Monday, December 13, 1999
Dillon nears Bengals' season record
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
BY GEOFF HOBSON and TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Bengals running back Corey Dillon didn't break Walter Payton's single game rushing record Sunday, but his 192 yards did plenty of damage to the Bengals' record book.
It was Dillon's fifth 100-yard game of the season, tying the mark of Ickey Woods (1988), James Brooks (1989) and Harold Green (1992), and his third straight, one shy of Paul Robinson's 1968 record.
The big day also pulled Dillon within 66 yards of Brooks' single-season rushing record of 1,239, and made Dillon just the 11th man to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons.
He looked to be headed for a record run Sunday, until coach Bruce Coslet pulled him late in the third quarter.
“I wasn't disappointed with the decision,” Dillon said. “I know what the record is and records are made to be broken, just not today.”
Said Coslet: “We knew he was just under 200 yards and we thought about putting him back in to go over 200, but then we realized that wouldn't be a team record or anything. And there is such a thing as sportsmanship.”
On his mind
People keep speculating on Jeff Blake's free-agent future, but what about Dillon? He'll be a restricted free agent, meaning the Bengals can match any offer made by another team.
Dillon could still make things interesting if he chooses not to come to mini-camps because he doesn't have a multi-year deal. He hasn't said he'll do that, but he also hasn't hidden his frustration playing for a loser.
Asked if he wants to return, Dillon said, “I'll let you know when the season's over.”
He admitted it's not easy being a Bengal.
“Sometimes I feel like I'm overshadowed playing in Cincinnati,” Dillon said. “We have a lot of talented players who could go to the Pro Bowl, but they get overlooked because they play for the Bengals and that's not right. We just want people to take a look.”
Getting it right
Bengals defensive end John Copeland intercepted his second pass in as many weeks in the third quarter when he dropped off the line and caught a ball Browns quarterback Tim Couch threw right at him.
The call was one of defensive coordinator's Dick LeBeau's fire zones, which is a blitz with zone coverage behind it. The blitzer was rookie free safety Cory Hall, who replaced Copeland in the pass rush.
Copeland shook his head after the game, saying, “We've been doing it, but that's the first time I did it right.”
Wildcat reunion
Craig Yeast and Tim Couch used to hook up all the time, but Sunday was the first time they had seen each other in awhile.
Yeast, who caught a Southeastern Conference-record 208 passes in the Couch era at the University of Kentucky, upstaged the NFL's No.1 overall pick Sunday with his 81-yard punt return for a TD.
After the game, fourth-round draftee Yeast exchanged greetings with Couch. Yeast was inactive for the first Bengals-Browns game in October, when he was still suffering from a high ankle sprain.
“I haven't talked to Tim in awhile,” Yeast said. “He just wished me good luck for the season and my career. He wanted my (phone) number, because he said he wants to give me a call.”
The best
The Bengals set a team record by holding Cleveland to 11 yards rushing.
The previous low was 18 yards (on 17 carries) by Seattle in a 21-13 playoff win on Dec. 31, 1988.
The regular-season low had been 26 yards (on 17 carries) by Pittsburgh on Sept. 19, 1982 — a game the Bengals managed to lose 26-20 at Three Rivers Stadium.
The stingy game was another victory for the 4-3 scheme the Bengals started using extensively Nov. 21, in which four linemen are on the line on first and second down instead of three linemen and a linebacker.
Nose tackle Kimo von Oelhoffen has been particularly effective, moving at various times to both ends in the scheme. He had 1.5 sacks Sunday, along with a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
“I put it on the offense,” said von Oelhoffen of the record effort. “They put us in great situations and we're playing with so much more confidence.”
Blake moves up
Blake rushed for 28 yards Sunday to give him 309 for the season. The team single-season record for a quarterback is 320 by Ken Anderson in 1981.
Signing off
The usual anti-Bengals banners were up at Sunday's final Cinergy Field football game:
• “Brown, step down. Let Marge take charge.”
• “We still want Schottenheimer,” a reference to the former Browns and Chiefs coach.
But there were also some positive signs:
• “You still have fans in these stands, Bengals.”
• “Dillon + 25 carries = win.”
Injury report
Copeland (hamstring) is questionable, but should be ready for the Dec. 26 game in Baltimore after this week's bye ... So should Hall (bruised knee), von Oelhoffen (ankle) and left tackle Rod Jones (ankle).
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