An easy grade to hand out, but not an easy one to earn. Jacksonville’s defense was allowing 3.4 yards per carry and had allowed one rushing touchdown in the last four games, but Jeremy Hill went for 154 yards and two scores. Hill benefited from some huge holes and his own excellent vision to have the franchise’s best rookie performance since Corey Dillon broke the NFL record with 246 in 1997. Andy Dalton had an 8-yard read-option run, while receivers James Wright (11-yard jet sweep) and Mohamed Sanu (9-yard reverse) picked up big chunks as well. It all added up to 191 yards, which was just shy of the season-high 193 the Bengals had in the 75-minute tie against Carolina.
Passing Offense: B-
There was plenty of good, with Andy Dalton showing touch and zip on some big throws to Mohamed Sanu, but there also were some plays that could have got the Bengals beat had it not been for Jeremy Hill’s big game and the fact they were playing a one-win opponent. A.J. Green was admittedly rusty in his return from a toe injury, but lining up offside to negate a touchdown cost the team four points. Dalton’s first interception was an ill-advised throw that happens sometimes, but the second one, where he was careless in grounding the ball and putting it off Andrew Whitworth’s back and into the air, simply cannot happen, especially at your own 7.
Rushing Defense: C-
Playing without starting linebackers Vontaze Burfict and Rey Maualuga, the Bengals allowed the Jaguars to gain 5.3 yards per carry for a total of 132. Take Blake Bortles four scrambles for 10 yards out of the mix, and Jacksonville running backs Denard Robinson, Toby Gerhart and Jordan Todman averaged 5.8. Robinson had a 39-yard run that was the second longest the Bengals have allowed this year (New England’s Stevan Ridley 43). On the positive side, the Jagaurs only got four of their 19 first downs on the ground.
Passing Defense: B-
The Bengals found themselves in right spot repeatedly, only to let at least four interceptions bounce off their hands before George Iloka finally snared one in the end zone late in the fourth quarter to essentially seal the game. Rookie Blake Bortles threw for 247 yards and a career-high 96.4 passer rating, and rookie wide receiver Allen Huns had career highs in catches (seven) and yards (114) and while tying his high mark with two touchdowns. The Bengals were able to sack Bortles twice, but one was on the final, desperation play of the game.
Special Teams: A
The Bengals got their hands on two Bryan Anger punt’s that led to five points that could have been 10 had the ball Taylor Mays swatted bounced a yard or so to the left instead to set up first and goal instead of bounding through the front corner of the end zone for a safety. Rex Burkhead’s tipped punt set up a short field that led to a field goal, and Adam Jones’ 37-yard punt return set up a touchdown that gave the Bengals a 16-point, fourth-quarter lead. Kevin Huber had yet another strong day with a 50.4-yard gross and 44.4 net highlighted by Dre Kirkpatrick’s play at gunner.
Coaching: B+
As big as Jeremy Hill’s day was, much of the credit goes to offensive coordinator Hue Jackson for the blocking schemes and especially for sticking with the plan despite a shaky start. Hill had a pedestrian 27 yards on seven carries at halftime and even missed some time in the second quarter with a knee injury, but Jackson saddled up and rode the rookie to victory. Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther had a solid game plan as well, one that had the potential to force a trove of turnovers had the players been able to secure the ball and finish the plays.
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