Monday, December 17, 2001
Jets 15, Bengals 14
Akili shows promise before hurting his hamstring
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On the gloomy day the Bengals were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the 2002 season grew potentially brighter.
Akili Smith made his first start in more than a year and showed the promise that made him the third overall pick of the 1999 draft.
In three series, he passed for 35 yards and ran for another 20 in the Bengals' 15-14 loss to the New York Jets, their sixth in a row. But Smith strained his left hamstring early in the second quarter on a five-yard scramble and could be done for the season. He is definitely out of Sunday's game.
“Hopefully, I proved to the organization (and) my teammates that I can still lead this team,” said Smith, who was on crutches after the game. “I just heard a pop. It locked up on me.”
The Bengals are 4-9, and with six AFC teams having at least eight victories, they will miss the postseason for the 11th year in a row.
But Smith's performance and — more important — his command of the offense give the Bengals a sense of optimism that he could be the franchise quarterback they've been searching for since Boomer Esiason was traded after the 1992 season.
Bengals president Mike Brown, whose phone was busy on repeated attempts to reach him Sunday night, had said a couple of weeks ago that he wanted to see Smith play if the team fell from playoff contention and was optimistic that Smith would improve over last season.
Smith led an opening 20-play, 12-minute drive that was the team's most impressive of the season. He passed for 35 yards and ran for 15 on the drive. Corey Dillon ran in from the 1 for a 7-0 lead.
“I think he was more mature and focused,” Dillon said of Smith, who has spent most of the season as the emergency third quarterback. “And that just goes to show he's been doing what it takes to prepare for situations like this, and he took advantage.”
Jon Kitna, who had started the previous 12 games, replaced Smith and threw three interceptions. One came on a meaningless heave at the end of the first half, but two came after the Bengals had blown a 14-3 lead in the fourth quarter and fell behind 15-14.
Kitna did lead the Bengals on an impressive 13-play, 87-yard drive in the third quarter that resulted in a three-yard Dillon touchdown run.
The offense, which is last in the league in scoring at 13.6 points a game, showed more energy with Smith at quarterback.
He ran out of the pocket if his first one or two receivers were not open, and his mobility and arm strength appeared to stretch the defense and create more holes for the running game.
“He ran on some key third downs, and that puts pressure on the defense,” Bengals coach Dick LeBeau said. “He threw some key third down passes.
“He did a great job. He moved the team down. He didn't get a chance field position-wise the rest of that half. They kept kicking us down in there, and we didn't have a chance to open the playbook.”
Before he learned that Smith was out for Baltimore, LeBeau said Smith would start if he were healthy.
Smith was benched by LeBeau after Game 10 last season. He made another start when Scott Mitchell was injured, and Smith ended the season with a 52.8 passer rating and three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Smith's passer rating is 73.4 this year, compared to Kitna's 61.5.
Smith took most of the heat for the Bengals' second consecutive 4-12 season last year but has said he has worked hard during his downtime as No. 3 quarterback.
“It says a lot about his character,” Dillon said of Smith and his performance Sunday. “Even though everyone's trying to execute him, persecute him, cut his throat, he came out and played well.”
Kitna injured the middle finger on his throwing hand a week ago against Jacksonville. He didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday. After practicing Friday, he said if he didn't play against the Jets that he was being benched. He was 10-for-17 passing for 93 yards.
He was asked if the injured finger had any affect on his passing against the Jets.
“None at all,” Kitna said.
He didn't fret about being benched.
“Again, that was a decision that was a coach's decision,” Kitna said. “There's nothing you can do about it as a player. My job then was to be the best backup I could be, and that's what you do.”
He was the first on the field to congratulate Smith after the 20-play TD drive.
“Why wouldn't I?” Kitna said. “He didn't make the decision to bench me. His job is to go in and play hard. What am I supposed to do, hope he goes in and plays bad? I want the best for him.”
Smith appeared to be playing a more wide-open game in coordinator Bob Bratkowski's offense than last season under former coordinator Ken Anderson.
Smith was given more license to run and throw on the run instead of trying to stand strictly in the pocket.
“Watching film, the one thing I did notice is there's a lot of running room out there at quarterback,” Smith said. “I dropped back, took a look, on a few plays I took off too soon and got positive yardage, but that's OK when you get positive yardage.
“You can't worry about (injury from running) ... Sometimes the defense calls the perfect coverage, and you've got to get out of there and make something happen.”
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Jets 15, Bengals 14
