Cincinnati Bengals
Notes: Smith finally debuts
By C. Trent Rosecrans and Scott Priestle, CNATI.com Posted November 29, 2009 5:44 PM ET
It had been 51 weeks since Andre Smith played a football game.
The Bengals first-round pick made his NFL debut on Sunday, playing nine snaps in the team's 16-7 victory over the Browns. It was his first game action since Dec. 6, 2008, when his Alabama team lost to Florida in the SEC Championship Game. Smith was suspended for the Sugar Bowl, held out for most of training camp, then suffered a foot injury in practice and didn't even get into a preseason game.
Smith, who was named the starting right tackle immediately after the draft, has practiced the last four weeks but was inactive on Sunday. That changed this week.
"It's been a long time coming, so just getting in was a great experience," Smith said. "Now that it's here, it's time for me to continue to take steps forward and building toward the future."
Smith played nine total snaps -- eight running plays and a quarterback scramble -- and the Bengals gained 38 yards on those plays. One was a run behind Smith and guard Bobbie Williams for a gain of 11 yards.
Smith's first eight snaps came in a three-tackle formation, which the Bengals have used often this season. His final play was at right tackle in the base offense.
"It was good to get Andre in there. It'll be fun to watch him on tape," Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. "It was good to get the chance to unwrap one of our little presents - or I should say big present - and go forward."
A BUSY MAN -- Larry Johnson had only two carries in Oakland and said he anticipated a similar role Sunday. Then his first carry went for 12 yards, his second for 10, his third for 13. He finished with 22 carries for 107 yards.
"I felt like I had something good going, but at the same time it was like, `I gotta get more,' because you never know when it's my time to come out," he said. "I just tried to take advantage of every opportunity."
Johnson has been with the team for less than two weeks, so he has not yet learned the entire playbook. But he said the coaches gave him "a decent package" to master, and he benefited from a strong offensive line.
"When you have outstanding blockers like we have, you're able to pick your holes and let your talent work away," he said
Rookie Bernard Scott suffered a turf-toe injury early in the third quarter, so Johnson's role expanded. He carried 16 times in the second half and topped 100 yards for the first time this season.
"It feels great," he said. "It's even better because I'm coming into a new situation, new team, new coach. This means a lot to me, to come in and the coaches trust me."
ON THE ATTACK -- Rookie defensive back Morgan Trent said he blitzed only one time in four years at Michigan. Coincidentally, it came against Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn. He blitzed Quinn five times Sunday and recorded his first career sack.
"That was the game plan," Trent said. "I didn't know it was going to happen five times, but we wanted to make sure Brady didn't have too much time in the pocket. We wanted to make him make quick decisions."
In addition to the sack, Trent snuffed out a screen to receiver Joshua Cribbs on a third-down play late in the game. He tackled Cribbs for a one-yard gain and forced the Browns to punt.
It was a good way to forget his role in the previous game. Trent allowed two late completions in Oakland, including the tying touchdown pass in the final minute.
"We didn't play well last week. We didn't come out and execute the way we can," he said. "It was important to keep doing what we've been doing, keep working hard and have a good week of practice."
READY FOR MORE -- Receiver Chad Ochocinco said last week that he hoped the Bengals would run often against the Browns, for the short-term and long-term benefit of the offense. The Detroit Lions come to town next, and Ochocinco asked for a bigger role.
"Things are going to have to change. The roles are going to be reversed," he said. "I'm speaking on behalf of myself and my receiving corps. We'd like to throw the ball 50 times. So, whoever gets to see this, I just want to relay that message."
The Bengals ran 45 times for 210 yards against the Browns. Quarterback Carson Palmer attempted only 24 passes, five of them to Ochocinco, who caught three for 38 yards.
BIG KICK -- Shayne Graham matched his career-best with a 53-yard field goal to end the first half.
The Bengals had the ball at midfield with time for only one more play. Shaun Rogers yanked down Palmer for a sack, but he was assessed a personal foul for a horse-collar tackle, giving the Bengals 15 yards and one more, untimed play. After Palmer was escorted off the field, Graham crushed a kick that might have been good from 60 yards out.
"It's like a golfer or any sport where you replicate your movement. You just feel it," Graham said. "There are days basketball players are just feeling their shots. I felt a nice, smooth stroke today. I was hitting the ball really clean, really well. I just felt confident, and confidence is something you have to have when you're a kicker."
Graham said he has hit deeper kicks in warm-ups and was confident he would hit from 53.
BAD KICKS, GOOD RESULTS -- Punter Kevin Huber wasn't happy with his performance, even though he averaged 42.7 yards on six kicks, four were inside the 20 and none were returned by the most dangerous man on the field, Browns returner Joshua Cribbs.
"I got some really good bounces, good rolls," Huber said. "I wasn't happy with how I hit the ball at all, except for one or two. For the most part I had some pretty poor hits with some good rolls. I think on paper it will look a lot better than it really did in the game. I was happy he didn't get a chance to return any of them, but I've got to get back to practice and improve a lot."
Lewis said he's confident in Huber and cited his performance last week against Oakland's Pro Bowl punter, Shane Lechler. Huber averaged 49.8 yards per kick on four punts (Lechler averaged 50.5 on four punts).
"(Huber) is a special player, and as long as we get the ball down the field, it's not a bad thing," Lewis said. "We'll work with him this week and get him back booming. He showed what kind of potential he had last week to go toe-to-toe with the best punter in the league."
NO MESSAGE, JUST 'STUPID' -- Palmer asked if he was sending his team a message when he dove head-first at the end of a 12-yard run on third down, even though he was 5 yards short of the first down.
"That was just stupid on my part," said Palmer, who ran four times for 15 yards in the game. "I am in a bad habit of doing that lately. I need to get out there Wednesday and work on my baseball slide."
Categories: Cincinnati Bengals, Featured Stories, News
Tags: Andre Smith, Bernard Scott, Bobbie Williams, Chad Ochocinco, Joshua Cribbs, Kevin Huber, Larry Johnson, Morgan Trent, Shayne Graham
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