The Bengals continued a schizophrenic season yesterday against the New Orleans Saints. They followed one of the most disgusting performances of the Marvin Lewis era with their best game of the season.
It was hard to fathom this was the same team that’s been suiting up in Cincinnati all season. From Andy Dalton’s 143.9 QB rating to the defense’s monstrous goal-line stand in the first quarter that essentially turned the game, this was a championship-caliber performance by a team that hasn’t given one to date.
Sure, they’ve beaten Baltimore twice, but both times, they tried to throw the game away in the fourth quarter before snatching it back in the final minutes.
Yeah, they hammered the Falcons, but Atlanta is a terrible road team. Yes, they destroyed the Titans, but Tennessee is just bad.
The Bengals made few mistakes against the Saints — a high-octane offense in a hostile environment.
Rey Maualuga’s return made a huge difference. He was a beast against the run, and he was in on the tackle that prevented New Orleans’s fourth-and-goal conversion from the one.
But the defense, which has so desperately needed the offense to bail them out for the past month while they’ve been nursing injuries, finally got a proper response from Dalton. Three touchdown passes, no picks, and precision passing all day.
Dalton’s big moment came in the fourth quarter — where championship quarterbacks make their reputations. Facing a third-and-18 on his own 12, Dalton connected with AJ Green down the right sideline for 38 yards to spark a drive that would end in the touchdown that sealed the game.
Yes, having Green healthy made a difference. There were little X-factors all over the field that made this game different from the last four or five.
But the thing is, no one cares how hurt you are in the NFL. You have to make plays when the opportunity arrives. You have to not make mistakes when you’re in control. For the first time all season, that’s what the Bengals did yesterday.
Dare I even suggest it? They played with poise.
And it still doesn’t make me feel better, because who are these guys? Will they keep playing like this? Or will they fold up like a card table as soon as the Monday-night lights come on against Denver? Can they sweep the Steelers like they did the Ravens? Can they get the game back against Cleveland.
Oh, and can Dalton and company finally beat the Texans? Can Marvin Lewis get his first career win against Tampa Bay, even though they are always a bad team the year the Bengals draw them?
Here’s something else to consider. Yesterday’s win was poised and well timed. But what if they had instead lost yesterday but beaten Cleveland like they were supposed to? The Bengals would still be 6-3-1 and in first place in the AFC North. But the Browns would be 5-5 instead of 6-4. Cincinnati would be 3-0 in the division, while Pittsburgh, their closest contender is 2-2.
Six wins is still good enough for first in the AFC North, but the games you win versus the ones you lose are important. Last week’s choke still looms large over a season that began with a lot of promise.
So what are we going to see in the final six games? Poise like we saw against New Orleans, or a total meltdown like we saw against New England, Indianapolis, and Cleveland? Or will it be a mix that could go either way like the wins over Baltimore or the tie against Carolina?
Yesterday’s win was nice, and it was good. But it doesn’t prove anything yet.
Cincinnati has a long way to go before they can be considered a contender.
Who Dey Herald 