Cincinnati Bengals: Sunday Starts a 4-Game Winning Streak

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Nov 14, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) drops back to pass during the first half of their game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports /

It wasn’t just the bad and the ugly on Monday night

I’ve used it before. But I think “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” is a sports journalism cliche. If you ask Bengals’ fans their opinion, the loss to the Giants was only bad and ugly. However, I saw some good.

The defense only had one sack — Geno Atkins on a fourth down — but the pass rush on Eli Manning was better than week’s past.

In the second half, New York’s seven drives resulted in four punts, an interception, the end of the game, and a touchdown march that was only 47 yards long and needed a fourth-down conversion in the end zone to result in points.

Perhaps the ugliest stat line of the game is the rushing defense. The Giants were the NFL’s worst rushing offense coming into the game, but pounded out a season-high 122 yards.

Prior to the New York’s final drive where they ran out the clock, the Giants had 84 rushing yards. Only when Rashad Jennings picked converted a third and six with a 9-yard run and put the game away with a 25-yard scamper did the complaints come out.

Offensively, it was more ugly than good. But the biggest problem right now is the play of the offensive line. Which I believe is fixable with a 20-year veteran like Paul Alexander coaching the group.

Let’s face the fact, though. If Tyler Boyd hangs on to the ball crossing the goal line, Who Dey Nation wouldn’t be in shambles right now. One has to feel bad for the rookie, who has now been burned twice on controversial calls by the officials.