The lone Bengals touchdown was a 15-yard pass from Coldwater High School graduate Keith Wenning to Alonzo Russell, an undrafted rookie free agent from the University Toledo.
It was the first NFL touchdown for both players, and both of them wanted the ball.
“That was my first, that was his first, we’ll fight about it later I guess,” Wenning said.
“I don’t know how that’ s going to go,” Russell said. “I don’t know if that’s Keith’s first touchdown, but I know it’s mine, so I would like the ball if he doesn’t want it.”
Not only did both players get their first NFL touchdown on a go-ahead score with 1:55 remaining, they did so with family in attendance.
Wenning, who was 12 of 24 for 150 yards with the touchdown and an interception, said about 15 family members made the two-hour drive south to watch the game, knowing it would he would get his most extensive playing time of the season.
Likewise, Russell told his mom not to bother coming to the first three games but she was in the stands Thursday night.
“It was a big moment for me to score my first NFL touchdown in front of my mother,” he said. “I’m glad to be out there finally making plays and doing what I thought I was able to do.”
Wenning was 5 of 7 for 74 yards on the 11-play, 73-yard drive that briefly gave the Bengals a 10-6 lead, but it looked for a moment like he wouldn’t get much of an opportunity.
On his second pass attempt of the game, Wenning got blasted in the ribs by Colts defensive tackle T.Y. McGill and stayed down on the field for a few minutes while trainers rushed out to look at him.
“It just knocked the wind out of me,” Wenning said. “I couldn’t breathe on the ground. I knew I’d be all right. I just had to catch my breath. Knowing this was going to be the game play the most in, I didn’t want to get hurt on the second play.”
AJ McCarron had to come back in while Wenning caught his breath. When Wenning ran back on the field, McCarron, who had figured his participation in the meaningless fourth preseason game was over, had a message for him.
“He just said ‘get your you-know-what back in the game,’” Wenning said. “It was kind of funny.”
But maybe not as funny as Wenning and Alonzo trying to figure out how to cut a game ball in half.
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