Bengals corners burned

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Monday, November 30, 1998

BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Jimmy Smith beats Artrell Hawkins for a 21-yard TD. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

Bengals defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau looked to the Jacksonville sideline in the second quarter Sunday and saw All-Pro tackle Tony Boselli's ankle in a cast and rookie running sensation Fred Taylor's shoulder on ice.

"I told them," LeBeau said, ' "They're going to be throwing on almost every down.' "

The Bengals still couldn't stop Jags quarterback Mark Brunell from stunning the Cincinnati secondary with four passes of at least 24 yards in the second half en route to a career-high four touchdown passes.

LeBeau was surprised he didn't get a better outing from rookie cornerback Artrell Hawkins after two straight strong efforts against Minnesota and Baltimore.

But he allowed Jacksonville two back-breakers. On a fourth-and-2 in the first quarter, Jimmy Smith beat Hawkins down the left sideline for a 21-yard touchdown catch to break a scoreless game.

Then in the fourth quarter, Smith ran a double move on Hawkins and when Hawkins turned his head to the outside, Smith blew past him on the inside for a 50-yard catch that helped the Jags blow open a 10-point game.

"We didn't make any plays. They made all the plays," LeBeau said. "(Hawkins) had been playing well, getting his hand on the ball, intercepting it."

But Sunday, Hawkins didn't play the ball. He thought he got a little shove on the touchdown, and he said he misjudged the 50-yard ball.

Even when they were in position, like cornerback Ashley Ambrose, Brunell put the ball where they couldn't play it.

The Bengals had a chance to hold the Jags to a six-point lead on a third-and-goal midway through the third quarter, but wide receiver Keenan McCardell outjumped Ambrose on the back line of the end zone to give the Jags a 27-17 lead.

"It was just a good ball," Ambrose said. "When I turned around, the ball was over my shoulder. . . . I had no idea the ball was there. Brunell put it in a great spot over my shoulder."

On the 4th-and-2 pass, Ambrose thinks the Jags adjusted at the line. If the cornerbacks backed off, he figures Brunell would have called a slant. Because the Bengals rolled up tight, Brunell sent them long.

"We were challenging," Ambrose said.

It appeared the Bengals, last in the NFL against the rush, caught a huge break with the Jags' No. 5 running game in a sling. But the Bengals couldn't take advantage of Boselli's absence, unable to get one sack after left guard Ben Coleman moved to left tackle.

JAGUARS 34, BENGALS 17
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Next: Buffalo (7-5)