BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Neil O'Donnell tries to scramble away from Shaun Williams.
(AP photo)
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Bengals launched their preseason Saturday night, but their quarterback competition appeared to remain stalled.
Jeff Blake threw two interceptions and Neil O'Donnell failed to generate a score in seven possessions as the Bengals lost to the New York Giants 24-17 before 51,312 witnesses at Giants Stadium.
"I'll let you guys grade them," said Bengals coach Bruce Coslet, who declined to issue a judgment on the top two quarterbacking candidates. "They're just like everybody else. They have a lot of work to do."
Cincinnati's most successful quarterback was Eric Kresser, who threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Damon Gibson with 11 minutes and 46 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Kresser also directed a nine-play, 52-yard scoring drive on the Bengals' next possession, culminating in Ki-Jana Carter's 1-yard run with 6:24 remaining.
Kresser completed 10 of 14 passes for 138 yards and brought the Bengals 36 yards from a tying touchdown on the game's final drive. But the Giants' defense rallied, forcing three incompletions and recording a sack.
"He came in and lit it up," Coslet said of Kresser. "He's here for a reason. We think he has a future, and he did some nice things."
Said Kresser: "I was hyped up. I'm not going to lie to you. But that's what the guys needed out there. We were three scores down (24-3)."
Corey Dillon fumbles after a hit by Michael Strahan.
(AP photo)
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The Bengals' defense looked impressive at times, allowing just 252 yards. But turnovers ruined Cincinnati's evening. Blake's pickoffs and lost fumbles by running backs Corey Dillon and Eric Bieniemy generated all of New York's scoring.
"That's the storyline of this game. That's all you can write, as far as I'm concerned," Coslet said, referring to the giveaways.
Coslet's playing-time allotment went according to plan. Blake started and played four series, which spanned 16 plays and produced five first downs. He completed 3 of 6 passes for 23 yards.
"Some things I did, I know I did badly," Blake said.
O'Donnell played most of the second quarter and all of the third, finishing 6-for-15 for 49 yards and produced six first downs. Unappreciative of O'Donnell's efforts with the New York Jets for the last two seasons, many fans booed when he entered the game.
O'Donnell, who signed with the Bengals a month ago and is still learning the offense, said that he failed to receive some play-calls clearly through his helmet radio. But, he added, "That's just minor stuff."
Reinard Wilson can't get to Giants QB Danny Kannell.
(AP photo)
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Neither quarterback had anything to do with the Bengals' first score. With 1 minute and 16 seconds left in the second quarter, rookie cornerback Ric Mathias recovered a fumble at New York's 26-yard line that was caused by linebacker Reinard Wilson, who was in the process of sacking quarterback Kent Graham. That led to Doug Pelfrey's 45-yard field goal, trimming the Giants' lead to 17-3.
The Bengals established their pattern much earlier. Three plays into their initial possession, which followed Brad Daluiso's missed 47-yard field goal, New York cornerback Phillippi Sparks popped the ball from Dillon's grasp. Safety Rodney Young recovered the fumble and returned it 18 yards to Cincinnati's 34.
Seven plays later, Giants running back Tiki Barber strolled into the end zone from 4 yards out with 8 minutes left in the first quarter.
Following an exchange of punts, Blake threw his first interception, which may not have been his fault. On first down from the Bengals' 29, he aimed a pass toward Carl Pickens, who appeared to have been jostled by Sparks as the ball arrived.
"He got pushed. Plain as day," Blake said. No flag was thrown.
Quarterback Danny Kanell completed four of four passes for 39 yards on the Giants' ensuing possession, which ended as the second quarter began on Kanell's 9-yard flip to Howard Cross.
Blake's second interception was the kind every quarterback strives to avoid. Failing to find his primary receiver, he looked toward his left, where Darnay Scott loitered between two defenders. One of them, cornerback Jason Sehorn, darted in front of Scott to make the pickoff and return it 26 yards to Cincinnati's 25.
"I should have taken off and ran, but I tried to force it to Darnay," Blake said.
Daluiso's 38-yard field goal with 10:51 left in the half extended New York's lead to 17-0.
Cincinnati 0 3 0 14 - 17
New York 7 10 7 0 - 24
First Quarter
NYG-Barber 4 run (Daluiso kick), 8:00.
Second Quarter
NYG-Cross 9 pass from Kanell (Daluiso kick), 14:54.
NYG-FG Daluiso 38, 10:51.
Cin-FG Pelfrey 45, :21.
Third Quarter
NYG-Douglas 14 pass from Cherry (Daluiso kick), 8:51.
Fourth Quarter
Cin-Gibson 48 pass from Kresser (Pelfrey kick), 11:46.
Cin-Carter 1 run (Pelfrey kick), 6:24.
A-51,312.
Cin NY
First downs 21 17
Rushes-yards 30-75 31-106
Passing 203 146
Punt Returns 5-42 1-10
Kickoff Returns 2-55 3-78
Int Ret. 0-0 2-26
Comp-Att-Int 19-35-2 14-34-0
Sacked-Yards Lost 2-7 3-8
Punts 5-39.0 7-43.0
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 2-1
Penalties-Yards 4-30 10-91
Possession 30:07 29:53
RUSHING-Cincinnati, Carter 10-30, Bieniemy 14-26, Dillon 5-12, Blake 1-7. New York, Wheatley 11-32, Way 2-20, Brown 10-19, Barber 5-17, Comella 2-11, Cherry 1-7.
PASSING-Cincinnati, Blake 3-6-2-23, O'Donnell 6-15-0-49, Kresser 10-14-0-138. New York, Kanell 8-15-0-85, Graham 2-4-0-20, Cherry 4-15-0-49.
RECEIVING-Cincinnati, Gibson 4-73, Carter 3-(minus 1), Jenkins 2-34, Battaglia 1-21, Vaughn 1-21, Doering 1-17, Dillon 1-10, Heidelburg 1-10, Scott 1-8, Tucker 1-6, Milne 1-5, Bieniemy 1-4, Parker 1-2. New York, Calloway 3-37, Comella 2-21, Lane 2-20, Cross 2-16, Way 2-14, Patten 1-18, Douglas 1-14, Jurevicius 1-14.
MISSED FIELD GOALS-New York Daluiso 47.
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