The Bengals have been outscored 60-3 after halftime this season. Linebacker Adrian Ross thinks he knows why.

        “I think it's just a mental thing,” Ross said. “We're not strong enough to know that what's done is done, and we have to go out like the score is still 0-0.”

The Bengals' John Jackson holds his head late in the fourth quarter Sunday when the team let its halftime lead against Tennessee slip away. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The Bengals (0-5) have led at halftime in their last two games. They led Miami 13-10 but lost 31-16. They led Tennessee 14-10 but lost 23-14.

        Ross, who started at middle linebacker in place of injured Armegis Spearman last Sunday, said it is hard for a struggling team to hold a lead.

        “Because we haven't had a win for a while, when halftime comes, people are probably thinking, "I wish the game would be over right now, because we're winning,'” Ross said. “Rather than playing like we'd been doing, we just try to hold on.”

        The Bengals have been outscored 30-0 in the third quarter and 30-3 in the fourth quarter this season. Their only second-half points came on a field goal by Neil Rackers vs. Miami.

        The first half hasn't been much better, with the Bengals outscored 68-34. But that's another story.

        Coach Dick LeBeau said there is no magic formula to second-half success.

        “It's something we've got to address, obviously,” he said. “I felt good about our team coming out against Tennessee in the second half. Our performance didn't match that look.”

        Tom Carter, an eight-year NFL veteran who also played for Washington and Chicago, said confidence becomes a factor during a losing streak.

        “It comes down to momentum, and believing you can win,” Carter said. “I don't think anybody ever plays a perfect game, and the first (win) is always the toughest one. We just have to get over that hump.”

        The Bengals have been fighting this battle for years:

        • The last time they outscored opponents in the second half was 1996, when they went 8-8 with the fast finish (7-2) under newly appointed coach Bruce Coslet. Even then, their second-half scoring edge was only 204-197.

        • The current offensive funk dates to the final two games of 1999, when the Bengals lost 22-0 at Baltimore and 24-7 at Jacksonville.

        • The Bengals have not scored in the third period in seven straight games. Their last third-quarter points came Dec. 12, 1999, when they scored 14 en route to a 44-28 defeat of Cleveland at Cinergy Field.

        “I'll be anxious to see what happens when we put two good halves together,” quarterback Akili Smith said.

        Simple execution would help. The Bengals rank 31st in the league in both total offense and passing offense, and 20th in rushing offense.

        Sunday especially, the defense wore down as Tennessee hogged the ball for over 41 of the game's 60 minutes.

        “We've got a lot of things that we've got to get better at,” LeBeau said.

        The first half generally has not been good for the Bengals, either. Four of the last five years, opponents have outscored the Bengals before halftime. Last year, the Bengals were 1-11 when trailing at the half.

        Most NFL teams win when leading at halftime, but the Bengals are bucking trend and after trend this year. In 1999, they had a 3-1 record when leading at halftime. This year, they are 0-2 with a halftime lead.

        But still, the recent halftime leads are cause for optimism, when you're 0-and-whatever.

        “We're getting on top of these teams, and it's not like a one-play thing or a one-drive thing,” LeBeau said. “I think we've just got to get more proficient so we can play the whole game and get it on into the fourth quarter.”

Bengals getting it (first) half right

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