Week 14 saw the 8-4 Cincinnati Bengals face the 8-4 Indianapolis Colts; both teams at the top of their respective divisions were looking for another win to capture that playoff birth. The Bengals this year have beaten top teams such as the Detroit Lions, Packers (with a healthy Aaron Rodgers) and Tom Brady and the Patriots. So the odds were in favor of the Bengals the team that was perfect at home and knew how to beat the big teams in the league. This game was no different from the others, it could be considered it was a blow out, as the Cincinnati Bengals would flatten the Colts at home 42-28.
The first half of the game was all Bengals as they would score 14 points and not allow a single point what so ever. The second touchdown was a bit on the controversial side when BenJarvus Green-Ellis scored. It was fourth and one and it looked like he had been downed before he made it to the end zone, but didn’t change anything and the TD was good, funny enough he had been ruled down before, but was reviewed and reversed for the TD.
In the second half the Bengals would score again making the lead 21-0 on another Green-Ellis TD. The game however was not over and the Colts would prove that with two straight TDs, first was a Da’Rick Rogers 69 TD pass from Andre Luck and then LaVon Brazil would catch a 19 yard pass, now making the score 21-14. The Bengals not liking their lead shrinking scored two more TDs to make the score 35-14 the Colts would inch their way closer again thanks to another Brazill TD, but Andy Dalton would run in another TD to make it 42-21, the Colts would get one more TD, but of course it was not enough as the Bengals win in Cincy.
That was one of those games where the Bengals were deadly on offense, we saw the good Andy Dalton play and if he can play like this come playoff time, and this team has to have a chance to win it all! Andy Dalton who was clearly the star of the game went 24/35 with 275 yards thrown and 3 TD passes with no interceptions, he also ran 11 yards for a TD. Had the Bengals not won, or if this game been closer Andrew Luck might have been the story of the game going 29/46 throwing 326 yards and 4 TDs with no INTs, luckily that performance didn’t take away the Bengals thunder.
Green-Ellis was good scoring two TDs with 48 yards, while Giovanni Bernard had 99 yards rushing and 49 yards receiving. AJ Green had one TD with 72 yards and Marvin Jones had a TD as well for 60 yards. The Bengals have a lot more weapons this season than the last couple of years and it’s showing. The defense was as spectacular as its been in the past. The first half was great, they didn’t allow a single point, but the second half they allowed 28 points go by, hopefully that will be nothing to worry about down the road the best player on the defensive side was once again Vontaze Burfict who had 6 tackles.
The Bengals have three games left they face the Steelers next week on the road and finish out the season with two games at home. If wasn’t for the Baltimore Ravens three games winning streak I’m pretty sure the AFC North would be in the Bengals hands right now. Hopefully next week the Bengals can lock up a playoff spot on the road in Pittsburgh.
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