Bengals Bytes (10/16): Back on track

TBDH: Streaking Bengals hit all the right notes in Music City
After Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer kills the Titans softly with another seamless 100 plus rating that ties an NFL record, the defense deals two death blows with safety Kevin Kaesviharn's interception and cornerback Tory James's hit-and-fumble recovery in the final three minutes for their first fourth quarter comeback of this comeback season, 31-23, over the Titans at a suddenly quiet Coliseum.

Hobson's Choice: bye edition
The Bengals lead the NFL with 34 straight games with a sack while setting an NFL record going 16 straight games without recovering a fumble. To me, that sounds like chance. You’d think just by accident they’d get a sack-and-strip, or hit a quarterback just as he was getting ready to throw and then fall on the ball. That’s what happened to Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton on the first series of the game in Cleveland and the Bengals don’t have one of those in a full season of 16 games?

TDBH: Reid’s five sacks make stand
Tackle Mike Reid is going to be named NFL Defensive Player of the Week in a few days for his five sacks of Chiefs future Hall-of Fame quarterback Len Dawson. But it is his tip of Dawson’s pass with two seconds left on the Bengals 8 that preserves today’s 23-16 Cincinnati victory at Arrowhead Stadium. “It’s as fine an effort by a defensive lineman as I’ve ever seen,” says Bengals head coach Paul Brown, who has coached in three leagues and four decades. Dawson knows he has a touchdown to running back Robert West. “If Reid is half a second late he misses the ball,” Dawson says and the previous play is just as close when Tommy Casanova cuts in front of Chiefs tight end Morris Stroud at the goal line and knocks it away.

How Cincinnati Bengals' Bill Lazor helped straighten out Andy Dalton
After the first two weeks of ugly quarterback play from Andy Dalton, those inside the organization couldn’t hide from the fact Dalton was off the rails in his own head on the field under Ken Zampese. When Bill Lazor took over for Zampese at coordinator, his top job was re-finding the Dalton of the last two seasons. In perhaps Lazor’s most immediate and influential impact, he can claim he led the charge in making that happen through three weeks. In fact, Dalton’s been as good statistically as any point during his breakout 2015 campaign.

Fay: John Ross injury aside, Bengals' draft class is looking like a big success
The Bengals' 2017 draft is shaping up as one that falls somewhere between very good and great based on the first five games of the season. That’s saying something when so far the most notable thing No. 1 pick John Ross has done is lose a key fumble.

AFC North Bytes

Girlfriend of Martavis Bryant suggests why he might want a trade on Twitter
If a tweet from NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport is to be believed, wide receiver Martavis Bryant wants out of Pittsburgh. For fans hoping this rumor is as true as the time Rapoport claimed Ben Roethlisberger was looking to be traded, a tweet from Bryant’s girlfriend Deja Hiott might suggest otherwise. In a series of posts that she has since deleted, Hiott gave the world of social media the impression that the rumors surrounding her boyfriend had a ring of truth to them.

Bears don't fold, top Ravens 27-24 in overtime for first road victory since 2015
The Bears had endured 10 trips and nearly 22 months without a road victory, and a rocking M&T Bank Stadium was ready to see the Ravens add to that miserable stretch. Michael Campanaro's 77-yard punt return for a touchdown and the Ravens' two-point conversion evened the score with 1 minutes, 37 seconds to play in the fourth quarter Sunday, forcing overtime in a game the Bears had led since the second quarter.

Browns vs. Texans - Game Recap
Deshaun Watson threw for 225 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first rookie in NFL history with at least three TD passes in three straight games, helping give the Houston Texans a 33-17 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Watson has thrown 15 touchdown passes this season, the most in NFL history by a rookie in a team's first six games. It equals the number of TD throws Brock Osweiler had in 15 games last season.

Mike Mitchell takes horrific cheap shot on Alex Smith
You’ll be shocked to hear Mike Mitchell did something dirty. Mitchell’s latest infraction came in Week 6, where the Steelers safety took a horrific cheap shot on Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith. It came as Smith was alluding pressure and scrambling in the pocket before making a tough throw down the field. As he made the throw, Mitchell took a blatant hit at Smith’s legs

Random Bytes

Colin Kaepernick Files Grievance Against NFL Owners for Collusion
After remaining unsigned through six weeks of the 2017 NFL season, Colin Kaepernick claims the league is participating in collusion. As first reported by Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has filed a grievance against the owners for collusion under the latest collective bargaining agreement.

QB Issues Could Again Prevent Broncos from Reaching Contender Status
The Denver Broncos continue to suffer from a quarterback problem, and the hubris that lingers from the aberration that was their magical 2015 season continues to beset the organization. Two years ago, the Broncos won Super Bowl 50 in spite of their quarterbacks. Peyton Manning was tired and Brock Osweiler was a deer in headlights, but a superb defense allowed the Broncos to become an enormous 21st-century anomaly.

Eli Manning, Giants Shock Broncos 23-10 Behind Orleans Darkwa's Big Night on SNF
Despite coming in as double-digit underdogs, the New York Giants earned their first win of the season in a Sunday night shocker over the Denver Broncos. Orleans Darkwa rushed for 117 yards against what was the league's No. 1 run defense to lead the 23-10 upset, helping the team overcome a litany of injuries.

Aaron Rodgers Could Miss Rest of Season After Suffering Broken Collarbone
The Green Bay Packers announced Sunday that Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone against the Minnesota Vikings that may end his season. Rodgers exited the game in the first quarter after landing on his right shoulder following a hit by Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr. ESPN's Adam Schefter noted Rodgers dealt with a broken collarbone to his non-throwing shoulder earlier in his career