Week 1 Preview: Ravens at Cincinnati

Andy Williams once hit the top of the music charts with a song about Christmas, but it is also fitting for the opening of every NFL season. Yes, folks, It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, and while kids will not be "jingle-belling" and most people will not tell you to be of good cheer, there certainly will be plenty of parties to be hosting and marshmallows to be toasting--tailgate style. The Bengals are celebrating their 40th anniversary this season, and while the Ravens hold a 13-9 series lead, Cincinnati has won four of the past five meetings between the rivals, including a 13-7 victory in Week 13 of last season. The first-string offensive units of each team struggled to find the endzone in the preseason. Carson Palmer and his Bengals offense waited until the second quarter of the third game before they found the endzone, twice, and never came close again. Steve McNair and his crew started off quickly, striking gold in their first preseason drive. The...