Cincinnati Bengals
Final: Bengals 16, Browns 7
By C. Trent Rosecrans, CNATI.com Posted November 29, 2009 11:08 AM ET
Larry Johnson had 22 carries for 107 yards, but there was little else impressive in any numbers of the Bengals' 16-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns.It does, however, put Cincinnati at 6-0 in the AFC North, finishing divisional play undefeatd.
* Shayne Graham made a 28-yard field goal with 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter to give the Bengals a two-score lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Larry Johnson ran seven times on the drive and now has 15 carries for 84 yards.
Maurice Purify had a shot at a touchdown for his first NFL catch, but had the ball knocked away by Browns receiver Mike Furrey, playing on defense. The Browns are playing short-handed after defensive back Brodney Pool suffered a head injury.
* Brady Quinn ran and caught the ball better than he threw it, leading the Browns to a touchdown drive on Cleveland's first possession of the second half.
Quinn ran the ball in from 9 yards and also caught an 18-yard pass from Joshua Cribbs on a third-and-5 from midfield. Quinn had just one completion on the drive, a 12-yard pass to Mohamed Massaquoi that Massaquoi dove and caught.
* Once again a penalty on the last second of a half has cost the Cleveland Browns points.
It wasn't as dramatic as the Hail Mary pass interference call that resulted in a loss to the Lions last week, but this time Shaun Rogers' horsecollar tackle set up a 53-yard field goal by Shayne Graham as time ran off the clock.
Graham's field goal tied a career-high -- and he had the leg for a much longer kick.
The score was set up by a 37-yard punt by Cleveland's Reggie Hodges and 8-yard return Quan Cosby.
The Bengals scored with 1:10 left in the half and the Bengals forced the punt with a rush for no yards, an incompletion and rush for loss.
The Bengals nearly squandered their golden field position with an incompletion and a sack, but the Rogers tackled a scrambling Palmer by the sidelines by the back of his jersey and shoulder pads, drawing the penalty. Palmer got up slowly, but walked off to the sidelines under his own power and walked into the locker room after Graham's kick with no assitence.
The Browns finished the half with 53 yards of total offense.
* The Bengals converted three third downs through the air, but the rest of their yardage on a 63-yard, 11-play drive was on the ground, including a 21-yard run by Bernard Scott on first-and-20.
The Bengals capped the drive with a 4-yard pass to tight end J.P. Foschi with 1:10 left in the half.
Scott had 44 yards on the drive, while Palmer was 4-for-4 for 31 yards on the drive.
* Larry Johnson now has five carries for 46 yards, but Carson Palmer is struggling, going 4 of 10 for 21 yards so far in the game, stalling the Bengal offense.
* The Bengals and Browns combined for a total of 107 yards in the first quarter -- 24 of the Browns' 35 coming on one play.
* Larry Johnson had runs of 10 and 11 yards on his first two carries of the game, helping lead the Bengals to a field goal drive and a 3-0 lead with 3:06 left in the game.
Shayne Graham hit a 37-yard field goal.
Cornerback Morgan Trent's sack stopped the Browns' first drive near midfield, setting up the Cincinnati drive.
* Well, another day, another day without Cedric Benson. However, first-round pick Andre Smith is active for the first time this season.
Bernard Scott is scheduled to get the nod at running back for the Bengals. Expect Larry Johnson to get more than two carries.
Also, Keith Rivers is inactive and Brandon Johnson will start in his place, and Nate Livings will start for Evan Mathis at LG, but Mathis is active.
And the inactives:
Bengals
Jordan Palmer (3rd QB)
Cedric Benson
Fui Vakapuna
Jonathan Luigs
Keith Rivers
Chase Coffman
Jerome Simpson
Orien Harris
Browns
Brett Ratliff (3rd QB)
DB Coye Francies
DB Gerard Lawson
LB David Veikune
LB Marcus Bernard
OL Billy Yates
WR Brian Robiskie
TE Robert Royal
Categories: Cincinnati Bengals, Featured Stories, News
Tags: Andre Smith, Bengals, Cedric Benson, Chase Coffman, Jerome Simpson, Keith Rivers
Comments (2)
"but there was little else impressive in any numbers of the Bengals' 16-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns."
??? Defense put up some of the best numbers of the year.
Reply
the Browns came into the game 31st in the NFL (among 32) in total offense, 22nd rushing and 31st in passing.
they were also 32nd in turnover differential and the Bengals didn't get one.
The Bengals D did what it needed to do, but it was hardly a spectacular effort. The Browns flat stink.
Reply