Gresham's bungles can't stop Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham had a couple of old loser Bengals moments in today's game between them and the Detroit Lions. First in the second quarter, he loses his cool with a Lions player then makes contact with an official. The Bengals are pushed back for unsportsmanlike conduct. That was a fifteen yard penalty. Doh. They miss the field goal. Then in fourth quarter, he moves prematurely for five yard penalty. Doh. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is sacked on the next play. The Bengals are pushed out of field goal range. This led to the drama of the last minute and forty seconds.

Three things stopped the Bengals from losing the game. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, quarterback Andy Dalton and the special teams. First, Bengals punter Kevin Huber kicked a beauty of a punt to trap the Lions on their six yard line. Then after the Lions ran the ball, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis called for a timeout. At this point I was screaming at the TV. Play for overtime. But Lewis had faith in his defense that they would somehow stop the Lions and the Bengals would get the ball back. The defense did stop the Lions and they had a terrible punt. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton took care of the ball and drove the offense to set up the winning field goal. For the day, he had three touchdowns and no interceptions. Previously, the special teams' Carlos Dunlap who plays stellar defensive end blocked a Lions field goal. Now was the time for the Bengals field goal unit. Kudos to Bengals kicker Mike "I'm not Ted" Nugent. He drilled a fifty four yard filed goal with four seconds left to win the game. Bengals come out on top, 27-24. Jermaine Gresham should buy a steak dinner for kicker Nugent. Here's the story with video.