he couldn't go.

"I give credit to Marvin," Anderson said. "I'm lucky I found out what it was. It could have been a lot more serious than it is if I had kept running on it and doing the things I was doing."

If Anderson misses his first start of the decade and century (the last game he missed was the '99 finale), the first option appears to be Scott Kooistra, a five-year veteran whose lone NFL start came in the 2005 finale at left guard.

But Anderson, the last 20th century Bengal and dean of the team, is special. And his teammates know it.

"I'm worried not having Willie," said quarterback Carson Palmer. "His leadership, he doesn't get beat. He's as good as it gets at that position. You're always worried about losing one of your better players. But I'm confident whether it's Scott Kooistra or Adam Kieft or whoever is in there. All I know is that Bobbie (Williams) is playing right guard. Everyone else has been bouncing around."

Jones has also been sidelined at left tackle with an injury he suffered last season. But indications are he could get on the field next week and he has said the knee feels better.

Kooistra
The 6-6 Kooistra, who signed a new deal with the Bengals five weeks before free agency, has received rave reviews from strength coaches Chip Morton and Ray Oliver for his work in the offseason. Kooistra says he has put on 20 pounds and is between 335-340 pounds, and feels like he's in the best shape of his life.

Kooistra, a seventh-round pick in 2003, started at both tackles at North Carolina State before playing all over the line with Cincinnati. When Anderson's foot became a problem, the Bengals left him at right tackle instead of allowing him to freelance to left guard or right guard.

"I feel as comfortable as I've ever been over there," Kooistra said. [/b]

Bengals.com

It's going to hurt if we lose him for too many games- but I think Kooistra could take the snaps and get some experience since he's probably going to be the one to replace Willie once he retires anyway.

SteelerfanstuckinVa · 08-17-2007, 06:46 AM

That should read "Bengaldumb" not dom.

JLambert · 08-17-2007, 08:27 AM

I thought you had to go further SE then Atlanta to find Witchdoctors

IckeyWoods · 08-17-2007, 01:49 PM

We have a lot of nice young talent at Oline in general. Although missing big will would be terrible news, from what ive seen and heard so far im not too worried.

SmackDR · 08-18-2007, 12:22 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IckeyWoods @ Aug 17th )</div>

Quote:

We have a lot of nice young talent at Oline in general. Although missing big will would be terrible news, from what ive seen and heard so far im not too worried.
[/b]

Me neither. Willie sounds optimistic and even if he doesn't make it back for the opener + a few more games- we have enough talent on the O Line to get us through those games. I'm far more worried about all the holes in our defense.

titansfan21 · 08-18-2007, 12:58 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SmackDR @ Aug 18th ) [snapback]2076726[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Me neither. Willie sounds optimistic and even if he doesn't make it back for the opener + a few more games- we have enough talent on the O Line to get us through those games. I'm far more worried about all the holes in our defense.
[/b]

KOOOOFSTRA FTW.

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