Benson Runs Over Old Team, Bengals Top Bears 45-10

CINCINNATI —The lowered shoulders, the career numbers, the shockingly lopsided score. Cedric Benson was uncomfortable calling it a day of revenge.

Just say that he made his point - unmistakably and emphatically.

The running back who never fit in during two stormy seasons in Chicago gave the Bears one of the worst days in their history Sunday, running for a career-high 189 yards and the last of Cincinnati’s seven touchdowns in a shocking 45-10 victory.

“I continue to be as graceful as I can be,“ said Benson, who hugged his former teammates at midfield afterward. “I’m not shoving anything in anybody’s face. Like I say, it wasn’t a revenge day for me.“

Oh, really?

The game had been dubbed the Benson Bowl, the first rematch between the running back and the team that took him with the first overall pick in 2005. He couldn’t crack the starting lineup for very long or win over some teammates’ hearts in Chicago (3-3). After two troubled seasons, he was let go.

The Bengals (5-2) signed him last season as a stopgap when their other runners were hurt. He settled into the job and was eager to show his old teammates that there is a lot more to him than they saw in Chicago.

“There were a few times where I may have gotten a little too hyped up, a little too antsy,“ Benson said. “A couple of drives, I found myself having to calm myself down and gather my emotions to stay poised. Once I got past that, we were good to go. Keep it rolling.“

For the first time all season, that’s what Cincinnati did.

The masters of last-minute comebacks put this one away with a 31-point first half, one that tied for the third-most points allowed by the Bears in an opening half.

Carson Palmer threw touchdown passes to complete the first four drives and finished with five scoring passes in all, one shy of his career high. He was 20 of 24 for 233 yards for a career-high passer rating of 146.7 against a defense that didn’t seem to be all there.

“Very surprised,“ Palmer said. “It was nice to sit on the sidelines with a cup of Gatorade and put on a cap and watch. We thought we’d be successful, but we didn’t envision 40-some points.“

The Bears had one of the league’s top run defenses, allowing no more than 105 yards in any game. No running back had reached 100 on them.

Benson had nearly that many in the first half, when he finished with 98. He kept playing right to the end, carrying 37 times because the rest of Cincinnati’s running backs were hurt.

“That was pretty embarrassing,“ defensive end Alex Brown said. “It’s embarrassing to come out and play like that. I tip my hat to their whole team. Cedric ran the ball like crazy. They did whatever they wanted to do.“

Especially No. 32.

Benson ran for 32 yards on the Bengals’ opening drive, even taking a direct snap in the wildcat formation. Lowering his shoulder for extra yards, he topped 100 in the half, before a loss dropped him down. After his 1-yard touchdown run made it 45-3, he merely flipped the ball aside.

No need for a show. He’d made his point.

“He wanted to get back at us,“ Bears safety Danieal Manning said. “We expected that, and would expect nothing less.“

The Bears have constantly rearranged their linebackers because of injuries, including Brian Urlacher’s dislocated right wrist. Middle linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer moved outside Sunday in the latest revamping, and the line was missing tackle Tommie Harris.

Even with that, it was hard to explain.

“The Chicago Bears should never lose a football game like that,“ coach Lovie Smith said.

Benson’s mother and brother were in the stands watching his biggest day as a pro, one that seemed to settle a score - even if he wouldn’t acknowledge it.

“It’s over, done with,“ Benson said. “I’ve moved on. Now we all can move on. I played against the Bears and had a wonderful day. If we play against the Bears again, it won’t be the Benson Bowl. The slate is definitely clean.“