Bengals Roar Past Lions In OT

Scott Mitchell picked on Cincinnati cornerback Corey Sawyer once too often.

Sawyer

"They picked up on me. I had a tough day," said Sawyer, who had managed to break up just one of seven passes in his direction before the interception. "Some cornerbacks would lay down, but I just take it on the chin and keep fighting."

The victory was a great relief for the Bengals (1-1), who wanted desperately to get off to a good start. Since 1991, the Bengals have gone 9-48 in the first half of the season. Last season, they won their opener but lost their next seven.

"I told the players at the start of overtime that, 'Here it is. If we ever want to be a good football team, the game is for the taking,"' Bengals coach Bruce Coslet said. "I said to the defense, 'You've got to believe you're going to stop them and we'll then take it in."'

The interception was the second straight for Mitchell, who completed 15 of 31 passefor 204 yards.

With 35 seconds left in regulation, he was picked off by Ashley Ambrose at the Detroit 35, but Doug Pelfrey, who missed a 35-yard field goal attempt early in the fourth quarter, had a 48-yarder blocked by Ron Rice as time expired.

Barry Sanders, who rushed for 185 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries, tied the game at 28 on a 5-yard scamper with 1:52 left in the fourth quarter. Mitchell passed for 35 yards and ran for 30 in the 75-yard, 10-play drive.

The Bengals took a 28-21 lead on rookie Damon Gibson's 65-yard punt return for a TD on the second play of the fourth quarter.

Cincinnati's Darnay Scott hauls in a 70-yard TD reception in the first quarter -- one of his two scores on the day. (AP)

In the first half, Neil O'Donnell was able to complete a pass almost any time he wanted for the Bengals, despite a heavy rush. That's because second-year Detroit cornerbacks Bryant Westbrook and Kevin Abrams were no match for Carl Pickens and Darnay Scott, the Cincinnati wide receivers.

O'Donnell, who was 25-of-36 for 303 yards, would occasionally misfire. But in passes aimed at either Westbrook or Abrams, O'Donnell completed his first seven passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns.

O'Donnell found Scott behind Abrams at the Lions 30 and threw a perfect pass that Scott easily turned into a 70-yard touchdown pass and a 7-0 lead with 9:16 left in the first quarter.

Scott was even more wide open behind Westbrook near the goal line for a 36-yard touchdown pass and a 14-7 lead on the second snap of the second quarter.

"It wasn't my man, and people who know football will understand that," Westbrook said. "I was just supposed to be helping on the play."

Tommy Vardell scored on a 1-yard run and Sanders on a 2-yard run as the Lions (0-2) managed to make it 14-14 at the half.

Sanders, on the second snap of the third quarter, put on one of his pateted moves for a 67-yard touchdown run, giving the Lions their first lead. He went off left tackle, cut right and angled across the field, winning a foot race with Ambrose to the right corner of the end zone.

But O'Donnell brought the Bengals back again, connecting with Tony McGee for a 38-yard gain that set up Corey Dillon's 18-yard touchdown run and a 21-21 tie.

"It was a huge win," O'Donnell said. "You hear so much about Barry Sanders and Herman Moore, but their defense is very good, too. We saw some things and took some chances."

Notes