Welp, anybody who expected the Bengals to come into the preseason and dominate just got a rude awakening. Really, though, we shouldn't have expected much more than what we got.... kind of. We didn't expect the stupid mistakes (I mean, it's not like we're the Bengals or anything), like fumbling the opening kickoff, but the growing-pain mistakes, we expected.
Dalton looked exactly like a rookie quarterback would look in his first start after two short weeks of practicing under his coaches. His first professional throw was a streak down the sideline to A.J. Green and was picked off. When the offense came back on the field, they handed the ball to Cedric Benson, who looked good, for a few plays before they decided to let Dalton throw again. Eventually he completed his first pass and finally looked like he calmed down a little.
The defense didn't look a lot better in the first half either. They let the Lions first and second-string offense put 21 points up on the board. They looked to have a hard time defending the short passing game, which I'll attribute more to growing pains than a lack of talent or ability as well. In the first half, they allowed Matthew Stafford to go six for seven for 71 yards and two touchdowns. They allowed 31 rushing yards on 13 carries from three different running backs and quarterback Shaun Hill, who scrambled for a touchdown.
Kicker Mike Nugent has put the only points up on the board for the Bengals in the first half, converting the team's first field goal attempt. He missed his second attempt from 42 yards, wide right.
So the Bengals went to the locker room at half time, trailing the Lions by a score of 24-3.
Andy Dalton played the entire first half and completed 11 of 15 passes for 69 yards and an interception in his rookie debut. A.J. Green caught four of those passes for 29 yards, and led the Bengals in receiving through the first half.
Now begins the third-quarter.
Enjoy.