Palmer told reporters Wednesday that he has been throwing a Nerf football recently and will throw a regulation ball at some point in the next few days to see how the elbow is doing. Palmer injured the elbow on Sept. 21 at New York against the Giants and has not played since Oct. 5 at Dallas.
Palmer will not throw prior to Sunday’s game at Indianapolis, even though he said two weeks ago that he would throw on Dec. 7.
“It'll be a real football. Leather and laces,” said Palmer. “I'll just be starting to throw; you don't jump back on the bike and go off 10-foot jumps. You jump back on the bike and just kind of start 10-, 12-yard throws, 50 percent, 60 percent and so on and then make a determination on the surgery – who knows? – a week, two weeks after that. It depends on how far in the progression I get.”
It has yet to be determined whether or not Palmer will require surgery.
“I don't know, like I keep saying, if I knew I had to have the surgery, I'd already have it done,” said Palmer. “I'll see what the doctors say, have it checked out and go with a professional decision from a doctor.”
The Bengals (1-10-1) have four games remaining in the season, starting with the road trip to play the surging Colts. Indianapolis has won five straight games after a 3-4 start and is seeking a sixth consecutive playoff berth. The Colts aren’t likely to catch AFC South leading Tennessee (11-1) but they have the upper hand on the first of two wild card spots with one month left to play.
After Indianapolis, the Bengals play host to Washington (7-5) and Kansas City (2-10) sandwiched around a road game at Cleveland (4-8) on Dec. 21.
The failure of the team this season has been shocking to Palmer.
“It's just been crazy. Every time we play, you get more and more shocked. We couldn't lose another game,” said Palmer. “It's almost so unreal sometimes. We don't believe it's true sometimes. We've had success and we expect success and to not be successful and be where we're at… I don't think anyone looks at it as we're 1-10-1; I think people look at it like I cannot believe we're 1-10-1, I cannot believe we are where we are right now.”
In an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer and the team’s official Web site this week, team president Mike Brown said that if the team had not lost Palmer to injury the season would have been much more successful. Palmer was grateful for the thought but disagreed with his boss.
“We were 0-4 when I was playing,” said Palmer. “It's kind of tough to say that.”
While fans and commentators on the airwaves, newsprint and Internet have roundly criticized Brown and the team in general for its lack of success on the field this, Palmer said he hasn’t been feeling much negativity away from the office.
“I actually listen to talk radio, I hear what people are talking about but then you see people around town and everyone's as positive as could be, where as everything on the radio is as negative as can be,” said Palmer. “I think there's a difference between what you hear on the radio and you read compared to what everyday fans, neighbors, people at the grocery store, whatever it may be. People have been very supportive and upbeat, looking forward to next year.
“I ran into someone who just wanted us to beat the Steelers to make the season, just beat the Steelers. There's a big difference between what you hear and see in the paper and through the media than compared to what your everyday, average fan at the grocery store or restaurant or whatever it may be.”