What a win by the Bengals! I’ve been so pumped up since the end of the game that I have driven my wife half nuts. I don’t know how long it will last, but for this week at least, the Steelers are looking up at the Bengals. And I intend to savor the sweet nectar of victory every minute I can.

What is even better is that I called it. And nearly every “expert” at ESPN, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, and whoever else sports didn’t.

Here are some of the observations I took from a big win on the road over the Browns:

• Jermaine Gresham is clearly the best receiver on this team. For now.
• After roughly 9 quarters of NFL experience (including preseason), Andy Dalton is just about as good as 6th-year player Bruce Gradkowski. That isn’t a slam on BG. (It’s not a compliment either.)
• Gradkowski may not be one of the hot chicks at the bar, but you could go home with worse.
• It was such a welcome change that the Bengals were finally not the team to self-destruct with penalties.
• It was such a welcome change that the Bengals were finally the team to run a screen pass for 20+ yards.
• Kicking to Joshua Cribbs is NEVER a good idea.
• The running game worked, despite a better showing from the Brown’s D-line than I expected.
• Momentum is a fickle flirt.
• This team didn’t quit, even when down in the 4th quarter. (That was not always the case last year.)
• Reggie Nelson’s hair made tackles everywhere, including a sack.
• No one is going to mistake either of these offenses for Green Bay’s or New Orleans’. But I’d take either over Indy’s right now.
• Wide receivers who block are flippin’ awesome!
• Jay Gruden called a surprisingly balanced game. (27 pass plays / 33 run plays)
• Avoiding turnovers was HUGE!
• Jay Gruden’s play book is 37.8 zillion times better than the one belonging to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
• (Did you notice that Atlanta, who most football “experts” picked to win the NFC South due to their great offense, mustered a whole 12 points in He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’s debut as QB coach? We feel for you, Matt Ryan.)
• Carlos Dunlap is very quickly becoming my favorite Bengal.
• Bengals’ fans are going to love hating Colt McCoy for a long time.
• It wont be too long before Brandon Tate makes us forget Quan Cosby.
• Both of these teams are going to be quite a bit better when they play again on Nov. 27
• Getting through the preseason with minimal injuries is big.
• Team attitude > ego.
• Dick Jauron is going to run drills until someone pukes for his defense giving up a TD when they were not even lined up for a snap.
• Joe Haden injured his lip by tripping over it after giving up that TD.
• 1-0 is sooooooooo much better than 0-1.