CNATI: Cincinnati OH Sports Journalism

Cincinnati Bengals

Notes: Scott fills in for Benson

By C. Trent Rosecrans, CNATI.com Posted November 15, 2009 5:30 PM ET

PITTSBURGH - Earlier this week Bernard Scott found out he was going to get a chance to return kickoffs, and during Sunday's 18-12 win he received a battlefield promotion to the Bengals' featured running back.

Scott made the most of both opportunities.

He returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, and in a game that saw very little running room for any runner, he ran 13 times for 33 yards in place of the injured Cedric Benson.

Benson missed a series in the first half with an aggravated hip flexor injury, and after returning for one more carry, he did not play again. Benson said the injury nagged him throughout the week, but he hopes to be ready for the upcoming game in Oakland.

"I thought I could work through it, stay strong enough for me to fight through the game, but it wasn't meant to be today," Benson said. "I think with proper rest and as long as we're smart during the week, I can get over it quickly."

Benson finished with seven carries for 22 yards. He came into the game as the NFL's second-leading rusher but fell out of the top five after missing all of the second half.

Scott's numbers don't look impressive, but he had several key runs on the Bengals' final drive. Cincinnati took over with 6:16 left, nursing a 3-point lead. Scott gained nine yards on the first play, then had consecutive five-yard carries. He gained the final two yards after contact, setting up the team's final field goal on the first play after the two-minute warning.

"We knew it was going to be a dogfight and it was going to come down to the end and we were going to have to run the ball," Scott said. "Whenever your opportunity comes, you have to take advantage of it. Hopefully I've built some confidence from the coaches that they know whenever I need to step up and make a play, I'll do whatever I can to help the team."

On Sunday, that included his first kickoff return since his freshman year of college. His touchdown return was the Bengals' first since Glenn Holt's 100-yard return in 2007 against Buffalo.

"(I) couldn't be more proud of him," said Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer. "The kickoff return was amazing. The moves he made, the cuts he made and just to come in against a defense that he's never played against, it's very confusing. They do a lot of different looks, lot of different personnel groupings. .. He came in and it was kind of his coming-out party. He's a special player, he's going to be a special player and he showed his complexity."

RUCKER'S PICK -- As he walked back to his locker, Frostee Rucker was asked if he thought he was going to be able to return his interception for a touchdown. Rucker admitted he was thinking end zone, but he was stopped short. That's when fellow defensive end Robert Geathers Jr. piped in: "It was 92, not 91."

Geathers, who wears uniform No.91, was referring to his fumble return for a touchdown against the Browns earlier this year.

"I didn't have a parade escorting me to the end zone like you did in Cleveland," Rucker said to Geathers.

Rucker made it to the Steelers' 14 on a 26-yard return, but the Bengals then had to settle for a field goal.

Rucker caught the ball after it was deflected by Bengals cornerback Morgan Trent and started running toward the goal line.

"I was rushing inside and was running for the ball and Morgan made a great play and I just happened to be there," Rucker said. "I was just trying to make a play on it and it worked."

SACKS FOR FANENE - Defnesive end Jonathan Fanene had six tackles and two sacks in Sunday's game - and this time he kept his helmet on.

In last week's victory against the Ravens, Fanene was penalized 15 yards for taking his helmet off and throwing after a sack.

"He must have apologized 170 times for taking off his helmet at the end of the game last week," Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. "He's one of those guys that's very conscientious. He keeps getting better for us. He keeps coming up big and he's making big plays in the run and the pass."

Fanene now has five sacks on the season, second on the team behind the injured Antwan Odom.

BACKUPS SHINE - Fanene and Rucker aren't the only players filling in for injured teammates and making a difference.

Linebacker Brandon Johnson started at linebacker for the injured Keith Rivers and had four tackles and knocked down two passes.

"We're just a scrap-iron defense that has a lot of pieces that nobody wanted. We're kind of like the first Iron Man when he broke out of the cave," Johnson said. "But we play good, we play as a unit, we play within ourselves, we know what we can and we can't do. We lean on each other and everyone plays their position."

UP TO THE CHALLENGE - Lewis is now 3-for-4 on coach's challenges.

Near the end of the first quarter, Roethlisberger connected with Santonio Holmes for an apparent first down, converting a third-and-14 from their own 28. Before the officials could even get back in position, the side judge nearest Lewis had a red flag at his feet.

On review, Holmes' 14-yard gain was changed to a 12-yard gain, forcing Pittsburgh to punt.

Lewis was 9-for-36 in his first five seasons as head coach and 9-for-11 in the last two seasons.

THIRD DOWN - The Steelers converted their first two third-down attempts of the day - and then converted just one more the rest of the day and none in the second half.

The Bengals weren't much better, converting three of their first four opportunities and just one more. But it was a big one. Palmer connected with Brian Leonard for 17 yards on a third-and-5 in the fourth quarter, setting up the go-ahead field goal.

PAT TROUBLES - The Bengals have now missed four extra points this season - and failed to convert on their only chance on Sunday.

Following Scott's touchdown, snapper Clark Harris' snap was dropped by holder Kevin Huber and was immediately touched down.

It was the first miscue on a PAT since the team replaced snapper Brad St. Louis with Harris.

FIELD GOAL FEST - The Bengals and Steelers combined for eight field goals and no offensive touchdowns. Cincinnati kicker Shayne Graham missed a 52-yard attempt on the team's opening drive, then converted kicks of 23, 32, 32 and 43 yards.

"All I can ask for is opportunities and today was one of those days where I got opportunities to do my job," Graham said. "I really don't think I did anything out of the ordinary, except for make kicks. Making kicks is what I'm supposed to do. If I don't do that, I don't have a job. Our defense did a great job getting us in position, our defense did a good job of keeping them out of the end zone."

Steelers kicker Jeff Reed made field goals from 28, 33, 35 and 34 yards.

Categories: Cincinnati Bengals, Featured Stories, News

Tags: Bengals, Bernard Scott, Brandon Johnson, Cedric Benson, Frostee Rucker, Glenn Holt, Jeff Reed, Jonathan Fanene, Kevin Huber, Marvin Lewis, Robert Geathers Jr., Shayne Graham