By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

Against the best team they've faced all season, the Bengals turned in their best performance in many areas.

In upsetting first-place Denver 23-10, the Bengals improved on first-down defense, offensive balance and field position and played with a 60-minute aggressiveness that had been absent much of the season.

THREE KEY CONTRIBUTORS

The Bengals' 23-10 victory Monday night against Denver was a surprise. Three major individual surprises inside the game: Deltha O'Neal. The former Denver cornerback, dumped by Broncos coach Mike Shanahan in an April trade to the Bengals, got the last laugh with a 29-yard interception return that led to a field goal and a 17-yard punt return that set up a scoring threat. Chad Johnson. He's good, a returning Pro Bowler. But the 149 receiving yards on a Monday night against Champ Bailey, the game's best cover corner, earned Johnson another level of respect. Leslie Frazier. The defensive coordinator, whose play-calling duties were taken away by coach Marvin Lewis in Cleveland, rebounded by calling one of the best Bengals defensive games in recent memory. The Bengals defense set the tone by playing more aggressively, the way Philadelphia does.

The Bengals also continued to capitalize on turnovers, scoring nine points - all three of Shayne Graham's field goals - following Denver's three turnovers. They are now plus-3 on the season.

Not all was good for the Bengals. They failed to score a touchdown in five red-zone possessions. One game a season doesn't make, either.

But there was way more good Monday night than bad.

First-down defense

The Bengals did a better job on first down defensively.

Denver, which controlled the clock for 32:29, ran 34 plays on first down and gained an average of just 4.7 yards per play. The Bengals had been at the bottom of league rankings, allowing 7.0 yards on first down. Jake Plummer threw nine incomplete passes and one interception on first down.

The Bengals also blitzed more often than in previous games and put consistent pressure on Plummer.

The Bengals' three sacks equaled the number given up by Denver in its first six games combined.

Bengals defensive end Justin Smith's second sack came on Denver's last offensive play. Smith also forced a fumble and played one of his finest all-around games in recent memory.

Playing with the lead

Playing from ahead, the Bengals held the lead from the moment of their score, with 8:26 remaining in the first quarter.

The Bengals led for 53:26, more than nine minutes more than they led in their first five games combined.

"It's a different football game when you play with the lead," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "That play sheet gets a lot bigger on defense and a little smaller on offense, and that's the biggest difference."

Offensive balance

The Bengals ran 33 running plays, a season high. Carson Palmer also threw just 21 pass attempts, not counting the one sack Denver had.

The 21 pass attempts were a season low, thanks largely to the effectiveness of the run game.

As a result, Palmer faced less pressure - Denver sacked him just once - and he looked sharper when throwing. The average pass play gained 8.5 yards for the Bengals, compared to the 5.38 yards per attempt for Palmer in the first five games.

Palmer's previous low for pass attempts was 27 in the opener.

Field position

PHOTO GALLERY

• 24 Photos of Monday's game DESKTOP WALLPAPER • Chad Johnson • Rudi Johnson • Wild fan • Storm Trooper

Thanks to three turnovers and a solid punting game from Kyle Larson, the Bengals enjoyed a huge edge in field position.

The Bengals' average drive start was their own 46-yard line, 28 yards better than Denver's average start at their 18.

Compare that differential to the Baltimore game, when the Ravens' average drive start was 42 yards, 20 better than the Bengals' average start.

Against Denver, the Bengals' five scoring drives went 44, minus-11, 22, 80 and 3 yards.

Aggressiveness

The Bengals blitzed more. Palmer threw deep to Chad Johnson, who ran right at all-world Denver cornerback Champ Bailey; Johnson had two 50-yard receptions.

Lewis had Rudi Johnson run the ball right at Denver on fourth down and a foot at the Broncos 5-yard line. The play was unsuccessful, but the Bengals had set the aggressive tone. They had the Broncos on their heels.

The Bengals regained the season's potential and showed the nation a new style of Bengals football. They improved to 8-16 on Monday night.

"Marvin told us all week that we deserved to play on Monday night, and that we needed to take advantage of it," Palmer said. "I think we did that."

---

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

Return to Bengals front page...