Time to Rock and Stroll
CINCINNATI — Keyshawn Johnson was right. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enjoyed the NFL’s version of a stroll in the park.
There was even time to stop and dance on the patchwork grass.
Brad Johnson threw three touchdown passes as the Buccaneers made their receiver’s brash prediction come true by beating the winless Cincinnati Bengals, 35-7, Sunday.
In the closing minutes, the few remaining fans got to see defensive lineman Warren Sapp stop and gyrate on the re-sodded middle of the field as music played during a timeout.
“It’s all about us,” said Sapp, who had two sacks. “If we come out and play our game, they can’t play with us. Even if we give them seven, they still can’t play with us.”
The Bengals can’t even keep up with themselves much of the time. They had consecutive delay-of-game penalties before missing a field goal, and twice had the wrong number of players on the field for punts.
They’re 0-4 for the sixth time during their 12-season reign as the NFL’s worst team.
“Thirty-five to seven,” said Bengal receiver Chad Johnson, who is Keyshawn’s cousin. “Oh-and-four. Ridiculous.”
Rickey Dudley and Keenan McCardell slipped past confused defenders for uncontested touchdown catches as Tampa Bay (3-1) got its second impressive victory in six days. The Buccaneers beat the Rams, 26-14, Monday night.