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Bengals win again
Game ends on whacky play
Yahoo Sports
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—The Cincinnati Bengals used a poor punt to spark a
come-from-behind victory.
Andy Dalton(notes) threw two touchdown passes, Bernard Scott(notes)
scored with 1:56 remaining and the Bengals beat the Jacksonville
Jaguars 30-20 Sunday.
The Bengals (3-2) took advantage of Matt Turk’s(notes) 22-yard punt
into the wind to set up the winning score, a touchdown that was needed
because Mike Nugent(notes) missed an extra point in the first half.
Dalton hooked up with Jermaine Gresham(notes) on a fourth-and-6 play to
keep the short drive alive, then found Andre Caldwell(notes) for an
8-yard gain.
With the Jaguars (1-4) expecting a pass on third down, Dalton handed to
Scott, who weaved his way into the end zone to make it 23-20.
Jacksonville had a chance to tie, but Blaine Gabbert(notes) fumbled a
bad snap and the Bengals ended up with the ball. Cincinnati also scored
on a fumble return on the final play.
The Jaguars have lost four in a row, and eight of nine dating to last
season, putting coach Jack Del Rio’s future further in doubt.
Jacksonville looked as if it might snap its losing streak when Gabbert
found Jason Hill(notes) running alone behind Cincy’s secondary.
Gabbert hit Hill in stride for a 74-yard score with about eight minutes
remaining. Former Jaguars safety Reggie Nelson(notes) was the culprit.
He bit on an underneath route, leaving Hill to run free.
Turk got Nelson off the hook.
The Jaguars forced a punt, but rookie receiver Cecil Shorts(notes)
failed to fieldthe bouncing ball at the 10. It rolled dead at the 2.
Jacksonville did little, putting pressure on Turk to flip the field. He
failed miserably, and since he’s been a problem all season, he probably
will get released in a day or two.
He was booed loudly as he trudged off the field.
The Bengals wasted little time taking advantage.
They added to Jacksonville’s misery with a touchdown on the final play.
Jacksonville had the ball with 7 seconds remaining and nearly the
entire field to go for a touchdown, so the Jaguars started a circus
play. Gabbert hit Hill, who pitched to Jarett Dillard(notes), who threw
backward to Maurice Jones-Drew(notes).
Jones-Drew fumbled trying to get rid of the ball, and Geno
Atkins(notes) picked it up for a 10-yard score after time expired.
Dalton completed 21 of 33 passes for 179 yards, with two touchdowns and
an interception.
Gabbert was 15 of 28 passing for 201 yards and a score.
The Bengals looked as if they would take a lead into the locker room
for halftime, but Nugent’s extra-point attempt clanged off the crossbar.
Dalton hooked up with A.J. Green(notes) on fourth down, then scrambled
right on third-and-goal and found tight end Gresham in the back of the
end zone.
That was Cincinnati’s best drive since its first possession. Dalton
completed three third-down passes, the last one a third-and-17 floater
to Green at the goal line.
Green slipped behind cornerback Drew Coleman(notes) for his third
touchdown of the season.
The Jaguars scored on three of their first four possessions and could
have had a big lead. But Cincinnati’s defense, ranked No. 1 in the NFL
for the first time since 1983, forced short field goals.
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