GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NFL: CINCINNATI (5-8) at SAN FRANCISCO (3-10)

NFL: CINCINNATI (5-8) at SAN FRANCISCO (3-10)

<h3>Bengals, 49ers playing out the string</h3>



<div class="pre">Cincinnati (5-8) at San Francisco (3-10) Saturday 8:15 pm EST</div>

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) - A season of once-promising hopes issputtering to the finish line for the Cincinnati Bengals and SanFrancisco 49ers.


The Bengals visit the stumbling 49ers in a matchup of two teamsalready eliminated from postseason contention.


An early four-game losing streak all but ended the season beforeit started for Cincinnati, which has been unable to winback-to-back games despite being touted as one of the favoritesto win the AFC North.


The Bengals' defense was unable to stop anyone early in theseason and the offense, expected to be among the league's best,has stumbled in big spots, managing a total of 23 points in twolosses to Pittsburgh and 13 against New England.


Last week, Cincinnati needed four field goals from Shayne Grahamto struggle past the feeble Rams, 19-10.


Carson Palmer completed 21-of-29 passes for 189 yards with twointerceptions for the Bengals (5-8), who are looking to avoidtheir first losing season since Marvin Lewis took over as coachin 2003.


Rudi Johnson, struggling through an injury-plagued campaign, hadhis second-best output of the season, rushing for 92 yards anda touchdown on 23 carries. It was just the third TD run forJohnson, who had 12 in each of the past three seasons.

"We ran more power stuff downhill," Johnson said. "We ran rightat them. I'm getting better and better each week. We justhave to stick to it."


San Francisco has been even worse, primarily due to an ineptoffense that has generated a league-low 171 points.

Already reeling from 10 losses in their last 11 games, the 49erslikely will be forced to start Shaun King at quarterback.

King had never attempted a pass in the NFL until relieving aninjured Trent Dilfer in last week's 27-7 loss to the MinnesotaVikings.


Playing the entire second half after Dilfer suffered aconcussion, King finished 22-of-28 with one TD pass.

Last week marked San Francisco's fifth straight loss at home,matching the futility of the team that dropped five in a row athome in 2004.

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL
CINCINNATI 0
SAN FRANCISCO 0 14:54 LEFT, 1ST QTR

CIN BALL ON CIN 22 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL CINCINNATI 0
SAN FRANCISCO 0 12:02 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL
CINCINNATI 0
SAN FRANCISCO 0 11:04 LEFT, 1ST QTR

SFO BALL ON SFO 16 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL CINCINNATI 0
SAN FRANCISCO 0 8:37 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL
CINCINNATI 0
SAN FRANCISCO 0 7:41 LEFT, 1ST QTR

CIN BALL ON CIN 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL
CINCINNATI 0
SAN FRANCISCO 0 4:48 LEFT, 1ST QTR

SFO BALL ON SFO 24 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CINCINNATI 0 0
SAN FRANCISCO 0 0 END, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL CINCINNATI 0
SAN FRANCISCO 0 14:52 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL TD SFO
SHAUN HILL 3 YD RUN
(JOE NEDNEY KICK)

CINCINNATI 0
SAN FRANCISCO 7 12:57 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL
CINCINNATI 0
SAN FRANCISCO 7 12:50 LEFT, 2ND QTR

CIN BALL ON CIN 31 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL FG CIN
SHAYNE GRAHAM 24 YD

CINCINNATI 3
SAN FRANCISCO 7 8:27 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL
CINCINNATI 3
SAN FRANCISCO 7 8:19 LEFT, 2ND QTR

SFO BALL ON SFO 42 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL
CINCINNATI 3
SAN FRANCISCO 7 7:22 LEFT, 2ND QTR

CIN BALL ON CIN 18 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL TD CIN
CHRIS HENRY 52 YD PASS FROM CARSON PALMER
(SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK)

CINCINNATI 10
SAN FRANCISCO 7 4:38 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL
CINCINNATI 10
SAN FRANCISCO 7 4:30 LEFT, 2ND QTR

SFO BALL ON SFO 24 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL TWO MINUTE WARNING, 1ST HALF

CINCINNATI 10
SAN FRANCISCO 7

SFO BALL ON CIN 36 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL TD SFO
VERNON DAVIS 14 YD PASS FROM SHAUN HILL
(JOE NEDNEY KICK)

CINCINNATI 10
SAN FRANCISCO 14 0:09 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CINCINNATI 0 10 10
SAN FRANCISCO 0 14 14 HALFTIME

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: NONE
2ND QUARTER: SFO - TD, SHAUN HILL 3 YD RUN (JOE NEDNEY
KICK), 2:03. Drive: 13 plays, 76
yards in 6:51. Key plays: S Hill
15-yard pass to Davis to San
Francisco 39; S Hill 14-yard pass
to Jackson to Cincinnati 42; S Hill
6-yard pass to Walker on 3rd-and-6
to Cincinnati 32; Norris 3-yard run
on 3rd-and-1 to Cincinnati 4. SAN
FRANCISCO 7-0
CIN - FG, SHAYNE GRAHAM 24 YD, 6:33. Drive:
10 plays, 63 yards in 4:30. Key
plays: Palmer 13-yard pass to K
Watson on 3rd-and-8 to Cincinnati
46; Palmer 25-yard pass to Coats to
San Francisco 29; Palmer 13-yard
pass to Houshmandzadeh to San
Francisco 8. SAN FRANCISCO 7-3
CIN - TD, CHRIS HENRY 52 YD PASS FROM CARSON
PALMER (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 10:22.
Drive: 5 plays, 82 yards in 2:44.
Key plays: Palmer 4-yard pass to
Houshmandzadeh on 3rd-and-2 to
Cincinnati 48. CINCINNATI 10-7
SFO - TD, VERNON DAVIS 14 YD PASS FROM SHAUN
HILL (JOE NEDNEY KICK), 14:51. SAN
FRANCISCO 14-10</div>

 

NFL: CINCINNATI at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">NFL HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CINCINNATI 0 10 10
SAN FRANCISCO 0 14 14 HALFTIME

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER:

NONE

2ND QUARTER:

2:03 SFO - TD, S Hill 3 Yd Run (J Nedney Kick).
Drive: 13 plays, 76 yards in 6:51.
Key plays: S Hill 15-yard pass to Davis to San Francisco 39; S Hill
14-yard pass to Jackson to Cincinnati 42; S Hill 6-yard pass to Walker on
3rd-and-6 to Cincinnati 32; Norris 3-yard run on 3rd-and-1 to Cincinnati
4. San Francisco 7-0.
6:33 CIN - FG, S Graham 24 Yd.
Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards in 4:30.
Key plays: Palmer 13-yard pass to K Watson on 3rd-and-8 to
Cincinnati 46; Palmer 25-yard pass to Coats to San Francisco 29; Palmer
13-yard pass to Houshmandzadeh to San Francisco 8. San Francisco 7-3.
10:22 CIN - TD, C Henry 52 Yd Pass From C Palmer (S Graham Kick).
Drive: 5 plays, 82 yards in 2:44.
Key plays: Palmer 4-yard pass to Houshmandzadeh on 3rd-and-2 to
Cincinnati 48. Cincinnati 10-7.
14:51 SFO - TD, V Davis 14 Yd Pass From S Hill (J Nedney Kick).
Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards in 4:29.
Key plays: S Hill 19-yard pass to Jackson on 3rd-and-1 to Cincinnati
48; S Hill 13-yard pass to Jackson to Cincinnati 35; Gore 2-yard run on
3rd-and-1 to Cincinnati 24. San Francisco 14-10.

Cincinnati - San Francisco End 2nd Qtr Statistics

TEAM STATISTICS Cincinnati San Francisco

FIRST DOWNS 9 11
Rushing 1 3
Passing 7 8
Penalty 1 0
THIRD DOWN EFFICIENCY 3-6-50% 5-7-71%
TOTAL NET YARDS 187 191
Total offensive plays 28 31
Average gain per play 6.7 6.2
NET YARDS RUSHING 42 42
Rushing attempts 14 13
Average gain per rush 3.0 3.2
NET YARDS PASSING 145 149
Times sacked: Number-Yards 0-0 0-0
Gross passing yards 145 149
PASS ATTEMPTS-COMPLETIONS-HAD INTERCEPTED 14-9-0 18-14-0
Avg gain per pass play 10.4 8.3
PUNTS: Number and Average 2-41.5 2-45.5
PENALTIES: Number-Yards 0-0 2-10
FUMBLES: Number-Lost 0-0 1-0
TOUCHDOWNS 1 2
Rushing 0 1
Passing 1 1
Interceptions 0 0
Other (blocked kicks, etc.) 0 0
EXTRA POINTS: Made-Attempts 1-1 2-2
Kicking: Made-Attempts 1-1 2-2
Passing: Made-Attempts 0-0 0-0
Rushing: Made-Attempts 0-0 0-0
FIELD GOALS: Made-Attempts 1-1 0-0
SAFETIES 0 0
TIME OF POSSESSION 14:12 15:48


INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Cincinnati San Francisco

RUSHING ATT YDS AVG LG TD RUSHING ATT YDS AVG LG TD
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
K WATSON 5 18 3.6 6 0 F GORE 11 36 3.3 6 0
R JOHNSON 5 12 2.4 9 0 S HILL 1 3 3.0 3 1
D DORSEY 2 11 5.5 8 0 M NORRIS 1 3 3.0 3 0
C PALMER 2 1 0.5 2 0

PASSING CM-AT-YDS IN TD LG PASSING CM-AT-YDS IN TD LG
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
C PALMER 9-14-145 0 1 52 S HILL 14-18-149 0 1 19

Sacked-Yards Lost: None Sacked-Yards Lost: None

RECEIVING NO YDS AVG LG TD RECEIVING NO YDS AVG LG TD
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
T HOUSHMAN 3 35 11.7 18 0 D JACKSON 6 74 12.3 19 0
K WATSON 2 18 9.0 13 0 V DAVIS 4 38 9.5 17 1
C HENRY 1 52 52.0 52 1 D WALKER 2 13 6.5 7 0
D COATS 1 25 25.0 25 0 A BATTLE 1 17 17.0 17 0
C JOHNSON 1 8 8.0 8 0 M HICKS 1 7 7.0 7 0
R JOHNSON 1 7 7.0 7 0

KICKING XP/XPA FG/FGA KICKING XP/XPA FG/FGA
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
S GRAHAM 1/1 1/1 J NEDNEY 2/2 0/0
Dist.: 24</div>