(SportsNetwork.
Ben Bishop Lightning Jersey .com) - Peyton Manning and the dark of night? Thats as scary as it gets for the Cincinnati
Bengals. The Bengals inched closer to what would be an ongoing franchise-record
fourth consecutive postseason berth in Week 15 when plenty of money signs were
flashed but none coming from the player most associated with the overbearing
gesture, Johnny Manziel. The Cleveland rookie quarterbacks first career NFL
start was as dismal as it gets and the Browns were whitewashed, 30-0, by the AFC
North-leading Bengals. But if Jim Ross was getting ready to broadcast the
Bengals next game, the famed wrestling announcer might say: Business is about to
pick up. Cincinnati can clinch the playoff spot with a win over the AFC West
champion Denver Broncos on Monday night, and it can earn the AFC North crown
with a win coupled with losses by the Steelers, who play Kansas City on Sunday,
and the Ravens, who are at Houston. Were still in control of everything, said
Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. We know these next two games are going to be
big. The way our division is going, everyone keeps winning. We know what were
facing. What their facing is the Boogeyman on Monday Night Football, along with
the stark realization that Manziel will be turning into Manning over a one-week
span. Thats the equivalent of a basic arithmetic test followed up by one on
advanced calculus. Its going to be a big shift, safe to say, Cincinnati coach
Marvin Lewis admitted. Its a challenge. (Manning) gets everyones attention in
this building right away. The player he is, how he carries himself, how he runs
things on the field -- its going to be a great challenge for us. Challenge may
be an under statement because the Bengals have never beaten Manning whether he
was in Indianapolis or Denver, compiling an 0-8 mark when the five-time MVP is
lined up opposite them. If that wasnt daunting enough, the game is also going to
be played after sundown and thats never a good thing for Cincinnati. The Bengals
have played twice in primetime so far this season, getting blown out both times,
a 43-17 setback at New England in a Sunday night game on Oct. 5, and a 24-3
drubbing at the hands of the Browns while Brian Hoyer was still in charge on
Thursday, Nov. 6. Since Dalton took over the Bengals in the 2011 season
Cincinnati is playing .250 football (2-6) under the national spotlight, a sharp
contrast from its 37-16-1 mark over that same span during day games. I have no
idea, defensive end Wallace Gilberry said when asked about the teams struggles
at night. I guess were afraid of the dark. Add in the three playoff losses since
2011 and the Bengals are a downright dismal 2-9 when the spotlight is focused
squarely on them and Lewis team is tired of hearing about it. It is annoying and
its our job to make it unannoying, safety George Iloka said. If we lose this
game, the talk will come back again. But thats (the medias) job to do. And if we
want to silence the critics, weve got to put up or shut up. Thats how it goes.
It might be annoying, but thats on us. Silencing anyone on Monday is going to be
a daunting task. Manning and the Broncos offense have taken a step back from
their historical 2013 performance, perhaps the best statistical season in NFL
history. That said, when you look up, the numbers remain staggering as Manning
is third in the AFC with 4,143 passing yards and even better with 37 TD passes
(second in the NFL) and a 106.4 passer rating (tops in the conference). The
veteran now has an NFL record 14 career 4,000-yard passing seasons and headlines
an offense that is fifth in the NFL in both yards (400.7 yards per game) and
points per game (29.1). If anything the group has become more well-rounded in
recent weeks because of the emergence of the ground game and C.J. Anderson, who
is averaging 135.3 scrimmage yards per game (812 total) with six total TDs (four
rushing, two receiving) over the past six games. The receiving threats,
meanwhile, remain as good as any in football led by Demaryius Thomas, who has
1,389 receiving yards and leads all AFC receivers with 41 TD catches since
entering the league in 2010. His running mate, Emmanuel Sanders, has a
career-high 1,261 yards and seven TD catches over his past nine games. The
Cincinnati defense looked like world-beaters against Manziel but has taken a
significant step back overall without Mike Zimmer, now the head coach in
Minnesota. The Bengals D entered last weeks contest 25th in the league and are
now 20th after dominating Manziel. The 25 number is probably more indicative of
where Cincinnati belongs because facing a QB who isnt ready to play in the NFL
is an anomaly and certainly not what the Bengals will be up against on Monday
night. We have to get through this game before we have any opportunities at
January, Lewis said. Its been (a playoff mentality) for the last seven weeks.
Preparation and how you go about it, and the confidence of knowing what to do
and how to do it allows you to play fast. Thats the most important thing, for
us: to play fast, to play physical, to play smart.
Eric Fehr Penguins Jersey . -- The Detroit Tigers think Alex Gonzalez is not too old to be a solution to their shortstop
problem.
Ron Duguay Rangers Jersey . Bill Russell was courtside. And the next Boston Celtics championship seems so very far away.East
Rutherford, NJ (SportsNetwork.com) - The New York Giants have signed return
specialist Trindon Holliday to an undisclosed contract. Holliday played last
season and most of 2012 with Denver after spending his first two-plus years in
Houston, including a rookie campaign spent on injured reserve in 2010. He has
averaged 27.1 yards on 49 kickoff returns and 9.4 yards on 80 punt returns with
four combined touuchdowns.
Gustav Nyquist Red Wings Jersey. The 27-year-old LSU product returned both a punt and kickoff for scores each of the
last two years with the Broncos, including an 81-yard punt return for a TD
against the Giants last September. Holliday will help a Giants return unit that
ranked 27th in the league last season with a kickoff return average of 21.2
yards. The teams 7.2 yards on punt returns was 26th in the NFL.
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