One play ended the Cincinnati Bengals season and kept the Washington Football Team’s alive.
Cincinnati led 9-7 in the third quarter after knocking on the goal line door more often than Sheldon Cooper off his meds. The Bengals were dominating time of possession and seemed like they would eventually pull away despite two missed field goals and an extra point.
But then Washington’s Jonathan Allen and Montez Sweat met Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in a tangled pile. Burrow left on a cart, his left knee injury a season-ender just two drives into the third quarter.
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Burrow’s former Ohio State teammates Chase Young, Dwayne Haskins, and Terry McLaurin wished the distressed opposing passer well as he sat on the cart, ready to head into the offseason.
Washington’s offense knew it needed to beat Cincinnati’s defense now. Five plays later – boom – Stephen Sims caught a three-yard pass for a 14-9 lead. After incoming Bengals quarterback Ryan Finley, who hadn’t played in nearly one year after 0-3 as a rookie, did nothing on three snaps, Washington followed with a McLaurin 25-yard catch to set up a field goal for a 17-9 lead. Soon, it was 20-9 that proved the final score.
Cincinnati’s hopes for a respectable season given a soft coming schedule are once again ruined. A loss that would have likely sealed Washington’s demise was suddenly reversed. And the win gives them a chance for the NFC East lead if they win in Dallas on Thursday.
One play, two different directions for the teams.
Washington certainly knows how Cincinnati feels. It was 6-3 in 2018 when quarterback Alex Smith suffered a devasting injury two years ago. And since that injury, Washington won only six games. Their miserable 6-26 record was the second-worst record in all of football over those two years. Cincinnati, of course, was the only team worse off.
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Smith’s recent return to play with his first start on Nov. 15 was considered miraculous. Now he’s playing well. The offensive line managed to keep Smith largely safe so the veteran toyed with Cincinnati’s defense.
Smith continues to be a game manager like before his injury, but he now snaps off a big throw downfield, too. It’s like Smith is in some ways better than before his injury as the Bengals soon discovered.
Smith finished 17 of 25 for 166 yards, one touchdown and one interception for an 83.1 rating. That Washington’s running game added 164 yards kept the Bengals unbalanced.
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Burrow’s exit also awakened Washington’s defense. Burrow was 22 of 34 for 203 yards and one touchdown for a 90.7 rating. Now facing Finley with only three games experience, Washington increased its pass rush and looked like the dominating unit promised in the offseason rather than one permitting 30 or more points five times this season.
The defense knew Finley couldn’t win this game. Now Cincinnati knows Finley can’t win many for them with seven games remaining.
It was a crossroads for two lackluster teams now going in different directions. Washington still has a pulse at 3-7. Cincinnati knows 2-7-1 might fall to 2-13-1 and yet another No. 1 overall selection next spring.
In the NFL, it is strange and often terribly cruel how one play can really change things.
Rick Snider has covered Washington sports since 1978. Follow him on Twitter: @Snide_Remarks
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