Saturday, December 04, 1999
Scott showing surprising speed
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Wide receiver Darnay Scott has 56 receptions this season; his career high is 58 in 1996. And Scott apparently has lost none of the speed that led the Bengals to draft him in 1994.
While Scott is averaging a career-low 13.6 yards a catch, he turned on the gas for his 76-yard TD Sunday at Pittsburgh.
Scott's burst of speed, past Steelers defenders DeWayne Washington and Travis Davis, left even veteran Scott watchers amazed.
Coach Bruce Coslet said Scott's 40-yard dash times, which can hit the 4.4 range, may not be a true indication of his speed. The extra gear, which Scott showed Sunday, proved he can still bring it at age 27.
Sunday's bomb was Scott's first reception of more than 39 yards this season. Entering this year, he had at least one 50-yard catch in each of his five Bengals seasons.
With Carl Pickens (40 catches) having a subpar year following his contract holdout, Scott is the Bengals' leader in receptions (56), yards (763) and touchdowns (five).
With Pickens around, Scott has led the Bengals in receiving only once, with 54 catches in 1997. Pickens missed four games that year with a torn groin muscle.
CINERGY PRACTICE: The Bengals, who usually practice at Spinney Field in Lower Price Hill, had a rare practice at Cinergy Field on Friday. The idea was to get accustomed to the AstroTurf in December, when the field is sometimes cold, damp and slippery.
CENTURY MARK: Tight end Tony McGee is set to start his 100th consecutive game Sunday. He has started 107 of a possible 108 games in his career, having missed only one start in his rookie year (1993) with a lower back contusion.
Records are sketchy from early Bengals seasons, so it is unclear whether McGee's 100 straight is a team record. The most recent facsimiles are OT Anthony Munoz and DT Tim Krumrie.
Munoz was a virtual fixture from 1980-92 but missed the fifth game of the 1983 season with a virus and thigh contusion. He started 176 of a possible 177 consecutive non-strike games between 1983-91, missing the '87 opener because of a contract dispute.
Krumrie's chances for a 100-game starting streak were halted by the 1987 players' strike. He started 160 of a possible 161 games between 1984-94, missing a start when the Bengals tried a special defense against Houston's run-and-shoot offense in a 1990 game.
SPIKES TIES MARK: Linebacker Takeo Spikes tied a team record when he recovered a Steelers fumble Sunday.
Spikes has three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries this year, with the combined total (seven) tying the team mark. The other Bengals to hit a combined seven in forced fumbles/fumble recoveries were DE Coy Bacon (1976), LB Reggie Williams (1983 and '85), Krumrie (1988) and SS David Fulcher (1991).TOYS FOR TOTS: The Bengals and twin flagship stations WUBE-FM (105.1) and WBOB-AM (1160) will have their annual Toys For Tots collection before the 49ers game Sunday, with U.S. Marine Reserves stationed at each gate to collect toys and cash donations.
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Cincinnati boys basketball roundup
Cincinnati girls basketball roundup
N.Ky. boys basketball roundup
N.Ky. girls basketball roundup
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NKU falls in NCAA vollyeball semis
Mighty Ducks 7, Philadelphia 3
