Andy Dalton continues to play MVP-caliber football, tossing three touchdown passes to lead the undefeated Cincinnati Bengals to a convincing 34-21 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Week 6. Here's what you need to know:
- For all of the offseason hype over the Dallas Cowboys' vaunted offensive line, Cincinnati boasts the best blocking unit in the league. Dalton went untouched against Rex Ryan's talent-laden defensive line, picking apart an above-average secondary en route to a 118.6 passer rating. The Bills are known for taking away No. 1 receivers, so Dalton turned to Marvin Jones, Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard for big plays with physical cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby tying up A.J. Green. Led by Dalton's pick-your-poison offense, the Bengals are 6-0 for the third time in franchise history (1975, 1988). They have never started a season with seven consecutive wins.
- A well-placed Bills source told NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport that EJ Manuelcould push an injured Tyrod Taylor for the starting quarterback job with an impressive performance on Sunday. Even if the coaching staff is frustrated that Taylor isn't tall enough to consistently find Sammy Watkins in the middle of the field, Manuel's performance served as a useful reminder that he simply isn't a starting-caliber quarterback. His ball placement and field vision are among the league's worst. After an opening-drive touchdown, Manuel tossed an interception and oversaw three three-and-outs while Dalton ran away with the game.
- For an alleged No. 1 receiver publicly campaigning for more targets, Watkins pulls too many disappearing acts -- whether that's due to injury, subpar quarterback play or shaky route running. While beating blown coverage for a 22-yard touchdown just before halftime, Watkins suffered a sprained ankle that landed him on crutches for the second half. The Bills might be without Taylor and Watkins for next week's game at Jacksonville.
- The Bengals lost top linebacker Vincent Rey to an ankle injury. It will be interesting to see if Vontaze Burfict is ready to come off the reserve/PUP list when eligible in Week 8. Returning from a serious microfracture procedure on his knee, Burfict could be a boon to Cincinnati's defense if he can recapture pre-surgery form. That's a huge "if."
- Adam Jones is enjoying his most impactful season since returning three punts and one interception for a touchdown in 2006. He's been an impact kick returner and the best cover corner in an underrated Bengals secondary.
Wake up and watch with the world. The NFL is live on Yahoo. For the first time ever, the NFL is streaming a live game on Yahoo. Bills vs. Jaguars live from London, Sunday, October 25th 9:30 am ET.
