Sunday, November 11, 2001
Bengals now have 2nd-half stakes
In playoff contention for 1st time since '90
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Bengals officially will start the season's second half after today's game, but win or lose they will remain in playoff contention this late for the first time since 1990.
Who will have to play well if the Bengals are to make the postseason? What are the pivotal games? The major question marks? The certainties?
Here's what's needed the next two months:
• Key players: The most pressure falls on quarterback Jon Kitna.
Kitna has to continue to throw more touchdown passes than interceptions, and he enters today's game against the Jaguars with eight TDs and seven interceptions. Widening that gap and nurturing the pass offense toward more productivity are two of Kitna's biggest jobs from here on.
On defense, Artrell Hawkins is the Bengals' most seasoned cornerback.
Saturday, the Bengals placed ninth-year veteran Tom Carter on the injured reserve list, putting him out for the season because of a partial tear of the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Carter injured his knee Oct.14 against Cleveland and aggravated it in practice Friday.
The Bengals signed cornerback Kevin Kaesviharn from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. With Carter out, the Bengals have two rookie free agent cornerbacks in Kaesviharn and Bo Jennings, and two second-year players in Robert Bean and Mark Roman.
Hawkins, in his fourth season, has 53 games of NFL experience compared to 25 for the other four cornerbacks combined.
Hawkins is playing the most consistent football of his career, and he made his first interception since his rookie season. The time is now for Hawkins to realize the potential that made him a second-round draft pick. He
has to be the leader.
On special teams, Neil Rackers has to improve on his 7-for-14 kicking on field goal attempts. If he doesn't, coach Dick LeBeau has said he won't hesitate to use newcomer Jaret Holmes. Whoever's doing the kicking must increase the field goal rate from 50 percent good to at least 67 percent. Every point will count.
• Biggest games: Each week's game is the most important, but there are three that would help the Bengals turn the corner.
A victory today over the Jaguars would make the Bengals 5-3 at the season's halfway point. Say that again: 5-3. The Bengals also would even their road record at 2-2 and win two in a row away from home for the first time since 1995.
A victory Dec.2 over Tampa Bay at home seems more probable now than it did in the preseason. The Buccaneers are 3-4 but remain a national media darling. A victory over them would give the Bengals another helping of respect. And if it's cold, Tampa Bay is even more beatable.
A victory Dec.30 at home over Pittsburgh would give the Bengals momentum going into the season finale a week later at Tennessee, in which a playoff berth could be at stake. The Bengals' path to the playoffs would be much smoother if they win their remaining four home games.
• Potential problems: The Bengals have to remain in the top half of NFL teams in pass defense. They're tied for 14th with an average of 201.4 yards a game, an improvement on the No.28 rating a 222.6 average last year. The Bengals need to increase their interception total, which stands at five.
The defensive line has to stop the run on a consistent basis. The Bengals will be facing Eddie George twice, plus Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis. The return of defensive tackle Tony Williams from a foot injury should make a big difference. When they win, the Bengals are giving up an average of 70 yards a game rushing. When they lose, it's 204 yards a game.
The special teams' kick coverage units can't allow returners to make big plays that turn games around. They can't be shaky.
• Givens: There are at least three major elements to the 2001 Bengals that should continue to carry the team.
Tailback Corey Dillon should rush for at least 1,400 yards for the second consecutive season. He has scored six touchdowns, just one fewer than he had a year ago, and the offensive line has to keep giving Dillon a chance to make long runs.
The deep, athletic linebacker corps should continue to make big plays — sacks, interceptions, passes defensed. Five more victories should get Takeo Spikes to his first Pro Bowl.
LeBeau will prevent his developing team from getting too high after victories or too low after losses. They should be well prepared every week. And LeBeau will make whatever moves he has to, including a change at kicker, to give his team its best chance to win.
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Bengals now have 2nd-half stakes
