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Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > December > 14 > Entry
Bengals kicker Shayne Graham vindicated
HIS CLUTCH 45-YARD FG
SLAMS DOOR ON ‘SKINS
Shayne Graham felt good. He also felt vindicated.
After missing a 47-yard field goal attempt wide right with 0:07 remaining in overtime against the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 16, Graham came through in the clutch on Sunday.
Graham
He split the uprights for a 45-yard field goal with 2:20 remaining, sealing the Bengals’ 20-13 victory over the Washington Redskins.
“Part of building confidence is getting chances to make those kicks,” said Graham, whose field goal gave the Bengals a 20-10 lead. “Since things went the way they did earlier against Philadelphia, I was really looking for a chance to have a pressure kick, and I felt like this was one of those because it forces the other team to score twice.
“A lot of people were saying, well, I couldn’t make it when it matters. But I take pride in what I do. and it just goes to show I’ve made ‘em before and I can make ‘em now.”
SNEAKY FAST
Graham’s field goal culminated a 16-play, 41-yard drive that consumed 7:13.
Fitzpatrick
Midway through the drive, the Bengals gambled and won when Fitzpatrick converted a fourth-and-one with a 2-yard quarterback sneak to the Redskins’ 44 with 6:07 to go.
“That’s usually a call from the bench,” Fitzpatrick said. “It was a situation where I was going to let (coach) Marvin (Lewis) handle it, and he gave us the green light.”
With a 17-10 lead, Lewis didn’t want to punt the ball and give the Redskins an opportunity to tie.
“Sometimes in the game, where we have an opportunity, and if we feel like we’ve got the right look, we’ll run the play,” Lewis said.
IT WASN’T OVER
Rock Cartwright returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards to the Bengals’ 13, but the Redskins had to settle for Shaun Suisham’s 36-yard field goal with 1:43 remaining.
Suisham’s onside kick sailed out of bounds, and the Bengals ran out the clock with three straight kneel-downs by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
“Holding them to a field goal was really huge, another momentum swing,” linebacker Corey Mays said. “To give up a TD would’ve really been bad.”
OCHO OUCHO
Wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco got flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty with 7:32 remaining when he caught an 11-yard pass to the Redskins’ 40, ran out of bounds and placed the ball in the lap of Redskins’ tailback Clinton Portis, who was seated on the bench.
Ocho Cinco
“We’ve got to be smarter than that,” Lewis said. “He knows better than that. It put us at risk. We were able to overcome it and get the field goal, though. But we had to go back on the other side of the 50.”
JUST HAVING FUN
Portis had quarreled with head coach Jim Zorn last week.
“He’s a very good friend of mine,” Ocho Cinco said. “I was just trying to help him out. There were a lot of complaints about him last week. I just thought I’d hand off to him.”
‘SLIM’ COMES UP BIG
Chris “Slim” Henry caught four passes for 54 yards, including a 12-yard TD on a fade pattern in the first quarter.
Henry
“I’ve been begging them to throw it all year,” he said. “We finally threw it and it worked. It felt great because it’s been rough season. I haven’t been able to make those type of plays. But it all come together.”
Henry also turned into a defender by breaking up two errant passes.
“I just tried to get my hand in there so they wouldn’t make the interception,” he said.
ENOUGH CED
Right guard Bobbie Williams was pleased with the Bengals’ 106 rushing yards — 73 by Cedric Benson.
“Our mindset was, ‘We’re gonna go out, have fun and push some guys around,” Williams said. “With a back like ‘Ced,’ he’ll make the moves. He’ll make one guy miss. He’ll break an arm tackle. He’s awesome.”
GOOD LUCK CHARM
Five days after signing a contract, safety Mike Doss played on the special teams’ coverage units.
Doss
“It felt good to get a chance to contribute,” he said. “I’m 1-0 in Ohio and looking forward to going to Cleveland next week with some momentum and trying to carry it over. Hopefully, I’m a good luck charm. It’s a fresh start for us and a new beginning for me. I’m looking forward to the future.”
QUOTE MACHINE
“Ryan (Fitzpatrick) did a good job of managing the game and completing some big throws. (Many) times he had to run with it out of his pocket, and he ran forward and made positive yardage. That’s big.” — Head coach Marvin Lewis on Fitzpatrick, who passed for 209 yards and a TD, and rushed 11 times for 29 yards and a TD.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Bengals
Comments
By photoman
December 15, 2008 3:18 AM | Link to this
Chick wrote “…wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco got flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty with 7:32 remaining when he caught an 11-yard pass to the Redskins’ 40, ran out of bounds and placed the ball in the lap of Redskins’ tailback Clinton Portis, who was seated on the bench”. This is one more reason COC has to go. No self-discipline, and does not seem to put the team spirit ahead of his own desire to be famous.By buckeyeboy3
December 15, 2008 9:25 AM | Link to this
He’s just out having fun, hell with a record like the Bungals have its surprising anyone is celebrating!! Let em play and do it their way.By Derrick
December 15, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this
Sorry Buckeye Boy3. I need to be able to trust that he won’t do something like that in a game that really counts. Portis, probably a good guy like Chad, but he hurt his team with an ego driven penalty. Personally I have always enjoyed the celebrations after touchdowns, but the rules say no props.