Bengals Preseason: Hill, Boyd Shine Against Lions In Week 2
By Emile Pierce
The Cincinnati Bengals made amends for a loss in Week1. Their performance against the Detroit Lions was an indicator of how good they can be.
Week 2 for the Cincinnati Bengals was a lesson in continuity. Once again, the starters were able to hold their own. They took the field and had another productive showing, beating the Detroit Lions 30-14. So far, the offense is clicking on all cylinders and looking like the powerful unit of 2015. They dominated the game and had no problem against the Lions defense.
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Detroit’s starting defense was pushed around the field with abandon. The Bengals offense came out with a chip on their shoulders and never looked back. The first drive of the game was an eight-play 74-yard gem that ended with a touchdown. Jeremy Hill’s nine-yard scamper capped off the 4:09 drive.
What about Andy Dalton? Well, what about him? The Red Rifle had a few shaky passes but settled down to lead the Bengals to their first score of the night. He finished the evening 7-for-9 and racked up 78 yards. Hill ran like the rookie that took the NFL by storm. A return to the 2014 form that made him a household name would mean disaster for the AFC North.
Hill’s vision looked sharp as he found holes, squared his shoulders and hit the gaps. The power and speed of his rookie campaign seem to be back. Bengals faithful may have the one-two punch of Hill and Giovani Bernard once more.
Tyler Boyd continued to shine. If he continues to make spectacular catches and dazzling reads, the Bengals WR depth problems may be a thing of the past. With Brandon LaFell nursing a hand injury, Boyd may be the player to land the No. 2 position. His diving catch of a sideline pass from Dalton was a thing of beauty. He continues to show the Bengals soft hands with a hint of savvy.
Thursday’s game helped prove Boyd has the ability to be an impact player. Pegged as a possible slot receiver, Tyler will definitely be a rookie force.
The defense got pushed around on the opening drive, but quickly settled down. Carlos Dunlap showed how badly he wants to break the NFL single-season sack record. He smoked Cole Wick and found a Matthew Stafford sandwich. The sack caused Stafford to fumble. The Lions recovered, but the evening didn’t get any better for Detroit. The crowd of 47,340 started booing the home team.
A sloppy and uninspired performance by Detroit helped a great showing by the Bengals.The only glaring bad spot was an injury to Jake Fisher. Afterward, Marvin Lewis reported that it was just an ankle sprain. Week 3 will feature the Orange and Black at the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hopefully, Cincinnati will escape with no injuries and a better understanding of the season to come.