Cincinnati Bengals: If You Can't Beat EM, Join Em

Three days after the franchises biggest win in nearly five years, nobody is dancing through the streets in Cincinnati.

Things are different for the 2009 Cincinnati Bengals.
 
The Bengals hadn’t beaten the Steelers in Cincinnati since ’01, and had lost five in a row overall. After Sunday’s 23-20 victory, hope has sprung in a sports depressed city.
 
Gone are the thugs; gone are the over paid veterans cashing in one last fat check; gone are the player’s that worried more about stats than the team.

This version of the Bengals has complied with the standard you must set to compete in the AFC North.
 
After watching the Ravens and Steelers running backs scamper all over them on the field for years, the Bengals have figured out that if you can’t beat em—join em.
 
The team has developed a power running game that has been grinding opponents down as the game wears on. RB Cedric Benson had 58 of his 76 yards in the second half, including a 23-yard touchdown run.
 
Benson has revived his career in Cincy- and counting the last two games of the 2008 season with the first three this season- Benson leads the NFL in rushing yards.
 
The Bengals used to be known as a team that would light up the scoreboard, but give up plenty of points as well. In 09’ it’s the D that has been leading the way.
 
After collecting 17 sacks in ’08, the team leads the NFL with 10 after three games, led by Antwan Odom’s seven. The D line has also done a great job stopping the run. RB Willie Parker had only 17 yards on 11 second half carries. The Bengals D has yet to allow a 100-yard runner. For the season, they are allowing 88.7 yards a game on the ground.
 
The linebackers have infused a certain toughness that was never there in years past. Rookie LB Rey Maualuga was taken off on a stretcher, only to be back in the game on the next series on Sunday. He has already forced two fumbles on the young season. Wily, veteran captain Dhani Jones, continues to lead by example with 17 tackles on the year.
 
The next test for the Bengals is beating a team they are supposed to thump.

After being nine point underdogs to the Packers and four point home dogs to the Steelers, the Bengals are now four and a half point favorites on the road against the Cleveland Browns.
 
This Browns team is in shambles and most experts and pundits will be picking the Bengals.
 
But this isn’t the first time they have been in this situation.
 
After a wild win against the Ravens in the ’07 opener, the Bengals got into a shoot-out with the Browns that turned into a loss. This was the highlight of Derek Anderson’s career.
 
Guess who was named the starting QB today? Anderson.
 
Cleveland did not score an offensive touchdown in its last six games in ‘08—an NFL record. The lone offensive touchdown this season was Brady Quinn’s 26-yard pass to Robert Royal with 35 seconds left in the season opener against Minnesota.
 
The Browns’ last meaningful offensive touchdown was Jerome Harrison’s 72-yard run in Game 10 last season at Buffalo. It came on the first play of the fourth quarter.
 
Counting the 22 offensive plays the Browns ran in the Buffalo game after Harrison’s touchdown, that’s one touchdown in their last 525 offensive plays from scrimmage.
 
So clearly, the Bengals should win.

The Bengals are 6-4 at Cleveland since they re-entered the league in ’99. Carson Palmer should blow up a suspect secondary for the Browns. Benson should pick up another 100-yard rushing day (he had 177 yards in week 16 last year).
 
Sunday is the litmus test to see where the team is mentally.

Will they take the week off and get an unpleasant surprise? Or will they take care of business against a lesser opponent?

Stay tuned to see if the Bengals are for real or not.