[woy1509]

MONDAY NIGHT SHOOTOUT

Shamrocks cornerback Leon Hall jumps a Jay Cutler pass and returns it for a touchdown.

Bengals runningback Reggie Bush celebrates by high-stepping into the end zone on this 102 yard kick return.

Shamrocks quarterback David Carr throws a strike to Steve Breaston on the run for a touchdown.

CINCINNATI (AP)- After back-to-back opening drive interceptions, you figured this Monday Nighter would be a defensive struggle, right? You just don’t know Shamrock football then, I guess. The Boston Shamrocks went into Cincinnati and beat down the Bengals, 66-41. The game started off, after a Matt Stover kick into the end zone, David Carr dropped back and found Nathan Vasher in the flat. Too bad Vasher plays for the home team. Vasher returned the pick 24 yards for a score. The Shamrocks proceeded to get into their no-huddle offense and later, Carr found Steve Breaston for a 11 yard score. After Justin Medlock’s kick went into the end zone, Jay Cutler found Leon Hall on the first play. Much like Carr’s misfortunes, Leon Hall wears the opposite jersey that Cutler was wearing. Hall ran back the pick 35 yards for a score. After a three-and-out, Carr took his team down the field and found Oliver Hoyte in the flat. Unlike Vasher, Hoyte actually is on Carr’s team, and he rumbled into the end zone as the Shamrocks took a 21-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. Medlock’s leg started off a highly scoring second quarter as he connected for a field goal from 45 yards out. Carr then found Jerricho Cotchery for six the next drive. Reggie Bush took the kickoff from out of the end zone and sprung free. 102 yards later, Bush was reminiscent of his USC days, as he put his team on the board. Carr took Boston down the field again and then found his favorite receiver, Breaston, on another score, from 59 yards out this time. Bush followed with a 3 yard touchdown, but as soon as you could blink, Carr found Breaston for a touchdown the third time in the half. Stover ended up kicking a field goal as time expired, and Boston went into the locker room leading 45-24. Bush led things off with another short touchdown run and Stover followed with another field goal. Carr then hooked up with Cotchery again for Carr’s sixth touchdown pass of the game. In the fourth quarter, the Shamrocks finally got some sort of running game started as Shaun Alexander punched one in from 7 yards. Cutler found Marty Booker from 9 yards out on the next drive. Jerious Norwood, just like the game before, had the last word as he ran in from 2 yards. “The only game I can think of one of my teams being so successful on offense would have to be either the 2004 Orange Bowl or the 2005 UCLA game,” Coach Pete Carroll recalls. “Our defense has to start playing better though.” When a reporter asked Carroll about Steve Breaston he answered, “Wow, the kid’s amazing. I mean, three catches, three touchdowns? He’s unbelievable.” The Shamrocks improve to 4-0 and remain the only undefeated team in the NFL. Next week Boston hosts Michael Vick and the Cleveland Browns.

SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter
CIN- Nathan Vasher 24 yard interception return (Matt Stover kick)
BOS- David Carr 11 yard pass to Steve Breaston (Justin Medlock kick)
BOS- Leon Hall 35 yard interception return (Medlock kick)
BOS- Carr 11 yard pass to Oliver Hoyte (Medlock kick)

2nd Quarter
BOS- Medlock 45 yard field goal
BOS- Carr 47 yard pass to Jerricho Cotchery (Medlock kick)
CIN- Reggie Bush 102 yard kick return (Stover kick)
BOS- Carr 59 yard pass to Breaston (Medlock kick)
CIN- Bush 3 yard run (Stover kick)
BOS- Carr 56 yard pass to Breaston (Medlock kick)
CIN- Stover 37 yard field goal

3rd Quarter
CIN- Bush 2 yard run (Stover kick)
CIN- Stover 35 yard field goal
BOS- Carr 11 yard pass to Cotchery (Medlock kick)

4th Quarter
BOS- Shaun Alexander 7 yard run (Medlock kick)
CIN- Jay Cutler 9 yard pass to Marty Booker (Stover kick)
BOS- Jerious Norwood 2 yard run (Medlock kick)

PASSING STATISTICS
BOS- David Carr (15-26, 356 yards, 6 TD, 2 INT)
CIN- Jay Cutler (24-37, 275 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT)

RUSHING STATISTICS
BOS- Jerious Norwood (19 carries, 93 yards, 1 TD)
Shaun Alexander (11 carries, 47 yards, 1 TD)
Carr (3 carries, 13 yards)
CIN- Reggie Bush (20 carries, 71 yards, 2 TD)
Cutler (2 carries, 14 yards)

RECEIVING STATISTICS
BOS- Antonio Gates (5 catches, 87 yards)
Jerricho Cotchery (4 catches, 100 yards, 2 TD)
Steve Breaston (3 catches, 126 yards, 3 TD)
Drew Bennett (1 catch, 25 yards)
Oliver Hoyte (1 catch, 11 yards, 1 TD)
Alexander (1 catch, 7 yards)
CIN- Ronald Curry (10 catches, 125 yards)
Marty Booker (6 catches, 79 yards, 1 TD)
L.J. Smith (4 catches, 49 yards)
Terry Glenn (1 catch, 12 yards)
Ashley Lelie (1 catch, 9 yards)
Bush (1 catch, 1 yard)
Ahmard Hall (1 catch, 0 yards)

TOP THREE DEFENSIVE PLAYERS
BOS- Antonio Pierce (6 tackles, 1 INT)
Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (5 tackles, 2 sacks)
Leon Hall (4 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD)
CIN- Nathan Vasher (5 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD)
Takeo Spikes (5 tackles, 1 INT)
Richard Seymour (5 tackles, 1 sack)

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
GOOD: David Carr, Steve Breaston, Reggie Bush
BAD: Jay Cutler, Shaun Alexander
UGLY: Shamrocks run blocking, David Carr’s first INT (first play), both teams’ defenses