Thurman Nails First NFL Quarterback

The hits just keep on coming—from Cincinnati Bengal rookie middle linebacker Odell Thurman that is.

Thurman came up with a big fourth quarter sack during Sunday’s competition against the Houston Texans in which the Bengals walked away with a 16-10 victory.

The win makes the Bengals 4-0 being just as many weeks into the NFL regular season. The team hasn’t endured an undefeated season start like this since 1988 and to boot they currently lead the AFC North Division a whole one-and-a-half games ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers who were playoff contenders last year when the Bengals went 8-8.
{{more}}
Last week’s win wasn’t as overwhelming as with prior weeks but a win is a win. With a myriad of penalties against the offense, the Bengals defense rose to the occassion and bailed the team out of some tight spots.

“Our defense just kept us in the game,” said Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer.

In addition to sacks by Justin Smith and linebacker Brian Simmons on the game’s final play, Thurman and fellow Bengal rookie and former UGA teammate David Pollack made key plays.
“In my opinion, those were the two biggest plays of the game,” said wide receiver T.J. Housh-mandzadeh of the rookie sacks.

Linebackers Thurman and Pollack earned sacks totaling 28 yards on the same drive pushing Houston across the 50-yard line away from the goal line and prime field goal territory.

That sack brings Thurman’s four- game NFL career statistics to 21 total tackles of which 15 are solo and 6 assisted; 1 sack with yardage of 11; 2 forced fumbles; and 1 interception for a gain of 14 yards.

If those stats are any indication of what can be expected from the rookie, Thurman looks to be one of the NFL’s defensive leaders. In four games, his 15 tackles already exceed the league average of 8.6 with the leader at 35; in sacks he’s half a point off the average with the leader at 6; and he’s .3 off the league average of interceptions.

The Bengals regrouped this week for a road trip to Jacksonville to face the 2-2 Jaguars this Sunday. The home team may have something to prove following a loss to the Broncos last week while the Bengals look to remain undefeated.