| 06 December 2009
Alright, I'm not thrilled that once again the Bengals showed a lack of a killer instinct against one of the worst teams in the NFL.
However, all that matters is that Cincinnati defeated the visiting Detroit Lions on Sunday 23-13 to move to 9-3 on the year and keep its stranglehold on the AFC North. (And that loss at Oakland doesn't look quite as bad now since the Raiders shockingly chomped the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Sunday.)
The good news in the win over the Lions included the return of Cedric Benson who showed no ill-effects after missing the last two games with a hip injury. Benson was back to his workhorse self with 36 carries for 110 yards.
Another positive sign was the game turned in by Chad Ochocinco who torched the shaky Lions defense for nine receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown. I've been saying all year that Ochocinco has never looked better and he's not being used enough. But he was certainly a big part of the offense today and that was good to see.
Other items that stand out from the win over Detroit...
* The ‘Scrap Iron Defense' - OK, I'll buy into that nickname. It's not great, but I'll go with the flow.
The Bengals entered play first in the entire NFL in scoring defense and sixth in total defense. Just amazing when you consider some of the pathetic defenses we've seen over the years in Cincinnati. First in the NFL in scoring defense and sixth in total defense! Maybe they'll be able to make some noise in the playoffs after all because that sounds like a recipe for postseason success.
Late in the third quarter against the Lions, the Bengals were leading 20-7 and appeared to be going in for score. However, Carson Palmer lost a fumble and the ball was returned to midfield by Detroit.
So what happened? The Bengals forced a three-and-out and got the ball right back for the offense. Led by Benson, Cincinnati marched down the field and Shayne Graham's third field goal gave them a commanding 23-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.
And then the Bengals showed their lack of a killer instinct by not really slamming the door on the Lions, but at least they held on for a 10-point victory.
But this bit was supposed to be an ode to the defense. So, take a bow, Mike Zimmer. I still can't believe Marvin Lewis was able to find a competent defensive coordinator. And Zimmer is not just competent, he exactly what this defense needed and more. Even during last season's dismal 4-11-1 campaign, Zimmer's defense was tough all year.
I imagine he's still hurting deeply about the loss of his wife earlier this year, but hopefully the season the team is having is somewhat therapeutic for him.
Interestingly -- as Three-Way Chili reader Shaun Simpson pointed out -- Zimmer's contract is up at the end of the year. But I would have to think the team will sign him to a two-or-three-year extension. Even Mike Brown can't mess that up, can he? OK, that's true, we should never assume anything when it comes to Brown. Especially when the topic is "making intelligent decisions."
But honestly, I would be shocked if Zimmer isn't back next year. I think he'll be around at least as long as Lewis, and that will be for a while.
* Quan Cosby - I can't mention this guy enough. Quan Cosby. Quan Cosby. Quan Cosby.
Unless you've been around longer than me (I'm 33), he's the best punt returner you've seen play for the Bengals. Think about that. A rookie undrafted free agent is the best punt returner you can remember playing for the Bengals.
He uncorked a 25-yarder to begin the Lions game and averaged 18 yards on three returns. He's now averaging a very-solid 11.8 yards per return on the season. Love everything about this guy and I see no reason why he can't get involved as a reserve receiver later in his career as well.
Quan Cosby. Quan Cosby.
* J-Jo - Fourth-year cornerback Johnathan Joseph gets a lot of credit for his cover skills ... and rightfully so. He leads the Bengals with five interceptions and is a candidate for the Pro Bowl (the same could probably be said for Leon Hall).
However, what really makes Joseph special in my opinion is his ability to also come up and help in run support. He throws his body around fearlessly and is a relatively good tackler in the open field. The best cornerbacks are physical (there are exceptions like Deion Sanders in his prime) and Joseph is certainly a physical corner. He led the Bengals with eight tackles against the Lions - all solo stops. This young man has developed into an excellent all-around corner.
* Fanene keeps getting it done - He leads all active Bengals players with five sacks this season (Antwan Odom has eight, but he's on IR) and against the Lions defensive lineman Jonathan Fanene added a pick six to his resume. (Thanks in part to a nice play by rookie DE Michael Johnson to deflect a pass at the line of scrimmage. Johnson added his second sack of the season later in the game. You gotta be excited about Johnson, who was a third-round steal.)
If not for Fanene's interception, who knows how this game would have turned out. Remember, the Lions were leading 7-0 at the time and had all the momentum. That play completely changed the game around.
It's pretty incredible the season the former seventh-round pick is having. He fell into a couple of his sacks this season and got lucky, but that happens to a lot of D-linemen. Some sacks are going to be luck. The point is that he's making a huge impact and he's helped fill the void left by Odom when he went down.
I still think Odom was a big loss because he was the best true pass-rusher I've seen in a Bengals uniform for quite some time. He was headed for a 12-14 sack season or so. But Fanene has certainly softened that blow with his outstanding play. And he can even slide down to tackle which is important because...
* Peko is a big loss - Domata Peko is on the shelf with a knee injury and that is a huge loss, and kills the depth at defensive tackle. I don't mind Tank Johnson and Pat Sims as the starters (in fact I think they're both good players) but if one of those guys goes down, the Bengals will have to play someone out of position. For example, move Frostee Rucker or Fanene to tackle. They have both played there at times, but could they handle being a full-time starter inside? I'm not sure.
I think Peko is one of the top defensive tackles in the NFL and is extremely underrated. That is going to be an enormous loss if he's out for very long.
* Bengals about to find out how good they really are - You're not exactly sure if the Bengals are legit? Well, they will undoubtedly get a chance to prove themselves when they go on the road the next two weeks to play the Minnesota Vikings and San Diego Chargers. The latter game is more important because it could determine who gets the No. 2 seed (and a first-round bye) in the AFC playoffs, but both games will be interesting measuring sticks for Who Dey Nation.
What do I think will happen? I am predicting 1-1, but nothing will surprise me. 0-2 wouldn't be surprising since these are two of the best teams in the NFL and the Bengals have to go on the road to play them. However, the Bengals are a very balanced team and have the ability to play well in big games. 2-0 would be a mild surprise in this stretch, but it wouldn't be shocking.
But let's just hope for at least 1-1 because then I think the Bengals will beat the Chiefs at home on Dec. 27 (get that Christmas gift for Larry Johnson) and will have a very good shot at knocking off a mediocre Jets team in New York in the regular-season finale.
I'm still thinking 11-5 for a final record, but 12-4 would not shock me at all.
And who knows, maybe 13-3 is possible. But I think 12-4 would be enough to get the No. 2 seed and the first-round bye and that's what Marvin Lewis and crew are shooting for right now.
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