Biggest Takeaways from Cincinnati Bengals' Week 8 Win

History books being rewritten is the biggest takeaway surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals.

The team just pulled off what some might have scoffed at, coming from behind in Pittsburgh to upend the Steelers in the fourth quarter, 16-10, in the process moving to 7-0 and becoming the first team to hit the mark in franchise history.

It's quite the big takeaway given both the magnitude and how the team accomplished it. The "how" part of the equation might be the most telling, though.

Before Cincinnati gears up for its Thursday Night Football encounter with the Cleveland Browns, here's a look at the biggest takeaways from the win in Pittsburgh and what it means for the team moving forward.

Defense Can Adapt

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Adam Jones moved around and helped the Bengals win Sunday.

It was an ugly start for the Bengals Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Return of Vontaze Burfict or not, the Steelers marched right down the field and scored on a pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Antonio Brown to put the home team ahead.

Pittsburgh mustered three points the rest of the contest.

What changed? After Big Ben picked on Dre Kirkpatrick on the opening drive, the Bengals left their comfort zone and had Adam Jones shadow Brown when he could as opposed to sticking to one side of the field.

The change worked wonders, and the defensive unit got free for a trio of sacks and interceptions by game's end. In fact, the adaptable unit, even while losing Rey Maualuga to an injury, carried the offense like it has in the past.

It's a great sign for the team at the halfway point.

Offensive Line Issues Aren't Going Away

David Richard/Associated Press

Andrew Whitworth's line has some issues to iron out on a short week.

Andrew Whitworth and the Cincinnati offensive line put on their worst performance of the year Sunday, surrendering three sacks of Andy Dalton and consistent pressure.

It wasn't just the sacks, either. Dalton had several passes batted down at the line of scrimmage, he had to run for his life six times and they certainly played a part in his two interceptions on the day.

The most notable weak point was center Russell Bodine. He's struggled in each game he's encountered a quality defensive tackle, and Sunday wasn't any exception against Pittsburgh's strong front seven.

To make matters worse, right tackle Andre Smith left the game with an injury after taking a hit while trying to pursue a Pittsburgh defender who was returning an interception.

The schedule only makes things look even worse with dates against the Browns, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams in the coming weeks, not to mention the Denver Broncos lurking near the end of the season. The line has to get healthy and fix lapses in a hurry.

Team Needs Run-First Approach Thursday

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Cincinnati needs to lean on Jeremy Hill in future games.

In a not-so-isolated trend, the Bengals abandoned the run Sunday.

Dalton attempted 38 passes to mediocre results, while Jeremy Hill carried the ball 15 times for 60 yards and Giovani Bernard once for 12.

Neither of those averages are terrible by any means. Hill looked great on his limited touches, and Bernard's outburst came at a crucial moment in the final frame.

It's odd, then, that Cincinnati refused to use the approach more with it working and the passing game sputtering, especially considering the one seems to feed off the other.

Cincinnati will need the run-first approach on a quick turnaround against the Browns, as Pittsburgh just wrote the blueprint on how to fluster a Bengals offense that refuses to run a balanced attack.

Vontaze Burfict's Impact Obvious

Don Wright/Associated Press

Vontaze Burfict made an impact from his first snap Sunday.

Burfict returned Sunday, and it wasn't hard to see the change in athleticism at linebacker nor the intensity of the unit.

One of the best linebackers in the league, Burfict only practiced once after being activated before taking the field. Then, thanks to an injury suffered by Rey Maualuga, he played more snaps than most would have figured.

“That changed a lot. Vinny (Rey) had to play the whole game,” Burfict said, per Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson. “That’s probably why I played more than expected. I just had to push through, dig down deep and finish. It was a long game. Way different than rehab.”

It's hard to complain about the results, as Burfict was all over the field Sunday making plays. He's the leader of the defense, the guy others look to and the one who shores up some of the unit's biggest weaknesses.

In other words, Burfict couldn't have returned at a better time, and it's great news as the team moves forward.

Never Down or Out

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

The Bengals showed something special Sunday in Pittsburgh.

In past years, the Bengals might have bowed out against the Steelers late on the road and looked to the home rematch later in the season to extract a semblance of revenge. 

Not these Bengals, though.

This one felt similar to the epic comeback against the Seattle Seahawks, the difference being this one was more important given the AFC North implications.

It's the latest example that the organization's desired structure and attitude from this crop of players continues to work. Under the guidance of coach Marvin Lewis and Dalton, the Bengals don't seem rattled no matter the situation anymore, which might have been the biggest talking point about the team's playoff losses over the years.

Wideout Marvin Jones might have put it best after the win in Pittsburgh, per ESPN.com's Coley Harvey: "We have to keep driving the train straight."

It's the same theme on and off the field for the undefeated Bengals, one they will need on a short turnaround for another AFC North matchup and the entirety of the likely march to the postseason, not to mention once there.

These Bengals, it seems, don't blink. Some would call it a playoff-caliber trait, or more.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.