It’s time to admit it: These aren’t the same Bengals.
Something has changed on the Riverfront. Cincinnati came into Sunday’s game hobbled by injuries at virtually every position except quarterback. They had a franchise record on the line (a 10-game home winning streak). They were playing an inferior team that still had a good defense and some dynamic playmakers on offense. In the past, the Bengals either lose this game to the shock and dismay of the fans, or they struggle all day and somehow escape with a tight win.
Not this time. Not these new Bengals. They blew out Tennessee 33-7. Had they not had an inexplicable defensive meltdown in the fourth quarter that featured two personal fouls and a 12-men-on-the-field penalty, it might have been a shutout.
Early in the game, it looked as though the usual script might play out. Tennessee drove down the field, converting two big third downs to get into Bengals territory. But Cincinnati stiffened on third-and-13, and Ryan Succop missed a 40-yard field goal.
The Bengals drove the ball deep into the red zone. But on third-and-three, QB Andy Dalton missed WR Mohamed Sanu on an out pass. Cincinnati had to settle for a for field goal and a 3-0 lead.
But then things changed. The Titans never converted another third down, finishing two for 12 on the day. The Bengals took their second drive to the Titans 18, when OC Hue Jackson pulled the old throwback play out of some ancient playbook. WR Mohamed Sanu took the handoff, ran to his right, and then threw the ball back across the field to Dalton.
It should have been intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Titans CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson read the play and broke on it.
But Dalton did what he tells his receivers to. He came back to the ball, leaped, and snatched it out of the air. Wreh-Wilson delivered only a glancing blow and bounced off. Dalton raced 18 yards to the endzone to put the Bengals up 10-0.
And then Cincinnati drubbed the Titans. They safetied them on a punt. They intercepted a pass and scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive. They engineered two more touchdown drives in the second half. When the offense couldn’t move the ball, P Kevin Huber pinned Tennessee deep in its own territory. The Bengals even survived what should have been a disastrous interception on their side of the field by coming up with an endzone interception.
It was another gritty, poised performance by a team that has established that as its modus operandi thus far this season. WR AJ Green was supposed to be hobbled by a toe injury. He caught 6 passes for 102 yards. LB Vontaze Burfict was out with a concussion. Emmanuel Lamur took over calling the defensive plays in just his third start. When he left the game with an injury. Vincent Rey, playing for the injured Burfict, took the radio helmet and assumed command.
Adversity has reared its head since the first minutes of the 2014 season. The Bengals have responded with their first 3-0 start since 2006.
Things have changed. These guys don’t make excuses. They don’t blow opportunities. They don’t let mistakes hurt them. They dig deep and do whatever they have to do to win.
There’s a lot of season left. Any Bengals fan older than 14 remembers how the 3-0 start in 2006 turned into 8-8 and missing the playoffs. After a bye week, Cincinnati travels to New England for a Sunday night game. That doesn’t bode well for the first 4-0 start in the Marvin Lewis era.
But these guys are tougher than that 2006 squad, a team that didn’t understand why it wasn’t accorded instant national respect just for making the playoffs. A team that never understood wins and respect have to be earned every single week.
Maybe the Bengals win in New England after taking a much-needed week off to heal. Maybe they don’t.
Regardless, you get the feeling things have changed in Bengaldom. This team plays with purpose. It plays with grit and tenacity. That wins games.
Usually enough of them to keep playing in January.
Who Dey Herald 