The Game Plan (cont.)

Under Pressure

In his last full 16-game season in 2007, Carson Palmer threw for 4,131 yards, 26 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. Icon SMI Peter King's Mailbag Peter King will answer your questions each week in Monday Morning Quarterback: Tuesday Edition. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND Follow Peter King on Twitter

QB Carson Palmer, Cincinnati. If HBO's Hard Knocks did nothing else, it may have put an extra burden on Cincinnati because it showed the Bengals as one of the dark-horse teams with a legitimate shot to climb the AFC ladder, but only if Palmer produces as he did before hurting his elbow last year. In 2005 through '07, Palmer averaged 4,001 yards and 29 touchdowns while starting every game. Last year, Bengals quarterbacks threw for 2,677 yards with 11 touchdowns. Palmer said Thursday the sprained ankle that caused him to miss the preseason is 100 percent. It better be, to handle the heavy weight on his shoulders this week, and this season.

About Last Night

I'll forever wonder why Tennessee defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil called the dogs off late in the fourth quarter, with Pittsburgh driving to win. After Jevon Kearse demolished Ben Roethlisberger and left him reeling at the Tennessee 33 with six minutes left, the Steelers had a third-and-12 and were on the edge of field-goal range. One more strong rush, and the Titans could preserve a 10-7 lead and beat the Super Bowl champs. But Cecil called for a three-man rush, and Roethlisberger had enough time to throw for a 15-yard gain. A tie game soon followed, then a Steelers OT win. I can hear Tennessee fans everywhere saying this morning: "Damn pree-vent defense. All it did was prevent us from winning.''

Ten Things I Think I'll Be Watching For This Weekend

1. Kyle Orton's arm. Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said Thursday that Orton's "ability to throw the ball doesn't seem to be hampered too much.'' Good thing. Twelve days after mangling the index finger on his throwing hand, Orton seems close to whole for Sunday's opener in Cincinnati.

2. Antonio Bryant's leg. The $9 million wideout (yes, Tampa Bay actually is paying this inconsistent receiver that much on a one-year deal) won't be right after missing all four preseason games and most summer practices following minor knee surgery. It doesn't help that Byron Leftwich's other target, Michael Clayton, has a sore hammy. Dallas is catching Tampa Bay at the right time.

3. Cris Collinsworth's voice. No pressure on you in the NBC Sunday Night booth, big boy. But John Madden will be micro-dissecting every word you utter from the cathedral he always loved best, Lambeau Field, Sunday night. By the way, a few of us might actually miss you in our Sunday afternoon NBC batcave at Rockefeller Center, Cris. Whom am I going to teach football to now?

4. Jon Gruden's moxie. Speaking of announcers under the microscope, Gruden joins the Monday night crew in what's likely the start of a one-and-done season. I've liked what I've heard in Gruden so far. He's had the stones to say Houston would finish below .500, and that Carolina and Green Bay wouldn't win more than eight games.

5. Jason Taylor playing over the tight end as an outside linebacker. Taylor, a career defensive end, has wowed the Dolphins this summer as a standup linebacker, and he'll have some collisions Sunday with Tony Gonzalez of the Falcons. Speaking of Gonzalez .

6. Matt Ryan having a new toy. Against Miami's excellent pass-rush, look for Ryan to go to Gonzalez early and often. "I've loved watching Tony this summer as a receiver, obviously,'' said GM Thomas Dimitroff of the Falcons. "But his ability to wall off and seal a block has been an eye-opener. He's a high-percentage option for our offense, and a better blocker than I thought.'' A healthy Gonzalez will catch 90 balls in Atlanta.

7. Ray Rice, Willis McGahee and LeRon McClain battling for the ball in Baltimore. Rice has made McGahee treat the off-season seriously for the first time in his career. Now we'll see who Cam Cameron trusts more to carry his run game.

8. Richard Seymour. Seymour has made $30 million over the past three years, so missing his week's paycheck of $216,764.71 won't kill him. I keep hearing he's devastated by the trade to Oakland and miserable about the prospect of playing there this year. I hear he'd report to Oakland, no questions asked, if the Raiders agreed not to put a franchise tag on him at the end of this year, but the Raiders didn't deal a first-round pick to New England to rent Richard Seymour for one season. Seymour is likely to report in the next few days because he's going to be one of the stars of unrestricted free-agency after this season and can't get to the market without playing for the Raiders this year. And I don't see him sitting if it means he'll just have to play for the Raiders next year. Remember, a player who get the franchise tag put on him can still move. He'd just have to move with compensation. It's clearly not what Seymour would have wanted, but it'd be worse for him to not report.

9. The youth movement in Jacksonville kicking off. Never in franchise history (or, probably in many other teams' histories) has a team started freshmen at both tackles. But the Jags will use Eugene Monroe at left tackle and Eben Britton at right Sunday at Indy. I'm sure Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis will make them feel right at home.

10. Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith beginning to make peace -- the football world hopes. Goodell and Smith have traded barbs (that's putting it nicely) in the media and behind the scenes since Smith took over for Gene Upshaw. They were together in Pittsburgh last night. No big deal about your relationship, guys. Just the future of football at stake.