Monday, December 06, 1999

BENGALS NOTEBOOK

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Perfect day pleases Pelfrey

Darney Scott thunders over the 49ers' Ramos McDonald for a first down in the fourth quarter. (Craig Ruttle photo) | ZOOM |

        Kicker Doug Pelfrey was one of the happiest men in the dressing room, after going 3-for-3 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra points.

        Pelfrey entered just 14-of-22 on field goal attempts, tied for the most misses in the AFC. Having gone through an army of snappers and holders since training camp, he managed a perfect day despite a steady drizzle.

        “I haven't changed a thing all year,” Pelfrey said. “I just wanted to get through the day with no mistakes.”

        Pelfrey slipped on both his first extra point and first field-goal attempts but still made them.

        And yes, the field goals were not exactly rockets at 29, 24 and 27 yards. But Pelfrey, No.2 on the Bengals' career scoring list to Jim Breech, remains the kicker until further notice. When the seven-year veteran struggled earlier this year, coach Bruce Coslet said the Bengals had no plans to look for another kicker.

        “This was fun today, the crowd yelling and everybody enjoying themselves,” Pelfrey said. “This is what is should be like.”

Century city
        Tight end Tony McGee started his 100th consecutive Bengals game and caught one pass for 12 yards. That gave him 22 catches for the season, matching his 1998 total.

        Is he ready for another 100 straight games?

        “I don't know. That'd put me at 14 years,” he said, smiling. “I might settle for 10 or 11.”

Bengals fans react to a Carl Pickens touchdown in the fourth quarter. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

Rice meter
        Jerry Rice holds 14 NFL records, and extended several Sunday. The categories which grew, with a nine-catch, 157-yard, two-TD day:

        • Most career catches: 1,191.

        • Most career receiving yards: 18,182.

        • Most career touchdowns (total): 179.

        • Most career TD receptions: 168.

        • Most 100-yard receiving games: 65

        • Most consecutive games with a reception: 205.

Free fall
        At 3-9, with its quarterback (Steve Young) and best rusher (Garrison Hearst) among several debilitating injuries, the Niners may be — pinch yourself — the NFL's worst team at the moment.

        Consider their eight straight losses, which include a 24-6 defeat at horrible New Orleans, a 27-6 home loss to mediocre Pittsburgh, and Sunday's pummeling by the Bengals.

A loss is a loss
       

        49ers coach Steve Mariucci saw his team score 30 points Sunday after totaling 22 in the four previous games.

        “I keep asking them to keep the pedal to the metal, every week, every day in practice,” Mariucci said. “I want to see progress.”

       

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Bengals Stories

Quarter century worth of payback The rare, sweet taste of victory Paul Daugherty column Blake: What might have been, not what will be Tim Sullivan column Dillon carries the day BENGALS NOTEBOOK GAME STATISTICS Young DBs can't catch 'aging' Rice Join the discussion at our Bengals forum

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