History says the fortune of the Bengals under Marvin Lewis started to change back in late 2008 when veterans such as Domata Peko, Andrew Whitworth, and Robert Geathers decided they were going to stop getting hit in the mouth.
So when Titans tight end Delanie Walker mused last week that the Bengals had yet to be hit in the mouth this season and indicated the Titans were going to change that Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium, Lewis made sure his team heard and saw the words.
“We saw it, it was funny. We hadn’t got hit in the mouth because we were doing the hitting,” Geathers said after the Bengals TKO’d the Titans in the second quarter of a 33-7 dismissal. “I don’t know if that was supposed to get them going or not. If they hit us, we just look at them in the eye and say, ‘That’s all you got?’ We’ve got a lot of guys on the defense and team that have been through a lot. There’s leadership with me, Whit, Domata. We’ve been through it. A little adversity is nothing for us.”
The physicality has been the foundation of the PBS domination that reached a record 11 straight regular wins as the Bengals continue to pile up quarterbacks like firewood. So has been the defense’s depth. With captain Vontaze Burfict benched with a concussion, SAM linebacker Emmanuel Lamur took his radio helmet in just his third NFL start and directed another stingy stand.
Titans quarterback Jake Locker was the eighth first-round quarterback to be a victim in the streak (they’ve got Joe Flacco twice), but his 41.9 passer rating is the worst. It was the seventh time they didn’t allow multiple TD passes while ringing up multiple interceptions. In the 11 games they’ve allowed just 11 TD passes to go with 21 interceptions. After Locker rambled for 29 yards through a blitz on his first third down and followed it up with a 23-yard pass to Walker a few snaps later on third-and-four, that was the last one he converted as the Bengals ended the day with 10 straight successful third-down stands.
“We adjusted,” Peko said. “He got us on that long run early, but we adjusted and third down was the big key to the game.”
It always is in this place. After the Titans melted to the tune of 2-for-12 on third down, opponents are now 23.2 percent on what Boomer Esiason used to call the quarterback’s down in the streak at 34-for-146.
“The fans were great today,” said defensive lineman Wallace Gilberry. “They were in it the whole game and it’s our job to keep them in it. To keep their energy level and keep them motivated through the whole stadium.”
Indeed, Gilberry said that was the game plan.
“Hit them in the mouth,” he said.
“We took that personally,” Peko said. “Especially when someone comes into your house and talks trash. We don’t like that around here. We kind of made it a little personal to us and with a little chip on our shoulder.”
The offense noticed it, too, and finished off three straight red-zone appearances with blood-and-guts touchdown runs totaling six yards by running backs Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill. Left guard Clint Boling, matched up against the Titans best pass rusher much of the day, kept Jurrell Casey off quarterback Andy Dalton as the Bengals offensive line has opened the season not allowing a sack in the first three games.
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