CINCINNATI - The stadium was only two-thirds full again.
John Miller Bills Jersey . The Cardinals were
on another one of their incredible comebacks, threatening to derail the
Cincinnati Bengals surprising playoff surge. A pair of tangled up feet made the
difference. The Bengals moved one win away from the playoffs Saturday, holding
on for a 23-16 victory over Arizona that secured only their third winning record
in the past 21 years. Cincinnati (9-6) can clinch the final AFC wild card berth
by beating Baltimore at Paul Brown Stadium next Sunday. The Bengals moved a game
ahead of the Jets, who fell to 8-7 with a 29-14 loss to the Giants on Saturday.
"Its been a big year for me and for this team," rookie quarterback Andy Dalton
said. "Its something we believed we had a chance to do. We werent getting much
credit from outside. Well find out next week." Dalton threw two more touchdown
passes, becoming only the fourth rookie to have 20 in a season, and Cincinnati
got a break when the NFLs top comeback team tripped itself up in the closing
minutes. Wide-open receiver Early Doucet tripped at the goal line and went down,
letting a fourth-down pass fall incomplete with 1:12 left. The Cardinals (7-8)
got the ball one more time, but the clock ran out after a completion. A few
minutes later, the Jets loss put the Bengals in position to reach the playoffs.
New York would have won the tiebreaker if both teams won out. "We started this
quite a while ago — seems like just yesterday," coach Marvin Lewis said. "But
now were right where we want to be at the end." Their rookie quarterback put
them in position. Dalton threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Gresham and
a 19-yarder to Jerome Simpson, who did a somersault over a defender and landed
on both feet in the end zone. Dalton joined Peyton Manning (26), Charlie Conerly
(22) and Dan Marino (20) as the only NFL rookies to throw 20 touchdown passes.
Down 23-0 heading into the fourth quarter, the NFLs best comeback team nearly
pulled off its most improbable one yet. Arizona took advantage of Cedric Bensons
two fumbles, getting a pair of touchdown passes by John Skelton and Jay Feelys
field goal with 3:16 left. The Cardinals then had their chance to pull even. The
Bengals ran an all-out blitz on fourth down from the Cincinnati 17-yard line,
and Doucet wound up uncovered at the goal line. Skelton lofted the ball into the
end zone, but Doucet tripped and fell. "It was a blitz and nobody was there,"
Doucet said. "It was one of those deals where I hadnt hooked it up and my feet
got tangled. Its a play I shouldve made. It was my fault. Thats a play I
normally make." The Cardinals had their four-game winning streak snapped and
were eliminated from playoff contention. Cincinnatis defence dominated the first
three quarters. Arizona didnt cross midfield until Skelton completed a pass with
13:25 to go, but piled up 208 yards in the final quarter. Skelton started for
the second consecutive week in place of Kevin Kolb, who hasnt fully recovered
from a concussion. Skelton was 23 of 44 for 297 yards with three interceptions
and five sacks that helped the Bengals get the 23-0 lead. It could have been
worse. Mike Nugent, the NFLs most accurate kicker, missed field goals of 35 and
48 yards in the first half. Arizona has rallied from fourth-quarter deficits six
times this season, one shy of the NFL record. The Cardinals have won three games
in overtime, tying the league record. They couldnt do it one more time. "Yeah,
were a second-half team," Skelton said. "Thats how it has been all year. But in
the end, it was too little, too late." Dalton was 18 of 31 for 154 yards and two
touchdowns on a sunny, 39-degree afternoon in front of only 41,273 fans. The
Bengals have sold out only one of their seven home games, when the Steelers
brought thousands of fans. Daltons second touchdown pass had a highlight finish.
Simpson got open for a catch-and-run to the goal line. With Daryl Washington
between him and the end zone, Simpson jumped and twirled past the linebacker,
landing on both feet in the end zone and raising both arms like a triumphant
gymnast. "One of the key parts for me was I stuck the landing," Simpson said. "I
stuck the landing like a gymnast. That was probably one of the most surprising
of all the plays in my career. It was pretty awesome, I thought." For most of
the game, the Cardinals couldnt do anything right. Rookie cornerback
Patrick Peterson picked off a Dalton pass in the third quarter, but the
interception was nullified by Arizonas second roughing-the-passer penalty of the
game. Worse, Peterson hurt his left hamstring on the play, pulling up on the
return. The first-round pick left the game and didnt return. He wore a
protective boot after the game. "Hes got a strain, its not a tear," coach Ken
Whisenhunt said. "Were fortunate that it doesnt appear to anything long term."
Notes: Beanie Wells became the first Cardinal to run for 1,000 yards and 10
touchdowns in a season. ... After the game, the Bengals made a buy-one,
get-one-free offer to season ticket holders, trying to fill the stadium for the
final game. ... A.J. Green, playing with a strained right shoulder, had two
catches for 25 yards. He passed Cris Collinsworths club record for a rookie with
1,013 yards on the season.
Kevin Kolb Jersey . Nikolaj Ehlers had the
other two goals for the Mooseheads (9-6-0), who led 3-1 after the first period.
Anthony Richard and Guillaume Gelinas replied for the Foreurs (7-6-0).
Tyrod Taylor Jersey .J. Burnett made a couple
of mistakes with his pitches and gave up the lead in the seventh inning.BUFFALO,
N.Y. -- Add Buffalo Sabres defenceman Christian Ehrhoff to the list of players
the team is considering dealing before the NHLs trade deadline. Ehrhoff revealed
Friday that he recently complied with the Sabres request to submit a list of
eight teams that would make up the no-trade clause of his contract. He declined
to reveal the teams on the list. Though the submission of the list doesnt
guarantee EEhrhoff will be dealt before March 5, it suggests he has been the
topic of trade conversations.
Karlos Williams Jersey. On Tuesday, general
manager Tim Murray confirmed hes shopping several players, including goalie
Ryan Miller, to rebuild the last-place Sabres (17-34-8). Ehrhoff is a 10-year
NHL veteran and in his third season with Buffalo after signing a 10-year, $40
million contract on June 30, 2011.
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