Monday, December 17, 2001
Defensive lapses prove costly
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The defense, after keeping the Bengals in the past four games, allowed 12 fourth-quarter points Sunday to the New York Jets.
The Jets scored fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 1-yard pass from Vinny Testaverde to tight end James Dearth and a 2-yard Testaverde pass to tight end Anthony Becht.
The Bengals led 14-3 after three quarters.
“We should have been able to hold that lead in the fourth quarter,” coach Dick LeBeau said.
The Jets' 309 yards were the most the Bengals have allowed in six games, and it also was the first time in six weeks the Bengals didn't have a sack. They had 14 the past two games.
The Jets had 11 plays of 13 or more yards and were especially successful converting long pass plays for first downs on third down.
The Jets threw for first downs three times on third-and-10 plays, once on third-and-13 and twice on third-and-16. Testaverde also threw for first downs on a second-and-14 play and on second-and-25.
“We knew they were going to roll what we call a "dash,'” LeBeau said. “And we worked on that a lot, but you wouldn't know by watching that game right there. Some of it was execution on their part. We could never really get it set up right. Our guy fell down a couple of times back there.”
The Jets were 8-of-14 on third downs.
Perhaps the biggest non-play by the defense came early in the fourth quarter on New York's first touchdown drive. Bengals safety Chris Carter dropped a Testaverde pass that was right in his hands with about 70 yards of open field in front of him. Bengals linebacker Brian Simmons had just missed sacking Testaverde two plays earlier, an incompletion.
“It would have been a deciding factor in the game, but I didn't make my play,” Carter said.
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Defensive lapses prove costly
