By Mark Curnutte and Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Sunday's game

Two Seahawks, Shaun Alexander and Alex Bannister, had bittersweet homecomings Sunday on their first trips back to Cincinnati as NFL players.

Tailback Alexander had 138 total yards and a 2-yard touchdown reception. He accounted for all 72 yards from scrimmage on his touchdown drive. Bannister downed a punt on the Bengals 3-yard line.

The Bengals won 27-24, dropping the Seahawks to 5-2.

Alexander was greeted by hundreds of fans wearing his No. 37 jersey and received a large ovation.

"This town just loves to see their people succeed," said Alexander, the Florence native who played at Boone County. "So there's no doubt in my mind people were like, 'I want to see Shaun do really, really well and lose.' They got it."

Bannister, a wide receiver who played at Hughes, is an NFL long-shot story. He has been the Seahawks' best special teams player for two seasons.

"I have been waiting just to get an opportunity to show my family that I can really play," he said. "It was like a family reunion."

TURNOVER MAGIC: The Bengals are now plus-4 in turnover differential for the season after going plus-5 against the Seahawks.

Linebacker Brian Simmons, cornerback Tory James and cornerback Jeff Burris had interceptions, and defensive tackle John Thornton and Simmons recovered fumbles.

In their three victories, the Bengals have committed no turnovers and have nine takeaways.

After Seattle scored to take a 24-17 lead with 9:16 remaining in the third quarter, the Seahawks were stopped on their next five possessions. They ended with a punt, blocked field goal, consecutive interceptions and a fumble recovery on the game's last play.

"We kept getting a key turnover," Thornton said. "It comes when you read the play. A lot of it is luck. You got to know where you're supposed to be."

The Bengals were plus-3 against the Ravens a week ago and scored 17 points off turnovers. They scored 10 points off Seattle turnovers and seven after the blocked field goal.

The Bengals had not gone two consecutive games - a span of 81 games - without committing a turnover since Games 2-5 in 1998.

NEAR MISS: After taking a 27-24 lead with 8:03 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Bengals were forced to kick off from their own 15-yard line.

Wide receiver Chad Johnson was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for making a throat-slashing gesture after his 53-yard touchdown reception.

Johnson said the gesture's purpose was to show he wasn't going to take his helmet off.

Regardless, coach Marvin Lewis wasn't happy.

"We can't do that," he said. "It's too much field position against a team that is clicking and moving the football like they are."

HOT HAND: In the past four games, quarterback Jon Kitna has eight touchdown passes and one interception. He has 11 touchdowns and six interceptions this season.

A MEMORABLE FIRST: The Bengals took their first lead of the game, 14-7, on an 8-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Kelley Washington. It was the rookie's first professional touchdown.

"It's just a good feeling for me to score my first touchdown," he said. "The biggest thing is to just let Jon know he's got another target who's going to make plays for him."

THIRD DOWNS: The Seahawks converted 57 percent of their third downs and took a 24-17 lead in the third quarter on a drive that included two third-down conversions.

The Bengals defense, however, stopped Seattle on three of its four third-down attempts in the fourth quarter. One led to Thornton's blocked field goal. Cincinnati took a 27-24 lead on the ensuing drive. Another was the interception by Simmons with 5:53 remaining.

OCTOBER SURPRISE: Sunday's victory gave the Bengals a 2-1 record in October, the team's first winning record in October since 1989. From the 1991 season through 2002, the Bengals were 8-38 in October and winless in the month six times.

Week 8 snapshot

• Looking good

Jon Kitna. One of the league's good guys is a serious candidate for October player of the month. With Carson Palmer looking over his shoulder, Kitna led the Bengals to a 2-1 record with five touchdowns, one interception and 696 yards.

Rudi Johnson. With little more than an hour's notice, Rudi Johnson made his second NFL start and rushed for 101 yards and an 18-yard touchdown; 41 of his yards came in the fourth quarter.

Turnovers. Coach Marvin Lewis said takeaways would occur in bunches. The Bengals had five Sunday, following their three-turnover effort against Baltimore. They're plus-9 in three victories.

• Trouble spots

Kickoffs. Kicker Shayne Graham and the kickoff coverage team had a rough game, and the defense bailed them out late. Graham kicked one out of bounds. Seattle had an average drive start on its 35.

Defense. Before the flurry of big plays in the fourth quarter, the Bengals defense watched the Seahawks move up and down the field for 340 yards through three quarters. The blitz is not working.

Unforced errors. OK, Chad Johnson said he wasn't giving the throat slash after his winning touchdown, but the Bengals had to kick off from their 15 and gave Seattle the ball at the 50.

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