CINCINNATI - The Packers have lost their knack for finishing games off.
After a week of hearing Coach Mike McCarthy stress the need for a solid fourth quarter, Green Bay went out and let one get away on Sunday. Terence Newman returned a fumble 58 yards for a touchdown with 3:47 left, rallying the Cincinnati Bengals to a 34-30 victory.
A game full of flubs came down to who made the last one. And it was the Packers - again.
“We’ve lost two games in the fourth quarter, which is what we emphasized,” McCarthy said. “This team will grow from it.”
The Packers (1-2) have a bye week to think about the two that got away, an opening 34-28 loss at San Francisco and the one in Cincinnati that was strange all around.
Each team gave it away four times. Each team returned a fumble for a touchdown - M.D. Jennings (Arkansas State) ran one back for Green Bay. The Bengals blew a 14-point lead, and the Packers let a 16-point lead get away in the second half. Green Bay scored 30 consecutive points and lost.
The Bengals (2-1) finished it off when Michael Johnson batted down Aaron Rodgers’ fourth-down pass at the Cincinnati 20-yard line with 1:21 left, ending a subpar showing for the quarterback. It marked the first time in 14 years that a team won after allowing an opponent to score 30 consecutive points in a game.
The second-half comeback completed an exhilarating week at Paul Brown Stadium for the Bengals, who beat AFC North rival Pittsburgh 20-10 on Monday night with an impressive defensive game.
The defense made the difference again against Rodgers and Green Bay’s high-powered but injury-depleted offense. Rodgers was 26 of 43 for 244 yards with a touchdown, but was sacked four times and threw two interceptions.
“It was a frustrating game,” Rodgers said. “We spot ‘em 14, score 30 in a row and they get 20. I played poorly and the defense played well enough for us to win.”
Green Bay lost tight end Jermichael Finley to a concussion and ran out of running backs. Eddie Lacy was inactive with a concussion, James Starks hurt a knee in the first half, and rookie Johnathan Franklin ran for 103 yards and a touchdown before limping off at the start of the final series.
Sports, Pages 16 on 09/23/2013