Bengals turn into Wildcats and scratch out a win

Geoff Hobson
Editor
Bengals.com

LANDOVER, Md. – On a day the Bengals became Wildcats, A.J. Green watched his quarterback bounce off the ropes when his first pass of the day never left his end zone for a touchdown. Then he watched him steady the offense when the game went careening in the third quarter during one of the more entertaining Bengals games you'll remember. Then he pronounced Sunday that Andy Dalton has "ice in his veins" after the Bengals cooled off RG III.

"That's the thing about Andy; he doesn't let anything get to him," Green said after the 38-31 video arcade victory over the Redskins at FedExField. "We don’t say anything to him because we know he's going from there and (making) the next play."

Throw in a smart, surprising game plan generated by offensive coordinator Jay Gruden not seen in these parts since Sam Wyche doodled on a napkin (head coach Marvin Lewis said it was probably the most creative of his 10 seasons) and Sunday had an old-time Bengals feel rollicking with offense and innovation as they sling-shot into first place in the AFC North with the Ravens at 2-1.

"We're starting to reach our potential," left tackle Andrew Whitworth said after watching one rookie throw a touchdown pass on his first NFL throw and three first- and second-year receivers catch touchdowns on the longest catches of their careers.

"We've got a lot of young guys on the line and at the skill positions. It's great they're able to get more confidence the better they play."

The first three Bengals touchdowns came off snaps to three different players and the last two came off the blistering right hand of Dalton as he jacked his fourth-quarter passer rating this season to a perfect 158.3.

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Bengals OC Jay Gruden isn't 'nuts,' enjoys game with subterfuge

By Paul Dehner Jr. | CBSSports.com

Bengals rookie WR Mohamed Sanu launched a 49-yard strike to A.J. Green for a 73-yard touchdown on the first play of Cincinnati's 38-31 win at Washington on Sunday. (AP Images)

The concept arose from a charity flag football game. You know, as most great NFL plays do.

It was there Bengals wide receiver Mohamed Sanu played a little quarterback for the benefit of a good cause. After all, Sanu ran the Wildcat from time to time at Rutgers, why not place him back there. Soon, teammates discovered his secret skill.

“He could sling it,” WR Andrew Hawkins said.

The knowledge fired the brain cells of Bengals second-year offensive coordinator Jay Gruden while planning for the Redskins last week. Washington showed a tendency to bring their safety down to the line against the Wildcat look, exposing the deep middle of the field. If that were to happen against the Bengals with A.J. Green streaking down the middle, then maybe Sanu could sling it.

They attempted the play three times in practice and Sanu was able to complete all three, though none looked as pretty as the spiral he hurled 49 yards to hit Green in stride Sunday to set the tone of an eventual 38-31 victory.

“I told [Sanu] on Wednesday it was going to be the first play of the game and I think everybody was kind of like, yeah, right,” Gruden said. “What are you nuts?”

They showed understandable trepidation. This wasn't the only time Gruden attempted trickery since accepting his first NFL coordinator gig last year. He also attempted a throwback pass from RB Bernard Scott to Andy Dalton last season against Baltimore.

“Failed miserably,” Gruden said.

Indeed, Scott's throw looked as ugly as Sanu's did beautiful. That's the chance Gruden's willing to take.

“You have to take into account the risk involved and if the risk isn't too great then some of them are worth doing,” Gruden said. “You have to (think outside the box). I don't know if anybody is good enough to line up in a conventional set every down and run between the tackles or do things that's easy for the defense to recognize and read and get their keys. Sometimes you have to be a little different. Sometimes it brings chaos to them and they get confused. Unfortunately, sometimes it does to us to. But, it's good to have some of those nuances.”

It was imperative Sunday. Not only the deep pass by Sanu, but Gruden ran a jet sweep to Hawkins sprinting in motion on a third-and-short attempt and utilized another reverse to A.J. Green in the red zone. With the Redskins devoted to stopping the run up the middle, Gruden needed to find unique ways to rush for yards on the edges.

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