Sunday, October 24, 1999Who's got the edge?
QUARTERBACK
Bengals:What the Bengals like about Akili Smith is they are 15-for-34 (44 percent) on third down in his two starts compared to 35 percent in the first four games
Colts: Peyton Manning has about 1,500 snaps on Smith, including training camp. If it's a blowout today, will Manning miss his first NFL play?
EDGE: Colts
RUNNING BACKS
Bengals: Mystery at Spinney Field: Corey Dillon 4.5 yards per rush, but just over 1.0 in the red zoneColts: Edgerrin James is the only Colts back with a carry and he's got one more 100-yard game than Dillon, plus five more catches. But he hasn't gone for 1,000 yet.
EDGE: Bengals
RECEIVERS
Bengals: Can anyone here get open? Their longest pass of the year since a 39-yard Hail Mary at the end of a half is a tipped 22-yarder. Tight end Tony McGee, Indiana native, has 23 catches, 3 TDs vs. ColtsColts: Marvin Harrison didn't play last year when the Colts scored 39 points vs. the Bengals. Rookie free agent Terrence Wilkins has two TDs, tying the Cincy wideouts
EDGE: Colts
OFFENSIVE LINE
Bengals: They are giving up three sacks a game, but they've got a rookie quarterback who holds the ball and they are grinding out the NFL's No. 7 running gameColts: No starter has more than three years experience and they're getting James just 3.8 yards per carry. They've allowed just two sacks, but Manning may get rid of the ball faster than Dan Marino in his prime.
EDGE: Bengals
SPECIAL TEAMS
Bengals: The Bengals can't wait for injured punter Brad Costello to return. In the mean time, it's a snap waiting for the next disasterColts: Their rookie punter has the NFL's worst net, but they have a nifty return man in Wilkins. Bad Bengals karma. He went to Eric Metcalf's high school.
EDGE: Colts
DEFENSIVE LINE
Bengals: They got gouged a bit in the running game last week, but are playing much better than last year. Still, with one forced fumble all year, they just don't make a lot of plays, much like the rest of the defense.Colts: They bolstered their ends with wise free-agent pickups in Chad Bratzke and Shawn King. Ellis Johnson always gives Cincy problems with his quickness .
EDGE: Colts
LINEBACKERS
Bengals: Only six tackles separate team leader Brian Simmons and Takeo Spikes, a duo rapidly becoming the soul of a team that has given its heart to SmithColts: Is that a statue built to honor the Bills' great teams of the early 1990s? No, that's a new Colts backer, 34-year-old Cornelius Bennett, still fairly active after all these years.
EDGE: Bengals
SECONDARY
Bengals: The Colts are a huge concern for a unit allowing the opposing quarterback a passing rating of 104.2, which would make him the third best passer in the NFLColts: The Bengals would like to pick on the 5-8 Tyrone Poole at one corner. Cincy beat the other corner, Jeff Burris, in the exhibition season. His 55-yard interception return last week is 50 more than Cincy's total off interceptions.
EDGE: Colts
COACHING:
Bengals: Bruce Coslet-coached offenses, which made a shambles of the AFC in the ' '80, aren't supposed to score just 41 points in five straight games during the last season of the '90s
Colts: The Bengals can only hope to duplicate what Jim Mora has done. Be patient with the rookie quarterback for a year and then come out gunning
EDGE: Colts
THE PICK
The Bengals lost this one when Charles Fisher buckled, Ashley Ambrose chuckled and Corey Sawyer rumbled off to New York, leaving Cincy with no margin of error at cornerback.Colts 34, Bengals 18
Bengals Stories
Rose, Bench on century stage
All-Century team voting
Gehrig top vote-getter on All-Century Team
McKeon deserves better but lacks leverage
Vaughn's agent: Market not set
Healthy Tate wants ring
SOUTHERN MISS 28, UC 20
Muskies court high school big men
Mistakes make winners of Yanks
Yankees 4, Braves 1
OHIO STATE 20, MINNESOTA 17
GEORGIA 49, KENTUCKY 34
Hanover 29, Mount St. Joseph 25
THOMAS MORE 28, MERCHANT MARINE 0
Redhawks dismiss low expectations
Reese can fill OSU void
Falk takes inside track to state tennis title
Hall fades to fourth in state golf
St. Ursula wins sectional volleyball title
A first: Kings wins cross country title
CINCINNATI OHIO HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS
Colerain girls blow away field for district title
Elder runners beat La Salle; St. X cruises
Fresh blood runs Bacon to victory
ND, Campbell Co. win regional volleyball titles
St. Xavier 50, Cle. St. Ignatius 33
Badin 28, Meadowdale 12
Bellevue 37, NewCath 23
CovCath 39, Scott 7
Indian Hill 28, Wyoming 14
Smith, Lorenzen happy to bide time on UK bench
A little goofiness does a lot of good
Grand Rapids 2, Cyclones 1
ROCHESTER 4, MIGHTY DUCKS 1
Who's got the edge?