NFL: Cincinnati Bengals right at home despite AJ Green's early exit
Monday 15 September 2014 11:12, UK
Cincinnati Bengals lost star receiver AJ Green early on but still beat Atlanta Falcons 24-10 in their home opener to move to 2-0 for the season.
Green had not practised all week due to a toe injury and did not return after leaving the game at Paul Brown Stadium after the opening series, the first time he has failed to catch a pass during his four-year NFL career.
Without his main target, quarterback Andy Dalton threw for 252 yards and a touchdown and running backs Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill each punched in a score on the ground during a dominant Bengals display.
After an exchange of field goals in the opening quarter, Cincinnati took control shortly before half-time when Bernard scored from short range to cap a 10-play, 91-yard drive.
The Bengals rammed home their advantage in the third quarter; Mohamed Sanu turned a short pass from Dalton into a 76-yard touchdown and, after Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was intercepted for the first of three times on the day, Hill found his way into the end zone from a yard out to put the home side 24-3 up.
Atlanta, who had come from 13 points down to beat New Orleans Saints in overtime in their season opener, did manage a late touchdown of their own when Ryan found Julio Jones with a 14-yard strike.
The Bengals' victory means they are the only unbeaten team in the AFC North after two weeks.
