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Eagles' Cole: 'I don't believe in ties.'
Xenia High School, UC product has monster day
- COMMENT: How should the NFL handle overtime?
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Monday, November 17, 2008
CINCINNATI — Trent Cole lived up to his billing as "The Hunter" on Sunday, Nov. 16.
The Philadelphia Eagles right defensive end from Xenia High School and the University of Cincinnati had two of his team's eight sacks of Bengals quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick as the clubs fought to a 13-13 tie at Paul Brown Stadium.
"We were treating this like a playoff game," Cole said. "We fought hard. It came out a tie.
"I don't believe in ties. I'm used to playing football until the end, until someone scores. That should decide the game. Taking a tie is a bad feeling. It's a tie, but in my opinion, it's a loss."
Facing constant double-teams, Cole recorded 10 tackles (5 solos), two sacks for minus-12 yards and two quarterback hits that nearly resulted in sacks. He called his homecoming "special" except for the outcome.
"I saw people I know in the stands hooting and hollering for me," he said. "It was a great feeling to be back in Cincinnati."
Hospital stay
Bengals wide receiver Antonio Chatman suffered a neck injury in the second quarter when he absorbed a tackle from strong safety Quintin Mikell. Chatman fumbled on the play after an 11-yard gain.
Chatman was taken off the field on a stretcher. The Bengals reported Chatman had movement in all his extremities and preliminary X-rays were "normal." He was held overnight for observation at University Hospital.
Wide right
Shayne Graham's 47-yard field goal attempt with seven seconds remaining in overtime looked good leaving his foot.
But the ball drifted too far right.
"I thought I hit it good," he said. "It started off inside the uprights, but I guess I didn't play the wind enough. I didn't make the kick, and that's what I'm supposed to do.
"I can't let this get me down. There's no way I'll let this shake my confidence. If you lose that, then you're finished."
Monster game
T.J. Houshmandzadeh's 12 catches (149 yards) matched his career high — one off the club record (13) held by Carl Pickens.
"They (the defense) don't give me anything," Houshmandzadeh said. "I take everything. A lot of times, the ball wasn't supposed to come to me so I was surprised when it did.
"Fitz just had confidence in me and was throwing me the ball. In a lot of cases, the ball was originally designed to go somewhere else."
Musical chairs
A knee injury to Levi Jones forced left guard Andrew Whitworth to replace Jones at left tackle in the first half.
But Jones was forced back into the game when Whitworth hobbled off the field in the third quarter.
"It's a pretty bad high (right) ankle sprain," Whitworth said. "I had the foot planted, and someone swung around after making a tackle and landed on the back of my legs. It rolled up pretty good."
Quick hitters
• Chad Johnson's four catches (34 yards) pushed his career receptions total to a club-record 600.
• The Eagles' Sav Rocca punted 10 times for a 36.2-yard average.
"That's probably the hardest wind I've ever tried to punt in playing football," he said.
• The Bengals' Kyle Larson's 11 punts tied the single-game club record set by Lee Johnson against San Diego on Nov. 2, 1997.
• Hank Baskett's 57-yard reception tied Dallas' Terrell Owens for the longest of the season by a Bengals' opponent.
Next up
This is a short work week for the Bengals, who visit Pittsburgh on Thursday night. Kickoff is 8:15. The game is telecast on NFL Network. Dayton-area fans without DirecTV will have to go to a sports bar or drive to Cincinnati to watch the game on WLW-T (Channel 5).
Quote machine
"Terrible. Our frustration level is high right now. The defense played well, and we had some opportunities in the fourth quarter and in overtime that we didn't capitalize on. This is a tough game to swallow." — Fitzpatrick on what a tie feels like.
Comments
By islebfrank
November 18, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this
That’s 3.5 hours I’ll never get back! I would have rather seen the Bengals lose than leave this unfinished business.
If baseball never has a tie, and they play 162 games a season, then there is no excuse for the NFL stopping a game before there is a winner!
By Gravdigr
November 17, 2008 9:12 PM | Link to this
Ties are lame for the reasons posted above. Something needs to be done. I’m not sure that a faceoff with kickers is the answer. Eventually someone is going to get tired. Let it go 8 quarters. The team with the most heart will win, it may not necessarily be the best team on the field, but it will be the team that deserves it.
Btw, pittsburgh is coming, I can’t wait. Always a knock down drag out fight no matter what the stats say.
BTW I am a steelers fan, and I still fear bengals games.
By John
November 17, 2008 6:53 PM | Link to this
Overtime is “handled” OK. just as it is. Perhaps all the players should be told how it is “handled”. Ties are just a part of the game. Each team should play in such a way so as to avoid a tie.
By Ted
November 17, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this
To “Finish It” - on a humorous note, baseball only does it if it’s not an Allstar Game lol. But we definitely need to have a clear winner in any game with professional athletes!
By Cait
November 17, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
Institute the rule the high schools and college have, but start the pros at the 40 yard line. At three OTs, they have to go for 2 if they school at TD. A hockey format could be interesting. Play a sudden death OT, as they do now, and if it’s tied at the end, then go to a shootout - each kicker starting from the 20 or 25 and moving back 5 yards until one misses.
By Michael
November 17, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
I hate the idea of ties, but I somehow thought it was poetic in this type of a season for the Bengals.
By sam
November 17, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this
Philly was lucky to have escaped with a tie..Cincy’s defense was tight…except for getting some dammm sacks…another year of spoiling some teams playoff chances,..Bring on Pittsburgh…
By Bryan
November 17, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this
No tie! These are professional athletes. The money they are being paid, and the money it costs people to go see the games, there should be a clear winner at the end of the game. If that game ends up taking all night, then I guess the players get to sleep in the next day, but it needs to be finished.
By Finish It
November 17, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this
Play til there is a winner!! Baseball does it.