Primer: Indianapolis Colts (0-5) At Cincinnati Bengals (3-2)

by Josh Kirkendall on Oct 12, 2011 10:00 AM EDT in Primer

Game: Indianapolis Colts (0-5) At Cincinnati Bengals (3-2)
Series Leader: Colts, 16-8
Streak: Colts have won the previous seven
Coaches vs. Opponent: Lewis: 0-4. Caldwell: 1-0
Broadcast: CBS (1:00 PM ET): Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots. SIRIUS: 113 (Ind.), 106 (Cin.). XM: 229 (Cin.).
SB Nation: Stamped Blue | SB Nation Game Coverage
NFL.com: Game Center
Weather: Partly cloudy and 65 degrees [Weather Underground]
Uniform: Orange

CINCINNATI BENGALS

The Bengals are seeking their third consecutive win this season.
Quarterback Andy Dalton has recorded a passer rating of 85+ in three of his five starts.
Bengals are 11-1 when Cedric Benson rushes 25 times or more in a game.
Bernard Scott posted his first touchdown of the season last week against the Jaguars.
Rookie wide receiver A.J. Green has nine receptions for 208 yards receiving and a touchdown in his previous two games.
Green leads all NFL rookies with 402 yards receiving and ranks second in the NFL with 24 receptions behind Julio Jones (25).
Tight end Jermaine Gresham is looking to post a touchdown reception in his third consecutive game.
Bengals have allowed an NFL-low 279.6 yards/game in 2011.
Defense has posted five fumble recoveries, which is tied for second-most in the NFL.
Defensive end Frostee Rucker has posted two quarterback sacks in the past three games.
Rey Maualuga leads the Cincinnati Bengals with 38 tackles; on pace for 121.6 tackles this season.
Carlos Dunlap posted a quarterback sack last year against the Colts.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Colts have won seven of the past eight games in Cincinnati.
In two career starts, quarterback Curtis Painter has completed 28 of 57 passes for 558 yards passing and four touchdowns for a passer rating of 107.2.
Three of Painter's first four touchdown passes have gone for over 59 yards passing (87, 59, 67).
Rookie running back Delone Carter posted his first quarter touchdown last week.
Wide receiver Reggie Wayne posted five receptions for 115 yards receiving and a touchdown in his previous game against the Bengals.
Pierre Garcon has seven receptions for 271 yards with four touchdowns in his past two games.
Defensive end Dwight Freeney (98.5) needs 1.5 quarterback sacks to become 26th player with 100 in a career since the stat was made official in 1982.
Freeney has 6.5 quarterback sacks in five career games against the Bengals.
Robert Mathis has 4.5 quarterback sacks in four career games against the Bengals.

TEAM RANKINGS (2011)

Offense	Bengals	Colts
Total	320.2 (22nd)	287.0 (30th)
Scoring	22.0 (17th)	17.4 (t-27th)
Third Downs	32% (28th)	33% (27th)
Rushing	107.6 (18th)	82.0 (30th)
Rushing TDs	3 (t-15th)	2 (t-21st)
20-Yard Runs	2 (t-24th)	0 (32nd)
Passing	212.6 (24th)	205.0 (25th)
Passing TDs	7 (t-15th)	6 (t-21st)
Sacks Allowed	11 (t-17th)	10 (t-15th)
20-yard Passes	16 (t-13th)	16 (t-13th)

Defense	Bengals	Colts
Total	279.6 (1st)	399.4 (26th)
Scoring	18.8 (6th)	27.2 (29th)
3rd Downs Allowed	33% (8th)	49% (32nd)
Rushing	88.6 (7th)	145.2 (31st)
Rushing TDs	4 (15th)	6 (28th)
20-Yard Runs	2 (5th)	5 (21st)
Passing	191 (3rd)	254.2 (19th)
Passing TDs	5 (4th)	8 (17th)
Sacks	13 (8th)	9 (21st)
QB Rating	84.6 (16th)	102.5 (29th)
20-Yard Passes Allowed	13 (6th)	18 (22nd)
Interceptions	1 (31st)	3 (21st)

Special Teams	Bengals	Colts
Kickoff Return	22.2 (19th)	21.9 (23rd)
Punt Return	9.8 (15th)	1.0 (32nd)
Punting (Net)	39.7 (11th)	37.0 (23rd)
Punts Inside the 20	10 (3rd)	6 (17th)

CAREER AGAINST THE COLTS

Andy Dalton

Date	Cmp	Att	Yrds	TD	INT	Rating
N/A

Bruce Gradkowski

Date	Cmp	Att	Yrds	TD	INT	Rating
10.7.2007	3	4	22	0	1	47.9

Cedric Benson

Date	Rushes	Yards	TDs
11.14.2010	14	24	0
12.7.2008	16	57	0

Jerome Simpson

Date	Rec	Yards	TDs
N/A

A.J. Green

Date	Rec	Yards	TDs
N/A

Andre Caldwell

Date	Rec	Yards	TDs
11.14.2010	0	0	0
12.7.2008	1	6	0

Jermaine Gresham

Date	Rec	Yards	TDs
11.14.2010	9	85	1

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Comments

Nervous, but Excited for this week

The offense needs to run to set up the pass, and get several scores in early.

The defense needs to stop the run, harass the QB, and create some turnovers.

It should be fun and I would very pleased to see us at 4-2 into the bye week.

Wrong! Conan! What is best in life?

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

by UpStateMike on Oct 12, 2011 10:15 AM EDT reply actions

can't wait to see Manning VS Palmer

urm. nevermind, wrong year.

" Mike Brown is the owner that Cincy doesn't deserve, not the one it needs..."

by palewook on Oct 12, 2011 11:49 AM EDT reply actions

No wonder Josh :)

No wonder our defence is playing so well . We have a NFL team playing in the FNL. That explains everything.
I knew something was different about this season.

"Next season will be better" circa 1990

by Yarin on Oct 12, 2011 11:53 AM EDT reply actions

Most dangerous of games

Of all the games we have played so far I think this might be the most dnagerous team of them all. Going 0-5 to start a season will have those guys fired up to break that losing streak. It’s almost as hard to lose all your games in the NFL as it is to win them all. The men in Stripes better be ready to play.

"Next season will be better" circa 1990

by Yarin on Oct 12, 2011 12:08 PM EDT reply actions

Agreed, kind of a trap game, but very winnable.

I went back and watched the Colts/Chiefs game last night and there is a reason they are 0-5. Curtis Painter was really on at points, but his line played well against the Chiefs pass rush. When he was flustered he was inaccurate. That line is very rag tag, the only true starter is Saturday whom Sims manhandled in the preseason.

Their secondary gets along on a shoe string and has a knack for giving up the big play, especially when targetting Lacy who was up and down the entire game. The run defense is abysmal allowing the career backup Jackie Battle have an amazing career day. Towards the end when it mattered most the Colts DLine was visibly gassed and allowed consecutive gains of 10+ over and over. Freeney and Mathis are still serious threats but the Chiefs used the short game and YAC to neutralize that threat. They took their shots deep when Freeney and Mathis were rotated out and it worked. I imagine that will be precisely our game plan and if Green can have a game like Bowe this game will never be in doubt.

We need to pound and pound CedBen in the first quarter, spell him regularly with Leonard and Scott in the second quarter, and then let him try to hit home runs the entirety of the second half. That line will be overpowered by our OLine and they will give up the big plays, even if Pat Angerer plays lights out again. That combined with a successful short passing game with sure hands from our receivers should be enough.

Defensively I’m not even worried. Painter will be on his ass the entire game. They are without Addai. And hopefully someone can keep pace with Garcon.

by Cry on Oct 12, 2011 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions