Saturday, August 19, 2000
Akili: First game at new stadium a 'must win'
Bengals seek fresh start in new home
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — The fans and the Bears will get the best the Bengals have to offer for the first half of tonight's preseason game at Paul Brown Stadium.
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GAME AT A GLANCE
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• When: 7:30 p.m. today.
• Where: Paul Brown Stadium.
• TV: Television tape delay beginning at 11:35 p.m. on WKRC-TV (Channel 12). Live TV in Columbus.
• Radio: Live radio on 1360-AM (WCKY) and 92.5-FM (WOFX).
• Webcast: None.
• Tickets:
Available between Gates B and C at north end of Stadium 3:30 p.m. through halftime.
• Preseason records: Bengals are 0-2. Bears are 2-0.
• What to watch for: The Bengals worked this week at training camp to improve their productivity inside the opponentsą 20-yard line, otherwise known as the red zone. Cincinnati has been inside the 20 eight times in two preseason games and scored three field goals and three touchdowns. The Bengals turned the ball over on downs once and had one field goal blocked.
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As he has done for the first two games, quarterback Akili Smith will play two quarters behind the first-string offensive line. Running backs and receivers will alternate.
Fans also will get urgency from the home team not usually seen in the preseason.
“It's a must-win situation,” said Smith, who's 21-of-37 for 198 yards in the two exhibition losses. “This is not a preseason game at all. It's a real game. This is probably one of the biggest games in Bengals history. We have to erase what has been done in the past.”
The Bengals were 52-108 in the 1990s and want to get a fresh start in the new stadium.
“They've been pointing for this,” coach Bruce Coslet said of his players. “They want to get the crowd into it right from the start and do well.”
Chicago comes in 2-0 in the preseason with victories over the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns.
Like the Bengals, the Bears' future is hinged to a second-year quarterback, Cade McNown. McNown is 10-of-17 for 148 yards and a touchdown in two games.
McNown directs an offense that makes use of mul tiple-receiver sets. Offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, in his first season with the Bears in 1999, designed an attack that was third in the league with 4,136 passing yards (259 yards a game).
Chicago's top receiver, Marcus Robinson, had 84 receptions for 1,400 yards and nine TDs in 1999. Bobby Engram had 88 catches for 947 yards and four touchdowns.
The Bears' passing game will be a serious test for the Bengals' revamped secondary.
Cincinnati's pass defense gave up more than 300 yards and three touchdowns during five games in 1999. In the second preseason game, Falcons quarterbacks Chris Chandler and Danny Kanell threw for 362 yards and three scores.
Former Bears cornerback Tom Carter is part of the new Bengals secondary. He was claimed off waivers in December and played the last two games with Cincinnati. Veteran free safety Darryl Williams was signed from Seattle.
Even though the Bengals are 0-2 in the preseason, Coslet is not entirely unhappy. Buffalo won 21-20 when Doug Pelfrey's 29-yard field goal attempt was blocked on the game's last play. Cincinnati had a 16-10 lead in the fourth quarter in Atlanta before the Falcons scored three consecutive touchdowns for a 31-16 victory.
Cincinnati has lost seven preseason games in a row. Its last exhibition victory was Aug.22, 1998, at Detroit.
“Other than the first series in the first game, we've played pretty well,” he said. “If we kick a field goal, we win that game. And we're ahead with six minutes to go in the other game.”
The Bengals had their last practice of training camp Friday afternoon at Georgetown College. Coslet declared camp a success.
“I'm confident that I will meet my goal. We're going to be a better competitive team and then let the wins and contending fall on their own,” he said. “It's been good so far. I'm satisfied with these four weeks.”
Tell us what you think about the new stadium. See what others are saying.
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Akili: First game at new stadium a 'must win'
