Cincinnati Bengals Football: Winners and Losers from Bengals' Win vs. Colts

This isn't a dream, Cincinnati fans. The Bengals are 4-2.

After defeating the Indianapolis Colts 27-17 on Sunday afternoon, Cincinnati has now won three straight and seems to be getting everything together. Their defense is the league's best, their offense is improving week after week, and the Bengals are looking more and more like a legitimate contender in the AFC.

That said, Sunday's victory did come against the winless Colts, and it showed that despite their record Cincinnati still has plenty of room for improvement.

Here are some of the winners and losers from Cincy's Week 6 win over Indianapolis. 

Winner: Andy Dalton

If Cam Newton is the best rookie quarterback in the NFL, then Andy Dalton has to be a close second.

Dalton looked unstoppable against the Colts on Sunday, throwing for 264 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. Even more impressive, he spread the ball all around the field, completing passes to nine different Bengal receivers.

He may be a rookie, but Andy Dalton is quickly establishing himself as one of the most reliable young quarterbacks in all of the NFL.

Winner: A.J. Green (Again)

A.J. Green is quietly emerging as a premier wide-out in the AFC. After catching five passes for 51 yards and a touchdown against Indianapolis, he now has four scores and well over 400 yards on the season. 

Green is without a doubt Andy Dalton's favorite target and the two of them together have become a dangerous duo for the Cincinnati offense.

The Bengals selected Green with the fourth overall pick in this year's NFL draft, and something tells me they're happy with their selection.

Winner: Jerome Simpson

While it was A.J. Green who found the end zone for the Bengals on Sunday, it was Jerome Simpson who racked up the most receiving yardage.

After three somewhat unproductive weeks, Simpson finally broke out against the Colts, racking up 101 yards on six receptions.

He hasn't had the same chemistry with Andy Dalton that Green or tight end Jermaine Gresham have, but if Simpson can continue to produce at a high level then the Bengals' pass offense could become one of the league's best. 

Winner: Cincinnati O-Line

Cincinnati racked up 351 total yards on Sunday and they have their offensive line to thank. 

For the first time all season the Bengals didn't allow a single sack and Andy Dalton was able to throw the ball at will.

The Colts' talented defensive line was a non-factor all day long.

Winner: Cincinnati Rushing Attack

The Bengals' rushing attack didn't look spectacular against Indy, but it certainly looked much-improved. After a lackluster performance against Jacksonville in Week 5, Cedric Benson, Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard combined for 94 yards and a touchdown against the Colts.

Earth-shattering? No.

Productive? No doubt about it.

The Bengals have depth at the running back position and they took full advantage of it against Indianapolis' struggling defense. 

Winner: Bengals' Defense (Again)

Cincinnati's top-ranked defense showed up to play once again in Week 6 and may have had their best performance of the year.

Not only did they allow just 273 total yards, but they also recorded three turnovers and scored a crucial defensive touchdown that ended any hope of an Indianapolis comeback.

Don't be surprised to the see the Cincy D ranked No. 1 once again going into Week 7. 

Loser: Jermaine Gresham

Jermaine Gresham did record four catches on Sunday, but he managed to rack up just 23 yards.

Considering the fact that he had caught nine balls for two touchdowns over the past two weeks, the decline against the Colts' suspect pass defense was a bit surprising. 

Still, Gresham has been one of Andy Dalton's favorite targets all season long and he'll continue to produce in the weeks to come.

Loser: Mike Nugent

Mike Nugent has been nothing but accurate all season long for Cincinnati, but he missed a fourth quarter field goal on Sunday that could have proven costly had Indianapolis not turned the ball over on their following drive.

I'm sure the Bengals aren't worrying yet, but Nugent does have a history of being an awfully streaky kicker.

He's been hot so far, but he needs to stay locked in. 

Loser: Cincinnati Penalties

If the old saying that "penalties lose football games" has any merit to it then Cincinnati certainly dodged a bullet against the Colts. 

The Bengals committed 11 penalties that resulted in 111 yards on Sunday, but somehow they still came out on top. They'll have to clean things up if they hope to continue their winning ways.