Tuesday, December 07, 1999BENGALS NOTEBOOK
'Probably' 1 game left at Cinergy
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati EnquirerThe Bengals are hoping Sunday's game against the Browns is their last at Cinergy Field, but they are keeping their fingers crossed because of Paul Brown Stadium's tight construction schedule.
“It probably will be the last,” said Bengals President Mike Brown on Monday. “We know we're a little behind on the project. I don't think you could sit here and say for sure we're going to be in on time.”
Just the possibility should bring Cinergy the closest it's been to playoff atmosphere since the Bengals' last home playoff game on Jan.6, 1991.
The club is planning to give away a poster to fans, put video of the stadium's most memorable moments on the scoreboard, and honor some former players.
BLAKEMANIA, FINAL CHAPTER: Brown said it's not a done deal the Bengals will let quarterback Jeff Blake go to free agency. He wouldn't rule out slapping him with the franchise or transition tag.
For a franchise player, the Bengals would have to tender Blake a one-year deal of about $6 million per year — about $5 million a year for transition player — and they would have the right to match any offer.
Told that seemed highly unlikely given the big money to No.1 pick Akili Smith, Brown said, “you're getting ahead of it. We won't make a decision like that until the end of the season ... If Jeff wasn't here, Akili would be the guy. Would we want a (veteran) to buttress the position? Probably. But I don't know how it will work in free agency. I don't even know for sure Jeff won't be here. That's premature.”
But Blake, off his first four-touchdown pass game since 1996, sounded like a guy on the way out. He spent part of Monday morning in the Bengals public relations office leafing through newspaper clippings from 1997 and 1998. Actually he started looking in mid-1997, when he was benched in favor of Boomer Esiason.
“I just looked to see how people used to cheer me and then boo for me, how a guy used to write good things about me and bad things about me,” Blake said. “What the consistency is. I look at my play. I look at where you came from, what you've accomplished in adverse situations.”
After rising to fifth in AFC passing with 15 touchdowns, Blake grew nostalgic about his Cincinnati days Monday. He said how much he'd miss his receivers and his running backs and how he learned from David Klingler, the man he replaced in 1994, not to react to adversity.
“If you put your head down,” Blake said, “and start sulking and start pointing fingers, saying, "I want out of here, get me out of here,' having a bad attitude and not staying positive, that has the potential of getting you out of the league.”
DILLON IN RUNNING: If running back Corey Dillon (981 yards) averages more than 86 yards in the last three games, he'll break James Brooks' Bengals single-season rushing record of 1,239 yards set in 1989.
THIS AND THAT: Game balls went to Blake on offense, inside linebacker Takeo Spikes on defense and Tre main Mack on special teams for his kick coverage as much as for his 72-yard kick return that gave him the AFC lead ... Trainer Paul Sparling said he “wouldn't bet,” on Akili Smith playing in any of the last three games with his sprained right big toe ... Brian DeMarco (right elbow) could be an emergency backup right guard Sunday. ... The Bengals have nominated linebacker Tom Tumulty for the Ed Block Courage Award. Tumulty is recovering for reconstructive knee surgery.
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