Here is our week 9 statistical breakdown of the Bengals - Titans game. We will begin with five good stats followed by five bad stats.
Statistics that make you smile
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Andy Dalton throws for 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. It wasn't the prettiest game, but Dalton managed to get it done when it mattered. He threw three touchdowns to three different receivers without turning the ball over.
- 3 different receivers caught touchdown passes. Dalton gets the credit for spreading the ball around, but it's great news for A.J. Green. This will take some pressure off Green, allowing him to be all the more successful.
- Carlos Dunlap racks up 2 sacks. Dunlap really came on strong in the second half with two big sacks. Getting consistent pressure from the defensive line will help the secondary from getting carved up.
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Bengals went 8 for 16 on 3rd down conversions. The Bengals had been struggling with converting on 3rd down all season and had a great game against the Titans.
- Bengals win turnover battle. The Bengals were able to go the entire game without turning the football over one time, while Nate Clements managed to force a turnover in the 4th quarter. Winning the turnover battle is key in beating teams on a consistent basis.
Statistics that make you frown
- Benson averaged less than 4 yards per carry. Coming into this game the Titans had one of the worst run defenses and Benson should have been more successful. The Bengals as a team only averaged 3.6 yards per rush.
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Brandon Tate only averaged 1.8 yards per punt return. After his success last week, most Bengals fans were expecting Tate to continue having success. He struggled all game and will need to pick it up to maintain his job once Adam Jones gets healthy.
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The Bengals had 9 penalties for 87 yards. Last week we were willing to overlook some of the false starts due to the crowd noise in Seattle. There are no such excuses this week. The team needs to play with more discipline.
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Matt Hasselbeck passes for 272 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. A week after getting carved up by Tavaris Jackson, the Bengals secondary should have been ready to prove it was just a fluke by shutting down Hasselback. Their struggle in back to back weeks does not bode well for when they have to face Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
- Chris Johnson gets going. Johnson was able to average 4.6 yards per carry as well as recording 4 receptions for 46 yards. He had been largely shut down this entire year and the Bengals let him get going in the first half. They were able to step it up in the second half and slow him down, but they can't afford to let that happen too often.