Monday, September 13, 1999

Pickens: 'It felt good'

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Makes 3 catches in sub role against Titans

BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Carl Pickens battles with Titans defensive back Samari Rolle on a two-point conversion try. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        NASHVILLE — Yes, Carl Pickens was glad to be back. No, he was not happy about losing.

        And yes, he was a factor Sunday after missing all of preseason in a contract dispute.

        Pickens, less than 24 hours after signing a five-year, $23 million contract with the Bengals, had three catches for 21 yards Sunday. And he was the intended receiver on the game's final play, when Akili Smith's Hail Mary heave fell short of him in the end zone.

        “I was glad to be back. It felt good,” Pickens said.

        Pickens was congenial enough after Sunday's game. But he never likes talking after defeats, and Sunday was no ex ception. He said little when asked the last-ditch pass attempt from Smith.

        “I just had it drop in front of me,” he said.

        Pickens played less than half the offensive snaps, and appeared mostly on third-down situations. He first appeared on a third-and-12 situation in the first quarter, and found himself fending off a blitz on his first play as the Bengals failed to complete a pitch in the backfield.

        Late in the second period, Pickens made his first two catches of 1999. The receptions were both tough catches — a 9-yarder and then an 8-yarder on consecutive plays — inside the 20-yard line. Those led to the 2-yard Tony McGee TD reception that brought the Bengals to a 26-21 halftime deficit.

        Pickens had one more catch, a 4-yarder in the fourth period that took the Bengals from their own 6-yard line to their 10. That drive ended with a punt, leading to Houston's winning field goal in the final seconds.

        Coach Bruce Coslet said the plan was to play Pickens but not overdo it. Pickens admittedly is not in 60-minute game shape yet, and it was hot (84 degrees at kickoff) and steamy in Nashville Sunday afternoon.

        “We were keeping him in and out,” Coslet said. “He did fine.”

        Willie Jackson and Darnay Scott, Sunday's starters at wide receiver, both had solid days. Jackson had five catches for 60 yards and a TD, while Scott caught seven for 80 yards and had an 80-yard TD reception nullified by a holding call on left tackle Rod Jones.

        Jackson knows he will be a backup once Pickens is ready to start, but he welcomed Pickens back.

        “Carl did what he could, under the circumstances,” Jackson said. “He had some big catches, and that's good for the morale of the team.”

       

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