Bengals accidentally revive hometown hero's career vs. Raiders

The Cincinnati Bengals hosted the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday after a horrible loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. With a crowded AFC playoff picture, it is imperative the Bengals win every possible game, especially against lesser opponents like the Raiders.

The Bengals didn't just beat the Raiders on Sunday, they won in definitive fashion. Joe Burrow found the endzone five times and the Bengals' defense looked like the same unit that led the team to the Super Bowl three years ago. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done, but this version of the Bengals can hang with anyone.

Cincinnati put Las Vegas in such a blender that it forced Antonio Pierce to make a decision that was not expected before the game. It was going so poorly for the Raiders' offense that the team turned to none other than Desmond Ridder at quarterback.

Bengals may have revived Desmond Ridder's career

It was a cool moment to see Ridder return to NFL action in the same city where he had a lot of success in college. And while no Bengals fan will ever actively root for another quarterback, this was as close as Bengals fans will ever get.

Ridder came into a blowout game and played better than Minshew did. The former Cincinnati Bearcat completed 11 of 16 passes for 74 yards and a touchdown. It was by no means an elite showing but it was a good outing for the third-year quarterback.

The quarterback situation in Las Vegas has been disastrous and this small sample of success could be enough for Ridder to earn the starting job moving forward. Head coach Antonio Pierce has proven he will simply ride the hot hand and Ridder had the best showing on Sunday.

This essentially created the perfect scenario for Cincinnati sports fans. The Bengals emerged with a comfortable win and gave a break to a hometown favorite in the process. And it's not like this will come back to bite the Bengals in any way as the Raiders are completely out of the playoff picture.

Bengals fans should keep a close eye on Ridder the rest of the season and see if he can turn this opportunity into any momentum. Who knows, if he plays well enough it could open the door for him to return to Cincinnati and be Joe Burrow's backup in the future.