Benson strong in return as Bengals clinch 2nd winning mark in 19 years


(AP Photo/David Kohl)
Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson looks for running room during the first half of their NFL football...

Associated Press

CINCINNATI -- Cedric Benson ran himself into a little bit of Cincinnati Bengals history.

The running back returned from a two-game layoff because of an injured hip and tied the team record with his fifth 100-yard game of the season on Sunday, setting up a 23-13 victory over the Detroit Lions that had even greater significance for the franchise.

Quote:Fast Facts

• The Bengals improved to 3-0 vs. the NFC this season, and coach Marvin Lewis tied Paul Brown for second in team history with his 55th victory. Only Sam Wyche (64) has more.

• Cedric Benson carried the ball 36 times (two shy of his career high) for 110 yards. That's his fifth 100-yard game of the season, tying a team record, and he became the third different Bengal to rush for at least 100 in as many weeks (joining Bernard Scott and Larry Johnson).

• Chad Ochocinco caught nine balls for a season-high 137 yards and one TD. It's the most receiving yards he's had in a game since Sept. 23, 2007, against the Seahawks.

-- ESPN Stats & Information

The Bengals (9-3) assured themselves of a winning record for only the second time in 19 years. The other one came in 2005, when Cincinnati won the AFC North and lost its opening playoff game to Pittsburgh.

After a solid first quarter, the Lions (2-10) went nowhere and had the game end badly. Rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford aggravated his non-throwing shoulder with 3:37 to go and didn't return, watching the final minutes from the bench.

The Bengals won another game with an approach so simple that the fans sometimes booed.

They did just enough against the league's worst pass defense -- Carson Palmer threw for 220 yards and a touchdown to Chad Ochocinco -- and went into grind-it-out mode in the second half. Benson finished with 110 yards on 36 carries, becoming the third different Bengal to run for 100 yards in the past three games.

Benson is the fifth Cincinnati running back to have five 100-yard games in a season.

The first quarter of the Bengals' least-appealing home game -- they needed an extension to sell out and avoid a television blackout -- had fans wondering why they'd bought those tickets. Paul Brown Stadium filled with boos as the Lions outplayed the Bengals at the outset.

The Bengals got no pressure on Stafford, who had plenty of time to throw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson for a 7-0 lead. Cincinnati's offensive line got pushed around -- Cincinnati managed only 47 yards in the opening quarter.

One play by a 6-foot-7 rookie changed the mood.

Third-round pick Michael Johnson batted one of Stafford's passes in the air, and defensive end Jonathan Fanene -- also in the backfield on the pass rush -- caught it cleanly, tucked the ball into the crook of his left arm and ran 45 yards untouched for his first career score.

Palmer's 36-yard touchdown pass to Ochocinco on the next series put the Bengals in control. It was only their third touchdown pass in the last five games, a sign of how much they've been leaning on the run this season.

Benson and the running game took it from there.

Palmer was 17 of 29 with two interceptions and a fumble. Ochocinco -- who had urged the Bengals to throw the ball more -- finished with a season-high 137 yards on nine catches.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=291206004

On one hand, I'm glad we can run the ball. On the other hand, it seems like we've abandoned the passing game or we just suck at it.

Thank goodness for a solid defense. It will be interesting when we play Minnesota. Will we be exposed?

3 yards a carry...hmmm.

glad to have ced back but this offense is going to have to get better or the defense needs to score 2 tds a game

Just some observations:

1. Glad Ced ran well..hope the hip continues to mend...
2. Stafford STINKS...they brought in Culpepper at the end of the game and he marched them down the field with no problem--had they put Culpepper in one series earlier, I think the Bengals lose the game..
3. Passing game is still broken--Chad and the TE's dropped a few, and Carson and the receivers need to get their routes straight. Also, protection broke down again a little yesterday.
4. They run the ball ALL THE WAY down the field, and then decide to pass on the 5 yard line...WHY? No red-zone execution at all...
5. Defense is still doing fairly well---they got burned bad twice on deep routes...don't know if that was a fluke or not...we'll see next week.
6. It was our 1st cold-weather game...and we didn't look good.
7. Only 6 points (both field goals) after the 1st half...do we just shut down after the 1st half, or do our opponents make adjustments that we can't fix? I'm looking right at Bob Bratkowski...

Minnesota lost their MLB last night...that could be a huge break for us next week. Also, Arizona showed that all you have to do to beat the Vikes is PRESSURE FARVE and he'll screw up--he tossed a bunch of INT's last night. I also think Minnesota's secondary is weak, so IF...we can get our passing game together somehow...we've got a shot. Stopping Peterson will be difficult, but Arizona did it, so why not Cincinnati...

We'll be in a dome next week...that'll help--we need a fast track.

FAST FACTS:

The Bengals haven't beaten a single AFC team outside their division...
The Bengals have the lowest point differential of any division leader...
The Bengals will have faced 2 teams this season using that team's ex star RB (Chicago, Kansas City)--I bet LJ has a heck of a game...I wonder if that's one of the reasons we picked him up..
ALL of the Bengals opponents this season have either underperformed the entire season, or tanked after playing the Bengals--when do we beat a team who is performing well?

AND SOME QUESTIONS:

What has our red zone execution been since Chris Henry went down?
What is the difference in QB sacks against us before and after Henry went down?
How long does it take a forearm to knit? Could Henry be ready by playoff time?
Should we call TJ and ask him if he'd like to come back from Seattle?
Do you think Mike Brown has been calling elite DI programs around the country so that they could interview/poach Brian Kelly?

(12-07-2009 08:46 AM)converrl Wrote:  How long does it take a forearm to knit? Could Henry be ready by playoff time?

I wondered the same thing........if Henry could be healed and ready for the playoffs.