Jump on,
Dillon ready to carry 'O'

---

Bengals' success should mirror No. 28's yards

Saturday, September 5, 1998

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Corey Dillon needs to average about 100 yards a game for the Bengals to have a shot at making the playoffs. (Saed Hindash photo) | ZOOM |

The Bengals have faced numerous obstacles during their seven consecutive non-winning seasons: Poor quarterbacking (think David Klingler), poor luck (think Ki-Jana Carter) and porous defenses (think 1991's 435 points and last year's struggles).

Now comes Corey Dillon, who responds to obstacles by attempting to run over them.

Any glory the Bengals achieve this season likely will be borne on Dillon's muscular shoulders and powerful legs. He doesn't necessarily have to duplicate the 117 yards a game he averaged in last season's second half. Production close to that should suffice.

If Dillon runs proficiently, Neil O'Donnell's middle-distance passing will have its necessary complement and coach Bruce Coslet will have the balanced attack he seeks.

If Dillon runs effectively, Cincinnati's defense will receive a bonus by not having to return to the field after repeated three-and-out series.

If Dillon runs consistently, the Bengals finally will have a performer they can rely on, one who won't dash hopes as Klingler, Carter, Jeff Blake or Dan Wilkinson did.

Dillon's determination suggests that even if the Bengals prove to be disappointing, he won't be.

"There are people around here who are tired of losing, and I'm one of them," he said. "You have to come out (thinking) people are trying to take something away from you. We have to assert ourselves."

Dillon accomplished that last year, gaining 1,129 yards to set a Bengals rookie record while recording the third-highest single-season rushing total in franchise history. His 246 yards on Dec. 4 against Tennessee, Cincinnati's opening-game opponent this season, broke a 40-year-old mark for rookies set by the legendary Jim Brown.

"He can go as far as he wants to go," Coslet said of the 6-foot-1, 225-pound Dillon. "His talent level is unbelievable. Other factors come into play when you talk about how many yards he can gain -- how the line holds up and things like that -- but he's a real load."

As Coslet indicated, Dillon will need help from the offensive line. That's doubly true against AFC Central Division foes such as Pittsburgh, which had the NFL's best rushing defense last year, and Tennessee, which ranked third in the league despite Dillon's December game.

Wide receiver Carl Pickens will want the ball this year. It's the last year of his current contract. (Saed Hindash photo) | ZOOM |

Fortunately for the Bengals, the line of left tackle Kevin Sargent, left guard Rich Braham, center Darrick Brilz, right guard Ken Blackman and right tackle Willie Anderson appears ready to jell in its second full year together. This group helped Cincinnati lead the league with 23 rushing touchdowns last year.

'I have a feel for the offensive line," Dillon said. "I know their schemes and what they're going to be doing on certain plays. It makes me comfortable with my running."

"I think we look better at this point in the season than we have in a long, long time," offensive line coach Paul Alexander said. "I think we're ready to step up as one of the better offensive lines in the league, really. I don't want to share the numbers, but I've always graded (game) film through the years, and the grades are now falling into a range where (performances are) good enough to win."

O'Donnell summarized the line's importance succinctly, using a football bromide: "I think there's a lot of talent on this side of the ball. But it all starts up front."

In Cincinnati's case, a lot of it starts slightly behind the front -- that is, with fullback Brian Milne, who proved to be an excellent lead blocker for Dillon. The Bengals spent much of the preseason scrambling to replace Milne, who will miss at least the season opener with back trouble. If he's out longer, Cincinnati's offense could struggle.

"The big thing is going to be to see how Brian is going to pan out, if he's going to be healthy," said Carter, who followed Milne into the end zone on most of his seven rushing touchdowns last year.

Tight end Steve Bush, a potentially sturdy shield with his mobility and 6-3, 258-pound frame, often will line up at fullback to block in Milne's absence. The Bengals also might increasingly use their "Jet" package, which features Dillon and Carter on the field simultaneously.

"We could be in one alignment and run two or three different plays and you don't know who's going to get it or what we're going to go with," said Carter, explaining the Jet's potential. "I could be in the backfield and Corey can be split out, or I could be split out, or we could both be in the backfield."

Despite being a newcomer, few question marks surround O'Donnell. He has been unspectacular but consistent in eight NFL seasons, throwing an average of only 2.1 interceptions per 100 attempts -- the lowest percentage among active quarterbacks.

O'Donnell has displayed a knack for distributing the ball relatively equally among his receivers, which should enhance the offense's potential -- not to mention locker-room harmony.

He'll have no shortage of targets. Carl Pickens, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, will be hungry for the ball as he enters the final year of his contract and a possible fortune in free agency.

Darnay Scott, who thrived while a groin injury sidelined Pickens for last year's final four games and earned a five-year contract as a result, won't want to be ignored.

Tight end Tony McGee caught a career-high six touchdown passes in '97, and Dillon, Carter and Milne are becoming increasingly effective receivers out of the backfield.

"I don't care who gets the ball, quite frankly," Coslet said. Invoking the Bengals of the '80s, he added, "I've been on offenses where we had (Cris) Collinsworth, Eddie Brown, Rodney Holman, James Brooks. All of them wanted the ball. Well, all of them got the ball. That's why that offense was so darned successful."

This one can be successful, too. As long as Dillon gets the ball enough.