Bengals Winners and Losers vs. Jaguars

Nov 2, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill (32) runs for a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half at Paul Brown Stadium. Cincinnati defeated Jacksonville 33-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

The Bengals’ win over the Jaguars was a wild affair.  After a largely reserved first half that saw both teams combine for 15 points, the game became a shoot-out in the second half with the teams combining for 41 points.  Despite making several potentially costly errors, the Bengals managed to pull out the victory after the Jaguars put a real scare into Paul Brown Stadium.  Because it was such a tumultuous affair for the Bengals, there was inevitably players who had great days helping secure the team’s 14-game home winning streak while others struggled on the day.  Here are the Bengals’ Winners and Losers from Sunday afternoon’s match.

Winner: Jeremy Hill

The obvious pick on the day, Jeremy Hill carried the Bengals to victory with a career day.  Hill’s 154 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries proved he’s capable of carrying this offense while providing the Bengals’ running game with the spark it’s been missing all year.  Not only that, but his production helped negate possibly the worst game of Andy Dalton’s largely impressive 2014 campaign.

Jeremy Hill provides the Bengals’ offense with everything it could ask for from a back.  He has the size and strength to earn the tough yards and be an effective blocker in the backfield.  He has soft hands in the receiving game, so opposing teams cannot simply assume he’s in the game to run the ball the way the opposition could in the past when former Bengal Benjarvus Green-Ellis took the field.  Hill also possesses the speed and vision to break a big run, the way he did yesterday on his 60-yard touchdown run.

Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard are the perfect compliments to one another in the backfield.  While Jeremy Hill possesses all the Bengals would look for in a prototypical “bell cow” back, Giovani Bernard brings a skill-set similar to that of Darren Sproles.  Together, the Bengals have a dynamic and potentially dominant force in the backfield.  But with Bernard out yesterday and potentially this Thursday against the Cleveland Browns, now is Hill’s time to shine.