Monday, September 13, 1999
Secondary settles down
Shaky start fails to discourage young players
BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NASHVILLE — The Bengals' young secondary had a day of spectacular highs and gruesome lows. They allowed big plays, made big plays, and had so many new faces that statisticians literally couldn't tell them with a scorecard.
The worst news, aside from the 36-35 defeat, was that rookie cornerback Charles Fisher was probably lost for the season with torn knee ligaments. The loss of the team's No.2 draftee was called “devastating” by coach Bruce Coslet.
The good news, despite Cincinnati allowing 341 yards passing and three touchdown passes, was that the secondary made some key plays that helped the Bengals erase a 26-7 second-quarter deficit.
There was a forced fumble by cornerback Artrell Hawkins on Eddie George, a forced fumble and an interception by Fisher's replacement Rodney Heath, and Hawkins leading the team with seven tackles.
But Heath, a rookie from Western Hills High School, was not even given credit for his interception, at least on the initial postgame stat sheet. Credit was given to Hawkins, an error which was corrected.
Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair certainly knew who was over there. There was Hawkins (in his second NFL season) starting at right corner, Fisher (first year) starting at left corner. Behind them were Heath (first year) and Roosevelt Blackmon (second year).
McNair threw at Fisher on the first play, and Fisher was so flummoxed that he blatantly grabbed Titans receiver Yancey Thigpen's jersey.
Interference, 17-yard penalty, first down.
“I knew they were coming at me right away,” Fisher, on crutches, said after the game. “But I thought I settled down, and I was just getting in a groove when I got hurt.”
That happened on the last play of the first quarter. With Tennessee driving at the Bengals 13-yard line, Fisher was to cover Titan wideout Kevin Dyson. But as Dyson broke toward the right corner, Fisher — with no one near him in the end zone — twisted his left knee and fell to the ground. Dyson cruised in for a 13-yard TD reception.
“I went to make a plant to the outside. Next thing I know, I'm on the ground,” Fisher said. He was to have an MRI and the worst is feared.
Before the words “Corey Sawyer” come to mind, remember that Cincinnati obtained two new corners, third-year men Rico Clark and Ty Howard, off waivers last week. Both should be ready to play this week, according to defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.
LeBeau essentially rated the performance a draw.
“We made too many poor plays early in the game, and then we fought back out of that hole,” he said. “And then in the end, we couldn't make a play. These are the games you've gotta win, but we didn't make enough plays.”
At safety, Greg Myers made three tackles and recovered a fumble, and Myron Bell had two tackles and a pass defensed. Late in the game, rookie Cory Hall replaced Myers for a while after Myers cramped up in the heat. Hall looked solid with three tackles.
At left corner, Heath is the starter until further notice.
“They always say you're one injury away from being a starter,” he said. “I always knew that, but dang, that was quick, man. But I wasn't nervous ...”
LeBeau said Heath acquitted himself well. “I couldn't see where he broke down very many times at all,” he said. “He was a bright spot.”
Hawkins: “It was unfortunate what happened to Charles, but Rod stepped up. I don't know how he ever slipped through the draft.”
Bottom line, however: “L.”
“It was going back and forth, back and forth,” Heath said. “It was a crushing, heartbreaking loss. Hopefully we can rebuild off of it.”
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