On third down, the high-powered Cincinnati Bengals go nowhere.
The Bengals (1-4) have been dismal the last two games on the down that matters most, setting up a pair of losses that have pushed their season to the brink. They failed to convert any of their seven third-down plays in a 34-13 loss to New England, and were only 1-of-11 in a 27-20 loss at Kansas City.
For an offense with so many weapons, it's fairly stunning.
Cincinnati's passing offense is still one of the league's most prolific, but it can't stay on the field long enough to score enough points.
Blame it on third down.
Hoping to remedy the problem, the Bengals spent extra time in practice Wednesday working on third-down plays.
"We hit it pretty good today in practice," Johnson said. "Hopefully we can get out there and keep ourselves on the field Sunday, which will end up in points."
Certainly that would help because it also would keep one of the league's worst defenses off the field longer. The Bengals' have given up the third-most yards and the fourth-most points in the league.
"It's a team thing," defensive captain John Thornton said. "We don't convert on third down and it puts the defense back on the field."
The last two games have dropped the Bengals to last in the AFC in converting third downs. They're making only one of three on the season.
Why so bad?
It's a complicated explanation
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