Only Protection Bengals Get Comes From a Canopy

CINCINNATI — Seven sacks. Four turnovers. One stone-cold stop after another. With their defense making it easy, the Tennessee Titans haltingly emerged from a scoring slump.

Eddie George rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns in 29 carries Sunday as the Titans turned three Cincinnati fumbles into points and a 24-14 victory over the Bengals in a sloppy game.

After the Bengals’ last home game, a 41-10 loss to Jacksonville, Coach Bruce Coslet and his players had garbage thrown at him as they left the field. A green canopy was put up Sunday as protection leading to the dressing room.

Cincinnati (1-9) managed only 99 net yards on offense through the first three quarters as Tennessee surged ahead, 24-7. The Bengals’ touchdown came when Tremain Mack returned the second-half kickoff 99 yards.

Jeff Blake was under heavy pressure all game, completing 18 of 32 passes for 236 yards and one meaningless touchdown in the closing minutes. He also fumbled twice.

Blake declined to talk about the game, directing a profanity at reporters.

Coslet, meanwhile, talked about his job uncertainty for next season, one of the few times he has brought it up on his own. “Yeah, you heard me right. Do you think I’m stupid? I know a little bit about what’s going on,” he said.