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CINCINNATI -- Following Sunday's 23-22 win at the New York Jets, quarterback Andy Dalton handed the game ball to offensive coordinator Ken Zampese. It was Zampese's first game as coordinator after spending 13 seasons as Bengals quarterbacks coach, including the past five years helping to mentor Dalton. Zampese got the ball. Dalton did the dirty work.
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Despite being sacked seven times and pressured often, Dalton managed to go 23 of 30 for 366 yards and a touchdown. It was a gutsy performance by the sixth-year veteran, who continues to put questions about his fortitude in the rear-view mirror.
"I thought he played a good football game today," said coach Marvin Lewis. "He was accurate in his throws and everything that way, and that's what we need. And he gets us in and out of the right plays all the time. He did a great job directing the drives."
While under constant pressure, Dalton used a short passing game and quick release to chew up chunks of yardage and three times rally the Bengals from deficits before a raucous crowd at MetLife Stadium.
"They're good up front," said Dalton of the Jets. "But we adjusted. We made plays. It (short passing game) was big. Early in the game in the game, we were getting into third-and-long situations. It made it tough. We got into a little bit of a rhythm to stay ahead of the sticks."
There were big plays, too. Like the 54-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Green in the second quarter and the 54-yard completion to tight end C.J. Uzomah to set up a 33-yard field goal by Mike Nugent.
Dalton went 4-for-4 for 33 yards on the final drive, which set up Nugent's 47-yard game-winner. He went 8-for-8 on another.
Dalton and Green, who seem to share a brain at times, were in sync all day, despite constant double teams and playing their first game without the supporting cast of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu, who departed via free-agency and tight end Tyler Eifert who's out with an ankle injury.
Uzomah stepped in for Eifert's backup Tyler Kroft who's also injured and had a 54-yard reception.
Zampese and the Bengals spent the entire game trying to ease the pressure by the Jets' defensive front. Dalton continued to take a pounding, but he never allowed the Jets to finish him off. He had two completions of 54 yards, one for 49, and another for 32.
Lewis spoke often this past week about it being an honor to open the season in New York on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorists attacks. He talked about the importance of overcoming the emotion of the day.
The Bengals had difficulty matching the Jets' emotion early in Sunday's game. It was like a playoff atmosphere, something the Bengals have struggled with in recent years. But, Dalton stared adversity in the face on Sunday in a hostile environment on the road and delivered when his team needed him to.
Lewis, not prone to hyperbole especially after one game, was pleased with the win on Sunday.
"I'm just happy," he said. "We kept pounding today and that's what we've got to do. That's the thing all season. Just pound together and break through. And today the breakthrough came late in the game."
