Cardinals vs. Bengals: Things We Learned from Cincy's Christmas Eve Victory

The Cincinnati Bengals entered Saturday on the outside looking in at the postseason. The Bengals needed to defeat the Arizona Cardinals to have any chance at keeping their playoff dreams alive.

Cincinnati pulled through in the end, albeit making the closing quarter a little more dramatic than it needed to be. The game turned out to be a major gut-check for a young team that wasn't supposed to be playing for anything meaningful in December.

Here's a few things we learned about the maturation process of the Bengals as they continue their march to the postseason:

Cedric Benson Is Unreliable

Benson has been struggling of late and continues his downward spiral.

He fumbled three times last week and added two more to his tally against the Cardinals. The difference?

He lost both fumbles against Arizona which allowed the Cardinals to make a comeback late.

Benson was mediocre overall, carrying the ball 16 times for a stunning 57 yards. Yes, he has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark on the season, but it doesn’t matter. Benson is playing his final games in stripes.

Mike Nugent Is Not as Reliable as We Thought

Coming into the game against the Cardinals Nugent was one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL.

He was the surest thing about this Bengals team. He made a remarkable comeback from a horrendous ligament tear in his knee last season.

But in Saturday's game, Nugent whiffed on two field goals, going 3-for-5 on the day.

This doesn’t sound horrible, but the six easy points the Bengals missed out on allowed the Cardinals to make the game closer than it should have been late.

Defensive Line Is Key

If the Bengals want to make a run in the playoffs, they need more performances from the defensive line like the one against the Cardinals.

The line notched five total sacks, and the constant pressure on quarterback John Skelton forced him to make bad decisions on his way to a three-interception day.

The Bengals used a variety of blitzes to get to Skelton. Sacks were recorded from the secondary (Reggie Nelson), defensive end (Carlos Dunlap and John Fanene) and defensive tackle (Domata Peko).

This arsenal will be invaluable in the postseason.

Bengals Are Becoming More Disciplined

Last week against the St. Louis Rams, the Bengals were called for 11 penalties for 101 yards. The sloppy play allowed a two-win team to stick around and almost defeat a Bengals team hoping to make the postseason.

This week against the Cardinals, the Bengals were only flagged six times for 47 yards.

This simple improvement in the fundamentals of football will allow Cincinnati to potentially compete with the best of the best in the postseason.

Secondary Is Making a Late Recovery

Coming into the game against the Cardinals, Cincinnati had only recorded seven interceptions on the season. That all changed when the Bengals picked off John Skelton three times Saturday.

Reggie Nelson, Rey Maualuga and Nate Clements all recorded an interception. Nelson and Clements have been playing better as of late, which is huge for a secondary that has been struggling since the loss of Leon Hall.

The secondary has never had issues against the run, but giving up the big play and not coming up with turnovers has been an issue.

The unit came up with three Saturday, and it’s simply a case of “better late than never.”

Dalton Is Becoming a Running Threat

Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has caused opposing teams trouble with his feet all season by extending plays before beating them with his arm.

Saturday, Dalton rushed five times for 48 yards and a 9.6 average. These aren’t the most amazing numbers, but considering the rushing problems, the Bengals have been experiencing, it’s something.

Not to say that the Bengals will bust out a Tim Tebow style running attack any time soon, but the fact Dalton is a threat with his feet means defenses will have to commit players to watching him instead of covering receivers, which allows Dalton to more easily beat teams with his arm.

Jermaine Gresham Continues To Develop

Gresham was a risk two years ago when the Bengals drafted him because of his injury history.

However, his potential was through the roof, and Gresham is now a critical target for a rookie quarterback.

Gresham caught five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown with a smooth 11.2 average.

A game-breaking tight end is rare, and Cincinnati has found itself one.

Opposing defenses will have to watch Gresham more closely which will mean less coverage for A.J. Green.

Jerome Simpson Is More Athletic Than You

Simpson hasn’t had the most amazing year to date—on and off the field.

He's under investigation for a marijuana package that showed up at his house and has played second fiddle to fellow receiver A.J. Green all season. His inconsistency because of dropped passes has killed the Bengals.

Thankfully for Simpson, he has something to be happy about. He just made the play of the year by flipping over a Cardinals defender into the end zone for a touchdown.

Here’s the video, courtesy of NFL.com

Young Bengals Are Ready for Playoffs

The Christmas Eve victory wasn’t the prettiest thing the Bengals have ever done, but it was more than enough. The young, inexperienced team held off a late comeback bid and defeated an opponent they were supposed to defeat.

The victory opens up an opportunity for the Bengals to go to the playoffs. The final game of the season is a rematch with the Baltimore Ravens. The last time the two teams met, the Bengals lost by seven.

Things have changed since the first game. A.J. Green is back after missing the first matchup, and this time, the game is in Cincinnati, not Baltimore.

Many will question if the Bengals can take care of business and enter the postseason, but one thing is for sure: This team has grown together and believes in each other.