If you sat back on your sofa with a beer in your right hand, the woman of the house on the left (or vice versa), cracking your knuckles, preparing for another hard-slobber-knocking Bengals football game, did you wonder how the game would eventually be decided? Perhaps a last second field goal in a test of defenses? Perhaps a blown coverage in the secondary allowing a long 60-yard pass. Perhaps a fumble caused by a sack, while the football rolls end over end towards the eventual victor's endzone. Anything can happen. It's the NFL.
Anything can happen in the NFL. Even in the preseason.
Anything.
It wasn't known that Shayne Graham would sit out Thursday night's game until the Bengals started driving on their fourth possession and Graham hadn't taken any practice kicks. In fact, it was about now that someone observed Chad Ochocinco kicking a football into the net, with Graham watching. Then it was reported that Graham had a problem with his groin and wouldn't be kicking at all. It's why the Bengals went for it on fourth down at the New England 27-yard line with eight seconds expired in the second quarter.
With two minutes left in the half, J.T. O'Sullivan caught the shotgun snap, lobbed a pass down the left hashmark, leading Chris Henry, who clearly outpaced the defensive back into the endzone for a 6-3 lead. Chad Ochocinco trotted onto the field, kicked the point after touchdown and the Bengals took a 7-3 lead. In truth, the kick was as perfect as they come. Plenty of height. Right down the middle. Ochocinco kicked the ball 61 yards to the New England nine-yard line to start the second half.
New England would only score six points on the night. The Bengals offense scored six points on the night. So it would be fair to say that Chad Ochocinco kicking the PAT decided the game in favor of the Bengals.
Now, back on your sofa, while projecting ways the Bengals would win. Did you think it would happen coming off Chad Ochocinco's leg?
Anything can happen in the NFL. Even in the preseason.