CINCINNATI -- A few weeks ago, one of the Cincinnati Bengals' few banged-up players leaned over after an interview scrum and expressed a thought that likely was shared by others in the locker room.
He couldn't wait for the bye to come.
It wasn't that he was eager for time away from football. With an injury preventing him from playing at an optimum level, he just needed a couple days off in a row where he could ease the pounding on his legs to get himself back to as close to 100 percent as possible.