Cincinnati Bengals: Carson Palmer Destined To Play Out Career in California

The only way the 2010 Bengals season could get any worse is if the mascot were to get arrested. Whoops. Wrong local football team. The way this team gift wraps victories for other teams, the Bengals are the Santa Claus and reindeer of the NFL. Give up two TDs in the final four minutes of a game seemingly in hand? Here ya go! Allow a one win team to score 35 unanswered points? Sure thing! Make a huge comeback only to fumble the ball away when your team has a chance? No problem! But nothing beat Sunday's offsides with the game on Vikings Brett Favre jersey
the line. The entire stadium knew the Saints were not going to run a play on fourth and three inside the 10 yard line with the Bengals winning by three. Well, everyone but Pat Sims. He jumped, the Saints got an easy TD and the Bengals gift wrapped yet another win for another team. The Bengals are in need of a fire sale of the tenth degree. The leader of that sale has to be the face of the franchise, Carson Palmer. Sure his numbers are about league average: 3009 passing yards, 20 TDs, 15 INTs, 60 percent completion percentage, 80.1 QB rating. But much of the yardage has come with the Bengals down by multiple scores. His throwing mechanics and footwork have regressed before our eyes. Palmer has been shaky all season long physically. Mentally he has fallen off his rocker. With the ball at midfield, Palmer completed a 14-yard pass to Brian Leonard with about 16 to 18 seconds left. With a timeout in his pocket, Palmer decided to rush to the line and try and spike the ball. Tick...tick..tick and there are eight seconds left before Palmer finally decides to call a timeout. As the home crowd booed him mercifully, Palmer staggered to the sideline with a blank stare of confusion. The look was Palmer's 2010 season in a nutshell. It was almost as if 4 Brett Favre White jersey
he had finally reached the point that plenty of his predecessors have reached in the past. Akili Smith, Dave Klingler, Jeff Blake, Gus Frerotte, Jon Kitna...the list goes on and on. Palmer has finally been "bungalized" and his face said it all. The time to break up is now.This marriage has been damaged beyond repair. With one of the top five picks, cross your fingers for Andrew Luck and settle for Ryan Mallett. Palmer is a California guy and there are a few teams that can convince their fan bases that Palmer is the answer. The Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers have struggled finding QBs for seemingly forever. It's clear that Palmer needs a change of scenery. The wear and tear that is playing in Cincinnati has finally overtaken him. It's a devastating disease that can be staved off, but sooner or later it engulfs you. Palmer was able to avoid it for longer than most in his position, but it got him. The Bengals can cut Palmer (nobody is paying him $11M next season) and allow him a chance to revive his career Vikings Brett Favre jersey
elsewhere. It's a tough pill to swallow for fans that expected a second consecutive playoff appearance. But in quite possibly the most disappointing season of one of the most disappointing franchises, head's have to roll. Palmer is at the head of the line.