Benson loses steam in Bengals' meltdown

In what has been another trying season for Bengals running back Cedric Benson, you would have thought that his frustration would boil over after last Sunday's 20-19 loss to Houston. Instead, he was more reflective and positive.Benson had his best and worst halves against Houston. At halftime, it appeared that he would be on the verge of his fourth 100-yard game of the season as he had 92 yards on 13 carries. In the second half though, he had his worst stretch since signing with the team in 2008 with minus-one yard on eight carries.Said Benson of the second half: "They brought more run blitzes. They brought the safety and was running through the gaps. They were definitely determined not to let us get going in the second half."It was also in the first half that Benson had his longest carry of the year with a 42-yard run off right end. Ironically in the second half, all four of his carries for no gain or negative yards were to the right side.Going into Sunday's game against St. Louis, Benson has 883 yards on 222 carries and is on pace for his third straight 1,000-yard season, which would make him the first Bengals running back since Rudi Johnson did it from 2004-06. It would also be the 19th 1,000-yard rushing season in team history.There is a chance that the Bengals could still make the playoffs with wins in their final three games, but they also need some help in order to make that happen after they have lost four of their last five to fall to 7-6 on the season."We have to get back to work, finish out strong and see what happens," Benson said. "We've come a long way with a young quarterback and receivers and the playbook with a short training camp. There is a different structure of guys who were in and rotating but we've stood up to the challenges." --Most would say right now that the Bengals' defense is reeling after they gave up a season-high 412 yards against the Texans. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer though was trying to look at it differently."Nothing is as good as it seems. Nothing is as bad as it seems. Reality lies somewhere in the middle," Zimmer said on Monday in assessing the 20-19 loss to Houston. You know, we had a bunch of opportunities to win the game and didn't make the plays. They made a couple and they won the game."This is not the first time I have been beaten on the last play of the game. Hopefully it is, but it probably won't be the last. Like I told the players today, on Oct. 8, 2009, my wife passed away. I found out the world still is going to be going tomorrow. Today the sun came up, everybody kept going and so will we."After the loss to the Texans, the 7-6 Bengals no longer control their own destiny or hold on to a playoff spot. They are one-game behind the Jets with a road game at St. Louis up next.While everyone was concerned about the Texans' running game, rookie T.J. Yates carved up the Bengals on play action and some inside breaking routes. Tight end Owen Daniels also had a big day when it wasn't former Bengal Kevin Walter beating them in coverage.The bigger questions remain with the secondary. Cornerback Nate Clements played but is still working his way back from a hamstring injury while Adam Jones and Kelly Jennings were inconsistent. The one player who did draw praise was safety Taylor Mays, who matched up well at times on Daniels.Head coach Marvin Lewis though wasn't about to lay it entirely at the feet of the secondary, despite the season-ending injury to Leon Hall and the unit being a little thin.Said Lewis: "It all works together. It's not one phase or the other phase. On defense, you've got to have 11 guys making sure we're getting the job done together. We've got to have pressure when we need pressure, we've got to have coverage when we have coverage. When it all works together, big things happen for us. When it doesn't, we give up plays. We gave up too many plays (Sunday)."NOTES, QUOTES--Sunday's game against Houston was one of the top ones on the NFL's Week 13 schedule, but attendance was 41,202 which was the second-lowest crowd for a regular-season game at Paul Brown Stadium. That drops the average attendance through six home games to 48,216 which is 73.6 percent of capacity.Five of the six home games have been blacked out locally and only two have drawn more than 50,000."It's disappointing. I think people are missing out," coach Marvin Lewis said. "You want to get back to having that home-field advantage each and every Sunday."--Right guard Bobbie Williams, who has been a staple of the Bengals' offensive line since he signed with the team in 2004, was placed on injured reserve after he broke his right ankle during Sunday's game. Williams said he will visit a doctor this week to determine whether or not he will need surgery.In Williams' eight seasons with the Bengals, this will mark the first time he will miss games due to a football-related injury. Williams has started all 118 games at right guard that he has played with the Bengals. Mike McGlynn, who the Bengals got on waivers from Philadelphia before the season started, is the favorite to take over the position. The fourth-year player saw extensive time in the San Francisco game and then started the Buffalo game in place of Clint Boling, who struggled. Boling, who was drafted in the fourth round this season, started the first three games but has been inactive for the last nine.Williams is in the final year of his two-year contract. Left guard Nate Livings also becomes an unrestricted free agent. McGlynn will also be a free agent. So needless to say, guard will be at the top of the Bengals' offseason priority list in free agency and the draft.STRATEGY AND PERSONNELPLAYER NOTES--QB Andy Dalton has thrown a touchdown pass in 10 straight games. That's the longest streak for the Bengals since Carson Palmer threw a TD in 12 straight games from 2004-05.--RB Cedric Benson in road games this season has 113 carries for 404 yards and is averaging 3.6 yards per carry.--WR A.J. Green leads NFL rookies in receptions (55), receiving yards (891) and receiving touchdowns (seven).--WR Jerome Simpson has three touchdowns this season, which ties his total from last season.--TE Jermaine Gresham has five touchdowns this season, which is a career high.--OT Andre Smith could be back in the lineup this week after missing last week's game due to an ankle sprain.--S Reggie Nelson leads the Bengals in interceptions with three. He has five in his two seasons with the team.--DE Geno Atkins' seven sacks is one off from tying the team record for most sacks by a Bengals defensive tackle (Dan Wilkinson had eight in 1995).--OG Mike McGlynn is likely to take over at right guard with Bobbie Williams placed on injured reserve due to a fractured right ankle.--K Mike Nugent has been named the team's recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, which honors commitment to sportsmanship and courage.