Monday, December 13, 1999
Yeast, Mack provide many happy returns
BY TOM GROESCHEN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Bengals suddenly are better than any NFL team, at least in one category.
SET AS WALLPAPER
Click on "Wallpaper" image, then right click your mouse to "Set As Wallpaper."
|
Craig Yeast
Zoom | Wallpaper
|
Punt returner Craig Yeast (81-yard TD return) and kickoff returner Tremain Mack (one return, 55 yards) emerged from Sunday's game with the AFC's best average-per-return in their respective categories.
The asterisk is that Yeast, who lifted his average to 22.6 per return, does not have enough returns (nine) to qualify among the leaders. The rookie missed big chunks of the year with a high ankle sprain.
Mack, however, raised his AFC-leading kickoff return average to 27.6. He is bidding to become the first Bengal to lead either the league or the conference in kickoff returns for a season, but probably must settle for a conference title. Tony Horne of St. Louis entered Sunday with an NFL-high 35.3 average.
Mack said he covets the AFC title, if nothing else.
“I want to be the best at what I'm doing,” he said. “I'm not satisfied unless I'm the best.”
Last season, Mack set a Bengals season record for kickoff return average, 25.9.
As for Yeast, the TD return was his second of the year, tying Lemar Parrish (1974) as the only Bengals to return two punts for TDs in one season.
Mack and Yeast have already developed a friendly rivalry. Mack has one kickoff return for a TD this year, a 99-yarder vs. Tennessee on Nov. 14. He also unleashed a 72-yarder in last week's game vs. San Francisco.
“Craig told me, "You got a big one last week, I'm getting one this week,' ” Mack said.
Yeast, the all-time leading receiver in the Southeastern Conference, said he is growing more comfortable with his niche as a returner.
“That's my job, that's my role,” Yeast said. “The biggest adjustment has been not playing all the time. As long as Carl (Pickens) and Darnay (Scott) are here, my role will be the same. I'm making the best of it.”
Sunday, Yeast's first punt return went for just 6 yards. The Bengals were nursing a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter when Yeast gathered in his next punt return at the 19-yard line.
“We told him not to be tentative,” coach Bruce Coslet said. “Just go get eight yards straight up the field and hit it (the hole). Good things will happen. That's what Tremain Mack does on kickoffs. The next kick, he did it and he popped out of there like a cork.”
While Yeast entertained a mob of reporters in the postgame locker room, Mack sat largely unnoticed across the room. That is, until teammate Artrell Hawkins started shouting his name.
“T-Mack for the Pro Bowl!” Hawkins announced. “Send T-Mack across the water (to Hawaii)!”
Mack said the key for both he and Yeast is blocking. The special teams have caught their share of flak this year, but the return games have come on, especially in the past month.
“If we get blocking like that all the time, we can do these kind of things,” Mack said.
Bengals Stories
Reds chase Irabu, Lee
Bowden: Griffey deal dead - honest
Winter meetings roundup
Xavier talk must wait for UC
Munoz commits to Tennessee
Mighty Ducks 2, Philadelphia 1
