DEFENSE SPARKS WIN
Two turnovers lead to 14 points; Bengals end 2-game skid.
By Jay Morrison Staff Writer
On a three-game road stretch full of offensive futility, the Cincinnati Bengals appeared to have saved their worst for last.
But the Bengals defense was the difference, forcing two turnovers that led to 14 points Sunday in a 20-17 road victory over the Broncos that snapped a twogame skid.
One week after surrendering the winning points on the final drive at Tennessee, the Bengals defense pitched a three-and-out when the Broncos took over with less than two minutes remaining.
The win snapped a 10-game losing streak in Denver dating to 1975 as the Bengals (4-6) stayed within shouting distance of the playoff race.
The Broncos (3-7) lost their sixth straight despite outgaining the Bengals 341-190. Both turnovers set up the Bengals offense with short fields, including Dre Kirkpatrick’s 87-yard interception return in the first quarter.
Kirkpatrick picked off Brock Osweiler’s pass intended for Dayton native Cody Latimer in the end zone and returned it to the 11 before fumbling and recovering the ball at the 1.
Three plays later Andy Dalton hit Tyler Kroft for his first of three touchdown passes and an early 6-0 lead. Randy Bullock missed his second extra point in as many weeks.
The second turnover came in the fourth quarter with the Bengals leading 13-10 despite the fact Denver had run more than twice as many plays and gained more than twice as many yards. Linebacker Vontaze Burfict’s hit on C.J. Anderson jarred the ball loose, and Shawn Williams recovered at the Denver 44. Six plays later, Dalton hit A.J. Green for an 18-yard score to make it 20-10 with 8:56 left.
The Broncos answered after both short touchdown drives by the Bengals, taking a 7-6 lead in the first quarter and cutting the deficit to 20-17 on Osweiler’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas with 5:05 remaining.
After the offense couldn’t run out the clock, the Bengals defense got the key stop, fueled by a Carlos Dunlap sack on second down.
Dalton added a 29-yard touchdown pass to Alex Erickson with 12:55 left in the second quarter for a 13-7 lead. Erickson’s first career touchdown capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive.
The Bengals had only two other drives that gained more than 23 yards, and one that covered more than 34.
Dalton was 15 of 25 for 154 yards for a 117.3 rating.