CINCINNATI (AP)The Bengals¡¯ overwhelmed offensive line took
another hit on Wednesday when right tackle Jake Fisher went on an injury
list
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the spot, but it¡¯s unclear how much he can play right away. He¡¯s been out of the
NFL since the Bengals released him in the final preseason roster cut. Cincinnati
(3-5) heads to Tennessee (5-3) with its season essentially scuttled by the
problem everyone else saw coming: An inexperienced line lost its two top
blockers in free agency and did little to replace them. The Bengals have the
lowest-ranked offense in the league because the line can¡¯t open holes for
running backs or protect Andy Dalton. Now what? ¡±I don¡¯t have a magic potion to
give them that all of a sudden it¡¯s going to turn it into something,¡± Winston
said Wednesday. The Bengals took a huge gamble that Cedric Ogbuehi and Fisher ¨C
their top two picks in the 2015 draft ¨C were ready to man both sides of the
line. They knew if it didn¡¯t work out, their season could be doomed. Ogbuehi
struggled at right tackle last season and was moved to the left side, replacing
Andrew Whitworth. Fisher was elevated to right tackle. Like Whitworth, right
guard Kevin Zeitler left in free agency, leaving two huge holes. The Bengals
signed Andre Smith ¨C who was recovering from major arm surgery ¨C to take
Zeitler¡¯s spot. None of it has worked. Dalton has been sacked 24 times ¨C he¡¯s on
pace for a career high ¨C and the Bengals have managed the fewest yards of any
NFL offense. They¡¯re tied with the Giants for third-fewest points scored. Their
running game is last in the league. They had one of the worst offensive showings
in franchise history Sunday during a 23-7 loss at Jacksonville. They generated
only 29 yards rushing, eight first downs and 148 total yards. In the second
half, they had only seven plays that gained yards. The Bengals had one of their
most physical weeks of practice leading up to the game ¨C by coach Marvin Lewis¡¯
design ¨C and made running the ball their priority. ¡±We were all very confident
coming into the game that we were going to run the ball, and it didn¡¯t happen,¡±
Ogbuehi said. ¡±We thought it would carry over to the game and it didn¡¯t.¡±
There¡¯s no upgrade in sight for the line. ¡±We have the players we have,¡± Smith
said. ¡±They¡¯re here for a reason. It¡¯s up to us to do what we¡¯re supposed to
do.¡± Fisher became ill during the game at Jacksonville and was taken to a
hospital for tests. He visited a doctor Tuesday who recommended a procedure that
would sideline him for the rest of the season. Fisher asked the team to keep the
nature of the problem private. The Bengals had been using Ogbuehi, Fisher and
Smith in a rotation at tackle. Winston knows the offense, but it¡¯s unclear how
much he can play right away after being out of the league the past two months.
Winston was released at the end of training camp and didn¡¯t sign with another
team. He played for the Bengals from 2014-16. ¡±Being around for a while, knowing
what to
expect
http://www.patriotslockerroom.com/authentic-sony-michel-jers ey ,
I think I can get over that hump rather quickly,¡± Winston said. KICKER QUESTION
Kicker Randy Bullock didn¡¯t practice Wednesday because of a bad back. Former
Dolphins kicker Marshall Koehn was signed on Saturday as a temporary fill-in and
made his extra point attempt. He fully practiced, leaving him in position to
play at Tennessee. HILL OUT Running back Jeremy Hill sat out the game at
Jacksonville after spraining an ankle in practice on Saturday. He didn¡¯t
practice Wednesday. Safety Shawn Williams (hamstring), defensive tackle Pat Sims
(calf) and linebacker Kevin Minter (elbow) also were held out. Linebacker
Vontaze Burfict (thigh), defensive lineman Michael Johnson (back), and receiver
Brandon LaFell (hamstring) were among those limited. ¡ª Sam Hubbard had missed on
his attempt to get Ryan Tannehill.Next thing he knew, the ball was flying right
toward him and there was nobody between him and the end zone.The rookie had an
improbably easy time completing Cincinnati¡¯s big comeback.Michael Johnson
returned an interception for the tying score, and Hubbard went 19 yards with a
fumble for the clinching touchdown Sunday, rallying the Bengals from a 17-point
deficit to a 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins.Not even those involved could
explain it.¡°I really don¡¯t know what happened,¡± Hubbard said. ¡°I just saw the
ball and it stuck. Thank God I was able to hold onto it and waddle into the end
zone.¡±With Joe Mixon back from knee surgery and the defense making more
game-turning plays in the fourth quarter, Cincinnati (4-1) extended its best
start since its 2015 playoff season. This one came a week after A.J. Green
caught a winning touchdown pass in Atlanta with 7 seconds left.¡°These NFL games
are crazy, man,¡± Green said. ¡°It¡¯s an up-and-down roller coaster ride. You ride
it and hope you come out on top.¡±The Dolphins (3-2) had plenty of blame to go
around for their meltdown, helping the Bengals score those 27 consecutive points
with a variety of mistakes ¡ª the biggest ones by their quarterback.Andy Dalton
threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Mixon to start the comeback, completing a
drive that was extended by T.J. McDonald¡®s personal foul on a third-down
incompletion. Mixon returned after missing two games following knee surgery and
ran for 93 yards in addition to catching three passes.From
there
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Thuney Jersey , the Dolphins fell apart.¡°When I got the touchdown, the
momentum shifted,¡± Mixon said. ¡°After that, you started seeing sack after sack,
pick after pick, touchdown after touchdown. It was crazy, man.¡±The Bengals¡¯
young defense sealed wins over Indianapolis and Baltimore with late turnovers.
Two freaky bounces changed this one in the fourth quarter.Under pressure,
Tannehill decided to throw the ball at the feet of tight end Durham Smythe
rather than take a sack. Tannehill was hit as he released the ball, which
caromed off Smythe¡¯s helmet and went directly to Johnson, who ran 22 yards
untouched for the tying score .After Randy Bullock¡®s 20-yard field goal gave the
Bengals their first lead at 20-17, Tannehill was hit again by Carlos Dunlap and
the ball flew to Hubbard, who ran untouched 19 yards to the end zone with 2:37
left to clinch it.¡°I didn¡¯t know what happened,¡± said Tannehill, who was 20 of
35 for 185 yards with three turnovers. ¡°I heard the crowd cheer and everyone run
away from me, so I knew something bad happened.¡±The Dolphins started the season
3-0
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by the Bengals in the past two weeks.Miami made the big plays early, but
couldn¡¯t close it out with a 17-0 lead. Kiko Alonso picked off Dalton¡¯s tipped
pass near the end zone to stop Cincinnati¡¯s opening drive, Vincent Taylor
blocked a Bengals field goal attempt, and Jakeem Grant returned a punt 70 yards
for a touchdown with 23 seconds left in the first half.Tannehill put together a
95-yard drive for the other touchdown, culminating with his 22-yard pass to
running back Kenyan Drake. Tannehill was 20 of 35 for 185 yards.AT THE TOPGreen
had six catches for 112 yards, moving ahead of Chad Johnson for the club record
with his 32nd career 100-yard game.LONG TIMEThe Bengals hadn¡¯t been shut out in
an opening half and rallied to win since 2004, when they trailed Miami 3-0 at
halftime and pulled it out 16-13. It was only the fourth time in franchise
history that they scored 24 points in the fourth quarter and won ¡ª they also did
it in 1972, 1978 and 2004.HISTORIC RETURNGrant¡¯s 70-yard punt return made him
the first Dolphin to score on a reception, a kickoff return and a punt return in
the same season. He had a 102-yard kickoff return against Tennessee in the
season opener. Grant joins Dante Hall (2003) as the only NFL players with a
100-yard kickoff return, a 70-yard punt return and a 50-yard TD catch in the
same season. The last NFL player with a touchdown of all three varieties was the
Chiefs¡® Tyreek Hill in 2016.STREAK ENDSDalton¡¯s pass for Green was tipped and
intercepted by linebacker Kiko Alonso, ending the Bengals¡¯ opening drive and
their streak of scoring on their past 34 trips inside the 20-yard line. It was
the longest active streak in the NFL.BURFICT BACKBengals linebacker Vontaze
Burfict returned from his latest NFL suspension and had seven tackles, second on
the team.INJURIESDolphins: LT Laremy Tunsil left with a concussion during the
Bengals¡¯ fourth-quarter comeback, further depleting the Dolphins¡¯ offensive
line.Bengals: LB Preston Brown walked off the field in the second quarter after
getting his right ankle checked but returned.UP NEXTDolphins host the Bears next
Sunday.Bengals host the Steelers next Sunday.