In their longest winning streak since the Super Bowl season of 1988, the Cincinnati Bengals have ran off five consecutive victories and stand atop the AFC North standings along with the Baltimore Ravens with a 6-2 record.

Trailing 17-7 at halftime at the Tennessee Titans last Sunday, the Bengals dominated the second stanza to the tune of 17-0 and walked out of Music City with a 24-17 victory. It’s amazing how this team has been able to pull out close win after close win this season.

The bad news is the schedule gets borderline brutal from this point, beginning with this Sunday’s home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers (finally a sellout, thanks in large part to Steeler fans). The Steelers are slumming in third place of the AFC North with a 6-3 record. All right, they’re not slumming at all, but it’s just fun to say the Steelers are in third place.

However, if the Bengals want that to last, they will need to pull off an upset inside their own stadium (Pittsburgh is a 3.5-point favorite) against a team that will come in angry fresh off their last-minute defeat at the hands of the Ravens.

Few quick-hitters:

* Nice job by second-year DE Carlos Dunlap in stepping his play up the last few weeks. He had two sacks against the Titans when he was dominant for much of the afternoon, and now has three sacks on the season. He had 9.5 last year and reaching double-digits is certainly an attainable goal this season if he stays healthy. Remember, all of his sacks last season came in the final eight games of the year.

* Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are going to tear up the NFL for the next decade. And their attitudes are so refreshing that it’s stunning. Has anyone ever seen a pair of rookies so poised and confident, yet not one bit cocky or arrogant? Me neither.

* Never been a Marvin Lewis fan – well, other than early in his Bengal career when I briefly jumped on the bandwagon – but he’s proving me wrong this season. For the first time in ages, I can actually say the Bengals are a “well-coached football team.” It helps having a pair of excellent coordinators in Jay Gruden and Mike Zimmer, but Lewis gets plenty of credit too. Kudos to you, Marv. And to think he was an eyelash away from no longer being the Bengals’ coach in the aftermath of the disappointing 4-12 2010 season. However, in 2009, the Bengals were AFC North champions (when they swept the division 6-0) and Lewis was actually named NFL Coach of the Year. He also has the 2005 AFC North title under his belt during his tenure in Cincinnati.

* Hopefully middle linebacker Rey Maualuga (ankle) and tight end Jermaine Gresham (hamstring) will be able to play this Sunday because the Bengals will certainly need all hands on deck against the hated Steelers. Cornerback/punt returner Pacman Jones is also nursing a pulled hammy.

I had the enjoyable opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session with Andrew Strickert, publisher of Total Titans here on the Bloguin Network. If you’re looking for a interesting primer for Sunday’s Cincinnati Bengals at Tennessee Titans matchup, you certainly came to the right place.

My questions to Andrew and his answers are posted first. They are followed by my answers to questions posed by Total Titans readers.

1. TWC: What is the general consensus on first-year Titans head coach Mike Munchak so far? Jeff Fisher was one of the most-respected coaches in the NFL. How have Titans fans dealt with the transition? Has this been something that most-everyone was in favor of?

TT: Initially, many Titans fans were disappointed in the selection of Munchak, feeling that it would be more of the same old thing. As the season has progressed, however, more and more fans are starting to believe the change has been for the better. Munch made some visible changes in the way he ran training camp and he hasn’t been as conservative as Fisher was. A good example of this was in the Ravens game - after a long drive stalled with a 4th and 1 on the Ravens’ 10-yard line, Munch went for it and the Titans scored a touchdown. It was the turning point which allowed the Titans to seize control of the game. Fisher would have settled for a disappointing field goal.

I would add that the 3-1 start helped Munch a lot. If the Titans had started off 1-3, there wouldn’t be quite as strong a favorable feeling for Munchak.

2. TWC: What is holding Chris Johnson back in your opinion? He had one of the best seasons in NFL history two years ago.

TT: Two things have held CJ back this year and the first one is CJ himself. He’s not pressing the hole (when there is one) or running with determination. He’s looking to take one all the way instead of settling for what’s there. Worse, he’s being stopped by the first defender in his path and going down. As my co-author Tom Gower, who also writes for Football Outsiders, noted: “CJ is not currently anything close to a good NFL running back.”

The second thing responsible for CJ’s decline is the o-line, particularly the interior line. Center Eugene Amano has, to my untrained eye, been the worst, though guards Jake Scott and Leroy Harris have also had problems. Even tackles David Stewart and Michael Roos, who have both had great seasons before, have not blocked well in the run game. However, it should be noted that the interior line has not run-blocked well for several years, even in CJ’s 2,000-yard season.

It should also be noted that CJ’s backup, Javon Ringer, has outperformed Johnson, though marginally, while running behind the same line. At one point earlier this season, the Titans’ longest run of the year was by their punter, which doesn’t say much for CJ.

3. TWC: What are your thoughts on Matt Hasselbeck as the Titans’ starting quarterback? What is the plan for Jake Locker? Is he going to be the backup for another year, or do you think he’ll take over next season?

TT: Now that I’ve bashed the O-line for its poor run-blocking, I need to say they’ve done very well in pass protection for Hasselbeck, something he didn’t have for his last couple of years in Seattle. Given the time to throw, Hasselbeck has been a lot more accurate than either Vince Young or Kerry Collins and has been most effective in the short to intermediate passing game. As you would expect, he hasn’t done quite as well since Kenny Britt was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Still, he’s performed a lot better than most people expected after his poor seasons for the last couple of years. I imagine he will remain the starter as long as he’s healthy, though Locker might get a start or three at the end of season, especially if the Titans have been eliminated from postseason play.

I believe Locker will challenge Hasselbeck for the starting job next year in training camp and the preseason.

4. TWC: How shocked are you that the Bengals are coming to the Music City with a 5-2 record?

TT: At a first glance, the Bengals’ 5-2 record is surprising, considering their 4-12 finish last year and losing their quarterback and starting receivers. However, that just shows my ignorance since I hadn’t looked at their schedule, which, now that I look at it, has been relatively easy so far. I am impressed with the win over Buffalo and close game against the 49ers.

5. TWC: What is your prediction for this game? What are some keys for both teams?

TT: I’ll be shocked if the Titans are able to run the ball consistently against a tough Bengals rush defense, though there’s always a chance CJ might break a long one. There’s a better chance the Titans will be able to pass for somewhat decent yardage. On the other side, Cedric Benson should have a good game, say 100+ yards and a score. Count on one or both of the Titans safeties to give up a big play, so A.J. Green will probably get another TD this week.

If Hasselbeck has a good day and the Titans can get an early lead, they can win if the Bengals have to throw the ball more than they run it. If neither of those happens, it will be a long afternoon for Tennessee. Home field advantage helps, but not enough. Cincinnati wins in a low-scoring game, 17-14.

THREE-WAY CHILI ANSWERS TOTAL TITANS’ QUESTIONS

1. TT: Reader jimgill28 asked this question: The Titans defense, which doesn’t have a good pass rush, seems like an ideal situation for an opposing young quarterback like Dalton. What do you see that he will/won’t be able to do against the Titans?

TWC: Almost every Bengal fan was happy when Andy Dalton fell in the team’s lap in the second round of the draft, especially right on the heels of Carson Palmer announcing he would never play for Cincinnati again. However, no one expected that Dalton would be this good, this fast. He’s not doing anything extremely special, he’s just very steady and consistent. Doesn’t have a huge arm, but is highly accurate. He’s also a good leader that has already won the locker room over.

As for what he will be able to do against the Titans, expect a lot of short passes as the Bengals run the West Coast offense. They will take a couple deep shots, usually to rookie standout A.J. Green, but most of Dalton’s work comes on three-step drops and quick patterns. I expect Tennessee to cheat its defensive backs close to the line of scrimmage because it’s clear to everyone at this point that the Bengals like to rely on their running attack and short-passing game. Can Dalton connect on a deep ball or two to loosen things up? That will be one of the keys to the game.

2. TT: Reader dedkrikit asks, has the culture of the organization changed with the recent changes (Ochocinco leaving & Palmer’s trade) coupled with the rookie success or is it the same Bengals just performing better?

TWC: Yes, the culture has definitely changed. It was a circus act last year with Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens having their own reality show, and Palmer becoming disenfranchised during the latter half of the season. Dalton has been a breath of fresh air and so has Green. This is also a team that has a “no-name” defense that has proven to be one of the best units in the NFL. It’s not a star-driven squad any longer. There are still players with big egos and bad reputations, like running back Cedric Benson and cornerback Pacman Jones, but there’s a hell of a lot less of them on the team than in past years.

3. TT: The Bengals have already won more games this season than they did last year. What do you see as the main reasons for the improvement? How much of a role has Jay Gruden played in this improvement and how much of an upgrade is he over Bob Bratkowski?

TWC: First of all, Gruden has been a huge improvement over Bratkowski. Bengals’ defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer gets a lot of pub, and rightfully so, but Gruden is a rising star in the profession. Bratkowski was far too predictable and not innovative enough. So, Gruden’s impact is certainly one of the reasons that the Bengals are greatly exceeding expectations this season. (I predicted they would be 6-10.) However, it must be pointed out that Cincinnati’s schedule has been one of the easiest in the NFL up to this point. It will get tough down the stretch -- two meetings apiece with Baltimore and Pittsburgh await -- but the Bengals have only beaten one good team this year: the Buffalo Bills. Also, the Bengals have won a lot of close games this season that could have gone either way. I still don’t think the Bengals will reach the playoffs, but just the fact that they are in the running has made this an exciting season for Bengal fans, who by and large were expecting the worst.

4. TT: Who are some of the unsung and underappreciated players on this team? Which of them are worth keeping an eye on this week?

TWC: I mentioned the “no-name” defense earlier and two of the guys that will eventually be well-known across the NFL are second-year defensive linemen Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins. Dunlap, a DE, was a second-round pick, and Atkins, a DT, was a fourth-rounder. They are effective pass-rushers and are part of an excellent D-line that goes seven deep. The Bengals will rotate a lot up front to keep the linemen fresh. ... Another guy to watch is the player who I call the Bengals’ “secret weapon” in third-down back Brian Leonard. The Bengals love to give him the ball on third down and he has a knack for picking up first downs. Benson is not on the field on third downs unless it’s third-and-very-short.

5. TT: If there’s anything I haven’t asked about that you’d like for Titans fans to know, please say so here. Also, feel free to make a prediction on the game if you want.

TWC: This is going to be a tightly-contested game in my opinion and it will be interesting to see if the Bengals can prevent Chris Johnson from having his breakout performance against them. I’ve also been intrigued with the play of veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and would be feeling much better about this game if the Titans were starting their rookie QB, Jake Locker. Home-field advantage won’t be easy to overcome for Cincinnati, but I think the Bengals’ offense will make just enough plays and the defense will show why it’s one of the league’s best. My prediction is 23-20, Bengals.

Do the Cincinnati Bengals have the best defensive line in the NFL?

Well, that might be laying it on a bit thick, but there's no question they have one of the best. And the deepest.

For anyone that follows Ohio State, the 2011 Bengals are mimicking what the Buckeyes have done for years on their defensive front: They are rotating players in-and-out of the game in order to keep them fresh. It doesn't make any sense to do that if you have four guys who are clearly better than the backups. But if you have 6-8 relatively equal players, it's a wise move to use a D-line rotation.

The Bengals' best player up front is second-year defensive end Carlos Dunlap, who picked up his first sack of the season in Sunday's win over the Seattle Seahawks. However, he has plenty of help with third-year DE Michael Johnson (2.5 sacks), second-year DT Geno Atkins (3.5 sacks) and the "seasoned veteran" of the starting corps in his sixth professional year, DT Domata Peko (31 tackles). Then the productive reserve players include seventh-year DE Jonathan Fanene (3 sacks), sixth-year DE Frostee Rucker (3 sacks) and fourth-year DT Pat Sims (1 sack).

The only member of the defensive line that is not producing is eighth-year pro Robert Geathers, who is a sure-fire bet to get cut after this season. Geathers is making $3.95 million this year and is scheduled to make $4.2 million in 2012. There is no way the Bengals are going to pay anywhere near that much for what appears to be a washed-up player. In fact, he's lucky he didn't get released this year.

However, thanks to the play of the other seven players up front, the Bengals aren't missing Geathers one bit. Cincinnati absolutely ate up Seattle's offensive line last Sunday and it's going to be fun to watch the relatively-young D-line continue to improve.

For more on the excellent defensive line, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com penned a good story about the group today.

I received a text message from a friend today (well, I used to consider him a friend) who reminded me of a certain pearl of wisdom that I passed on before the season:

There’s a story I’d like to tell about the 2011 Cincinnati Bengals: They suck. The end.

Mea culpa! I did think the Bengals would stink to the tune of 6-10 this season. I felt Mike Brown had done little to improve the team and was disgusted at his stubborn stance of refusing to trade Carson Palmer.

Fast-forward roughly three months and the Bengals are 5-2 and pulled off the trade of the young century when they fleeced the Oakland Raiders for a first and a second-round pick for Palmer.

Suddenly, things have never looked better in regards to Cincinnati’s much-maligned professional football franchise. Not only are the Bengals unexpectedly good this season, the future appears even brighter thanks to the host of young talent currently on the team, and the valuable draft picks that await the team moving forward. (Don’t forget: In addition to the extra first-rounder in 2012, the Bengals will probably have a compensatory third-round pick due to losing Johnathan Joseph to free agency, and will also have an extra fifth-rounder thanks to the trade of Chad Ochocinco to New England. The Bengals will also received a sixth-round pick in 2013 as part of the Ochocinco deal.)

If we’re now talking playoffs – and I can’t believe we are – this Sunday’s game at Tennessee (4-3) is pivotal because the schedule gets extremely rough after that. Not that the Titans aren’t a solid team – they are – but they’re also one of the weaker squads the Bengals will face from this point forward. Getting to 6-2 would mean the Bengals would have a lot of room for error down the stretch. They’ve already put themselves in a great position with a 5-2 mark and winning at Tennessee would put a stamp on what’s been an excellent first half of the season.

As for the win over the Seattle Seahawks, it was the closest 34-12 game in the history of football, but that's OK. And really, that's been the Bengals' M.O. early this season: Make a big play (or two) late in a close game to make the final score look a lot better than it really should. This was really a game that looked like could go either way for a while, but there was rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, rookie wide receiver A.J. Green and the Bengals' ferocious defense making key plays when they counted as usual. Also, Cincy received an unexpected boost from special teams with a long punt return from the just-activated Pacman Jones, and a punt return for a touchdown from Brandon Tate.

Against the Titans, the Bengals will get the services of running back Cedric Benson back, which will help the cause. I thought Bernard Scott played all right in spurts against the Seahawks, but overall there is no question Benson is the better back. Scott is more explosive, but overall Benson is better.

Also, hopefully second-year tight end Jermaine Gresham will be ready to play this coming Sunday -- he missed the Seattle game with a hamstring injury -- although veteran Donald Lee played well in his absence.

There are great stories ... and then there are must-read pieces like this one from Yahoo on the new-look Bengals led by Andy Dalton and how Carson Palmer quit on the team during the season last year.

Yes, you read that correctly: Palmer didn't decide after the 2010 season that he was done in Cincinnati; he made his intentions known while there were still games left to be played.

The story also outlines exactly what people inside the organization felt about Palmer, Chad Ochocinco and others, with a team executive quoted as saying: "We got rid of all our shit."

Oh, and if you weren't already sky high on Dalton, you certainly will be after reading this piece.

In a related story, I still can't freakin' believe the Raiders were dense enough to trade a first and a second-round pick for Palmer. Their 28-0 loss at home to the Chiefs should have been on Comedy Central it was so hilarious. There was Palmer proving he could still throw the pick-6 with the best of 'em. It's going to be fun rooting against the Raiders to see just how good of a first-round pick the Bengals will get from them in the 2012 draft. (The Raiders have absolutely no chance at making the AFC title game, so there's no reason to even bring up the possibility of the Palmer trade resulting in a pair of first-rounders for Cincinnati.) Even next year, I'll be rooting against the Raiders so the 2013 second-rounder is as good of a pick as possible.

Carson Palmer is under contract through 2014 and he will still be one of the NFL's highest-paid quarterbacks if he remains on the Oakland Raiders' roster from 2012-14. However, for the rest of this season, Palmer will make "just" 2.5 million, which is roughly $5 million less than the $7.44 million he was scheduled to make (prorated) over the remaining 10 games of this season. If he had played the entire season, Palmer's 2011 contract called for him to make $11.5 million, but he agreed to a paycut in order to make the trade from the Cincinnati Bengals happen. This was all outlined in a story by Adam Schefter on ESPN.com.

In 2012, Palmer will make $12.5 million, $5 million of which is guaranteed. Then in 2013, Palmer is scheduled to make $13 million. In 2014, his salary increases to a robust $15 million and one has to wonder if he'll even be on the Raiders' roster at that point. If he is, certainly they will re-structure his contract. He will be 34 years old then (almost 35) and there's no way a team -- even the Raiders -- will be willing to pony up $15 million for him at that point in his career.

As for whether I'm still elated and in disbelief that the Raiders were willing to give up a first-round pick and a second-rounder (that could turn into a first, although the Raiders making the AFC title game in either of the next two seasons is an extreme longshot) for Palmer, the answer is simple: Hell yes. Even Hershel Walker thinks Oakland gave up too much here. Course, that's what it was going to take to get Mike Brown to budge off his stubborn stance to not trade Palmer. The Raiders knew they had to overpay to get Palmer ... and overpay they did.

All right, let’s stop thinking about the Carson Palmer trade just for a moment – but only for a little bit since it was so fantastically awesome – and discuss some other matters on the Who Dey front.

We all knew the Bengals’ schedule was extremely weak this season – especially early in the year – but no one expected they would enter their bye week with a 4-2 record. (And if you did, kudos to you. Also, quit lying.)

However, that’s exactly where they’re at following last Sunday’s 27-17 win over the visiting and depleted Indianapolis Colts, putting the Bengals right in the thick of the playoff hunt.

Some rapid-fire thoughts:

* Andy Dalton: Phenomenal. I can’t believe he’s playing this well as a rookie. He’s fearless, a gritty leader and is extremely accurate throwing the football. I continue to be taken aback by his maturity level and he has the makings of a quarterback that is going to be an effective starter for years to come. If he’s this efficient already, how good will he be in two or three years?

* A.J. Green: Did the Bengals really get their QB of the future and their clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver in the same draft? Yes, yes they did. Those that were laughing that Cincinnati took Green over Julio Jones with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2011 draft aren’t cracking wise any longer. Green is a future star in the NFL and the early favorite for AFC Rookie of the Year. (If it’s not Dalton.)

* Jerome Simpson: I’m telling you now, when he’s not getting pounds of weed delivered to his house, I’m quite intrigued with him. He still drops too many passes, but he’s not the complete draft bust we all once thought he was. (Second-round pick in 2008; didn’t play until the end of his third season.) There is no doubting Simpson’s supreme athletic ability. He just needs to shore up his hands – and steer clear of any federal drug investigations – and he has the chance to be a good WR in the league.

* Carlos Dunlap: Where the hell is he at? Other than the fumble recovery for the TD against the Colts – which was more luck than anything – he’s been MIA. Not what I expected after his outstanding rookie season when he racked up 9.5 sacks. Dunlap needs to step up if the Bengals’ defense is going to remain as one of the NFL’s best.

* Nate Clemens/Thomas Howard: Both of these guys are signed through 2012, which is great for the Bengals because they’ve each played well. They were the two-biggest free agent signings of the offseason for the team and a lot of people – present company included – scoffed at the notion that the Bengals had improved their defense. Certainly signing Clements, 31, as a No. 2 cornerback and Howard, 28, as a starting outside linebacker didn’t make up for losing cornerback Johnathan Joseph.

Or maybe it did.

Listen, I would still rather have Joseph who is having a good year for the Houston Texans, but once the Bengals lost him, they executed their “Plan B” very well. You know I’d be the last person to praise the front office for anything, but they deserve credit when it’s due. Signing Clements for 2-years, $10.5 million, and Thomas for 2-years, $6.5 million were bargains, especially Thomas who is still relatively young. Also, the Bengals acted swiftly in re-signing three key veterans to long-term contracts: cornerback Leon Hall, left tackle Andrew Whitworth and center Kyle Cook.

* Benson, Scott, RB position: Cedric Benson’s three-game suspension was reduced to just one on the glorious day that was Tuesday (same day as the Carson Palmer trade). He will miss the contest at the Seattle Seahawks following the Bengals’ bye week.

That means third-year pro Bernard Scott will be the starter, and third-down specialist Brian Leonard could also have a bigger role in the running game. Also, second-year pro Cedric Peerman is likely to get a few opportunities.

The bottom line is that it’s time for Scott to step up. If he ever wants to be anything more than a bit player in the NFL, he needs to prove next Sunday that he can be a difference-maker. He’s shown flashes of brilliance during his young career, but hasn’t been all that impressive this season. Could this be Scott’s breakout game as a pro? Stay tuned. Seattle can be a tough place to play, but the ‘Hawks are dreadful this season. The Bengals can’t afford to go in there and lay an egg against one of the NFL’s worst teams. If they want to be legitimate playoff contenders, they need to emerge from the game with a 5-2 record.

There’s a party going on right here. A celebration, to last throughout the years.

So bring your good times, and your laughter too. We’re gonna celebrate your party with you.

Yes, Kool & The Gang’s Celebration bests describes how Cincinnati Bengals fans feel right now. Just when it looked like the team would never get anything for disgruntled quarterback Carson Palmer, the Oakland Raiders made arguably the worst trade in the NFL since the infamous Hershel Walker trade from Dallas-to-Minnesota, which was the informal beginning of the Cowboys’ mini-dynasty of the 1990’s.

The Raiders amazingly gave up a 2012 first-round draft pick and a 2013 second-rounder for Palmer. (The 2013 pick becomes a first-rounder if the Raiders win a playoff game this season, which isn’t going to happen.)

There are rumblings that Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis would have been happy with just getting a second-rounder, period, for Palmer. However, owner Mike Brown’s stubbornness was never going to allow him to give up Palmer for anything less than multiple high draft picks. It appeared that would never happen, but the Raiders overreacted following the loss of Jason Campbell for the season and the Bengals ended up being the benefactors. This might be the only time it ever happens, but Brown’s stubbornness actually ended up helping the Bengals in this case. Instead of jumping at some of the deals for Palmer that were rumored to be out there before the season – such as the Seahawks offering a second-rounder – Brown stood pat and let everything play out. But, let’s be honest: this was more dumb luck than it was a savvy business move on Brown’s part.

Anyway, now Cincinnati will have two first-round picks in the 2012 draft, one second-rounder and likely two third-rounders (due to getting a compensatory pick for losing Johnathan Joseph as a free agent). They will also have an extra sixth-rounder due to the trade of Chad Ochocinco to the New England Patriots.

Then in 2013, the Bengals will at least have two second-rounders, if not a pair of first-rounders.

The future is bright my friends. This was already a roster dripping with budding young stars such as quarterback Andy Dalton, wide receiver A.J. Green, tight end Jermaine Gresham, left tackle Andrew Whitworth, defensive end Carlos Dunlap, defensive end Michael Johnson, defensive tackle Geno Atkins, linebacker Rey Maualuga (who will miss at least one more game with a severely-sprained ankle), linebacker Thomas Howard, cornerback Leon Hall, safety Reggie Nelson, punter Kevin Huber and kicker Mike Nugent.

If the Bengals can augment their current talented roster with a good draft this spring, look out. Even Brown might not be able to mess things up at that point. (Nevermind. Please strike the previous sentence from the record.)

In a move that appears far too good to be true, multiple media outlets are reporting the Cincinnati Bengals have traded quarterback Carson Palmer to the Oakland Raiders for a first-round draft pick in 2012 and a second-rounder in 2013. The second-round pick will become a first-rounder in 2013 if the Raiders win a playoff game this season.

This is complete highway robbery for the Bengals if actually happens. (With Mike Brown, I'm not throwing any celebrations until it's official. He has the unique ability to screw literally anything up.) Getting just a first-rounder for Palmer would have been surprising. But a first-rounder and a second? I'm almost at a loss for words. One would think Al Davis was still alive and kicking considering how much of an overreaction this looks like on the Raiders' end. Their starting QB, Jason Campbell, was lost for the season on Sunday with a broken collerbone. That made Kyle Boller their new No. 1 QB and rookie Terrelle Pryor the backup.

The Raiders have the same record as the Bengals at 4-2 and didn't want to throw in the towel on their season. However, by overpaying for a washed-up Palmer, they're about to make this day a beautiful one for Bengal fans.

Not what the Cincinnati Bengals wanted to hear in the midst of Rey Maualuga's breakout season.

The third-year middle linebacker will miss Sunday's game against the visiting Indianapolis Colts with what the team is calling a sprained ankle. Course, with how tight-lipped the Bengals are when it comes to injuries, who knows exactly the severity of the ailment.

Maualuga (6-2, 260) was a second-round draft pick out of USC in 2009. He backed up Dhani Jones his first two seasons in the NFL, and also started a few games at the strong-side 'backer spot. However, in a move that was at least a year overdue, the Bengals finally moved him to the middle this season (the position he played in college) and he has played well for the most part. Maualuga leads the Bengals in total tackles with 38 (19 solo) and while he still has a ways to go to be a standout on this level, he's already at least a solid NFL middle linebacker.

In his place, the Bengals will start third-year pro Dan Skuta who was an undrafted free agent out of Division II Grand Valley State. Skuta has been a special teams standout for the team during his young career.

A win on Sunday would put the Bengals at 4-2, which would be huge entering their bye week. The Colts come into town at 0-5 and without future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, but they have been playing better of late.