by Chris Asbrock

In one of the worst officiated games in recent memory, the Bengals once again showed the league they’re for real. Both Kansas City and the Bengals had to deal with some brutal calls and penalties but it was the Bengals who came away with the statement win. Coming out of this game, I am more confused as to what constitutes a catch in the NFL. Last week it was the controversy on Tyler Eifert’s play and this week, it was the Jeremy Maclin play. The NFL needs to address the officiating throughout the league because it is borderline ridiculous.

Outside of the gong show that is NFL officiating, here are a few other takeaways from the Bengals dominating 36-21 victory over the Chiefs.

1. Andy Dalton continues to silence critics

Andy Dalton is backing up his second round draft status and playing like one of the best QB in the NFL. Bengals fans who were quick to bash Dalton, have been silent recently, and for good reason. Through the first four weeks, Dalton has thrown for 1187 yards and nine touchdowns. Couple that with only one interception and very little pressure, you have a top tier quarterback. Dalton is currently averaging over 10 yards per completion, which is a career best for him. The offensive line has done a great job of keeping him clean as he has only been sacked twice so far.
One of the keys to his success so far is touch that he is putting on his throws is nothing short of elite. There were a few throws he made yesterday, that were incredible. The best throw was the one to Brandon Tate after scrambling to his right and throwing it 40+ yards on the run. The catch by Tate was just as incredible. Another throw was on the first drive to A.J. Green after the bad snap. Dalton has done a great job of protecting the football and that will need to continue the rest of the season. You can certainly tell the confidence level of Dalton is high. That showed on the first two drives, when he helped lead two scoring drives against one of the NFL’s best defenses.
2. The Bengals are the real deal

Depth. Lethal offense. Stingy defense. Those have been the keys so far this season and reasons why this Bengals team is poised to make a deep playoff run. Yes, I said it. The Cincinnati Bengals are one of the best teams in the NFL and it is about time the rest of the country recognizes it. The Bengals are currently 3-0 over AFC West opponents and 1-0 against the AFC North. Now lets not be silly, the Bengals have never been given the respect they truly deserve. Honestly, it may take a Super Bowl win for outlets like ESPN to get their heads out of their asses and show the Bengals respect.

The rushing attack duo of Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard, along with Dalton are the reasons this offense is one of the best in football. The weapons are a plenty on this offense and it is showing. The Bengals have been firing on all cylinders offensively and it is complimenting the dominating defense nicely.

3. Defense stands strong again

The pass rush has been solid so far and they look to be regaining their old form. They have done a good job of putting pressure on the quarterback thus far this season. That was evident today as they sacked Alex Smith five times today. The pass rush was solid and forced Smith to get rid of the ball early on short routes. Once again, the Bengals won the turnover battle, which is crucial in the NFL. They stood strong in the red zone, not allowing the Chiefs to gain any momentum with touchdowns. They did give up a franchise record seven field goals, but keeping the Chiefs out of the endzone was crucial to their success.

Facing one of the top running backs in the NFL, the Bengals didn’t bat an eye. They held Jamaal Charles to 75 yards on 11 carries. Charles did do some damage in the passing game as he tacked on another 70 yards. The majority of Charles’ yards came on two big plays. A 24-yard run and a 25-yard reception. Outside of those two plays, Charles was held in check. Another impressive performance put on by the Bengals defense as they have faced some of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.

Things do not get any easier for this team in the next couple of weeks as they take on the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills before their week 7 bye. The Bengals and Dalton can certainly make another big statement this weekend. Stay tuned as I will look ahead to the massive matchup against the Seahawks this coming Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.

Chris Asbrock is a staff writer and analyst for FTI Sports and can be followed on TwitterÂ