 The Cincinnati Bengals won a field goal battle in Week 10 with the Pittsburgh Steelers to take sole possession of first place in the AFC North. Nobody saw this coming in 2009, but the Bengals have been amazing with a rejuvenated Carson Palmer and an ever-improving defense. This team appears playoff bound with a record of 7-2 and just seven games left on the schedule. The Bengals are managing to score 22 points a game so far. This is good enough to rank in the middle of the league, but works with the defense thanks to the emphasis on a balanced attack with a very effective running game. Early in the season running back Cedric Benson was the story, but as the season wore on quarterback Carson Palmer made huge strides and is now the latest offensive turnaround at Paul Bryant Stadium. Palmer has thrown 14 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions. He has a quarterback rating of 88.1 that is quite average, but has been stellar of late, proving he can complete at least 60 percent of his passes and can extend the field. Cincinnati's defense is the real story though. They are holding teams to the second fewest points in the NFL at 16.3 points a game. They are a little soft on the pass, but are run stoppers. The 11 picks help to balance out the passing yards given up. This squad is allowing an average of less than 10 points a game since destroying the Bears in Week 7. Now, the team is playing for a first round bye. The schedule ahead only helps them too. The Vikings and the Chargers will be challenges for their defense, but the Raiders, Browns, Lions, Chiefs, and Jets should be easy pickings, especially with three of those easy opponents at home at Paul Brown Stadium. Look for great Cincinnati Bengals tickets here to see this surprising team play live as they try and make Super Bowl dreams come true.
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