Fansided

NFL preseason 2015: Bengals roll past Giants, 23-10

By Matt Verderame

Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) against the Indianapolis Colts during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) against the Indianapolis Colts during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /
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On Friday night at Paul Brown Stadium, the Cincinnati Bengals topped the New York Giants in their NFL preseason opener, 23-10, behind Andy Dalton and a balanced attack. Dalton only played one series and led a touchdown drive that culminated in Mohamed Sanu snagging a touchdown. Dalton was perfect, going 3-of-3 for 33 yards.

On the other side, Eli Manning looked highly mediocre. Manning was only able to hit on 4-of-8 passes for 22 passes, averaging 2.2 yards per attempt. Cincinnati led 17-10 at halftime and cruised in a quiet second half, kicking a pair of field goals to give us the final score.

Three Stars

1. Andy Dalton

Dalton is under a ton of pressure in 2015. After making the playoffs in each of his first four seasons, Dalton is still looking for a postseason victory. Dalton has drawn the ire of the Queen City faithful but a performance like this should calm the beasts for a few minutes or so. This might built a bit of confidence.

2. Bengals backfield

Cincinnati was able to run all over New York’s weak defensive front on Friday night, churning up 225 yards and a touchdown on 42 carries. The Bengals were able to have their way throughout the contest, keeping the Giants at bay and allowing the defense to stay fresh.

3. Orleans Darkwa

Darkwa was able to make a little bit of noise in a reserve role for the Giants, picking up 52 rushing yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Darkwa is an undrafted rookie free-agent out of Tuland University, trying to make the team behind Rashad Jennings and Shane Vereen. This effort can only help.

Injuries

The main injury was Giants safety Landon Collins leaving with a knee injury. According to multiple reports, x-rays were negative.

Odds

Cincinnati was favored by two points and covered the spread.

Next Week

The Bengals will go on the road to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 24 while the Giants will battle the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium on Saturday.

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