THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 18 2009
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2009
SPORTS
NFL
7B
Bengals sign Larry Johnson
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Newly acquired Cincinnati Bengals running back Larry Johnson speaks during a news conference Tuesday at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. Johnson was banished from Kansas City for bad behavior and signed on as a backup with the Bengals.
CINCINNATI — Larry Johnson might have his career up-and-running sooner than expected.
The running back who was banished from Kansas City for bad behavior signed on for a backup role with the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, giving the AFC North leaders depth for the rest of this season. He might not be watching for long.
A day after coach Marvin Lewis referred to Johnson as an insurance policy in case of injury, he said it's possible the running back could play in some form Sunday in Oakland if starter Cedric Benson is still limited by a strained hip.
"I'm not saying that it can't happen, I'm not saying that it will happen, but stay tuned." Lewis said, with Johnson sitting by his side. "Hed like to play, I know that. And we'll see what happens as we go through the week, as I said earlier, regarding Cedric with his injury."
Johnson is toting one, too.
Johnson has his own goal for getting on the field: Dec. 27, when the Bengals play the Chiefs at Paul Brown Stadium.
That could set up the second get-even game for a Bengals running back this season. Benson was carrying a grudge when he ran for a career-high 189 yards against his former Bears team on Oct. 25.
The Bengals waived defensive tackle Orien Harris to open a roster spot for Johnson, who knew hed be listed fourth on the depth chart to start.
"I'd be lying if I said I ain't looking at that game as a game I want to definitely play in, but we take it a game at a time, one situation at a time," Johnson said. "I'm just trying to get on the field as of right now. If that happens, it's the best Christmas gift I can get."
"I have to work my way back up," Johnson said. "You have to earn your stripes, literally, in the situation I'm in."
The signing came eight days after the Chiefs let him go as he was set to return from his second suspension in the past 12 months.
The Bengals are taking little financial risk by bringing Johnson in for the rest of the season — he could be released if he becomes a problem.
"He knows what's at stake and at risk," Lewis said. "He gets an opportunity to start anew, just like anyone would. He has paid a price for what's gone on, things he's said and done, and it came to a finality in Kansas City. And now it's a new start."
He got a second chance in Cincinnati, which has a history of providing them for troubled players. Owner Mike Brown brought Chris Henry back to the team before the 2008 season — over Lewis' disagreement — and the receiver has stayed out of trouble since then. Henry is out for the rest of the season with a broken left arm.
When injuries decimated their group of running backs last season, the Bengals signed Benson to a one-year deal despite his two alcohol-related arrests in Texas. The cases were dropped in Texas. The juries declined to indict, and the Bengals offered a deal.
Benson has revitalized his career in Cincinnati - he ranks sixth
in the league in rushing with 859 yards and leads the NFL with 205 carries, only nine shy of his career high with roughly half a season to go. His backup, Bernard Scott, is a rookie chosen in the sixth round from Abilene Christian.
Benson couldn't finish an 18-12 victory at Pittsburgh on Sunday because of his hip injury, which
gave the Bengals pause. The victory left Cincinnati (7-2) in first place in the AFC North by a game, in position to make its second playoff appearance in the last 19 years.
Lewis has assured Benson he will remain the top running back. During an interview Tuesday with Sirius XM Radio, Benson sounded open to it.
NBA
Thunder use 20-1 run to defeat Heat
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MIAMI — Kevin Durant scored 32 points, Russell Westbrook had 24 and the Oklahoma City Thunder added to their surprising start by beating the Miami Heat 100-87 on Tuesday night.
An early 20-1 run put the Thunder in control, and a 14-2 burst in the third quarter helped seal it for Oklahoma City. Jeff Green added 13 for the Thunder, who've won three straight on the road.
Dwyane Wade finished with 22 points on 6 of 19 shooting and Daequan Cook scored 14 of his 17 in the fourth quarter for Miami. Jermaine O'Neal had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat, w
visit Atlanta Wednesday for the first time since the Hawks beat Miami in Game 7 of last season's Eastern Conference opening-ground series.
An early 20-1 run put the Thunder in control, and a 14-2 burst in the third quarter helped seal it for Oklahoma City.
The Thunder got off to a 6-32 start last year. This season, they're 6-5.
Westbrook's 3-pointer with 6:40 left might have been the biggest blow, considering it came after he lost the dribble, while being closely guarded by Mario Chalmers and with the shot clock running down. He swished it anyway, putting Oklahoma City up 87-72.
Miami made a run, with Cook scoring five quick points and Wade hitting a 3-pointer to get the Heat within nine, but Durant answered with a turnaround jumper and the Thunder weren't seriously threatened again.
Oklahoma City trailed 16-11 midway through the opening quarter. Without warning, everything quickly turned its way.
A 20-1 run over an 8-minute stretch set the tone. Durant scored 10 points (plus had two assists). Miami missed 10 straight shots
and a sequence at the end of the first quarter further soured the Heat mood.
Miami made its run, largely coinciding with Durant not scoring for the final 4:46 of the half. The Heat scored 13 of
the final 19 points of the second quarter, closing to 45-42 at the break.
But the third quarter, all Oklahoma City again.
Westbrook had nine in the period, Durant had eight more and the Heat opened by shooting 4 of 12 from the floor. It all added up to the Thunder taking a 74-59 lead into the final 12 minutes. Another big run — this time, a 14-2 spurt — did most of the damage, as Oklahoma City stretched a tenuous 51-48 edge into a 65-50 lead.
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
Nebraska's Suh ready to fight Kansas State in running game
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh says Kansas State's run-oriented offense might be just what he needs to break out of his slump.
The star defensive tackle didn't have a sack or tackle behind the line of scrimmage in the last two games against Oklahoma and Kansas.
Suh said he expects K-State (6-5, 4-3 Big 12), led by league rushing leader Daniel Thomas, to run right at the Cornhuskers (7-3, 4-2) on Saturday in the game that will decide the Big 12 North.
"They want to come downhill on you," Suh said. "That's great for me. That's my type of football — not the cutesy stuff we see the majority of the time in our conference with spread offenses."
Suh made four tackles against Oklahoma and three against Kansas, both of which used creative double-team strategies to tie him up.
Coach Bo Pelini said opponents' schemes show great respect for the Lombardi Award finalist, who on Tuesday was named one of 15 "players to watch" for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
"They want to come downhill on you. That's great for me. That's my type of football."
to hoe for him, especially this last week. I sensed a little bit of frustration on him after the game because he didn't feel like he played well, but when you look at the film,
NDAMUKONG SUH Defensive tackle
he played well."
Pellini he's told Suh to not let the double-teams eat at him.
Suh and fellow tackle Jared Crick redirected traffic in the trenches in the 31-17 victory over Kansas. Suh said the line's overall performance still rated an "F".
"He thinks he should make plays no matter how many guys are on him, and he has for the most part," Pelini said. "It's been a tough row."
"I have high expectations." he said.
The Wildcats have run two of every three plays this season, and the 6-foot-2, 227-pound Thomas averages a Big 12-leading 21 carries and 106 yards a game. K-State is rushing for 183 yards a game, third in the league.
Suh said the Wildcats' offense plays to his strength, as long as they don't run away from him.
"You have opportunities every single play to be a factor, and that's not always true with the spread offenses," he said. "There are tons of different things they do to get rid of the line and deflate the defensive line. It's nice going against a team that wants to run the ball straight at you."
Even though Sub's numbers are down lately, there is some consolation.
The Huskers have won three straight, and they'll play in the Big 12 championship game for the first time since 2006 if they defeat Kansas State.
Suh put up his biggest numbers in losses. He had eight tackles against Virginia Tech and eight against Iowa State.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nebraska's defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh says Kansas State's run-oriented offense might be just what he needs to break out of his slump. Suh didn't have a sack or tackle behind the line of scrimmage in the last two games against Oklahoma and Kansas.
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