L.J. Lands In River City
It didn’t take long to understand that Larry Johnson had been looking at the schedule his new will play over the final seven weeks of the 2009 regular season.
One game jumped out: December 27, Kansas City at Cincinnati.
The newest member of the Bengals couldn’t suppress his excitement to face his former team in five weeks.
“I’d be lying if I said I ain’t looking at that game as a game I definitely want to play in,” Johnson said. “You take one game at a time, one situation at a time. I’m just trying to get on the field as of right now. If that happens, that’d be the best Christmas gift I can get.”
Johnson agreed to terms on Tuesday with the Bengals and was introduced to the Cincinnati media. On Monday, head coach Marv Lewis talked about L.J. as insurance, the fourth back on the roster. His tune was a little bit different on Tuesday.
“I’m not going to say it can’t happen, I’m not going to say it will happen, but stay tuned,” Lewis said. “He’d like to play, I know that. We’ll see what happens as we go through the week.”
Johnson said signing with the Bengals was his chance “to right some of my wrongs.”
He sees no problems fitting in Cincinnati’s locker room.
“I’ve known Chad (Ochocinco) for a couple of years,” Johnson said. “I know Carson (Palmer) from the whole Heisman thing (Johnson finished third when Palmer won in 2002.) You know a lot of the players walking through the locker room. I didn’t know they had so many Johnsons on this football team. I know I’m bound to be related to one of them.”
There are six Johnsons on the Bengals roster, including Ochocinco. The others are Brandon, Jeremi, Michael and Tank.
“I have to work my way back up,” Johnson said. “You have to earn your stripes, literally, in the situation I’m in.”
When asked what happened with the Chiefs that led to his release, Johnson had some familiar words.
“It was just a relationship that was souring,” Johnson said. “In Kansas City being in kind of a small market, every little thing I was going to say was going to be blown up to mythical proportions.”
Johnson will earn $43,823.49 per game, that’s the veteran’s minimum salary per game.
“He knows what’s at stake and at risk,” Lewis said. “He gets an opportunity to start anew, just like anyone would. He has paid a price for what’s gone on, things he’s said and done, and it came to finality in Kansas City. And now it’s a new start.”
new place same ole larry probably…make him inactive a couple games and see what happens. the diapers will never come off.
He won’t see the ball !
Example Mike Vick; unless a lot of RB’s in Cin. are laid up .
I would bet that he would get a chance to play most 30 year old, 1st rd draft picks dont sign with a new team within two weeks and not get a chance to play. Especially if that team can block for him..
I hope the chiefs defense can contain the run when they play the Bengals.
You would think that Marvin Lewis would have learned his lesson when it comes to bringing cancer into the locker room. I’m sure L-gay will show his true “stripes” with the Bengles soon enough.
Boy Bob, you sure didn’t write like this about all the others let go this year. I know you still have a soft spot for LJ and with it being your site an all, just hope you don’t have a man crush?
Good luck and most of all GOODBYE LJ.
GO CHIEFS!!!
More like see ya later I think. Maybe our D can make him look 30 and washed up.
This is good. L.J. can do one thing and that is run behind a good offensive line vertically (but which running back can’t?). Currently we (the Chiefs) can’t provide that.
L.J. knows that he has one dimensional talent (can’t block, can’t catch). He has done a very good job of capitalizing on his situation (monetarily). Kudos to L.J. for working the system (an American trait).
Personally, I believe his attitude to be poison and have wanted him gone once his limited abilities were revealed once our ‘O’ line faltered (loss of Roaf/Shields).
I think the Pioli/Haley combination will work well in the coming years.
Marvin is NOT going to waste any downs on him here unless he is out of RBs.
They may win their Div. & are headed fo the Playoffs .
All he has is 2 months to behave , the year he signed for , you know they made that clear .
if they resign him for next year it won’t untill T.-Camp …
And that aint gona happen–unless he goes to San Anton. to Train / Priest Holmes & has extra strong legs .
Marvin is lying LJ will backup Benson and will get a chance to start if Benson gets injured. No way he’ll be the 4th back on this team maybe for about a week if that long.
ED says:
“Marvin is lying LJ will backup Benson and will get a chance to start if Benson gets injured. No way he’ll be the 4th back on this team maybe for about a week if that long.”
Not if his YPC continues to be 2.7. The Bengals were doing just fine without LJ. I’m suprised they even take the chance on bringing him in, actually. I like what LJ is saying already:
“Looks like LJ is fired up. From his Facebook page: “Gonna gallop all over the Chiefs. Cleat prints on the chests. Mud in the face masks.”
Twitter / Kent Babb”
Already talkin’ smack. I wonder what his new coaches and teammates think about that…with the ink barely dry on his contract? Considering they were 7-2 before he graced them with his presence. Or maybe LJ was talking about Cedric Benson? I hope LJ is deactivated for the Chiefs game. That would be funny.
I believe he will play a lot for the Bengals. Benson is banged up and they will believe LJ can get new life. I also believe he will produce big numbers for them, not because of his ability, but because their OL can open big holes.
The problem will come when LJ has been given several carries and then they put Benson back in as the featured back. The poor attitude will come out in style. Unfortunately, I don’t think that will happen until after he runs all over KC.
Perhaps the remainder of this season will be LJ’s redemption; or maybe it will prove to another coaching staff and city that LJ is an incorrigible Sybil whose promises rank right up there with those of Bernie Madoff.
One hopes for the sake of Carson Palmer that Marvin Lewis is tuned into LJ’s lack of blocking aptitude. Palmer is finally showing the promise he brought with him and certainly doesn’t need or deserve injury due to a teammate who doesn’t protect the QB.
The Bengals won’t have nearly as much invested in LJ–either emotionally or financially–to be plagued with a question about what to do with him when he errs, as is more likely than not to happen.
LJ should also be aware, as his new teammates will likely tell him, that the Cincinnati PD made a lot of negative headlines a few years back as far as race relations is concerned. However, as long as LJ is not confronted with a female officer he should have no problem
Good bye, good riddance, move on. LJ’s pipe dream of achieving Jim Brown status will be realized–yes we know it is much more a long shot than Super Mario’s winner for KU in the 2008 Final Four–somewhere else. Maybe that place is River City, maybe not. Time alone will tell.
Cincy only has two tough games left this season…Vikings and Chargers. The rest, Browns, Lions, Chiefs, Raiders and the Jets…well maybe not so tough. I see LJ getting more carries in the “lesser” games so Benson gets some rest. I can’t wait to see how hard LJ works for the vet minimum!