Four Games And Counting: The Bengals 2012 NFL Adventure

Oct 21, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) meet on the field at the end of the game at Paul Brown Stadium. The Steelers defeated the Bengals 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

It was Sunday night under the lights in Paul Brown Stadium. The team planned an “orange out”, in the hopes to give their team an advantage in a game that seems more like a home game for the Steelers in PBS. The team started strong, going up early over Pittsburgh. Then, just like the fans had been accustomed to over the last two losses, the team lost their stride.

Andy Dalton was limited to only 105 yards, one touchdown, and he threw another interception. His season interception total was getting out of hand and everyone knew it. However, how could the team correct it?

In the 24-17 loss to the Steelers, Cincinnati’s defense allowed another 431 yards. 167 of those were on the ground. If people had any hope going in to this game, it was gone. Fans hung their heads low as the realization set in that this team was all hype and no action. The Bungals were back in Cincinnati and they were not wanted.

The team got a much needed bye in week 8. The 3-4 Bengals team took the time to call out players to improve their on-field play; most notably the team’s quarterback and middle linebacker. Not only did they call players out, they took the time to get some of the injured players back to health.

When they came out of the bye week, they faced another tough matchup at home against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. Fans were not expecting much from the team that had dropped their past three. Hope was seen fleeing the Queen City as fast as it entered.

Though Manning threw two interceptions, his 291 yards and three touchdowns were enough to lift the Broncos over the lifeless Bengals. Andy Dalton continued his turnover streak, throwing another interception and just one touchdown. The defense allowed another 359 yards and just like that, Cincinnati was 3-5 and watching the division pull away from them and any hope of a playoff run at the midpoint of the season.

The team had played out a season of disappointment, once again, after giving the fans something to believe in early on. Fans had given up on the team and decided to show their disdain in ticket sales as the team stayed home the next week to take on the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. No one gave the Bengals a shot against Peyton’s little brother Eli Manning.

In true Bengals fashion, though, the team that took everyone down a dark path, leaving no hope for tomorrow, rallied together and pulled out a win over the Giants. The defense allowed 318 yards again, but they sacked Manning four times and held New York to just 13 points.

Dalton had his first game without a turnover and threw four touchdown passes to four different receivers. The team seemed to have gelled, but just like everyone thought the Miami loss was a fluke, now the jaded fans thought the Giants win was a fluke. Whatever it was, the Bengals were 4-5 after their 31-13 stomping of the New York Giants.

Though the team gained confidence, fans were reluctant to call anything in the Bengals favor. Even with the favorable matchup against a one-win Kansas City Chiefs team the following week, many thought that Chiefs would be a trap for the Bengals. Even A.J. Green was heard stating that anything could happen, since the team did lose to the Dolphins and the Browns.

Cincinnati opened up against Kansas City and never looked back. They beat the Chiefs easily, 28-6 and Dalton had another turnover free game. Another stat that had everyone turning their heads, came from the ground game. The Law Firm, who couldn’t seem to get anything done all season, finally had his first one-hundred yard rushing game for the Bengals. He ran for 101 yards and one touchdown.

The team had climbed out of their hole and found themselves back to .500. Fans and the NFL were starting to believe again, but the team would still have plenty to prove. People were talking, though, and Cincinnati was abuzz.

The next two matchups for the Bengals featured a home game against Carson Palmer and the Oakland Raiders and a road trip against Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers. Palmer could not get anything done against his old team. The defense was healthy again and had already been pulling out all of the stops in their past two wins.

They sacked Palmer four times and only allowed Oakland to get 218 yard of total offense. Andy Dalton threw for 210 yards and three touchdowns. He had his third interception-free game and was firing on all cylinders. BJGE also had a repeat performance, running for 129 yards this time as Cincinnati bettered their record to 6-5 with a 34-10 victory over Oakland.

The next week when they headed to San Diego, everyone was excited. The Bengals season that many thought was over in week seven, made an exciting turn and the fans and the team were able to see a playoff picture that they could be a part of for the first time in the season.

Cincinnati got off to a fast start in the Charger’s stadium. After a Brandon Tate fumble and recovery that left the team on their own nine yard line, Dalton led the offense down the field and hit Jermaine Gresham to get the first points on the scoreboard in San Diego. However that lead was short –lived. San Diego came up with a field goal in the second half and a touchdown on yet another Andy Dalton interception.

As the game dragged on, it was becoming a familiar story for Bengals fans. The team that left us all feeling slightly bi-polar, with extreme highs and lows throughout the season, trailed in to the fourth quarter of the game. Their quarterback had already thrown two interceptions, an issue that everyone hoped was corrected and Gresham lost a fumble when the team was driving on the Charger’s side of the field.

Then in the fourth quarter, the offense seemed to come alive. They put up ten more points and the Bengals left Southern California with another win, 20-13. Their record is now 7-5 and their playoff hopes are more alive than ever.

It really has been a crazy season in Cincinnati. This isn’t a team that you know that is predictable week in and week out, like the Patriots or the Chiefs. This is a team that leaves us on the edge of our seats and forces us to face emotions that we haven’t had since we were seven years old and someone took our favorite toy.

It is important to look back at this season and all of the Bengal’s seasons. By looking at where we came from and all this team has persevered through this year, it makes us appreciate what we have now. No matter what happens this season, this team deserves to be recognized for where they are now, which is much different from just a month ago.

We, as fans, should just be appreciative for the cardio workout they give our hearts. Who Dey!