Looking back at the Cincinnati Bengals 2012 Season – Week 3
By John Post
The third quarter is a rough one for the Bengals as the Redskins get two touchdowns to tie the game. Washington opens up the second half with a nine play drive that goes 80 yards for a touchdown on a seven yard run by Alfred Morris. The Bengals quickly go three and out before punting the ball back to the Redskins. This time the Redskins go 86 yards on 10 plays capped off with Griffin hitting Santana Moss with the game tying touchdown. The Bengals get two more possessions in the quarter but both those drives end with punts. Washington is on a drive as the third quarter comes to an end with the score being even at 24. Rey Maualuga and Nate Clements are able to stop Griffin one yard short on third down to force the Redskins to punt early in the fourth quarter.
September 23, 2012; Landover, MD, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrew Hawkins (16) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Redskins during the fourth quarter at FedEx Field. The Bengals defeated the Redskins 38-31. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The offense wastes very little time as Andy Dalton marches down the field 80 yards on five plays. He completes four passes for 73 yards including 11 and 31 yard completions to Green. The drive is finished off with a six yard touchdown to Gresham on the right side, putting the Bengals back up 31-24. Cincinnati’s defense is able to force another punt, giving Dalton and the offense the ball again. On the fourth play of the drive Dalton hits Hawkins for a 59 yard touchdown pass, and giving the team a 14 point lead with a little over seven minutes to play.
Griffin leads the ‘Skins 90 yards on 12 plays in a little over three minutes to get back within a touchdown. Washington’s defense is able to force a punt, giving the ball back to the offense with just under two minutes to play. Griffin leads a drive down to the Bengals 19 yard line with 29 seconds left, before big Geno Atkins sacks him and tight end Fred Davis is called for unsportsmanlike conduct forcing the Redskins to go for a Hail Mary on the final play of the game. The ball falls incomplete and the Bengals improve to 2-1 on the season.
Red zone and third down efficiency were better this week than the first two weeks but work still need to be done if the Bengals want to be dominant. The players of the game are wide receiver A.J. Green and defensive end Michael Johnson. Green had nine catches for 183 yards, including the 73 yard touchdown, and Johnson led the defense with three sacks, getting back to back sacks on one drive in the first quarter. The Bengals go on the road again in week four to play the Jaguars.
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