Bengals Bytes (11/2): Sigh of relief

TDBH: Baby Bengals play Madden and stun unbeaten Raiders
Rookie quarterback Greg Cook, who engineers the Baby Bengals to an improbable 3-0 start before injuring his shoulder, comes back today from a two-week hiatus to hatch the most thrilling moment yet in a 31-17 conquest of undefeated Oakland at sold-out Nippert Stadium that prevents head coach John Madden’s Raiders from winning an AFL-record 16 straight.

Lewis, Dalton News Conference Transcripts 11/1
I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of one. Obviously on draft day there’s a little more urgency because if you don’t get it in, the next team can go ahead and jump you (in the draft order). They may take your player. If we have an idea that could happen (then we need to do something). But in this case … enough said.

McCarron, Bengals wondering what if
AJ McCarron knew he’d have a tough time finding Bengals president Mike Brown in the Bengals locker room Wednesday before practice. Long before McCarron thought he was the newest member of the Cleveland Browns, Brown watched his father Paul Brown lose his hold and then his job as head coach of that team named after him when the owner cozied up to the players.

DE Carlos Dunlap Named AFC Defensive Player of the Week
Dunlap had three tackles including a sack against the Colts, as well as the game’s decisive play. With the Bengals down 23-17 with just over seven minutes left, Dunlap batted up a pass in the Indianapolis backfield, caught it when it came down, and then outran the pursuing Colts offensive players for 16-yard INT return for a TD and the game’s final points in Cincinnati’s 24-23 win. It was Dunlap’s third career touchdown and his second pick-six.

Inside the Browns' botched trade attempt for Bengals' AJ McCarron
It was a 24-hour whirlwind for the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and quarterback AJ McCarron after a potential trade was botched at the last minute. There was still some disbelief around the Bengals facility on Wednesday morning after the proposed trade, which would have sent McCarron to Cleveland for second- and third-round draft picks, fell apart after the Browns missed the deadline to file their paperwork.

Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis says he was 'relieved' attempted trade of AJ McCarron to Cleveland Browns fell through
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said he was "relieved" when an attempted trade of quarterback AJ McCarron to the Cleveland Browns was not completed by the trade deadline Tuesday.

Cincinnati Bengals offensive line prepares for ‘Sacksonville,' Carlos Dunlap honored
One player with double-digit quarterback takedowns, and another 10 that have at least a half sack. The pressure has been so steady the Jacksonville Jaguars’ social media team rebranded their Twitter name as “Sacksonville” and adopted the hashtag by the same moniker. There is little anyone can say about the off-field bravado because frankly, no one has been able to do anything about it on the field.

Bengals, Jags both aiming to start streak
The 3-4 Cincinnati Bengals head on the road this week to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars are a surprising 4-3 and coming off their bye week. Jacksonville will be trying to win back-to-back games for the first time this season. The Jaguars will also attempt to win their first game at home since Week 2.

AFC North Bytes

Josh Gordon Conditionally Reinstated by NFL; Can Practice with Browns on Nov. 20
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon on a conditional basis, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, he can begin practicing with the team on Nov. 20 and is allowed to be activated on Nov. 27 following the team's Week 12 game. He is permitted to attend meetings immediately.

Joe Flacco focused on Titans, not Kiko Alonso’s punishment
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week that quarterback Joe Flacco is no longer experiencing symptoms from the concussion he sustained on a hit from Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso in last Thursday’s game and Flacco confirmed he’s feeling good after practicing with the team on Wednesday.

Adjustments Pittsburgh Steelers Must Make Post-Bye Week
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a 6-2 record heading into their Week 9 bye, making them the top team in the AFC through the season's halfway point. But that doesn't mean the Steelers don't have room for improvement and the week off provides an opportunity for the team to identify and address their weaknesses.

Random Bytes

Bleacher Report's Expert Consensus NFL Midseason Awards
It's been a bizarre NFL season, and that really hits home when you look at the front-runners for NFL awards as we kick off November. Bleacher Report's NFL experts have weighed in on those race leaders, and anyone time-traveling from August 2017 would have a hard time believing the results.

Chris Simms' Week 9 NFL Picks
Winning ugly has become a lost art in today's NFL. Football is a week-to-week affair, and teams cannot always rely on what they do best in order to win. Very few teams, though, are actually capable of doing this with any consistency.

NFL Players Poised to Break Out in the Season's 2nd Half
The NFL chews players up and spits them out on a weekly basis. The "What have you done for me lately?" league continually churns through even the most talented stars. Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas was the NFL's iron man, having played 10,363 straight snaps before he tore a triceps ligament on Oct. 22. Thomas is a future Hall of Famer and one of the greatest left tackles ever to play.