Two touchdowns from AJ Green helped the Cincinnati Bengals to end a two-game losing streak and get back to winning ways with a 31-7 victory over the St Louis Rams at the Paul Brown Stadium this evening.
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The hosts were looking to avoid falling to three consecutive defeats for the first time since 2012, and they made a good start in that regard when Andy Dalton put together a perfect opening drive which eventually saw Green make the grab for a 10-yard score.
A Mike Nugent field goal nudged Cincinnati further ahead in the second quarter, but the Rams got themselves right back into the game when they finally found some success on the ground. Tavon Austin made a 60-yard gain to bring his side downfield, before rushing in from five yards two plays later to reduce the deficit to three.
The NFC West side's hopes of avoiding a fourth straight defeat were handed a setback before the first half was over, however, as Dalton combined with Tyler Eifert for a 22-yard score - the tight end's sixth in his last four games and league-leading 12th of the season.
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The visitors couldn't respond in the closing stages of the first half due to a Nick Foles interception, although they were handed a chance of their own at the start of the second half when Dalton's pass intended for Marvin Jones was picked off by Janoris Jenkins.
Jeff Fisher's side couldn't take advantage of the turnover, though, and the Bengals soon gave themselves a comfortable cushion when Green collected his second touchdown of the match from an 18-yard Dalton pass.
The 17-point gap became 24 shortly afterwards courtesy of Cincinnati's first defensive touchdown of the season, with Leon Hall picking off Foles and returning it 19 yards into the endzone.
Foles threw his third interception of the match at the start of the final quarter, and that proved to be the last major event in the game as the Bengals saw out a comfortable victory.
Marvin Lewis's side now boast a 9-2 record for the season, while the Rams' fourth defeat on the bounce leaves them at 4-7.
Barney Corkhill
