I grew up a San Francisco 49ers fan. Spent Sundays at Kezar Stadium sitting in the Christopher Milk section with a chaperon that let me in every week in exchange for me allowing him to use my transistor radio.
In those days the 49ers were not the champions they became once Bill Walsh showed up. But, they had an offense every year that put up a lot of points behind quarterback Y.A. Tittle and later Steve Spurrier, George Mira, Billy Kilmer and John Brodie. They featured an offensive backfield named the Million Dollar Backfield that featured Hugh McElhenny and Joe “The Jet” Perry. Their coach, Red Hickey, was the first to introduce a shotgun formation where the quarterback didn’t line up with his hands up the center's butt.
But, despite all that offensive firepower they weren’t winners because their defense was like a screen door attempting to stop wind. And, like is still true today, offense gets headlines and attracts fans but defense wins championships.
Same is true this season for the Cincinnati Bengals.
They have an offense that ranks among the top in most categories yet a defense that allows it to get outscored in most weeks. In games they needed to stay in the hunt for a playoff berth they scored 25 points against the Kansas City Chiefs, 33 points against the Washington Commanders, 38 points against the Baltimore Ravens in their first meeting of the season and 34 points in their return encounter four weeks ago. Last Sunday, against the talented Pittsburgh Steelers defense, Joe Burrow and company tallied 38 points and still lost while their sieve of a defense allowed 44.
In fact, in every high scoring game listed above the Bengals were outscored. Won none of those games against quality opponents.
Tonight, they visit Dallas to meet a Cowboys team that can hardly be called a quality opponent. The Cowboys are struggling through a season of injuries and a lack of a running game that had them lose their first six home games before their narrow win over the New York Giants on Thanksgiving.
Is this a spot where the Bengals offense can roll up the score and the Cowboys aren’t good enough to trade punches with backup quarterback Cooper Rush?
Maybe. Perhaps. Not sure.
While Dallas has gotten crushed in most games this season, they come into tonight’s home game off an eleven-day rest and looking to win a third straight game. They upset the Washington Commanders on the road two weeks ago before their holiday win over the Giants.
The Cowboys winning three straight?
Seems unlikely.
Betting on the Bengals defense to stop anybody, seems a bitter pill to bite. Taking the side of this proposition with the 5½ points offered the home team in this encounter appears the wiser of the two plays.
Yet, from where I sit, the wisest decision tonight is to watch this game without a vested interest in the result.