The Sports Xchange

CINCINNATI — On Cincinnati’s fourth play from scrimmage Sunday, quarterback Andy Dalton scooped up a poor snap then passed to wide receiver A.J. Green for a 36-yard gain.

It was an indication of how the game would go for Dalton and the still unbeaten Bengals.

Dalton completed his first 10 pass attempts and finished with 321 yards. Running back Jeremy Hill scored three touchdowns as Cincinnati improved to 4-0 for the fourth time in a franchise history with a 36-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at Paul Brown Stadium.

The Chiefs entered Sunday’s game with an NFL-leading 14 sacks. But Dalton wasn’t sacked while being hit rarely.

“We knew the challenge was going to be up front today,” Dalton said. “The guys answered and I didn’t get hit too much.”

Conversely, Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith was sacked five times and pressured often.

Despite the constant barrage, Smith was 31 of 45 for 376 yards passing for Kansas City (1-3).

“We’ve got to tighten that up,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of the sacks. “We’re young in some spots and inexperienced in some spots. (The Bengals) have a good defensive front, which isn’t an excuse. We’re moving backwards and we have to take care of that.”

Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles had 145 all-purpose yards, and receiver Jeremy Maclin had 11 catches for 148 yards.

Despite 461 yards and nearly a 15-minute advantage in time of possession, the Chiefs managed just seven field goals by Cairo Santos.

Cincinnati led by two points in the third quarter when it had another fortuitous play.

With Dalton scrambling, wide receiver Brandon Tate broke free from Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters, then made a diving catch inside the 5-yard line. Tate, however, was not touched down by Peters, so he got up and dove into the end zone for a 55-yard touchdown, making the score 21-12.

What we learned about the Chiefs:

1. Kansas City must find a way to protect quarterback Alex Smith, who was sacked five times in Sunday’s 36-21 loss at Cincinnati and hit on 10 other occasions. He’s been sacked 18 times already this season. “It’s too much,” said coach Andy Reid. “We have to tighten that up and keep working on it. We’re young in some spots and inexperienced in some spots. I never say it’s a long season, but you can expect improvement.” Negative plays like the five sacks directly contributed to Kansas City’s inability to score a touchdown despite 461 total yards on Sunday.

2. Running back Jamaal Charles continues to be weapon both in the run and pass game for Kansas City. In Sunday’s loss at Cincinnati, Charles had 75 rushing yards on 11 carries and six catches for 70 yards. Charles was the Chiefs’ second-leading receiver and leading rusher with 145 of KC’s 461 total yards on Sunday.

3. The hot topic of conversation in the Kansas City Chiefs’ locker room Sunday was missed opportunities. When you amass 461 total yards and get 148 receiving yards from receiver Jeremy Maclin and a big day all-around from running back Jamaal Charles, you would assume the Chiefs’ 21 points resulted from three touchdowns. Instead, all they could muster were seven field goals by Cairo Santos. “We have to find ways to get into the end zone,” said left guard Ben Grubbs. “I’m pretty sure when we look at the film, it will come down to blocking and making good decisions. In the red zone, we need to come away with six points instead of three.”

Etc.:

–CB Sean Smith returned to action for Kansas City on Sunday after being suspended three games due to a violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He finished with two tackles and one pass defensed. “It feels great,” Smith said. “I was out there with the guys. It’s different from practice. I got to compete and test my talents and technique against someone else.”

–WR Chris Conley started for Kansas City on Sunday with WR Eric Wilson inactive due to a shoulder injury. Conley had two receptions for 53 yards, including one 44-yarder.

–K Cairo Santos kicked seven field goals in Sunday’s 36-21 loss at Cincinnati. It was the second-most field goals in NFL history and the most-ever for a Bengals opponent. It also represented missed red-zone opportunities for the Chiefs. “It always feels great to go out there and perform well,” Santos said. “But I think I would have been happier kicking seven extra points.”

–TE Travis Kelce starred at the University of Cincinnati, making Sunday’s game against the Bengals a homecoming for him. But, he also regretted a third-quarter fumble when he was stripped of the ball after a catch by defensive tackle Michael Johnson. Cornerback Reggie Nelson returned the fumble to the 5-yard line, and that later resulted in a touchdown. “You have to hold on to the ball,” Kelce said. “That’s all I have to say about that.” He finished with five catches for 49 yards.