THE BROO VIEW with Ken Broo

Sorry I've been away. I've had a lot on my plate. But I'm back now and ready for some Monday Night Football. I think....

When the Patriots ride into town next week, it will be a stark reminder of how bad football has been around here since we last saw them. That Pats rolled the Bengals last season. Including that loss, the Bengals have gone 6-10 in their last 16-games. And now, at 1-2, things are looking so hot for a seventh win.

You don't have to be a football Einstein to figure out why things are going so poorly. Just look at the roster. The Bengals number one pick in the 2004 draft has been a rumor, almost since day one. Chris Perry might as well be doing commercial for an HMO. The top three picks from the Bengals 2005 draft are all missing. David Pollack may never play again. Odell Thurman might, but probably not in a Bengals uniform. And Chris Henry is supposed to be back after the first eight games are in the books. But that guy is one good DUI from a full year suspension. Add in the season ending injury Kenny Irons, the second round pick in this year's draft, and you realize why things are the way they are. Those are a lot of 'hits' to take.

Subs are now starters. Waiver wire players have replaced the subs on special teams. And on defense, there are few playmakers. To win, the Bengals defense has to take the ball away. There hasn't been enough of that, so far in 2007.

And here comes New England. If the Patriots have been spying on the Bengals, they know about their problems. But does it matter? This is a team that plays fast and loose with the salary cap, and always seems to find just enough money to sign the best players. Randy Moss is having the biggest comeback since Lazarus. Adalius Thomas was the most lucrative free agent in this past off season. Guess which team got both of them? Right.

Can the Bengals win Monday night? Sure. It'll be a packed house, loud and more than a few will be liquored up. Remember a few years ago when Denver rolled in here on a Sunday night, a heavy favorite? The Bengals stepped up and pulled off the upset.

But realistically, there won't be many picking Cincinnati to win this game, at least not with a straight face. And at 1-3, at the bye week, the Bengals will have to get healthy, and better in a hurry if they want to play any games in January.