Cincinnati 23
N.Y. Jets 22
Sunday, September 11, 2016 01:00 PM
(ET)
Nugent burns former team, helps Bengals jolt Jets
The Sports Xchange
Sep 11, 2016
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Mike Nugent kicked a 47-yard field goal with 54 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter on Sunday as the Cincinnati Bengals edged the New York Jets, 23-22, in the back-and-forth season opener for both teams at MetLife Stadium.
The Bengals, who are 23-26 in openers, have made the playoffs five straight years but are searching for their first postseason win since 1991. The Jets, who went 10-6 last year and are looking to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2010, fell to 26-30 all-time in openers.
The field goal was the third of the day for Nugent, who was a second-round pick of the Jets in 2005.
Wide receiver A.J. Green had 12 catches - on 13 targets - for 180 yards and one touchdown. Despite being sacked seven times, quarterback Andy Dalton was 23 of 30 for 366 yards. Jeremy Hill rushed for a 12-yard touchdown.
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was 19 of 35 for 189 yards and two touchdowns - one apiece to Quincy Enunwa and Eric Decker. Fitzpatrick, however, was picked off by Josh Shaw with 40 seconds left to end New York's final threat.
Kicker Nick Folk booted two field goals but missed an extra point and had a 22-yard field goal blocked.
After the Bengals opened the game by going three-and-out, the Jets took a 7-0 lead when Enunwa's first career touchdown - a three-yard catch from Fitzpatrick - capped a 78-yard drive.
Marcus Williams picked off Dalton on the Bengals' next possession to give the Jets the ball at the Cincinnati 35-yard-line, but Folk saw his kick blocked.
The Bengals scored on their next two drives - on a 33-yard field goal by Nugent and a 54-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Green - to take a 10-7 lead less than four minutes into the second quarter.
The Jets went back ahead less than three minutes later on Fitzpatrick's 15-yard touchdown pass to Decker, but Folk missed the extra point - his first misfire after opening his career with 312 straight conversions.
Folk redeemed himself a bit by hitting a 45-yard field goal with 3:19 left before Nugent pulled the Bengals within 16-13 by booting a 21-yard field goal as time expired in the second.
Hill rushed 12 yards for a touchdown to give the Bengals a 20-16 lead with 3:09 left in the third. Folk booted a 20-yard field goal with 11:26 remaining in the fourth to close the gap to 20-19.
Folk's 22-yard field goal with 3:23 remaining gave the Jets a 22-20 lead.
NOTES: The Jets' inactives were led by rookie OLB Jordan Jenkins (calf), who was listed as the starter on the depth chart. Mike Catapano, a native of nearby Long Island who went to college at Princeton, drew the start. ... The Bengals' inactives were led by TE Tyler Eifert (ankle), who is recovering from an injury sustained in the Pro Bowl. ... The Jets opened at home for the seventh straight season, the longest streak in the NFL. ... Bengals QB Andy Dalton became the fourth quarterback in franchise history to start six straight openers, joining Ken Anderson (1972-77), Boomer Esiason (1986-92) and Carson Palmer (2004-10).
Sep 11, 2016
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Mike Nugent kicked a 47-yard field goal with 54 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter on Sunday as the Cincinnati Bengals edged the New York Jets, 23-22, in the back-and-forth season opener for both teams at MetLife Stadium.
The Bengals, who are 23-26 in openers, have made the playoffs five straight years but are searching for their first postseason win since 1991. The Jets, who went 10-6 last year and are looking to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2010, fell to 26-30 all-time in openers.
The field goal was the third of the day for Nugent, who was a second-round pick of the Jets in 2005.
Wide receiver A.J. Green had 12 catches - on 13 targets - for 180 yards and one touchdown. Despite being sacked seven times, quarterback Andy Dalton was 23 of 30 for 366 yards. Jeremy Hill rushed for a 12-yard touchdown.
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was 19 of 35 for 189 yards and two touchdowns - one apiece to Quincy Enunwa and Eric Decker. Fitzpatrick, however, was picked off by Josh Shaw with 40 seconds left to end New York's final threat.
Kicker Nick Folk booted two field goals but missed an extra point and had a 22-yard field goal blocked.
After the Bengals opened the game by going three-and-out, the Jets took a 7-0 lead when Enunwa's first career touchdown - a three-yard catch from Fitzpatrick - capped a 78-yard drive.
Marcus Williams picked off Dalton on the Bengals' next possession to give the Jets the ball at the Cincinnati 35-yard-line, but Folk saw his kick blocked.
The Bengals scored on their next two drives - on a 33-yard field goal by Nugent and a 54-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Green - to take a 10-7 lead less than four minutes into the second quarter.
The Jets went back ahead less than three minutes later on Fitzpatrick's 15-yard touchdown pass to Decker, but Folk missed the extra point - his first misfire after opening his career with 312 straight conversions.
Folk redeemed himself a bit by hitting a 45-yard field goal with 3:19 left before Nugent pulled the Bengals within 16-13 by booting a 21-yard field goal as time expired in the second.
Hill rushed 12 yards for a touchdown to give the Bengals a 20-16 lead with 3:09 left in the third. Folk booted a 20-yard field goal with 11:26 remaining in the fourth to close the gap to 20-19.
Folk's 22-yard field goal with 3:23 remaining gave the Jets a 22-20 lead.
NOTES: The Jets' inactives were led by rookie OLB Jordan Jenkins (calf), who was listed as the starter on the depth chart. Mike Catapano, a native of nearby Long Island who went to college at Princeton, drew the start. ... The Bengals' inactives were led by TE Tyler Eifert (ankle), who is recovering from an injury sustained in the Pro Bowl. ... The Jets opened at home for the seventh straight season, the longest streak in the NFL. ... Bengals QB Andy Dalton became the fourth quarterback in franchise history to start six straight openers, joining Ken Anderson (1972-77), Boomer Esiason (1986-92) and Carson Palmer (2004-10).
