The Cincinnati Bengals took advantage of a second-half implosion by the Philadelphia Eagles to win, 34-13, in the final Thursday night football game of the 2012 season.
Bengals vs. Eagles game recap: Cincinnati wins mistake-prone game, 34-13
A second-half collapse from Philadelphia allowed a Cincinnati victory, and keep their playoff hopes alive.
Al Bello
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
In a game marred by terrible quarterback play, Andy Dalton managed to get the win despite completing less than 50 percent of his passes, and throwing for just over 100 yards. Instead, the Bengals leaned on running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who amassed 106 yards on 25 carries, including a one-yard touchdown. Cincinnati's defense pounced on a fumble-prone Eagles' offense and special teams, recovering four in the game, including a 25-yard recovery for a touchdown by Wallace Gilberry.
Eagles fans were hoping to see development from Nick Foles, and Thursday's game wasn't able to give anyone a chance to see if the rookie quarterback could be a long-term option. One area where the Eagles have improved drastically over the last week is their defense. Parting ways with interim defensive coordinator Jim Washburn has instilled a sense of urgency, and the players appear to be responding as they sacked Dalton six times, making him fumble twice.
Fantasy studs and duds
Green-Ellis is your fantasy stud for the evening. Finishing with 106 yards and a touchdown, he was the most reliable offensive player on the field Thursday. Averaging 4.2 yards per carry, he made the most of his touches.
The fantasy dud tonight was Dalton. A solid start for much of the year, he was unable to do anything against the Eagles. Largely in part to a porous offensive line, Dalton managed to throw for just 127 yards and a touchdown, letting down fantasy owners relying on him in the playoffs.
Injury report
Bengals' fullback Chris Pressley left the field early in the game with a knee injury, and was unable to return. There has been no official update on his status.
Did they cover?
Cincinnati were 3-1/2 point favorites entering Thursday, and their 21 point win resulted in an easy cover.
What’s next?
12/23 1 p.m. ET: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
12/23 1 p.m. ET: Washington at Philadelphia
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