Advertisement

Cincinnati Bengals' Andy Dalton on AFC North race: 'Everybody's in it'

By Jeff Wallner, The Sports Xchange
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) throws under pressure from the Cleveland Browns defense during the second half of play at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 23, 2016. Photo by John Sommers II /UPI
1 of 3 | Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) throws under pressure from the Cleveland Browns defense during the second half of play at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 23, 2016. Photo by John Sommers II /UPI | License Photo

CINCINNATI -- While nursing their aches and pains during the bye week, the Cincinnati Bengals couldn't help but watch the rest of the AFC North contenders continue to stumble.

Despite a lackluster 3-4-1 first half of the season that included a discouraging 27-27 tie with the Washington Redskins in London, the Bengals' hopes of capturing a second straight division title are not dead.

Advertisement

In fact, with the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers combining to go 3-7 in their last 10 contests, the Bengals are just a half-game out of first place heading into Monday night's game (8:30 p.m., ET) at the New York Giants (5-3-0).

Pittsburgh has lost three straight with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger coming back from a knee injury. With two games remaining with Baltimore and one against the Steelers, there's plenty of football left to be played in Cincinnati.

Advertisement

"At the start of the second half of the season, a lot of our goals are there to take," quarterback Andy Dalton said. "We feel like, with the position we're in just a half-game out of first, everybody's in it."

The Bengals must feel fortunate, not just to be still in the hunt, but also that their roster is as healthy as it's been all season. And, the offense is firing on all cylinders.

Tight end Tyler Eifert, who missed the first six games coming off ankle surgery, had nine catches for 100 yards and a touchdown in his last outing.

Dalton has passed for more than 2,300 yards and nine touchdowns with A.J. Green, who has 896 receiving yards and three TDs being his preferred target.

Most encouraging for first-year offensive coordinator Ken Zampese is the sudden emergence of the running game, which was stagnant for the first few weeks.

"We definitely have improved since Week 1," said Jeremy Hill, who rushed for 244 yards on 29 carries combined the past two weeks. "We just stuck with it, kept making plays. We're not happy where we are."

Advertisement

Hill and backfield mate Giovani Bernard might find tough sledding Monday night against a Giants defense ranking 10th against the rush, allowing fewer than 94 yards per game.

"They make it tough to get up to the linebackers," Hill said. "Their defense is pretty solid. We'll have our hands full going up against them."

If Cincinnati is going to make a run at the postseason, it needs to see improvement with its defense - and quick.

Despite having largely the same personnel and the offseason addition of veteran linebacker Karlos Dansby, the Bengals rank 25th in total defense and 22nd against the run. They need to tackle better, limit drive-extending penalties, and get the pass rush going.

Veteran defensive lineman Wallace Gilberry was brought back this week for his second stint with the Bengals to assist in this effort.

If the offense continues to improve behind Dalton, and the defense plays up to its potential in the second half, the Bengals could quickly catapult themselves to the top of the division and put a mediocre first half in the rear-view mirror.

"All the playoff talk is up in the air," cornerback Darqueze Dennard said. "Everything still is in front of us. We just have to give it all each week."

Advertisement

Latest Headlines