Monday, November 01, 1999Blake: Akili has 'got no chance'
Bengals QB says inexperience Smith's big hurdle
BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Bengals' offense is so inept that quarterback Jeff Blake actually feels sorry for his successor, rookie Akili Smith.
![[Scott]](/img/photos/1999/11/110199scott_100x184.jpg)
Fernando Bryant breaks up a pass intended for Begnals' receiver Darnay Scott Sunday.
(Patrick Reddy photo)
| ZOOM |But Blake could be back in there next week, too, as Smith left Sunday's game at halftime with a sprained right big toe.
Blake relieved and, for the second straight week, produced the Bengals' only touchdown of the game. This time, it was a 15-yard TD to Willie Jackson at the final gun.
“I've got confidence in myself and what I can do, because I've done it before,” said Blake, an eight-year NFL veteran. “Akili's done a great job, but the kid was thrown in the fire, had no training camp, no nothing. That is tough, to go out and play against a defense like that.”
Jacksonville entered Sunday as the best defense in the NFL and held the Bengals to 300 yards — 64 of which came on the final, meaningless drive.
How to explain how Blake just took the Bengals downfield in the final minute, even though Jacksonville was snoozing with a 41-3 lead?
“We had fun all the way down the field,” Blake said. “We were laughing all the way downfield, and we got a touchdown for it. You call it what you want, but I call it production.”
For two quarters, Blake saw Smith bruised, battered (four sacks) and intercepted (twice). Smith hobbled to the dressing room at halftime holding his right shoe and Blake was told to get ready.
“I feel bad for the kid because he has no chance at all, none whatsoever,” Blake said. “ His timing is off, he's struggling. I had something else and that's experience, because I've played this team seven or eight times already.”
Blake said Jacksonville didn't change anything with its defensive fronts or blitzes. But the speed of the game is usually tougher for a rookie such as Smith to pick up, making Jacksonville's pressure seem all the greater.
“Akili's got no chance, and they're not giving him one,” Blake said. “I try to help him out as much as I can and I give him encouragement, because to go out there without training camp without ever playing these guys before and only playing one year of college football, it's tough.
“My hat's off to him. It would've definitely been tough for me to do that in my rookie year. I probably wouldn't be in the league right now if I had to play in my rookie year.”
Left tackle Rod Jones agreed Jacksonville showed no significantly different looks.
“Just misfires in the red zone again, things like that,” Jones said. “We show signs of being explosive, and I think people prepare hard for us because of that. They sense we have the potential to score, so I think they're giving an extra effort to shut us down.”
In other words, heavy pressure from the front seven defenders to rush Smith and not allow the likes of Darnay Scott and Carl Pickens to shake free. Also the Jaguars ganged up on the Bengals' one reliable offensive weapon, Corey Dillon, stuffing him for 32 yards on 14 carries.
“Everybody made mistakes,” Dillon said. “Today was just not a good day. I try to do my job, and if that's not good enough, it's not good enough.”
The Bengals again failed to hit a long pass, with the longest being a 33-yard reception by running back Michael Basnight. The Bengals' longest pass play all season is 39 yards.
Is Smith's confidence shaken? He was not available to comment, but Blake said it will take more than a few tough starts to shake Smith.
“I can't see the future,” Blake said. “I just know it's a tough situation. But Akili is a very strong-willed kid.”
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![[Scott]](/img/photos/1999/11/110199scott.jpg)
Blake: Akili has 'got no chance'