USA TODAY International Edition
Bengals buckle down
Cincinnati knocks off Jets in opener with key defensive stands
EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J. In the immediacy of the postgame locker room, Vinny Rey and Carlos Dunlap didn’t know the final score of Cincinnati Bengals’ victory against the New York Jets on Sunday.
The Bengals veterans did know, however, that small plays can make all the difference when the margin between victory and defeat in the NFL is razor thin.
One point in the case was the Bengals’ last- minute, 23- 22 victory at MetLife Stadium.
“That’s what people don’t get, how close it is,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said.
“We won by one? I didn’t know,” Rey said. “One of the things we talk about, ( Bengals teammate) Mike Johnson always says, ‘ Just keep playing.’
“They make a big play, just keep playing. If you mess up on a tackle, keep playing. We just keep playing and we don’t know which snap is the snap that’s going to win the game for us. So we jut keep playing. Then afterward, we look back and say, ‘ Hey, those plays were important for us to make.’ ”
Sunday, the Bengals made just enough.
In the first quarter after intercepting Andy Dalton at his 35yard line, the Jets ripped off a 24yard pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Matt Forte. Then on six consecutive plays, the Jets advanced 7 yards, and the drive ended because of Margus Hunt’s hand as he blocked a 22- yard field goal attempt by Nick Folk.
The Cincinnati offense responded with a field goal of its own after that to make it 7- 3.
Then on a drive that began at the New York 25 with 3 minutes, 9 seconds left in the third quarter and the Bengals up 20- 16, the Jets marched to the Bengals 12. Forte raced up the middle for 9 yards, with George Iloka bringing him down at the 3- yard line. Rey then stopped Fitzpatrick at the goal line — setting up Geno Atkins’ tackle for loss on second down, as he dropped Forte back a yard.
“When it’s a big- time snap, the big- time players make the plays,” Rey said. “We don’t know when it’s going to happen. We know Fitzpatrick almost ran it in, we just stopped him, and next thing you know Geno Atkins gets in the backfield and makes a tackle for loss. Now it’s third- and- 2, which we’re excited about. That’s what we need from our big- time players.”
On that third down, Fitzpatrick and wide receiver Eric Decker crossed their wires, and Fitzpatrick’s pass bounded harmlessly out of bounds. That led to another Folk field goal.
“That’s what you want to stand for on defense,” Dunlap said. “If they happen to get down there, in the red zone or on the goal line, you have to hold them to three.
“One of the things we stood for on defense last year is points. If you can stop them on the goal line, you’re keeping points off the board.”
Faced with another short field after Mike Nugent missed a 52- yard field goal, the Bengals stiffened again inside their own end. After having first- and- 10 from the 15, the Jets managed 9 yards and another field goal. Yes, Folk’s 23yarder gave the Jets the lead with 3: 23 left in the game, but it allowed the offense the chance to retake the lead.
“Those are huge,” Dunlap said. “We won by one? We won by two? Whatever we won by, that goal- line stand, if they would have gotten six or seven — that is a win for them.”
“Not coming away with touchdowns, that can’t be us,” Fitzpatrick said. “We’re not going to win a lot of games if we’re settling for three all year.”
Statistically, the Bengals weren’t thrilled with the numbers. They definitely were not thrilled about the 16 first- half points by the Jets. Not the 152 rushing yards on 30 carries ( a 5.2yards- per- carry average).
But when it came down to it, the Bengals left New Jersey knowing they were 1- 0.
“We buckled down, man,” outside linebacker Karlos Dansby said. “And when we needed to make a play, we made a play.”