Bengals Escape Cleveland with an Ugly 20-17 Win.

Cincinnati, Ohio- The old saying a “win is a win” would definitely  apply to this weeks game where we saw some late turnovers decide the outcome of the game. Andy Dalton was less then stellar throwing two picks and Jeremy Hill was yet again unable to get the ground game going despite starting this game off strong. Last season the Bengals had trouble with Cleveland with one of those games being an complete and utter stomp at the hand of the Browns. This game however was close all the way through with the Bengals pulling it out in the final minute of the game, when rookie Jon Carter made a spectacular interception, right after Dalton had thrown his second pick of the game the play before.  Carter on that interception.

I knew we as a defense had to come up big for Andy and hold them from scoring, because i knew if he got the ball again he wasn’t going to turn it over and we would come away with the W for sure. I just made the right read on the play and when the ball came my way i was ready for it.

The rookie has been impressing everyone with his play and his work ethic ever since he has been drafted and we got to see the start of a promising career today.

While the defense was mostly solid in this win the offense was up and down most of the game. Yet again Hill and the running game could not get anything going. Hill started out strong but he didn’t not finish strong, ending with 12 carries for 37 yards and a td, at all with the team eventually deciding to abandon the run game. Andy Dalton was hot and cold but stepped up when his team needed him the most. We got a chance to speak with coach Miller about Dalton’s play.

 Andy had a mostly solid game he made a couple bad reads and threw some balls he would like to have back. He did have the 2 turnovers which put us in a bad spot, but this is a team game and that’s why you have a defense. The thing I love about this kid is he never gets down on himself, so your always in the game when you have a player of his caliber on your side, when the defense got the ball back right away he just did what he does best and that’s win us ball games.

Dalton finished 21/35 284 yards 1 td and 2 int not his strongest performance, but on that last drive he found old reliable A.J. Green on a corner route for 20 yards that set up the game winning field goal.  New comer Jermaine Kearse showed the league why they should have signed him this off season finishing with 8 reception for 106 yards and a one touchdown with Green right behind him finishing with 7 catches for 99 yards. Its only one game but from the looks of things it’s going to be tough to stop this passing game with such big receiving threats out there. Sprinkle in Tyler Eifert 3 rec 58 yards and the opponents might not have enough talent on the defensive side of the ball to consistently stop this offense from moving the chains.

It’s nice knowing you have those options out there when you step in the huddle and know that any one of those guys are capable of making a big play when we need it, whether that be a spectacular catch to move the chains or a clutch block to spring someone loose, they always have to be accounted for and i’m glad to have them on my side.

It’s looking like Dalton is happy with his new offensive toy and the defense is looking solid after one game. There is still plenty of football left obviously, but if this team can stay mostly healthy throughout the year I look for them to repeat as Division winners and advance deep into the playoffs.