Keys To The Bengals 30-20 Win Over The Jaguars: Cincinnati's Defensive Stand Part II

Cincinnati's offense at this point early in the second quarter was struggling... badly. An interception after an unwise decision setup Jacksonville at the Bengals two-yard line with 13:34 remaining in the first half. Thanks to a clutch Andy Dalton tackle to save the pick-six, the defense stood proud and didn't allow the Jaguars a single yard from the original line of scrimmage, forcing Josh Scobee to convert a 19-yard field goal. On the Bengals ensuing possession, Bernard Scott lost five yards on a screen pass and Dalton was sacked for a 10-yard loss on a play Andrew Whitworth believed should have been flagged against the defense for being offsides.

The Bengals punt and several plays into Jacksonville's ensuing possession, Maurice Jones-Drew gained 25 yards on first and ten with 8:53 remaining in the second quarter on a play the Bengals coaching staff failed to challenge; Jones-Drew's knee touched the ground on a Reggie Nelson hit after a five-yard gain, picking up 20 free yards to the Bengals five-yard line.

This setup another situation where the defense had toughen up, with the Jaguars setting up with a first-and-goal from Cincinnati's five-yard line.

With 8:22 remaining in the third quarter, soon after Jones-Drew's 25-yard gain, Jacksonville rushed to the line to quick snap it before the Bengals coaching staff could challenge it. Gabbert took the snap, pump faked and rolled out left on a designed quarterback draw. Just as linebacker Rey Maualuga was tracking Gabbert down, the quarterback dove for the end zone by pushing the football onto the front left pylon, losing the football in the process. Officials called the play dead at the three-yard line for a two-yard gain.

However this is another play that the Bengals coaching staff might have challenged. Gabbert's body (including his feet) didn't appear to go out of bounds as he lost control of the football, just before the ball actually hit the pylon. If Gabbert is still holding onto the football and the ball touches the pylon before his body goes out of bounds, it's a Jacksonville touchdown. It didn't appear he touched the white paint as he lost the grip on the football, which stayed in-bounds and recovered by Frostee Rucker. However CBS didn't replay the actual play so it's hard to tell for certain.

On second down Gabbert fakes the handoff to Jones-Drew and throws just outside of Marcedes Lewis' reach in the end zone, breaking towards the left sidelines with Manny Lawson covering. A good throw and the touchdown is scored. On third down, running back Deji Karim snuck out of the backfield into the flats on the left. Karim caught the pass two yards short of the end zone with Reggie Nelson shadowing Karim's route. The safety tackled Karim short of the end zone forcing Josh Scobee to convert the 20-yard field goal.

Twice the Jaguars reached inside Cincinnati's three-yard line in the second quarter. The Jaguars' were only able to score six total points.