Final
Boller leads Rams over Bengals 24-21
Aug 28, 2009 - 3:28 AM By JOE KAY AP Sports WriterCINCINNATI(AP) -- The last thing that the St. Louis Rams wanted to see was Kyle Boller's helmet tumbling across the field.
Boller played better Thursday night in his second game filling in for Marc Bulger, completing a flurry of short passes during a 24-21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. He also had one moment of bravado that made the Rams shudder.
He refused to duck.
Boller got his helmet knocked off on a hit by linebacker Keith Rivers at the end of an 8-yard scramble, waiting too long to start his slide. Unfazed, Boller got to his feet, found his helmet and completed his next two passes, including a 3-yard shovel pass to running back Samkon Gado for a touchdown.
"I could have slid a little earlier," said Boller, who was 14 of 20 for 96 yards. "It is what it is. My chin strap hit just above my eyes. It was a good scramble, but maybe if I can get down a little sooner, the coaches would like that."
No kidding.
"I was just trying to get to the ball," said Rivers, who had his jaw broken on a hit from Pittsburgh's Hines Ward last season. "It wasn't anything intentional."
The Rams lost Bulger to a broken pinkie finger on his passing hand before the last game and couldn't afford another quarterback setback. Bulger is hoping to be ready for the season opener Sept. 13 at Seattle. Boller struggled as his replacement last week in a 20-13 loss to the Falcons, but seemed much more comfortable against the Bengals.
"He moved the team," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "He drove us down there after the bad start. When you score on a drive, the quarterback deserves the credit."
Both teams were missing their starting quarterbacks, turning the game into a preview of how it might be if their injuries linger. The Bengals were reminded that they really need Carson Palmer back for their opener against Denver.
J.T. O'Sullivan was sacked three times, lost a fumble and had two passes batted away at the line. His best moment was an improvised underhand pass to running back Brian Leonard that went for 25 yards and set up a touchdown. O'Sullivan was 7 of 13 for 94 yards while playing into the third quarter.
With Palmer sidelined the last two games by a sprained left ankle, the offense has moved the ball in spurts but failed to get many points because of penalties and mistakes. O'Sullivan's fumble at the Cincinnati 20-yard line set up the Rams' second touchdown.
"We've just got to find a way to eliminate it," O'Sullivan said. "It puts you in such a disadvantage any time you turn the ball over. That's one of the things that has to change immediately."
Running back Bernard Scott, a sixth-round draft pick from Abilene Christian, had a fumble that safety James Butler returned 73 yards for a touchdown. Butler also intercepted one of Jordan Palmer's passes in the third quarter and returned it 68 yards before the third-string quarterback tackled him.
The Bengals have lost five fumbles and thrown three interceptions in three preseason games.
"When you turn the football over, you have a difficult time winning, whether you're playing in the regular season, the preseason, junior high, sixth grade, whatever it is," coach Marvin Lewis said.
Quan Cosby, an undrafted receiver from Texas, returned the Rams' first punt 49 yards for a touchdown, breaking through the front line of defenders into the clear. He ran past punter Donnie Jones to get to the end zone.
Jones also had a punt returned 44 yards by Tom Nelson in the third quarter.
NOTES: Rams K Josh Brown was wide left on a 50-yard field goal try at the end of the first half and wide again on a 51-yard attempt with 3:10 left in the game. ... Bengals S Chinedum Ndukwe suffered a shoulder injury in the third quarter. ... Chris Henry caught a 54-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Palmer in the fourth quarter, beating rookie CB Bradley Fletcher down the left sideline. Henry has all three of the Bengals' touchdown catches in the preseason.
- NFL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
ST LOUIS 14 7 3 0 24
CINCINNATI 7 7 0 7 21 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: CIN - TD, Q COSBY 49 YD PUNT RETURN (S SWANK
KICK), 1:06. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards in :.
CINCINNATI 7-0
STL - TD, SAMKON GADO 16 YD RUN (JOSH BROWN
KICK), 6:42. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards in 5:3
Aug 27 10:27 PM - NFL
TD CIN
CHRIS HENRY 54 YD PASS FROM JORDAN PALMER
(S SWANK KICK)
ST LOUIS 24
CINCINNATI 21 9:58 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Rams 24, Bengals 21 4th - 9:58Aug 27 10:01 PM - NFL
ST LOUIS 24
CINCINNATI 14 15:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
STL BALL ON STL 43 YD LINE
3RD AND 9
Rams 24, Bengals 14 4th - 15:00Aug 27 9:48 PM - NFL
END, 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
ST LOUIS 14 7 3 24
CINCINNATI 7 7 0 14 END, 3RD QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: CIN - TD, Q COSBY 49 YD PUNT RETURN (S SWANK
KICK), 1:06. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards in :.
CINCINNATI 7-0
STL - TD, SAMKON GADO 16 YD RUN (JOSH BROWN
KICK), 6:42. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards
Rams 21, Bengals 14 End of 3rdAug 27 9:48 PM - NFL
FG STL
JOSH BROWN 38 YD
ST LOUIS 24
CINCINNATI 14 5:05 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Rams 24, Bengals 14 3rd - 5:05Aug 27 9:32 PM - NFL
ST LOUIS 21
CINCINNATI 14 14:55 LEFT, 3RD QTR
CIN BALL ON CIN 24 YD LINE
1ST AND 10
Rams 21, Bengals 14 3rd - 14:55Aug 27 9:12 PM - NFL
HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
ST LOUIS 14 7 21
CINCINNATI 7 7 14 HALFTIME
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: CIN - TD, Q COSBY 49 YD PUNT RETURN (S SWANK
KICK), 1:06. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards in :.
CINCINNATI 7-0
STL - TD, SAMKON GADO 16 YD RUN (JOSH BROWN
KICK), 6:42. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards in
Rams 14, Bengals 7 HalfAug 27 9:12 PM - NFL
TD CIN
BRIAN LEONARD 1 YD RUN
(S SWANK KICK)
ST LOUIS 21
CINCINNATI 14 6:12 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Rams 21, Bengals 14 2nd - 6:12Aug 27 8:37 PM - NFL
ST LOUIS 21
CINCINNATI 7 10:05 LEFT, 2ND QTR
CIN BALL ON CIN 31 YD LINE
1ST AND 10
Rams 21, Bengals 7 2nd - 10:05Aug 27 8:28 PM - NFL
ST LOUIS 14
CINCINNATI 7 15:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR
STL BALL ON STL 24 YD LINE
4TH AND 2
Rams 14, Bengals 7 2nd - 15:00Aug 27 8:17 PM - NFL
END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
ST LOUIS 14 14
CINCINNATI 7 7 END, 1ST QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: CIN - TD, Q COSBY 49 YD PUNT RETURN (S SWANK
KICK), 1:06. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards in :.
CINCINNATI 7-0
STL - TD, SAMKON GADO 16 YD RUN (JOSH BROWN
KICK), 6:42. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards
Rams 0, Bengals 0 End of 1stAug 27 8:17 PM - NFL
TD STL
SAMKON GADO 2 YD PASS FROM KYLE BOLLER
(JOSH BROWN KICK)
ST LOUIS 14
CINCINNATI 7 4:51 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Rams 14, Bengals 7 1st - 4:51Aug 27 8:02 PM - NFL
TD STL
SAMKON GADO 16 YD RUN
(JOSH BROWN KICK)
ST LOUIS 7
CINCINNATI 7 8:18 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Rams 7, Bengals 7 1st - 8:18Aug 27 7:52 PM - NFL
ST LOUIS 0
CINCINNATI 7 13:49 LEFT, 1ST QTR
STL BALL ON STL 29 YD LINE
1ST AND 10
Rams 0, Bengals 7 1st - 13:49Aug 27 7:43 PM
Related News
- Aaron Donald Announces NFL Retirement Mar 15
- Report: Bengals Wide Receiver Tee Higgins Requests Trade Mar 11
- Joe Burrow Defends Brock Purdy From Game Manager Allegations Feb 9
- Matt Stafford Taking on Lions Is a Primetime Matchup Jan 8
- Random Ramsdom: Should LA make a change at kicker? Dec 26
- Bengals News (12/26): Mike Hilton on what’s ailing Cincinnati in AFC North battles Dec 26
- Rams vs Giants opening odds: LA nearly a touchdown favorite in New York Dec 25
- Rams will have key advantage over Giants in Week 17 Dec 25
- Bengals waive Domenique Davis Dec 25
- Christmas NFL game picks Dec 25
- Christmas NFL games open thread Dec 25
- Ramdom Ramsdom: Lions win sets up higher chance at Matthew Stafford reunion Dec 25