This game wasn't as close as the final score. It was domination from beginning to end. At the end, we just went with the bend but don't break to milk the clock. Yes, it makes the outcome look less impressive, but with a defense that everyone has questioned and many still say sucks (at least going into this game there were a LOT of those comments) you take the smart choice and let the clock be the opponent's worst enemy.
The offense is something else. Have to start with Dak....he is just making ridiculously good choices time and time again. He might make some off target throws, but he is making the right choice just about every pass he throws. He is throwing to the open guy, which should be next topic, but I can't make Zeke the third point here....he deserves to be second.
Zeke has completely changed his style over a 5 game period and it really doesn't get much more impressive than that. They called Emmitt Smith with Dorsett speed. I think that is going a bit overboard. I don't think he is quite as powerful as Emmitt was, and I don't think he is as fast as Tony D was. He is a great combination of those attributes. I do want to see less of the feed me motion and more just getting it done, but that is a really small complaint.
So we get to the open guy. This might be the most important thing going on around these parts. Dak has thrived despite the loss of a guy that at the very least is a top 15 receiver in the league. I wouldn't have believed he could do that if you would have told me that before the season. He is spreading the ball around to everyone....a bunch of guys with 3-5 catches instead of one with 8-10 and several with 1-3.
The biggest thing though, and the one that makes all the above possible is the offensive line. They started off slowly, possibly because of the new QB and new RB, but they have shown they still are the best OL in the league. I think Leary regaining his spot, even if by injury, has made this possible. Collins is at times a devestating run blocker, but he has not been as good as a pass blocker and he is somewhat inconsistent. With the reality of the salary cap we probably can't keep Leary after this year so we need ot enjoy what we are seeing and take advantage of it.
All these things together have made this offense look great and make Linnehan and Garrett seem like geniuses. It's really hard to argue with anything on the offensive side of the ball.
The defense.....now that is just the biggest surprise of all. This just might be a better defense than 2014....and possibly considerably better. Leading up to this game, it really was hard to judge what this defense was going to be like because we didn't have our best pass rusher. The Bengals have a pretty good OL, maybe the best we have faced thus far.....and we were able to dominate them, get pressure on the QB and get some sacks. Lawrence was in the backfield early and often. That opened things up for McClain and Thornton. Now we are seeing that J. Crawford and Davis can be a factor as part time players. Once Irving is healthy again we have a better rotation. We are possibly a game away for Nzeocha getting to be more of factor. The CB's and S's are playing unlike they have in any recent past. Guys are making plays on the ball. They are being pretty sure as tacklers. They aren't giving up the huge chunks that are a killer.
Throw in maybe the best K in football and one of the better punters and this team has the ability to go a long way. There is a lot to like right now and the most exciting part is that so many of the playmakers are young guys.