There won't be any player of the week nominees as there were after the Cincinnati Bengals routed the Chicago Bears two weeks ago. Carson Palmer and Cedric Benson swept Fed Ex Air & Ground honors for their exploits that day.
This Sunday, they were simply part of a very workman like 17-7 win over a very good Baltimore Ravens team. Remember the Bengals were stalled until the very end of their first meeting when Carson Palmer hooked up with Andre Caldwell for the winning touchdown.
On a brilliantly sunny day at Paul Brown Stadium, Palmer and Caldwell provided the first scoring of the day. Cedric Benson scored the second in the reverse order of their October 11 heroics in Baltimore.
Caldwell will be getting more attention as they've lost receiver Chris Henry perhaps for the rest of the season with a broken left forearm. Palmer asked about it in the aftermath, said that it is too bad about Chris considering the way he's turned his career around. But that it means Jerome Simpson for one, can begin his. The second round pick from last year has yet to be activated this year.
Come what may, the Bengals defense appears capable of making however many points their side has, stand up. They held the Ravens to 78 yards through three quarters, claimed two interceptions and closed the game out with a not to be forgotten three straight sacks.
Now to take that effort, tweak it a little, polish a few special teams areas and move on to Pittsburgh next Sunday for a game that could clinch the AFC North title before Thanksgiving.
