Give the Bengals some credit for getting back into a game when they were down 31-3 at one point. After the Patriot began the first half with a kickoff return for a TD, I thought it was completely over (it was only half-way over). So to end up losing 38-24 after the opening debacle, that has to be a positive, right?

This game could’ve been much closer if the following hadn’t happened:

1) The defense sucking it up for the majority of the game, especially the first half. The Bengals will not win many games if they can’t put pressure on the opposing QB. One of the many plays that pissed the hell out of me: It was 3rd and 11, and Tom Brady could’ve written a novel while waiting for a receiver to get open. Brady hit his man, and this eventually led to a TD. The Bengals had zero sacks and exactly two QB hits. And it wasn’t just the non-existent QB pressure. It seemed like the Bengals kept thinking, “We’re the fourth-best defense in the league,” as a wide open receiver blew right by them. The defense need to get better in a hurry.

2) Carson Palmer: He did throw for 345 and one touchdown, but the one interception he did throw was returned for a TD. It seemed that every series a Patriot would have a near interception on a Palmer pass. Some of those were just good plays by the defender on the ball; others were just not-very-good throws.

3) Special Teams… How do you give up a kickoff return for TD? Especially if your team was already down 24-3? I guess just like that.

There are many areas for the Bengal s to improve in. But the tenacity of the team has to be noted and admired. But I don’t think the NFL gives out any trophies or even stickers for Trying Hard.

If the Bengals hadn’t just sucked it up for the entire first half and the first 20 seconds of the second, this would’ve been an entirely different game. Three plays really did us in: the interception return for TD, the 3rd and 11 completion, and the kickoff return for a TD.

Chad Ochocinco did have a great game (159 yards), and Terrell Owens did okay (53 yards), but T.O. did have a few drops that hurt us.

There are fifteen more games to go. If the Bengals can just duplicate the second half of the Patriots game for the next 30 halves, they should be good.

You can email David Jacob at djacob@gearupforsports.com. You can also join his facebook group, and/or follow him at http://twitter.com/HoldenCarraway.