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People jump on Bengals defense after giving up 554 yards, 51 points.
From heroes to zeroes in a 3-hour, 34-minute span. That's what happened to the Bengals in a 51-45 loss on Sunday at Cleveland. Suddenly, they find themselves under siege by fans, media and especially opponents, who are eager to exploit the NFL's 30th-ranked defense. Here's a capsule summary of the Jekyll-Hyde Bengals: Demolished defense: After forcing six turnovers in a 27-20 victory over Baltimore, the Bengals yielded 554 yards on 63 plays — an 8.8-yard average — to the Browns. The 51 points were the second most allowed in Bengals history, topped by Carolina's 52 on Dec. 8, 2002.
Scary offense: Imagine having a 400-yard passer (Carson Palmer), 200-yard wide receiver (Chad Johnson) and 100-yard rusher (Rudi Johnson) in the same game ... and losing? Palmer's two interceptions and Rudi Johnson's second straight game with a lost fumble are signs there's plenty of room for improvement. Not-so-special teams: The team has been lit up for 451 return yards in two games (245 and 206). Kicker Shayne Graham and punter Kyle Larson have struggled with the height, depth and direction of their kicks. Plus, injuries have forced the club to play with patchwork coverage units. Dayton Daily News http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/bengals/2007/09/18/ddn091807bengalsb1.html |
