Bengals out to make franchise history at Tampa Bay

[Arkansas Bengal]

Bengals out to make franchise history at Tampa Bay

 

November, 28, 2014

Nov 28

3:45

PM ET

By Coley Harvey | ESPN.com

 

CINCINNATI -- There will be a slice of Cincinnati Bengals history on the line Sunday when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.

With a victory, the Bengals would win three consecutive, uninterrupted road games for the first time in franchise history.

The franchise record for consecutive road games won is five, set across the 2008 and 2009 seasons. But never before has the franchise, in three straight weeks, had three straight games outside the Queen City that it has won.
"History? I didn't know that," Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap said when asked about the possible feat earlier this week. "I guess that's an opportunity for us to capitalize on that. But our main focus is on winning our next game and beating Mike Johnson and Anthony Collins down there with the Tampa Bay Bucs."

Johnson and Collins are former Bengals who rejected bids by the Bengals and signed instead with Tampa Bay in free agency. The pair have endured a difficult season, going 2-9 after being part of three straight playoff runs with the Bengals.

"Yeah, it's difficult," Johnson admitted. "Any time you come into a new situation you want to believe everything's going to be a fair deal and go smooth and go in and dominate. But there's been a learning curve and we know we've taken some bumps and bruises, but nobody has let up. We're still grinding down here and still working and trying to get better. That's all you can do."

Despite their 2-9 mark, the Buccaneers are still in the NFC South race, and thus well within the playoff chase. So they still have something to play for, adding to the difficulty of winning this third straight road game for the Bengals.

That fact, combined with the strain three straight weeks of travel can put on a player, makes this the Bengals' "greatest challenge to this point," offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth said.

"I really think this is going to have to be our best week of football the whole season so far," Whitworth said. "You put on the tape and you really wouldn't understand their record. They look good and they play good. They dominate teams."

Just last week the Bucs were up 10 on the Bears at halftime before Chicago scored 21 unanswered in the third quarter to win the game 21-13. They've had even closer losses, too. Five of the nine defeats have come by six points or less.

If the Bengals are able to follow up road wins at New Orleans and Houston with a third straight, count Whitworth among those who will be most appreciative of the team record. After having to endure the physical and mental demands the last three weeks have put him through, he knows how rare it is for teams to win so many games away from home in quick succession.

"We've been almost a two-hour flight away three weeks in a row now, going back and forth. It's hard on you," Whitworth said. "After a game, you sit on a plane for two hours and it messes up your recovery time. And Saturdays when you're leaving, that's another time to recover. When you play at home, you've a little more time to recover, do more cold tubs, more things in therapy.

"It's definitely different. It's a challenge, and we knew that a long time ago."

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/cincinnati-bengals/

 

[Bleeds Orange]

With a victory, the Bengals would win three consecutive, uninterrupted road games for the first time in franchise history.

 

 

 

I had a feeling the Bengals were screwed when I read that.