Bengals without TD in rst two games
CINCINNATI — No Bengals team has been so bad on o ence to start a season. Not many in the history of the NFL, either. Cincinnati failed to get into the end zone again — make it 25 possessions and counting — during a 13-9 loss to the Houston Texans on Thursday night. Despite an o ence that has all its playmakers healthy, the Bengals are going nowhere.
They became the rst NFL team since the 1939 Eagles to open a season with two home games and fail to get in the end zone, according to information from the Elias Sports Bureau.
The Bengals lost to the Baltimore Ravens 20-0 on Sunday, the rst time in their 50 seasons that they were shut out in a home opener. They managed only three eld goals Thursday.
e Johnny Manziel saga has taken an unusual twist with multiple Canadian Football League teams interested in securing exclusive negotiating rights to the former Heisman Trophy winner.
According to a source, Manziel’s representatives told the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sept. 2 they wanted a contract o er from the CFL club. Manziel has been on the Ticats’ 45-man negotiation list since his college days at Texas A&M.
So in accordance with CFL rules, the Ticats then had 10 days — until last Tuesday to be exact — to make a contract o er, trade Manziel’s CFL rights or simply stand pat, which would’ve resulted in Manziel automatically coming o Hamilton’s list. But the source said the situation has been complicated by the fact multiple teams have expressed interest in acquiring Manziel’s rights.
at prompted a request for an extension until Sunday, which was granted. e CFL wasn’t immediately available for comment but a second source said one reason for the extension was to put in place a process for Manziel and future players who’ve faced allegations of violence against women in the past.
The league has said Manziel would have to undergo an assessment with a domestic violence prevention o cial and meet with commissioner Randy Ambrosie, who’d then decide whether to approve the contract.
In January 2016, Manziel was charged after being accused of hitting and threatening a former girlfriend before reaching an agreement with prosecutors to dismiss the case.
Erik Burkhardt, Manziel’s agent, didn’t immediately return telephone and email messages. Also, the Ticats didn’t make Kent Austin, their vice-president of football operations, available to discuss the Manziel situation.
e Ticats (2-8) chased a third straight win Friday night when they hosted the Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-5) and Hamilton head coach June Jones said ursday that’s where his priority lies.
“I’m not really worried about guys that aren’t here,” he said. “We’re worried about this game, that’s all I’m thinking about and don’t really know what all the ifs might be.”
On Tuesday night, word surfaced that Manziel’s camp had informed the Ticats about wanting a contract o er to thus open the 10-day window. However, there was never an indication when this had actually taken place.
It’s unclear which teams are interested in Manziel but any club acquiring him would have an additional 10 days after the consummation of the deal to make him a contract o er.
If an o er was made and Manziel turned it down, he’d remain on the franchise’s negotiation list for up to a year from the date of rejection.
A team could initially present Manziel a two-year deal — one year plus an option — for the league minimum of $53,000 annually knowing it’d be turned down. But it would be with the understanding two sides would have up to a year to work out a more suitable agreement while ensuring Manziel doesn’t step on to a CFL eld with another franchise.
Hamilton put the ve-foot-11, 210-pound Manziel through a series of medical and physical tests Aug. 23 and 24 in Bu alo. N.Y., before team coaches and front-o ce personnel.