Monday, November 26, 2001
Bengals Notebook
Akili: 'I'll be back'
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Ù CLEVELAND - Akili Smith, the Bengals' 1999 No.1 draft pick, threw his first pass of the season Sunday in a mop-up role.
Smith was 1-for-2 passing for two yards and was sacked once. But because he didn't throw an interception, his passer rating of 56.2 is the highest of the Bengals' three quarterbacks. He also had to recover a fumbled snap from center Rich Braham that sailed high over Smith's head, a loss of 22 yards.
Smith declined comment in the locker room, but as he ran off the field to boos, he thumped his chest and said to fans, “I'll be back. I'll be back.”
Cleveland Browns Stadium was the site of Smith's NFL peak. As a rookie in 1999, he made his first NFL start at Cleveland and led the Bengals to an 18-17 victory. He led an 80-yard drive in the final 2:04 and threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Carl Pickens for the win, then thumped his chest at the stadium's Dawg Pound section.
On Sunday, in the 18-0 loss, starter Jon Kitna was 8-for-19 passing for 85 yards and two interceptions. His passer rating was 16.2.
Scott Mitchell played the second half, except for the final series, and was 4-for-12 passing for 16 yards and three interceptions. His passer rating was 3.5.
PAINFUL DAY: Cornerback Artrell Hawkins sprained his ankle on the Bengals' first defensive play of the game and did not return. Wide receiver Peter Warrick hurt his shoulder in the second quarter, was taken in for X-rays and did not return.
Both are questionable for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay.
“Eighty-six got me,” Hawkins said of Browns wide receiver Dennis Northcutt. “He cut me and rolled it. The play was away. To me, that's really cowardly.”
Left guard Matt O'Dwyer is questionable for the Buccaneers with a strained knee. Defensive end Vaughn Booker is questionable with two sprained ankles. Strong safety JoJuan Armour is probable with an ankle injury.
LONG RUN: Rookie T.J. Houshmandzadeh's 86-yard punt return in the fourth quarter tied for the third longest in Bengals history.
He was tackled on the Browns 5-yard line, and the Bengals failed to score when Mitchell was sacked while trying to pass on fourth down from the Browns 3.
The longest punt return in franchise history was 95 yards by Carl Pickens on Sept. 20, 1992, at Green Bay. The other two record returns were 90 yards by Lemar Parrish on Oct. 6, 1974, against Washington and 86 yards by Craig Yeast on Nov. 21, 1999, against Baltimore.
CATCHING ON: Browns wide receiver Kevin Johnson's 113-yard receiving day was the fifth of his career and fourth against the Bengals. He previously had games of 153, 102 and 135 against the Bengals.
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Akili: 'I'll be back' 
