:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/39589646/20140921_krj_db4_0045.JPG.0.jpg)
The game Sunday between the Bengals and Titans turned when...the coin was flipped.
Honestly, the Titans were simply outmatched by the Bengals in every facet of the game on Sunday. Offense. Defense. Special Teams. Coaching.
Hell, the Bengals even drew on the sideline dry erase boards better than the Titans. On a day that was so gorgeous even Mike Nugent couldn't miss a FG, Ryan Succop couldn't make FGs.
Looking at the stat lines, you would think this was a fairly even matched game:
First downs 22-25,
Total Yards 326-300
Time of Possession: 31:16-28:44
Turnovers 2-1
What is missing from that stat line is the stat of "Playing Good Football." If such a stat was recorded, it likely would have read 8-0 Bengals.
If not for a garbage time touchdown against mainly backups, we would be talking about a 33-0 shutout. Getting a shutout in today's NFL is tough to do, but the Titans were making it look easy on Sunday. Jake Locker looked like the Locker that Titans fans (and management) fear he is - a decent backup, not a starter.
Not many QBs have looked good against the Bengals over the past 2 years, but Locker completed just 50% of his passes, threw 2 picks and consistently missed receivers. The Titans would have been better off borrowing Mohamed Sanu for their quarterback.
Thanks to Locker, the Bengals moved to 3-0 and head to the Bye Week with a chance to get healthy. Since 1990, 75% of teams that have started 3-0 make the playoffs. Seeing that the Bengals are the only 3-0 team in the AFC, they are in a good position to make that stat hold true.