<strong><span class="subhead">These Ohio players are pretty good</span></strong></p><p> Their uniforms look the same with those stripes and all. Their players look familiar. But can it really be? Yes, those are the Cincinnati Bengals looking new and much improved.</p><p>They would be the favorite for the comeback team of the year award, if there was one.</p><p>The Bengals, who were 0-8 at this point last year, are 6-2 and leading the AFC North after their 17-7 win against the Baltimore Ravens.</p><p> With a win next Sunday in Pittsburgh, the Bengals would be in position to make the playoffs for only the second time in the last 19 years. The Bengals are 4-0 in division games, including a two-game sweep of the Ravens.</p><p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s pretty cool,&rdquo; said receiver Chad Ochocinco. &ldquo;I like being in the driver&rsquo;s seat. Today was a statement game. I want every game to be a statement game.&rdquo;</p><p>The Ravens are just back-seat drivers right now. They are just a distraction after falling to 4-4 with their fourth loss in their last five games. Baltimore started the season 3-0 and everybody is starting to run on Ray Lewis and the boys.</p><p>The Ravens, who hadn&rsquo;t allowed a 100-yard rusher for 39 consecutive games until the Bengals and Cedric Benson ended that streak last month, have allowed a 100-yard rusher in three of the last four games.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">It&rsquo;s not easy being a rookie cornerback</span></strong></p><p>What happens when one of the greatest receivers in NFL history goes one-on-one against a rookie cornerback making his second career start?</p><p>He goes Randy Moss on you.</p><p>Moss had six catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns in the Patriots&rsquo; 27-17 win against Vontae Davis and the Dolphins. Davis got burned on at least one occasion when he had single coverage on Moss, who capitalized on the mismatch on his 71-yard touchdown reception.</p><p>One of Moss&rsquo; TD catches was the 140th of his career, tying Terrell Owens for second place behind Jerry Rice&rsquo;s 197.</p><p>Moss consoled Davis after the game.</p><p> &ldquo;I&rsquo;m heading out of this league, and you&rsquo;re coming in,&rdquo; Moss, a 12-year veteran, told Davis. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re going to be a good player. Keep working.&rdquo; </p><p>Davis did have an interception on a deep ball to Moss. But Moss had the better game.</p><p> &ldquo;When you cover Randy Moss, you have to make play after play after play,&rdquo; Davis said. &ldquo;Welcome to the National Football League.&rdquo; </p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Falcons don&rsquo;t show Hall any respect</span></strong></p><p> Former Falcons Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall apparently talked all week about being bitter at the way he was treated by Atlanta after the 2007 season.</p><p>He&rsquo;s still talking after his incident on the Atlanta sideline during Washington&rsquo;s loss to the Falcons. Are they dirty birds?</p><p>Hall, who now plays for Washington, said Atlanta coach Mike Smith cursed at him and a Falcons assistant tried to &ldquo;get some licks in&rdquo; during a sideline melee. Hall said he plans to file a complaint with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell that Smith &ldquo;cussed me out&rdquo; and Falcons director of athletic performance Jeff Fish and others &ldquo;put their hands on me.&rdquo;</p><p> Hall said he was trying to pull teammate LaRon Landry away from the Atlanta sideline after Landry was called for a late hit on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. Hall and Landry immediately were surrounded by Falcons players and staff members.</p><p> Hall said he was trying to get away from Fish and others.</p><p> &ldquo;After that, coach Smith came over to me, talking (expletive) to me, saying they were going to kick my (butt),&rdquo; Hall said. &ldquo;I stay in Atlanta during the offseason, so if Mike Smith wants to see me, he can definitely find me.&rdquo;