Bengals vs Rams: Revisiting recent games between Cincinnati and St. Louis

Overall, the Bengals have played 12 games against the Rams, holding a 7-5 winning record. But, they are only 2-3 against the St. Louis Rams, having played seven games against the Rams when they were located in Los Angeles.

But the Bengals are actually 4-4 against teams from St. Louis, with the aforementioned 2-3 record against the St. Louis Rams, and a 2-1 record against the St. Louis Cardinals (football team).

Confused yet?

With the current divisional alignment and scheduling used in the NFL, the Bengals had played both the former St. Louis team (Cardinals) and current St. Louis team (Rams) in the same year, every four years.

Interestingly enough, they've always played St. Louis in the months of November and December. The 2015 season repeats this scheduling quirk.

The Bengals have won their last two head-to-head matchups with the Rams. The two most recent game against the Rams came in 2007 and 2011.

12/09/07: Bengals defeat Rams, 19-10

It was a matchup that could be called anything but the "greatest show on turf", as Carson Palmer threw for zero touchdowns and two interceptions, while the Rams’ inestimable Brock Berlin tossed an interception of his own, with no touchdowns.

The only touchdowns in the game came on a one yard score by Rudi Johnson, and a pick six thrown by Carson Palmer to start off the third quarter.

Shayne Graham nailed four field goals, and De De Dorsey had the best game of his short-lived NFL career, reeling off 81 yards on four carries.

The Rams’ offense was shut down all game, with a late fourth quarter 50 yard field goal their only offensive scoring. Despite this, Palmer’s pick six kept the game close until Graham hit a 46 yard field goal to give the Bengals a 2-score lead of 19-10 with a little more than two minutes to play.

12/18/11: Bengals defeat Rams, 20-13

Andy Dalton kept alive the Bengals' string of lackluster passing games against the Rams. He threw for 179 yards and an interception, with no touchdowns. Meanwhile the Rams’ backup quarterback Kellen Clemens continued to do what many backup quarterbacks have done against the Bengals’, and easily worked his way through the Bengals’ secondary. He completed 69 percent of his passes for an efficient 229 yards, one touchdown pass, and no interceptions. It was only one of three starts for Clemens in 2011, and his best performance.

With only 12 seconds remaining in the third quarter, both teams were deadlocked in a defensive struggle at 6-6. Then Bernard Scott scored from one yard out, and Benson followed later on a four yard run, giving the Bengals a 20-6 lead deep into the fourth quarter.

With 1:08 remaining, the Rams cut into the lead with a touchdown pass from Clemens to Danario Alexander, but were unable to complete the comeback.

Looking forward to the Week 12 game...

The Rams again seem set on running a backup quarterback against the Bengals. It won’t be Berlin, or Clemens, but likely Case Keenum – if he is healthy. If he isn’t healthy, it will be former backup quarterback, turned starter, turned backup, Nick Foles.

Bengals quarterbacks have averaged 184 yards passing with 0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in the last three games against the Rams. Hopefully Dalton can fare better in the 2015 edition of this matchup.

The previous two matchups were defensive struggles. This year’s game pits two good defenses against each other, in what could be yet another defensive struggle.

In the last two games between the Bengals and Rams a total of nine field goals have been made between the two teams, which means Mike Nugent and Greg Zuerlein could be busy on Sunday afternoon.