Film Review: Benson Seals the Deal

After a scary second and third quarter, all the sudden the Bengals were back on top and they even had the ball back with less than two minutes left in the game. Things were looking good for the Bengals.

On third-and-three, the Bengals were on the Browns' 39-yard line and looking for a first down to keep the clock running. 

They would get their first down and a lot more.

The offense lined up in a power formation with Andrew Whitworth and Nate Livings on the left side, Kyle Cook at center and Clint Boling and Andre Smith on the right. Jermaine Gresham and Dennis Roland were to the right of Smith. Chris Pressley and Cedric Benson were in the backfield in the I-formation and A.J. Green was wide left.

The Browns were lined up with Jayme Mitchell, Phillip Taylor, Ahtyba Rudin and Jabaal Sheard on the defensive line from left to right. Outside linebacker Scott Fujita was lined up just outside of Mitchell on the line while the other two linebackers, D'Qwell Jackson and Chris Gocong were lined up behind Rubin and Sheard. Cornerback Sheldon Brown was playing about five yards off the line of scrimmage across from Roland while Joe Haden was across from Green. The safeties, T.J. Ward and Mike Adams were just three yards behind the linebackers. It was obvious that the Browns were bracing for the run.

When the ball was snapped, the entire right side of the offensive line completely collapsed the defensive line. Gocong came rushing through the left side of the line, taking himself out of the play and Andre Smith got out to the second level, blocking Jackson, keeping him from getting to the hole that was created on the right side. As the ball was handed to Benson, Pressley hit Fujita, which opened up a hole that Benson could have driven a truck through.  He was beyond any defensive player without being touched.

Benson ran for 39 yards into the end zone, giving the Bengals a 27-17 lead. This touchdown sealed the victory for the Bengals.

When the Browns got the ball back, there was 1:49 left. They drove 12 yards down the field before McCoy lost the ball as he brought it up to pass on a first-and-10 play. The fell right into Michael Johnson's hands and was ruled an interception. Gradkowski came out on the field and knelt the ball twice to give the Bengals a 27-17 victory over the Browns in their first game of the 2011 season.