CINCINNATI (AP) Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton connected with tight end Tyler Eifert for three scores as the Bengals beat Cleveland 31-10 on Thursday to improve to 8-0 for the first time in franchise history.
”It seems like every week it’s a first-time-ever,” receiver Marvin Jones said. ”It’s all good. We’ve got to be 9-0 next and keep it moving.”
Coming off an emotional victory in Pittsburgh on Sunday that gave them control of the AFC North, the Bengals dominated the Browns and their quarterback Johnny Manziel in the second half.
Manziel had some of his best moments in the opening half, which ended with Cincinnati up only 14-10. In the second half, the Browns managed only 32 yards and two first downs.
”I’m pretty upset,” said Manziel, who finished 15 of 33 for 168 yards and was sacked three times, all in the fourth quarter. ”We had momentum coming into the second half. We just didn’t do enough.”
It was a night for the Bengals to show how far they’ve come in a year. And no one has improved more than Dalton, who had his worst showing during a loss to the Browns this time last year.
”It’s huge to put ourselves in the position we’re in, to stay undefeated,” Dalton said. ”Not a lot of teams have been 8-0 before. We understand that. It’s hard to do.”
He threw touchdown passes of 9 and 2 yards to Eifert in the first half, the latter after a Browns penalty kept a drive alive.
Dalton also played the unusual role of lead blocker on Mohamed Sanu’s 25-yard touchdown reverse in the fourth quarter, a play that took the Browns by such surprise that there was nobody there for the quarterback to touch.
”I was looking for somebody to block,” Dalton said. ”I didn’t really know that Mo was right behind me. It was perfect execution.”
—
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL