Bengals Recover Fumble But Offense Goes Into Self-Destruct Mode

Charlie Whitehurst's afternoon appears to have finished, even though he completed four of six passes for 52 yards passing. That being said of the three possessions he quarterbacked, the Seahawks went three-and-out twice and converted a field goal to keep their score differential to within a touchdown. Tarvaris Jackson comes into the game and the crowd is pleased. Jackson attempts to handoff the football to Marshawn Lynch and the football is fumbled, recovered by Cincinnati's Gibril Wilson on Seattle's 31-yard line.

It wouldn't matter.

Cincinnati's offense is clearly in their struggling phase of the game, having already posted consecutive three-and-out possessions. Andre Smith and Bobbie Williams were called for offensive holdings, pushing the Bengals offense into a first-and-30 situation all the way back to their own 49-yard line. Dalton did pick up nine yards on first down, finding A.J. Green near the right sidelines before both teams called time outs. On second down, with four receivers in formation, Dalton drops back and connects with Bernard Scott on a screen that was fished out and dropped for a one-yard gain.

The possession mercifully comes to an end after Dalton caught the shotgun snap he wasn't ready for. After scrambling out to the right, Dalton tried to connect with A.J. Green who dropped the football well short of the first down marker. Cincinnati started their possession at Seattle's 31-yard line and when it was all said and done, they punted from the 41.