Editor's Note: This is part two of a film review detailing every Bengals offensive play in the first quarter. This post details the fourth, fifth and sixth drive by the Bengals.
| Fourth Drive: Interception |
The fourth drive of the game was probably Dalton's worst. The Bengals set up on the 27-yard line, but thanks to a false start penalty on Scaife, the ball was moved back to the 22. It should be noted that Clint Boling had made his way into the game at right guard, replacing Bobbie Williams at this point.
The first play was pass directed at Colin Cochart on a crossing pattern from right to left. The ball was thrown behind Cochart, almost directly to Eric Smith, who was defending him, and fell incomplete. The second play, Dalton was in the shotgun with Benson to his left. Shipley was lined up in the slot on the right side and ran a quick out. He was open and Dalton saw him but threw the pass low and too far behind Shipley to have a chance to catch it. The next play, Dalton lined up in the shotgun again and this time he had two running backs on either side of him. Andre Caldwell was in the slot on the right side and Green was wide right and Simpson wide left. Dalton took the snap and the Jets sent extra pressure, which was pick up by the offensive line and running backs nicely. Dalton stepped up into his throw, aiming at Caldwell who was running a seam route down the middle. The pass sailed far over Caldwell's head and landed in the arms of Jim Leonhard who returned the interception to the Bengals 10-yard line.
The offensive line protected Dalton well and this series can be largely blamed on inaccurate passes from a rookie quarterback.
| Fifth Drive:Three-And-Out |
The fifth drive of the game didn't look nearly as bad as the fourth drive but it didn't look good either. On the first play, the Bengals were lined up in the I formation on the 20-yard line. Dalton handed the ball off to Benson, who couldn't find a hole on the right side of the line and was bounced outside. He tried to get around the corner but was forced out of bounds just before he could get back to the line of scrimmage for a one yard loss. The Jets defensive line and linebackers completely overpowered the Bengals offensive line on the play.
On the second play of the drive, Dalton completed his first pass of the game. The Bengals were lined up in a four-wide formation with Dalton alone in the backfield. Shipley and Caldwell were in the slots on either side of the line. Shipley ran a quick out and was wide open. Dalton got the ball to him quickly and Shipley turned up field for a five-yard gain.
On the third-down play, the Bengals lined up in a bunch formation on the left with Green wide right. Dalton was in the shotgun with Leonard to his right. The defense sent a heavy blitz, which was picked up nicely by the offensive line. Simpson ran a 10 yard flag route on the left side and had his man beat. Dalton threw a near perfect pass right over Simpson's shoulder. Simpson caught the ball but couldn't get both of his feet in bounds so it was ruled incomplete. Huber came on to punt.
| Sixth Drive: Things Start to Look Up |
The Bengals offense finally began to move the ball on the sixth drive of the game. With a little over three minutes left in the first quarter, the Bengals lined up on the 30-yard line. Both Bobbie Williams and Nate Living came back into the game for this drive. Simpson lined up wide right and Green wide left. Dalton was in the shotgun and Benson was to his right. Shipley was just to the left of the offensive line in the slot position with Caldwell right behind him. Dalton took the snap and threw it to Benson who ran to the flat on the right side. Benson was immidietely met by two defenders. He spun off the first tackle and gained about a two yards before he was taken down by the second.
The next play, Dalton lined up in the shotgun again with Benson on one side and Pressley on the other. Green was wide right with Shipley in the slot and Simpson was wide left. Green's defender was playing off and when Green pulled up after five yards, the defender was almost seven yards away. Dalton got the ball to Green quickly and just as the defensive back came to tackle him, Green spun away to the inside and then cut back towards the sideline picking up the team's first first down of the game.
On the next play, the Bengals lined up in the power I with Dalton under center and Caldwell wide left. Dalton took the snap and faked and hand off to Benson. Meanwhile Caldwell was streaking down the field next to Derrelle Revis, who was covering him.. Dalton threw the ball deep to Caldwell but the pass sailed nearly seven yards over Caldwell's or Revis' head.
Next, the Bengals lined up in the shotgun again on second and 10. Benson was to Dalton's left and Green and Simpson were wide with Shipley in the left slot. The play was a counter to Benson who looked to run to the right side. Livings pulled right and met Harris at the line but, by that point, Harris was a yard in the backfield and Benson ran into the two of them. Benson bounced off and tried to turn up field but was stopped almost immediately for no gain, bringing up third down.
On third and 10, Dalton lined up in the shotgun again with Green and Simpson wide and Shipley in the right slot. Leonard was to the right of Dalton. Dalton took the snap and dropped back into the pocket. Whitworth was battling Wilkerson on Dalton's left and when Wilkerson made a dive for Dalton, it forced Dalton to step up in the pocket. Even though he was safe where he was, Dalton must have felt pressured and fount a gap between Whitworth (who was now behind him) and Livings, who was helping Cook. He ran through the gap and spotted Scaife running towards the sidelines. He fired a bullet to him on the run. The pass was nearly perfect and Scaife caught it just on the other side of the first-down marker and the 50-yard line.
The next play, the Bengals lined up in the single-back formation with Green and Simpson wide on either side. Scaife went in motion from the left side of the line to the right. Benson took the hand off and got back to the line of scrimmage before he was taken down by multiple Jets defenders.
The Bengals finished their drive there and let the clock run out, finishing the first quarter.