Palmer has lofty expectations for 2006

**Steelersfan** · 09-16-2006, 12:28 AM

Pretty good interview with Palmer. Seems like a good kid. Too bad he plays for the Bengals.....

Editor's note: Each week during the season Graham Bensinger will be talking with high-profile NFL figures for ESPN.com's Weekly Conversation.
Graham Bensinger: Next week, Bengals-Steelers … what comes to mind when you think about that?
Carson Palmer: They're the best team in football, a great opponent, and got us the last time we played them. It's a huge game. It's a division game and our rival. A game we need to win going in to their place [Heinz Field]. It's going to be exciting.
Bensinger: What do you expect it to be like?
Palmer:: It's going to be a knock-down fight and a drag-out, four-quarter battle. They are a very physical team and we're a physical team. We match up well. They have a good defense. We have a good offense. They have a good offense. We have a good defense. It's a very evenly matched game. Whoever executes better and plays their best football that day will win.
Bensinger: To what extent did last season's wild-card playoff game vs. the Steelers intensify your hate toward them?
Palmer: I don't hold a grudge toward them. I don't think Kimo [von Oelhoffen] took a cheap shot or anything like that. Just the fact that they knocked us out of the playoffs means a lot, makes us want to beat them bad, and get the best of them.
Bensinger: I know you forgave Kimo and said it's all part of the game, but what surprised me is that he never attempted to reach out to you. To what extent were you surprised he never contacted you?
Palmer: I really didn't think twice about it. He obviously had a lot going on. He's on his road to the Super Bowl. It's part of the game.
Bensinger: Come on … there was plenty of time between the end of last season and now. Years ago your injury would have been career-ending. Some have said even now it was career-threatening. It may be part of the game, but don't you think he should have called?
Palmer: People get hurt all of the time. Every time somebody gets hurt, the guy that hit him doesn't need to give him a call and make sure they're OK. Football is an aggressive, physical game. I really wasn't surprised at all.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/s...t&lid=tab2pos2

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 09-16-2006, 12:40 AM

The media will eating this up big time, you can get your last dollar this will be the game of the week and be hyped up and analyzed to death by every network and media outlet you can find.

You can also make a safe bet that the Steelers will have Palmers comments he made last year on the bulletin board of their locker room for that whole week.

House of Steel · 09-16-2006, 09:33 AM

I am hoping and wishing the Steelers rout these PUTTYTATS. We got ammo here on this board for that crazy goonies coming to Heinz. I have pure hatred for the Cintucky Cornholios Lovers.

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 09-16-2006, 10:30 AM

Who'd have ever thought good ole AFCN who have such a huge following for a divisional game. We used to get next to no coverage because the rivalry with cleveland has died down in the media's eyes, even if it still burns strong in our hearts. The ratbirds games are always a smash mouth, physical game but still don't get the attention that the bungals/Steelers got starting last year and should continue for a long time to come.

If Palmer wants some of us, come and get it punkass !

**SteelersfaninPhilly** · 09-16-2006, 10:53 AM

Dam this is going to be a fun week.

**AZ_Steeler** · 09-16-2006, 01:37 PM

Hopefully the Steelers aren't looking past the Jaguars! The one thing going for the Steelers is they usually don't lose on Monday night though.

My concern, with this article is if the media is already starting to hype this game the Steelers could be looking past Monday night, Cowher will keep them in check but it's definitely gotta be a concern.

Carson did say all the right things in the interview, maybe Cleveland will catch them off gaurd this week too