Monday, October 15, 2001
Dillon grinds out another big day
By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Corey Dillon's bread-and-butter is breaking through the line of scrimmage and by the behemoths who reside there. Then come the hard-hitting lugs known as the linebackers. After that, it's time for the defensive backs. And, oh, does Dillon love it in the secondary. He turns DB's into jelly.
It was that way for much of the day Sunday, as Dillon rushed for 140 yards on 31 carries (4.5-yard average) in the Bengals' 24-14 victory over Cleveland.
On one of those plays, with the Bengals leading 13-7 at 3:13 of the third quarter, the Bengals faced second-and-12 on their 18 yard line.
Dillon broke through the line and into the secondary, and when he caught sight of the Browns Earl Little and Devin Bush, one could imagine Dillon's deep, dark eyes lighting up behind his face mask.
“I love challenging the safeties and corners,” Dillon admitted. “I don't know about the D-linemen and 'backers, but when I see a smaller defender, it's either him or me. I go out there and attack them and see what I come up with.”
Dillon leveled Little and Bush en route to a 22-yard gain and, ultimately, a 5-yard TD run to put the Bengals up 19-7. A 2-point conversion made it 21-7.
Dillon finished off the Browns himself on the Bengals' next possession. It looked as though he was going to be stopped at the line of scrimmage, but juked his way through.
“He's our best player,” Kitna said. “People tend to panic around here when Corey doesn't get 100 yards. (But) that run...when he made the guy miss at the line of scrimmage and then carried 2-3 guys for a first down, was awesome. That just picks everybody up.”
When Dillon was told coach Dick LeBeau had said after the game that the Bengals as a whole strive to emulate the never-quit-digging style of their power running back, he aw-shucked a “I love my coach” and got a laugh from the media.
“Everybody responds well to (LeBeau) and that's why we go out and play so hard for him,” Dillon said.
Dillon easily could have wound up a Cleveland Brown until the Bengals signed him to his most recent contract in May. Dwight Clark, the Browns' director of football operations, loves Dillon, but Cleveland elected not to make an offer to the restricted free agent.
Dillon is glad it worked out the way it did.
“Like I've told everybody and I'll say it again: I'm where I wanted to be...I'm a Bengal, and I like staying in Cincinnati, and it turns out I got my wish.”
He doesn't know why he does so well against the Browns. In the last five games against them, he has gained 678 yards and scored five touchdowns.
“Just call it a coincidence,” Dillon said. “I don't know what it is. I guess we match up well and just execute well against them.”
Dillon praised the grounds crew at Paul Brown Stadium. The footing on the grass was solid, despite the rain Saturday night and before the game Sunday.
“It felt good,” Dillon said.
Bengals Stories
SULLIVAN: Mariners scoff at pressure
Baseball playoffs report
High School Week Ahead
Girls sectional soccer schedule
Boys sectional soccer schedule
'Canes for real; Gators' weakness revealed
Crowe fights to another draw
• Return to Bengals front page...
Dillon grinds out another big day
