Jon Kitna walks off the field with the game ball and a victory in his first Bengals start. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        The Cincinnati Bengals weren't perfect in their 23-17 opening day victory Sunday against New England, but they came close in the third quarter.

        The Bengals' defense held the Patriots to nine yards of offense in the third quarter and forced them into three consecutive three-and-out punts.

        At the same time, quarterback Jon Kitna led the offense to 13 points on three consecutive scoring drives that covered a total of 156 yards and consumed 9:30. The Bengals turned a 10-10 halftime tie into a 23-10 lead, and went on to win their opener for the first time since 1997.

        “We took control of the game,” said Bengals coach Dick LeBeau, who became the second Bengals coach to get a victory on his birthday. Forrest Gregg was the other in 1981.

SET AS WALLPAPER Click on right width for your monitor, then right click to Set As Wallpaper

Fans greet Tony McGee after he tried to leap into the stands following his TD. (Craig Ruttle photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

Corey Dillon turns the corner on Matt Stevens. (Ernest Coleman photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

Darnay Scott made a triumphant return. (Craig Ruttle photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

Drew Bledsoe is flipped into the air by Artrell Hawkins and Brian Simmons. (Ernest Coleman photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

Peter Warrick is pushed out of bounds short of the goal line. (Ernest Coleman photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

Tim Krumrie, Dick LeBeau and Mark Duffner celebrate when the defense stopped Drew Bledsoe's quarterback sneak. (Ernest Coleman photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

LeBeau enjoys his 64th birthday present. (Ernest Coleman photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

        “I told the guys I only wanted two things for my birthday; a win and a few more birthdays,” said LeBeau, 64. “They took care of the win, and I'll try to take care of the rest.”

        The Bengals scored all of their points on five consecutive drives in the second and

        third quarters before a crowd of 51,521. They hadn't scored on five straight possessions since their 44-30 victory Dec. 5, 1999 against San Francisco. That game also was the last time the Bengals had a 100-yard rusher (Corey Dillon) and 100-yard receiver (Carl Pickens) in the same game.

        On Sunday, Dillon ran for 104, and veteran wide receiver Darnay Scott, who missed all of 2000 with a broken leg, had five receptions for 104 of the Bengals' 204 passing yards.

        The Bengals, after leading the NFL with 395 yards a game in the preseason, had 353 yards against a good New England defense.

        The Bengals' 23 points matched their total for the first four games last year, and Kitna became only the seventh of 23 Bengals' starting quarterbacks to win his first game.

        Kitna, 18-of-27 passing with one touchdown and no interceptions, anticipated even better showings from the new offense in the future.

        “I still don't think we've gotten there,” he said. “We weren't efficient in the red zone. We could have easily scored 35.”

        Kitna started the second half by completing a 34-yard fly pass to Scott. The drive stalled three plays later, but Neil Rackers made a career-long 47-yard field goal for a 13-10 lead.

        After forcing a second punt, the Bengals got the ball back on their 41. Wide receiver Peter Warrick ran 13 yards on an end around, and Kitna completed a 24-yard out pass to Scott on third-and-10. Rackers was good from 33 yards for a 16-10 lead.

        The Bengals started their third drive on the on their 30-yard line. Kitna and Scott hooked up again for an 8-yard gain on third-and-3 to keep the drive alive in Bengals' territory.

        On first-and-10 from the New England 25, Kitna hit wide-open tight end Tony McGee in the middle for a touchdown and a 23-10 lead.

        “I didn't expect to be that open, but that's when the ball looks like it's just hanging there in mid-air,” McGee said.

        The defensive line played without newly signed end Justin Smith, who watched from the stands, but didn't really need him Sunday. End Reinard Wilson had one of four sacks recorded by the Bengals on quarterback Drew Bledsoe, and linemen had three of the four pass deflections. The Bengals had 15 sacks in the preseason. The four sacks Sunday equaled a single-game season high accomplished twice last year.

        “It's going to come from everywhere,” said Bengals end Vaughn Booker, who had two pass knockdowns and four tackles. “They have to account for the line, the linebackers, the DBs, and it's hard to account for all of that.”

        New England jumped ahead 7-0 on the first play of the second quarter when Bledsoe hit wide receiver Troy Brown in the end zone from 14 yards out. The Patriots drove 68 yards in 11 plays after Kitna fumbled while trying to pass deep in New England territory. That turnover was the only one of the game.

        The big play of the drive came on third-and-15 from the New England 37 after the Patriots had been called for consecutive false start penalties. Bledsoe hit Bert Emanuel for 16 yards in front of cornerback Tom Carter.

        After the touchdown, Curtis Keaton returned the kickoff 64 yards to the Patriots' 30. That set up Rackers' first field goal, from 36 yards.

        “We talk a lot more about withstanding adversity,” LeBeau said. “We were behind in the first quarter and not after that. We're going to try to be perfect, but we're not going to be perfect.”

        The Bengals were 2-10 last season when the other team scored first.

        In the fourth quarter, when New England and Bledsoe had the ball twice with a chance to take the lead, the Bengals' defense held.

        First, the Bengals held Bledsoe on a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-2 from the Bengals' 41-yard line. The ball was short by a link of the chain.

        On the next New England drive, linebacker Takeo Spikes sacked Bledsoe on the Patriots' 24-yard line on second down. The replacement officials, who called only seven penalties, reversed a play initially called a 15-yard reception by Emanuel on third down.

        Linebacker Adrian Ross flushed Bledsoe from the pocket on a fourth-down play from the 24, and his pass was incomplete.

        Kitna took a knee on the next two plays.

        “It was a good day, a good win,” said LeBeau, who has led the Bengals to a 5-6 record dating back to the team's first win in Game 7 last year. “It was truly a team win, offense, defense and special teams. It was a very good start.”

Bengals 23, Patriots 17 Bengals-Patriots statistics DAUGHERTY: Bengals take 'big step' SULLIVAN: Narrow stop has big meaning Kitna gets passing grade Scott catches up after lost season Defense welcomes Simmons Bengals report card Injured McNair may miss Bengals Replacement refs get few complaints Fans aflutter with optimism

Reds 5, Pirates 3
Reds' coaches in limbo
MacRae finally gives up run
Reds-Cubs Scouting Report
Pirates worry about pitcher's injury
Reds box, runs
UC aglow over Guidugli
PREP FOOTBALL COVERAGE
Bonds hits Nos. 61, 62, 63
Cawood Ledford laid to rest in Harlan

• Return to Bengals front page...