Monday, October 25, 1999

Bengals' offense sputters in loss

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But little agreement as to why

BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enqiurer

Bengals quarterback Jeff Blake runs to pick up a first down and set up the Bengals' only touchdown in the fourth quarter Sunday. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        INDIANAPOLIS — Maybe the Colts could have saved Cincinnati a trip to the RCA Dome Sunday by letting the Bengals know quarterback Peyton Manning would strafe their young secondary, the Colts would hold Corey Dillon, the NFL's leading rusher, to just 7 yards, and the visitors' locker room would boil with the frustration of a 1-6 start.

        The Colts, whose 31-10 victory over the Bengals gave them two straight wins for the first time since 1997, apparently knew all along.

        Dillon, who sat out the second half with a gash on his right arm that required five stitches, said the Colts defense called out several of Cincinnati's plays just before they were run.

        “It's kind of weird they know my plays,” Dillon said. “It's kind of funny (that) they're calling out the routes I'm going to be running. It happened the whole game. It makes it a little bit harder.

        “I'm not questioning the effort,” said Dillon, but he added, “Just come to play. If you don't want to play, put somebody else in there. That's all I'm saying. I'm not pointing the finger at anybody.”

        Coach Bruce Colset bristled when told of Dillon's take on the Bengals' predictability. “Maybe it's the execution and maybe not what you just mentioned to me,” he said.

        Too predictable? Or poor execution? Either way, the Bengals:

        • For the fourth time this season scored a touchdown or less. They got just three first downs and rushed for 32 yards in a first half they fell behind 21-3.

        • Had holding penalties on three runs of at least seven yards, and two of the penalties wiped out first downs.

        • Allowed five sacks and got their franchise quarterback knocked out of the game in the third quarter. Akili Smith suffered a high ankle sprain at the end of one of his many bolts out of the pocket. Smith said he'll play next Sunday against Jacksonville. Smith agreed the Colts were pointing to where the Bengals would run on several plays. “That's kind of funny,” he said, “but still, even if they know, we have to be able to execute and run the play.”

        The Bengals ran Dillon on the first three plays of the game, and Smith thinks it would have been a different day if they could have converted on a third-and-1 instead of Dillon getting tackled for no gain.

        “You've got to be able to get a yard, man,” Smith said.

Myron Bell sits on top of his helmet as time runs down in the fourth quarter. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        Smith found the going rough in the air, too, finishing 12-of-24 for 122 yards and, for the second straight week, no touchdowns. The Bengals didn't score until Jeff Blake hit Darnay Scott on a 10-yarder with five minutes left in the game.

        “I saw the field no problem,” said Smith, who said the Colts' blitz looks didn't surprise him. “Everybody's got to be accountable. Ten guys are getting it done and there's one breakdown every single time. . .The penalties are killers.”

        So were penalties on the defensive side. One of the line's three offsides penalties wiped out cornerback Artrell Hawkins' end zone interception when the Bengals trailed just 7-0. Running back Edgerrin James scored on a one-yard run three plays after end John Copeland jumped, making it 14-0 five minutes into the second quarter.

        But the real killers were Colts quarterback Peyton Manning's eight passes to receiver Marvin Harrison for 156 yards. The Bengals' inexperienced secondary was no match for Manning and his four passes of at least 31 yards, plus a pass interference on Hawkins for 41 yards.

        “We wanted to be aggressive,” Hawkins said. “Their passing game is quick and rhythmic, if you come up on them, they'll double move you (fake short, go long), like on the first series of the game, and that put us on our heels a little bit. Marvin Harrison has so much speed, you can't afford to take false steps.” Right tackle Willie Anderson wished the Bengals had filled some key positions years ago.

        “It's not a physical thing; it's a mental thing,” Anderson said. “We're thinking about playing hard, but we're not thinking about winning.”

        Anderson wasn't specific, saying only, “If you look at certain positions, there are things that should have been taken care of three, four years ago. They should have been (filled) right now. But they're not. It's crazy. We have some guys that are real good NFL caliber players and some guys maybe not.”

       

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