Monday, October 02, 2000
Going for knockout costly
First-half pass play turns into points for Dolphins' D
By Tom Groeschen
The Cincinnati Enquirer
No, Dick LeBeau won't call that play again.
The Bengals were leading 13-3 just before halftime Sunday. They had the ball, and seemed ready to run out the clock with a surprising 10-point lead over Miami.
“In hindsight,” LeBeau said, “I wish I hadn't thrown the ball there.”
With the clock ticking under 10 seconds, LeBeau called for quarterback Akili Smith to throw a pass. It was second down, 5 yards to go, on the Bengals 37-yard line.
“What's he doing?” some Bengals fans wondered, many aloud, as Smith drifted back to throw.
Before anyone could say “Boo!” Miami defensive end Jason Taylor had stormed past Bengals left tackle Rod Jones. Taylor knocked the ball out of Smith's hands, just as Smith was ready to throw. The ball bounced, Taylor picked it up, then ran 29 yards for a touchdown.
The clock had ticked to :00 before Taylor crossed the goal line, but in retrospect, it was already too late for the Bengals.
The Dolphins' extra point made the score 13-10, but the momentum had swung Miami's way.
Why not run out the clock?
It was the first question posed to LeBeau in his first postgame press conference as Bengals head coach.
“I didn't want our players to think we don't trust them,” LeBeau said. “We were gonna take our shot downfield, and maybe get into field-goal range.”
The Bengals were going for a knockout blow, of sorts. Instead, it backfired.
Offensive coordinator Ken Anderson was calling most of the plays, but LeBeau blamed himself for this one. The play before, Brandon Bennett had run a draw for 5 yards.
“Kenny and I were talking together and I said, "Run it' on first down and see what we get,” LeBeau said. “I was watching the clock, and it was solely my responsibility to throw the ball in that situation.”
The possible targets, wideouts Peter Warrick and Craig Yeast, reportedly were open or in the process of getting open.
Smith, the triggerman, said he never saw the rush coming.
“I was looking downfield, and that was my blind side,” he said. “I never got my arm cocked to throw.”
Jones, who has had a tough year after signing a new three-year, $9 million contract in the off-season, took blame.
“It was my fault. I should have had my man,” Jones said.
The Dolphins seemed surprised Cincinnati was throwing in that situation. Happy, but surprised.
“They had run it the play before, so I thought they were gonna run the clock out and go in with a big lead at halftime,” Miami defensive end Trace Armstrong said. “We stole a play on that one there.”
Miami coach Dave Wan nstedt said the team felt reprieved, after doing everything wrong in the first half. What was discussed at halftime?
“That we saw their best shot,” Wannstedt said. “And now we're going to find out what kind of team we are.”
Bengals players supported LeBeau's decision.
“It didn't affect me,” halfback Corey Dillon said. “I mean, geez, we're still up. We've just gotta go out and regroup and get some more points.”
Jones: “Coach LeBeau was trying to show them that we were gonna come out fighting. I was hacked off at myself, but the team overall was still very optimistic about the second half.”
Smith: “That's Coach LeBeau's call. If he makes that call, I have to execute it.”
LeBeau took the heat afterward, but kept his cool when discussing the play.
“Would I do it again, knowing what I know now?” he said. “No, but I don't want our players to think we're not going to attack. It was one play in the game. It certainly wasn't the deciding play, but that shifted it back away from us.”
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Going for knockout costly
