Bengals Handing Out High Fives
| Andy Dalton deserves more than a high five for the Bengals five game winning streak and 6-2 record in the AFC North. (AP Photo/Frederick Breedon) |
How after a 6-2 start can you still not believe in the Cincinnati Bengals? "C'mon Man!"
One of his reasons for why they were not for real was because they haven't played anybody, and they still have to play Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Yes, the Ravens and Steelers do appear on the schedule four times in the next eight weeks, but this is the National Football League.
Every week, any team can win, any team. Great example this past weekend, the Miami Dolphins were 0-7, and many wondered if they would win a game all season. Yet, they beat the Kansas City Chiefs, on the road no less, by 28 points.
Sure the Bengals have wins over teams like the Colts, Seahawks, Browns, and Jaguars who aren't exactly the cream of the crop in the NFL, but it's not like in college where a win over Austin Peay means nothing. There is no BCS ranking system, the only thing that matters is the amount of wins your record shows, and the Bengals have six of them.
If the season ended today the Bengals would not only be division champions, but they would have a first round bye, and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. How can you not be for real and have the number one seed in the AFC? As Chad Ochocinco would say, "Child Please."
This team is for real and in Peter King's weekly Monday Morning QB, he had this to say about rookie QB Andy Dalton.
"13. Cincinnati (6-2). I have to say that I'd to switch to Andy Dalton as my offensive rookie of the year, a week after I chose Cam Newton in SI.com's midseason report. The rookie out of TCU is 6-2, Newton's 2-6, and like Newton, Dalton walks into the offensive huddle like he owns the place."
| A.J. Green is having himself quite a season and is one of the main reasons for the Bengals being 6-2. (The Cincinnati Enquirer/Cara Owsley) |
Whether you believe the Bengals are for real or not is entirely up to you, but as Domata Peko explained, "The heart, man...It's something you can't teach." This team has more heart than any other Bengals team I have ever seen, and how can you be a true Cincinnati Bengals fan, and not believe in them.
The last time the Bengals had a five game winning streak, the year was 1988. Ronald Regan was in office, Andy Dalton wasn't even two years old, and A.J. Green hadn't had his first birthday yet. It was also the last time the Bengals reached the Super Bowl.
If the Bengals want to get back there, it starts this week with the Pittsburgh Steelers. in front of a sold-out crowd at Paul Brown Stadium. All I can say is Pittsburgh better bring it or they will be going home with their second straight loss. The Bengals are for real and they will prove in this Sunday. Who-Dey!
"HOLY CRAP" PERFORMERS
RB DeMarco Murray, Cowboys: I think Dallas has found their running back of the future. The rookie out of Oklahoma just continues to impress and Murray had 139-yds on 22 carries Sunday against Seattle.
RB Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks: A much better game from Lynch who struggled last week. 23 carries, 135-yds and a touchdown.
WR Julio Jones, Falcons: Jones missed Atlanta's last two games due to injury, but he returned with some flare against the Colts Sunday. Jones caught three passes for 131-yds, including two for touchdowns.
Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins finally got win number one of the season in dominate fashion, with a 31-3 victory on the road in Kansas City. QB Matt Moore was 17/23 for 244-yds and three touchdowns and WR Brandon Marshall - 8 receptions for 106-yds and a touchdown - played a key role in Miami's first win.
San Francisco 49ers: San Francisco improved to 7-1 with a 19-11 win over Washington and they have a full five game lead in the NFC West. Could they clinch by Thanksgiving?
RB Roy Helu, Redskins: Nice game from the rookie out of Nebraska.10 carries for 41-yds and 14 receptions for 105-yds.
RB Arian Foster and RB Ben Tate, Texans: Houston ran all over the Browns on Sunday rushing for 261-yds as a team, including 124-yds from Foster and 115-yds from Tate. Both also ran for touchdowns in the Texans 30-12 win.
RB Willis McGahee and QB Tim Tebow, Broncos: Big game from McGahee, 163-yds and two touchdowns on the ground. Tim Tebow played much better this week, although the inaccuracy is still there going 10/21 for 124-yds, Tebow did throw for two touchdowns, and he ran for 117-yds in the Broncos 38-24 win over the rival Raiders.
QB Eli Manning, Giants: 20/39, 250-yds, 2 TD, INT. ELIte Manning, as he's now being called, threw both of this touchdown passes with under four minutes to go in a come from behind win over Tom Brady and the Patriots in Foxborough. It was reminiscent of Super Bowl XLII when Eli and the Giants came back to defeat the Patriots on that historic drive that included WR David Tryee's spectacular helmet catch.
Also noteworthy, TE Jack Ballard caught the game winning touchdown pass and his jersey number is 85, the same as Tyree's. Oh, how history has tendency to repeat itself. The G-Men are playing really well right now and Eli has to be put in the MVP conversation.
WR Wes Welker and TE Rob Gronkowski, Patroits: Both of these guys continued their impressive sesaons Sunday with Welker having 9 receptions for 136-yds, and Gronkowski bringing in 8 receptions for 101-yds and a touchdown. Welker and Gronkowski look like they each will be heading to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii come February.
QB Aaron Rodgers, Packers: Rodgers is playing the quarterback position better than anyone I have ever seen. He had yet another outstanding game Sunday going 21/26 for 247-yds and 4 TD. He is on pace for 5,200-yds and 48 TD this season, and the NFL might as well give him the MVP trophy right now. Packers are still undefeated by the way.
CB Charles Peprah, Packers: Five total tackles and two interceptions for 116-yds, including a 40-yd interception for a touchdown.
WR Vincent Jackson, Chargers: Excellent game for Jackson with 7 receptions for 141-yds and 3 TD.
QB Joe Flacco, Ravens: It might have been a career defining 4th quarter drive for Joe Flacco Sunday night against the arch rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Down 20-16 with less than five minutes to go, Flacco led the Ravens on a 12 play, 92-yd drive, ending in a 26-yd touchdown pass to WR Torrey Smith. Flacco has struggled against the Steelers in first five career trips to Pittsburgh, where he was 1-4, but he had a much better day on Sunday. Flacco was 28/47 for 300-yds and a touchdown as the Ravens swept the season series with the Steelers.
LB James Harrison, Steelers: In his first game back from a broken orbital bone, Harrison recorded eight total tackles, six hits on the quarterback, including three sacks.
Chicago Bears Offensive Line: For the first time all season, the Bears offensive line did not allow QB Jay Cutler to be sacked. Cutler had been sacked 21 times going into Monday night against Philadelphia, but Cutler remained upright for the first time in his last 30 games, and led the Bears to a 30-24 win over the Eagles.
"Holy Crap" Performer of the Week:
CB Patrick Peterson, Cardinals: Patrick Peterson was said to be the best player in the 2011 NFL Draft and he is starting to show why. Sunday against the Rams, Peterson had three tackles, three pass deflections, an interception, and a 99-yd punt return for a touchdown in overtime to give Arizona their second win of the season. Wow.
"C'MON MAN" PERFORMANCES
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills: 15/31 for 191-yds, a touchdown and two interceptions from the Harvard grad did not help the Bills Sunday against the Jets. The Bills lost 27-11, falling to 5-3, and a three way tie in the AFC East.
QB Tarvaris Jackson, Seahawks: Another poor performance from a Seattle Seahawks quarterback. Tarvaris Jackson was 17/30 for 221-yds and three interceptions in the Seahawks 23-12 loss to the Cowboys.
Indianapolis Colts: The Colts are the only winless team left in the NFL at 0-9 and one has to wonder if they will win a game this season. QB Curtis Painter did not paint a pretty picture, as he was 13/27 for 98-yds and an interception. The Indianapolis defense may be the worst in the NFL and they struggled again Sunday giving up 31 points and 432-yds of offense.
Cleveland Browns: The Browns were supposed to be an improved team this season, but they have not looked good this season, and games like the one on Sunday are evidence why. The defense gave up 380-yds of offense, 261 of those on the ground, and 30 points. The offense turned the ball over twice, allowed eight quarterback hits, including four sacks. and only gained 172-yds of total offense.
QB John Skelton, Cardinals: Skelton played pretty well filling in for the injured Kevin Kolb - 20/35, 222-yds, TD - but he cost his team four points on two safeties. Skelton was sacked and called for intentional grounding while in the end zone resulting in two safeties and four points for the Rams. You're lucky if you see two safeties all season, yet alone two in the same game by the same guy.
QB Philip Rivers, Chargers: Rivers played better, 26/46 for 385-yds and 4 TD, but this three interceptions were costly, as two of them were returned for touchdown in a 45-38 loss to the Packers.
"C'mon Man" Performance of the Week:
Kansas City Chiefs: How can you lose to the winless Miami Dolphins? And to do it at home by 28 points no less? "C'mon Man."
Comments
Post a Comment