Bengals try to stop the bleeding; Cincinnati Bengals vs. Indianapolis Colts preview
There may be nothing worse for a team that’s on a five-game losing streak than having to play the Colts, but that’s the task the Bengals face this weekend. The 2-6 Bengals’ season is already slipping away, while the 5-3 Colts have already lost more games than
they did all of last season.
The Bengals are coming off an emotional loss on Monday night. The team nearly stole a win from the Steelers after trailing 27-7 in the fourth quarter, but their comeback fell just short when they were stopped in the redzone for a 27-21 defeat.
The Colts also came up just short of a come-from-behind win. After falling behind 26-17, the Colts had the ball with a minute left down by two points. Peyton Manning threw the game-sealing interception on fourth down to end the game.
The bright spot for the Bengals’ struggling offence has been Terrell Owens. The 36-year-old is proving what he said all off-season; that he still has plenty of football left. Owens leads the Bengals with 55 receptions for 770 yards and seven touchdowns. He
has become the number one target for the inconsistent Carson Palmer.
Palmer is doing fine statistic-wise, with 2103 yards and 14 touchdowns, with eight picks. The problem is, the Bengals’ offence starts slow in games and is often playing from behind. That has made them one-dimensional, as their running game is nowhere near what
it was last year. Cedric Benson is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry this season.
To top it all off, the Bengals’ defence has not kept them in games. They’re 25th in points allowed with 23.8 per game and 23rd against the run with 120.8 yards per game. That’s been the difference between this team and the 2009 one that went 6-0 against their
division and won the AFC North. That division has proven year after year that you need a great defence to come out on top.
As for the Colts, they still have Peyton Manning. However things have not gone quite as smoothly for them this year. They started 14-0 last year, before resting their starters for the final two games, with home field advantage already clinched. Barring an unbelievable
winning streak, it seems they won’t be resting anybody this year. At 5-3, their division is wide open, with the Titans tied with them, and the Texans and Jaguars just one game behind.
One reason for the Colts’ struggles has been injuries. The Colts have already lost tight end Dallas Clark, receiver Anthony Gonzalez and safety Bob Sanders for the year. Gary Brackett and Clint Session have also suffered several injuries this year, and Austin
Collie was concussed last week. In such a tough division like theirs, it will take the most valiant efforts of the Colts to retain their division crown.
What the Colts can look forward to is the fact that the Bengals have lost five in a row and look vulnerable. The Colts are also yet to lose a game at home this season. In fact they have only lost one home game under coach Jim Caldwell in the past two seasons.
This game seems to spell victory for the Colts. If Manning is Manning, then Cincinnati’s frustration will continue and their season will continue to slip away.
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