even throwing two balls away instead of forcing it into cover

CINCINNATI -- When the Bengals need a big play, they crumble.Thats been their offenses theme all season, and its left them in tenuous position for a sixth straight playoff berth.The fourth quarter has been their undoing.The Bengals (3-5-1) had another late meltdown on Monday night, falling to the New York Giants 21-20 .They entered the fourth quarter with a lead and wasted chances to put the game away, something thats happened repeatedly during their season.Youve got to be at your best in the fourth quarter, and we havent put it together, Andy Dalton said on Wednesday. Weve been close.Its been the most puzzling part of an offense that piles up the yards but not the points, especially when it matters most.Dalton ranks 21st in fourth-quarter passer rating at 85.2. Hes thrown only three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, all of them when the opponents went soft on defense while finishing off a game with a lead. One came in Pittsburgh, the other two in Dallas.Cincinnati has scored 40 points in the fourth quarter -- its fewest in any quarter -- and has been held to three points or fewer in six of its nine games.Against the Giants, the Bengals had the ball five times after pulling ahead 20-14 midway through the third quarter and managed only 47 yards and three first downs -- one by penalty -- the rest of the way.The reality is weve been in games at the end and just havent been able to find plays, left tackle Andrew Whitworth said.I think it can go one of two ways: You start to develop into a team that doesnt seem to find an answer, or you can turn it around and make it swing in the other direction.Theres not much time left to get it figured out. The defending AFC North champions trail Baltimore (5-4) and Pittsburgh (4-5) heading into the final stretch of the season.Theyve got two games with Baltimore and they host the Steelers, so theres still a chance to catch up, but only if they figure out how to do a better job of protecting Dalton.He was sacked twice on the final series, when the Bengals line got overwhelmed . Dalton has been sacked 28 times, third-most in the NFL behind Indianapolis and Cleveland quarterbacks. The Bengals are on pace to allow 50 sacks for only the seventh time in franchise history.The Bengals are one of the healthiest teams in the league, so thats not been a factor in the diminished pass protection.Its hard to say whats the big difference for this team, Dalton said. The core is together.On Sunday, they host Buffalo (4-5), which leads the league with 30 sacks. A veteran line knows that it has to do better at giving Dalton time against the Bills .As youve been in this league longer, I think more of our guys are going to find that out that (opponents) start to figure you out, how you block and how you do things, and youd better have an answer for it, Whitworth said.Game notes Dalton was limited in practice on Wednesday with a sore throwing shoulder, but is expected to play against the Bills. The Bengals held a light workout coming off the Monday night game. ... G Clint Boling (shoulder), TE Tyler Eifert (knee) and WR Bandon LaFell (knee) also were limited in the offenses workouts. LB Rey Maualuga, who was inactive against the Giants because of an injured fibula, practiced on a limited basis. ... DE Wallace Gilberry had a sore calf and didnt fully practice following his first game since re-signing with Cincinnati.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Air Max 95 Cheap Authentic .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Air Max 95 Authentic Australia . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. http://www.airmax95australia.com/ . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. Air Max 95 Online Store Australia . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. Cheap Air Max 95 Wholesale Australia . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. NAPA, Calif. -- Quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Terrelle Pryor basically performed as advertised in the exhibition opener for the Oakland Raiders. Flynn was the steady by unspectacular game manager who tries to stay on schedule as he moves the offence methodically down the field. Pryor was a somewhat predictable mix of dazzling and frustrating, mixing big plays with a boneheaded decision that led to a turnover. The surprise of the quarterback group might have been undrafted rookie from Penn State Matt McGloin, who showed why he has passed fourth-round pick Tyler Wilson for third string on the depth chart when he produced Oaklands only touchdown in the 19-17 win over Dallas on Friday night. "I think the thing that you see from Matt is he is composed," coach Dennis Allen said Saturday. "He does have poise in the pocket and he doesnt get rattled. For a guy who is an undrafted free agent, to handle himself the way hes handled himself in pressure situations has been a nice surprise." McGloin was 4 for 7 for 78 yards in the third quarter, completing two long pass to fellow rookie Brice Butler, including a well-placed 30-yard touchdown. McGloin went from a walk-on at Penn State to an NFL prospect after throwing for 3,271 yards and 24 touchdowns last season under coach Bill OBrien. He joined the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in May and recently passed the more heralded Wilson the depth chart as he tries to earn a roster spot. "He did great," Flynn said. "Hes had a great camp so far and its fun to watch those guys that youve been helping day in, day out go out there and perform well." All of Oaklands top three quarterbacks had their good moments in the win. Flynn responded from a sack fumble after a blown protection on the opening drive to convert to third downs through the air on a field-goal drive late in the first quarter. Flynn finished 4 for 5 for 37 yards. "When you look at Matt Flynn youre not going to be wowed because hes the biggest, strongest, fastest, best arm," Allen said. "But thats not what being a great quarterback in this league is all about. Being a great quarterback in this league is more about the mental part oof the game than it is the physical part of the game.dddddddddddd Its timing, its decision-making, its accuracy. Those are some of the things that I see him being able to do." That was Pryors biggest problem. An otherwise impressive night was overshadowed by one ill-fated decision late in the first half. After moving the Raiders down the field with ease, Pryor rolled out on a third-and-4 from the 6. He had room to run on the outside for a first down or possibly a touchdown but decided instead to try to throw the ball across his body to Butler in the middle of the end zone. J.J. Wilcox stepped in front of the pass and intercepted it and Pryor immediately knew he made a bad decision. "I looked at the pictures and I could have ran it easy," Pryor said. "That was just me being greedy. Maybe in the back of my mind I was saying, Hey, I want to throw a touchdown pass. People think I cant. I have to understand the abilities I have and use them to perfection." Pryor responded by leading the Raiders to a field-goal on an impressive two-minute drill at the end of the half, even throwing two balls away instead of forcing it into coverage as he learned his lesson. Even though Flynn is on track to be the starter at quarterback this season, the Raiders plan to use Pryor at times as well. He showed why with two long runs on read-option plays, a scramble that led to a completion and as a decoy on Rashad Jennings 16-yard run. Pryor could be used in a special red zone and short-yardage package or come in for a series or two at a time as the Raiders try to capitalize on his athleticism. "You see what the athletic skill set that really excites all of us," Allen said. "The fact that hes really a dual threat -- he can run the football. I thought he threw the ball pretty well at times tonight. Thats one of the things that we want to try to use that skill set and hopefully itll be another dimension to our offence." NOTES: LB Keenan Clayton was the only player injured in the game and is questionable for practice Sunday. ... RG Mike Brisiel will get a day off because Allen said he is not completely healthy right now and struggled in the game ' ' '