Defense Steps Up And Mike Nugent Ties The Game Early In The Fourth

Now that the Cincinnati Bengals have retooled their offensive philosophy which requires a score on virtually every possession, Cincinnati's defense is slowly becoming the unit on Sunday that needs a motivational step-up campaign in the hopes to prevent Cleveland's offense from moving down the field at will. Since Cleveland's offense isn't going to agree without a fight, it will require Cincinnati's defense to do it on their own.

So what does Cincinnati's defense do?

They step up.

Following consecutive Peyton Hillis runs for 10 yards that picked up a first down, quarterback Colt McCoy runs a naked bootleg to the right where Geno Atkins cuts McCoy down just as the quarterback throws the football. The football floats towards the right sidelines where safety Reggie Nelson picks records the interception and giving the Bengals the football at their own 46-yard line.

Cincinnati's offense picked up the first down following a six-yard Bernard Scott run and a four-yard screen down the left sidelines to Andre Caldwell. Dalton and Simpson failed to hook up as the football passes through the receivers hands and a one-yard screen pass to Bernard Scott setting up a third and nine from the Browns 43-yard line. Dalton unleashes a fast ball over the middle to Jermaine Gresham, who hauls in the 15-yard reception to the Browns 28-yard line with just under 12 minutes remaining in the game.

Consecutive touches by Bernard Scott (reception and run), sets up a third and four from the Browns 22-yard line where a deep pass down the right sidelines for Andrew Hawkins is slightly overthrown.

Mike Nugent converts the 40-yard field goal to tie the game at 20.