Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati
Bengals
Before the game, the stadium paid its tribute to the armed
forces and that appeared appropriate as the Cincinnati army went on to pillage
Cleveland. Browns quarterback Johnny
Manziel was always under siege while the assured Andy Dalton eased his team into winning a battle that extended
Cincinnati's streak to 8-0.
The harassed Manziel performed miracles in getting some of
his passes off as the Bengals defense relentlessly chased him around the field.
Despite their inferiority, the Browns were just about holding onto the Bengals
shirt tails at the half when they were 10-14 behind.
The Bengals turned the screw in the second half, keeping the
Browns scoreless as Cleveland managed only 32 yards of offense while Manziel
felt the bruises of three sacks in the final period as the Bengals added
seventeen points.
Dalton finished 21 of 27 for 234 yards with a passer rating
of 139.8. His main weapon was Tyler
Eifert who pulled in three touchdown catches to give him nine for the
season, tying the club record for a tight end and confirming him as the leading
touchdown scorer in the NFL for tight ends and receivers.
After their 31-10 victory, receiver Marvin Jones said "It seems like every week it's a
first-time-ever. It's all good. We've got to be 9-0 next and keep it
moving." Jones topped the Bengals individual stats with 78
receiving yards.
Oakland Raiders (4-3)
at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4)
These two old foes may not remember the rivalry between the
teams of the seventies when Coach Chuck
Noll suggested there was a criminal elements in the Oakland team. And
Oakland Coach John Madden never got
over the most famous play in pro football - the Immaculate Reception,
always suggesting that the play was illegal.
None of that history will make an effect on Sunday's game as
both teams strive to improve on their mediocre records. Pittsburgh, smarting
from their fourth quarter loss to the Bengals will need to be at their best
against an Oakland team that have put together back to back wins to ease them
above .500.
To suggest the result of a game can be decided on the birth
of a baby is a tad over the top, but the heart of the Steelers defense might be
missing if defensive end Cameron
Heyward's wife gives birth. The Steelers may have to overcome his absence
if as expected, the baby is born over the weekend.
One player doesn't make a team, but Ben is such an important
part of the Steelers offense that his rustiness against the Bengals determined
the outcome of the game with his three interceptions.
The last time these two teams met in Oakland, I was in
hospital with a collapsed lung. I urged the doctor to discharge me so I could
watch the game. I succeeded with my mission, but arrived home to find the
Steelers were already two touchdowns behind.
Terrelle Pryor
ran 93 yards on the first play from scrimmage after a fake hand off for the
longest touchdown run by a quarterback. The Raiders never looked back as the
Steelers failed to overcome that 14-0 deficit to lose 18-21.
Derek Carr is now
the Raiders quarterback and last week threw four touchdown passes to achieve a
130.9 passer rating as Oakland beat the New
York Jets 34-20.
“Confidence is huge,” confirmed Raiders Coach Jack Del Rio. As their new head coach,
he has already overseen a team that this year has won more games than they
managed for the whole of last season. “We just came in and rolled up our sleeves
and got to work. It’s been a collective effort, a lot of good people pulling
together.”
As with any given Sunday either team can win, but having
watched the Steelers practice this week I have to take a resurgent Ben to lead
his team to victory.
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