Sunday, September 17, 2000
Bengals, Jaguars to watch
• WHEN BENGALS RUN
In the first two weeks of the season, teams who have a 100-yard rusher are 9-0. In Week 1, 100-yard runners led their teams to eight wins. Last week, Denver rookie Mike Anderson had 131 yards rushing, and the Broncos won.
The Bengals' Corey Dillon ran 12 times for 41 yards last week against the Browns. Cincinnati lost. The inability to run the ball put more pressure on quarterback Akili Smith than he could handle. Of 50 designed passing plays, seven ended in sacks, and 28 were incomplete.
Really, this is about the running game.
Dillon has to get 20-some carries and at least 80-some yards. In his career, when he has at least 22 rushing attempts, the Bengals are 10-2. The number of attempts are more important than the yards. When Dillon gets 100-plus yards, the team's record is 7-6.
Today, when the ball is in Dillon's hands, it not in the hands of Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell.
• When Bengals pass:
Jacksonville defensive end Tony Brackens had 12 sacks last year and made the Pro Bowl. He already has two sacks in two games this year coming from the blind side of a right-handed quarterback.
Last week, the sloppy play of Bengals left tackles Rod Jones and John Jackson led to four of Cleveland's sacks. Browns' defensive end Keith McKenzie, never a Pro-Bowl player, looked like one.
Jones has to play better and justify the three-year, $9 million contract het got in the off season. Smith really didn't hold on to the ball too long; he was running for his life most of the game.
Even when Brackens gets a breather — he's just rounding into shape after a contract holdout — the Jaguars cart out another pass rusher in Joel Smeenge.
Given enough time, Smith can find his receivers. And it's not like he can't move back there. Smith has quick feet and speed. Cincinnati's entire offensive line, but Jones, in particular, has to play well if Smith is going to move the ball through the air.
•
WHEN JAGUARS RUN
The running game has been the Jaguars' weakest link so far. They are only 23rd in the league area so far with an 82-yard average. They had 119 yards against Cleveland but dropped to 46 in the loss at Baltimore in Week 2.
Starting center John Wade, a third-year pro from Marshall, returns this week from a foot injury. With the 300-pound Wade in the starting lineup for all 16 games last season, the Jaguars led the NFL in rushing with 2,091 yards. The Jaguars are still playing without starting right tackle Leon Searcy, and left tackle Tony Boselli is still working into shape from the serious knee injury he suffered in Week 17 last season against the Bengals.
Of course, playing without featured running back Fred Taylor has hurt the Jaguars.
Wade, who's 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, beat out veteran Quentin Neujahr in training camp a year ago to win the starter's job. Wade will see plenty of the Bengals' Oliver Gibson, Tom Barndt and Michael Bankston.
• WHEN JAGUARS PASS
On the first play of the Cleveland game, quarterback Tim Couch went right after cornerback Artrell Hawkins. The result was a 65-yard completion to David Patten, who's no Jimmy Smith.
Hawkins, the third-year pro from the University of Cincinnati, was beaten but said he was supposed to get help from free safety Darryl Williams. Williams was late getting over, and Hawkins pointed to Williams on the field to make his point.
Hawkins is a big hitter with great speed, and many people in the organization say it's time for him to deliver on his potential.
Regardless of which Jacksonville receiver he sees, Smith or running mate Keenan McCardell, Hawkins will be challenged.
Cincinnati's pass defense is ranked 22nd in the league after only one week. Jacksonville's passing game is second only to the Rams', and Jaguars quarterback has thrown for 301 and 386 yards in the first two weeks. The Bengals need to a solid game from Hawkins to have a chance to stay with Jacksonville.
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Bengals, Jaguars to watch