FLASH RECAP:
Carson Palmer throws for two touchdowns and Rudi Johnson runs for two others as surging Cincinnati defeats Oakland before an announced crowd of 65,882 at Paul Brown Stadium on Dec. 10, 2006.
In winning their fourth straight, the AFC playoff-contending Bengals (8-5) score the game's first 14 points. After a Sebastian Janikowski field goal late in the first half reduces the Raiders' deficit to 14-3, Cincinnati takes command with two touchdowns in the third period.
Cincinnati's Palmer is 20-of-28 passing for 297 yards and two TDs despite a career-high three interceptions. Johnson rushes for 117 yards on 30 carries to help the Bengals hand the Raiders (2-11) their 10th straight road loss.
Oakland forces four turnovers, including two interceptions by Nnamdi Asomugha, but its offense continues a season-long trend of inefficiency. The Raiders don't score a touchdown until early in the fourth quarter on Brooks' 5-yard pass to Ronald Curry.
Oakland surrenders a season-high 439 total yards, has no sacks on Palmer and has only 45 net yards rushing.
"This one hurts," Raiders defensive tackle Warren Sapp tells reporters after Oakland’s sixth straight loss. "This one stings. It wasn’t even close. We didn’t give ourselves a chance."
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
WRs T.J. Houshmandzadeh & Chad Johnson — Combine for 218 receiving yards, 13 catches and a TD against the league's top-ranked pass defense.
Bengals offensive line — The unit doesn’t allow a sack and opens holes for RB Rudi Johnson, who has 117 rushing yards and two TDs. The Bengals average 6.8 yards on 68 plays.
DE Robert Geathers — Contributes two sacks, giving him 10.5 sacks for the season, the most by a Bengal since 1992.
WR Ronald Curry — Has season highs of eight catches and 99 yards and a TD.
CB Nnamdi Asomugha — Has two interceptions, giving him seven for the season. The four-year veteran from Cal had no interceptions during his first three seasons with the Raiders.
MLB Kirk Morrison — Contributes 13 total tackles (8 solo) and a forced fumble.
TURNING POINT:
The Bengals score two third-quarter touchdowns to build a 27-3 lead.
KEY STATS:
Two Bengals receivers (T.J. Houshmandzadeh, 118 yards and Chad Johnson, 110 yards) exceed 100 receiving yards and a Bengal running back (Rudi Johnson, 117 yards) goes over 100 rushing yards for the first time in a game in franchise history.
Ronald Curry's 5-yard touchdowon catch is only the second TD by the Raiders offense in the fourth quarter this season. Oakland also scored an offensive TD in the fourth quarter against the 49ers on Oct. 8.
The Bengals don’t punt in 10 possessions. It’s the first time they go an entire game without punting since Sept. 17, 1989.
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha
"Their offense is loaded. What are you going to do? Are you going to call man-(to-man) so you can stop the run? OK, call man, but then they’re throwing all over the place. They got Carson Palmer, Rudi Johnson, three wideouts, and that right side of the offensive line is some beasts."
"When our offensive line plays the way they play, it's going to be hard to beat us.
Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh
"I swear to God, we’re trying. We’re trying our butts off. Just a lot of mishaps."
Raiders QB Aaron Brooks
BY THE NUMBERS:
10: Consecutive Raiders road losses.
17: Oakland offensive points in the fourth quarter this season. Against the Bengals, the Raiders scored only their second offensive touchdown in the fourth quarter this season
17:Bengals points allowed the past three games, a franchise record over that period.
439: Cincinnati total yards. The Raiders enter the game ranked third in total yards allowed, averaging 275.8 yards per game.
DID YOU KNOW?:
The Raiders are 4-28 in their past 32 regular-season road games.
The Bengals improve to 17-0 when Rudi Johnson has 25 or more rushing attempts. Johnson rushes for 117 yards on 30 attempts against Oakland.
With two sacks against Oakland, Cincinnati DE Robert Geathers has 10.5 sacks this season. He's the first Bengal with double-digit sacks since Alfred Williams in 1992.
Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha (21)
intercepts
a pass intended for the Bengals' Chris Henry.
