Bengals vs. Titans: 5 Halftime Adjustments Cincinnati Must Make

Today's game pits two surprise teams battling for playoff consideration. The Bengals come in on a four-game winning streak behind two big rookies, QB Andy Dalton and WR A.J. Green. The Titans are led by veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck and sit at 4-3 in a competitive AFC South division.

This game is going to hinge on who can put together a more complete offensive performance. Both teams have potential to smash the ball with the run, but more likely it will be decided through the air.

Here are five big adjustments the Bengals must make to get a big road win:

1. Make a Big Play

Both teams dinked and dunked their way through the first quarter today, and nothing would be better for one of them to get than a big play. Whether it be a big run broken off by Cedric Benson or a deep pass to pick up a good chunk of yardage, something's got to change.

This looks like it's going to be a pretty low-scoring affair. So, if Andy Dalton can get the ball downfield to an open guy for a big gain, it could literally be the entire difference in the game. Let's see them take a shot and find out what happens.

2. Protect Dalton

Andy Dalton has had a stellar rookie campaign for the Bengals. But, he's still young and mistake-prone on occasion. He relies a little too much on his fellow rookie A.J. Green when he's hurried, so the Titans should be able to game plan to take that away. 

When he gets a nice pocket and some time to throw, he's one of the best quarterbacks in the entire league. But that will be key against this Tennessee defense. Give him a little time and watch the yards and points pile up.

3. Blitz Hasselbeck

Hasselbeck has always been a liability at QB when he was getting pressured. He's a smart player, but he has a tendency to think he can squeeze a pass into places that he just can't when he's forced to make a quick decision.

If they get some pressure on him and get Hasselbeck uncomfortable or outside the pocket, he could be forced into making a bad throw or taking a big sack that will kill a drive. Continue to ratchet up the blitzes and see if that defense can't force a game-changing takeaway.

4. Limit the Mistakes

This one pretty much goes without saying for most teams in any game. But in a game that's barely breaking double digits by halftime, it's even more essential. If it's going to be a defensive battle in Tennessee today, big penalties and costly turnovers will be even more hard to overcome.

Even more dangerous are mental mistakes. Blown coverage, personal fouls or bad special teams plays are things that could have a small impact at the time but come back and haunt the Bengals. That's something the locker room pep talk will definitely have to address before the second half.

5. Keep the Momentum

Another big part of a close game like this with possible playoff implications is the momentum. It can be gained or lost depending on a lot of issues I've already mentioned here, like the mistakes or the turnovers. But swinging it the Bengals' way is going to be huge for taking this game in the final 30 minutes.

Especially on the road, the Bengals are going to want to keep the crowd out of it by being competitive all the way through. A few mistakes that lead to long drives or points by the Titans will crush the momentum and make the fans much more a part of the game, sealing a death wish.