After starting 0-11, the Cincinnati Bengals finally have a win via the 22-6 triumph over the New York Jets on Sunday.

It was an ugly affair featuring sloppy play, a safety and not much in the way of crowd presence. But the victory means the chance at 0-16 is off the table after Andy Dalton’s return spurred a turnaround.

Here are some notes and numbers to know coming out of the game.

 

It was over when …

…the Bengals went up 17-3 on a Joe Mixon rushing score in the second quarter. The Jets looked like the worst team in the league to that point and would later have to deal with a relentless Bengals pass rush in order to come back.

 

Quick Hits

— Bengals defense got a few lucky breaks on Jets miscues during the first drive of the game and held them to a field goal. But otherwise, the Jets put up 51 yards and a three of four mark on third down. That was the high point of the day for the Jets offense, which is saying something.

— The Andy Dalton-led offense stalled on its first drive but got rolling quickly, with Dalton making some history in the process:

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— Bengals dropped an easy touchdown that would’ve made it 14-3, then settled for a field goal at 10-3. The coaching staff generally played it safe on the day, which would have been more concerning were it not for the lead.

— Joe Mixon’s strong resurgence continued, most notably with his rushing touchdown in the second quarter. He went on to finish with 44 yards and the score on 19 carries.

— Crusher of a flag on Auden Tate during a massive Mixon run in the third quarter. Right after, Randy Bullock shanked an attempt, which let the Jets stay in it at 17-6.

— Special teams with a big impact on the day. A five-point swing off a punt downed at the two turned into a safety on the Jets, then a field goal masked some earlier mistakes.

— The down-the-stretch narrative of this one was boring — in a good way. The Bengals sat on the ball and otherwise let a resurgent pass rush go to work while bleeding the clock.

 

Key Stat

271: Jets total yardage on an average of just 3.9 yards per play. The emerging Cincinnati defense was simply suffocating and owned the day.

 

Game Ball: Andy Dalton

Dalton’s final numbers (243 yards, one touchdown on 37 attempts) don’t sound like much, but it sure beats the prior three weeks. More importantly, the effort did just enough to keep a strong running defense honest and squeak out a win in the cold.

 

Up next: The Bengals hit the road again, this time for the first of two games against the Cleveland Browns.

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