Monday, December 31, 2001
Bengals Notebook
Farmer aches, but pain is Steelers'
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Danny Farmer, who was the Steelers fourth-round draft pick in 2000 and cut before the season, had his first career touchdown reception against his old team.
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PHOTO GALLERY
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Danny Farmer holds up the ball after his game-tying TD catch.
(Ernest Coleman photo)
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Farmer's 18-yard catch over Dewayne Washington tied the score at 23 with 37 seconds left in regulation. The game went into overtime when kicker Neil Rackers missed the extra point.
“I got a sore rib and back, but it felt pretty good,” said Farmer, who was hit hard by Washington after leaping high for the fade pass from Jon Kitna.
PICKED OFF: The Bengals had four interceptions, raising their total for the season to 13, and they came at an important time.
The Bengals had interceptions on four of the Steelers' final six possessions. The defense forced punts the other two times Pittsburgh had the ball after they had taken a 23-10 lead with 3:41 remaining in the third quarter.
The Bengals had just nine interceptions last season.
Kevin Kaesviharn had two, giving him three in nine games.
Artrell Hawkins had one, and he and Kaesviharn are tied for the club lead with three.
Rookie defensive end Justin Smith had one, on a ball tipped by Reinard Wilson. Smith has two for the season.
SACK PACK: The Bengals had two more sacks, one each by safety Darryl Williams and linebacker Brian Simmons, giving them 45 and leaving them one short of the team record of 46 by the 1976 Bengals.
INJURY REPORT: For the season finale at Tennessee, linebacker Steve Foley (back) is doubtful. Fullback-tight end Nick Williams (calf) and guard Matt O'Dwyer (knee) are questionable.
Wide receiver Darnay Scott (shoulder), guard Mike Goff (shoulder) and defensive end Vaughn Booker (hip) are probable.
FUMBLE: The 66-yard return of a fumbled Steelers field-goal attempt by Robert Bean and Brian Simmons was the Bengals' first fumble return for a touchdown since Dec.20, 1998 at Pittsburgh.
Safety Sam Shade went 55 yards for a touchdown with a fumble in the Bengals' 25-24 victory at Three Rivers Stadium.
The Bean-Simmons effort also was the fourth-longest fumble return for a touchdown in Bengals history.
DEBUT: Running back Rudi Johnson, the Bengals fourth-round draft pick, made his NFL debut Sunday and returned a second-quarter kickoff 25 yards.
Fifth-round draft choice Victor Leyva, an offensive lineman, also was active for the first time, but he did not play.
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Farmer aches, but pain is Steelers'