THE BROO VIEW with Ken Broo

Here's the math. Three games to go, two to get in. It's the Bengals version of the old NBA free throw rule: three chances to make two. The Bengals have three games left. They have to win two of them to make the playoffs. Simple as that.

And their situation hasn't changed much since that meltdown loss to the Chargers. Even then, they knew this stretch was coming and here it is. The Bengals remaining games are at Indianapolis, at Denver and home with the Steelers. In a nutshell, they'll have to win one of the two remaing road games and then, take care of business at home on New Year's Eve against the Steelers.

First take on that Indy game? Run Rudi getting off the bus. The Colts have forgotten how to stop the run. They allowed the Jaguars to rush for 375 yards Sunday! 375 yards is a great number for total offense. The Jags simply carved up the Colts alleged defense. Rudi Johnson should be able to do the same.

While watching my Ohio Bobcats defeat Bellarmine on Saturday, I bumped into an Ohio University living legend. Vern Alden was at the game. Ohio's rapid growth in student enrollment and facilities occured under President Alden's watch in the late 1960's. And he is a big sports fans. Legend has it, Alden once dispatched his sports information director to New York City to meet with the Times sports editor to lobby for coverage of Ohio University sporting events. Alden even commissioned a panel on campus to study the feasibility of joining the Big Ten Conference. The school library on the Athens campus carries his name. I asked him where he's living now. Boston, he told me. And he asked me where I was going to be a year from now (always a dicey question for anyone in the line of work I do). Don't know, I answered. Alden said he knew exactly where he would be: Hawaii. That's apparently where the Ohio Bobcats will play next basketball season. I'm checking on flights right now!

Ken