Defense Makes the Big Plays for Bengals : AFC: Four turnovers and four sacks help sink the Oilers, 32-25.

Cincinnati’s defense sure didn’t play like the worst in the NFL.

With Jeff Blake throwing for two touchdowns to Carl Pickens and the Bengals coming up with four turnovers and four sacks, Cincinnati beat the Houston Oilers, 32-25, on Sunday.

“We did a great job of pressuring the quarterback and shutting down their running game,” Bengal Coach David Shula said.

Cincinnati had been giving up more than 403 yards per game, but recovered three of five fumbles, intercepted a pass and harassed Oiler quarterbacks all day. The Bengals (4-6) also blocked a punt, leading to a safety.

“We’ve been giving up some big plays,” said defensive back Darryl Williams, who had an interception and was credited with a safety after a blocked punt. “We didn’t do that today. We mixed it up and gave them different looks. It just shows what we can do if we don’t give up the big plays. Our pass rush was there today. Everything else was clicking.”

Pickens broke his own club record for touchdown receptions in a season when he caught his 12th in the third quarter. It came on a 30-yard pass from Blake.

“It’s nothing I set out to do,” Pickens said. “My main objective in this game is to work hard and win games and if you can get some records, it’s always nice to do.”

Pickens extended the record with his second touchdown, a 12-yard pass from Blake with 5:15 gone in the fourth quarter to make it 23-13. It was set up by a punt fumbled by Houston’s Mel Gray.

The scoring passes also extended Blake’s team record of touchdown passes to 17 consecutive games. Blake had entered the game leading the AFC with 18 touchdown passes. In addition, he picked up 49 yards in seven carries.

“I just threw a lot of short passes because that’s what they were giving us,” said Blake, who completed 21 of 34 attempts for 220 yards. “We threw more slants than anything.”

Pickens finished with seven receptions for 108 yards. He also recovered two on-side kicks in the fourth quarter as the Oilers (4-6) tried to mount a late comeback.

The Oilers, who totaled only 287 yards, lost for the first time in three games and for the first time against the Bengals in Houston in 11 years.

They also lost starter Chris Chandler, who suffered a nerve injury to his leg while being sacked and fumbling in the third quarter.

“They’ve got a bunch of monsters up front,” Chandler said.

Chandler, who seven weeks ago had one of the NFL’s best games ever in an Oiler victory in Cincinnati, said the Bengals didn’t look like the same team Sunday.

“I’d say 75% of their stuff was completely different,” he said. “Coverage-wise, they just did a lot of things different.”

Said Oiler Coach Jeff Fisher: “Without question, we were not consistent. In games when you turn the ball over four times, it’s kind of difficult to win.”

The Bengals set the tone early as Jeff Hill took the opening kickoff 46 yards and picked up another 15 on a face-mask penalty to begin the game at the Houston 26.

On second down, Blake ran for 17 yards and two plays later, Eric Bieniemy scooted around the left side to give the Bengals a 7-0 lead.

The Oilers went up, 10-3, on linebacker Eddie Robinson’s 49-yard interception return.