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Russ Heltman
Nov 1, 2020
This
Cincinnati Bengals coaching staff has been chasing a complete 60 minutes of
football for the better part of two seasons. They finally got it on Sunday in
the Bengals' 31-20 upset win over the Titans.
The
win marked the Bengals' first victory against a winning team in more than two
years (Week 5, 2018).
Here's
a three-down look at the stellar performance.
Third Down: Special Teams Stays Ready
No
victory is complete without solid play from the special teams. The
"forgotten phase" was another mismatch the Bengals took advantage of
against Mike Vrabel's team. Cincinnati ranked 11th in special teams DVOA
heading into the game, while the Titans were 31st.
The
Bengals dominated field position with two punts inside the 20-yard line and one
downed near the goal line. Punter Kevin Huber nearly doubled Brett Kern's net
yards on one more attempt, while Randy Bullock was perfect on the day, only to
watch Stephen Gostkowski doink his lone field goal attempt off the upright.
Brandon Wilson continued to prove he is one of the best kickoff threats in the NFL with four returns for 97 yards, including a long of 49. Special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons got a promotion in the offseason for a reason. He is validating that decision with a unit that wins on the margins week in and week out.
