Dillon Gets Bengals Going

Corey Dillon’s biggest worry was that he would be stuck with the same old Cincinnati Bengals when he signed a five-year contract worth about $32 million in May.

So far, they have turned it around, thanks to their star running back.

Dillon scored three touchdowns, including a 96-yard run on the first play, and accounted for 202 yards as Cincinnati beat Detroit, 31-27, Sunday, keeping the Lions the NFL’s lone winless team.

The Bengals (4-3), who haven’t won five games in a season since 1997, are off to their best start since 1990, the last time they finished with a winning record. They won on the road for the first time this year and for just the fourth time in three seasons.

“My instinct and my heart wanted to be here, and it’s paying off,” Dillon said. “I could’ve gone somewhere else, possibly. But this is where I wanted to be and it’s very satisfying and rewarding.”

The Lions (0-6) are off to their worst start since 1955, two years before their last NFL championship.

“Everybody feels miserable,” Detroit’s Todd Lyght said.

Dillon ran for 184 yards in 27 carries and caught three passes for 18 yards. The Bengals are 9-0 when he rushes for more than 130 yards.

“We’ve been talking all week about running the ball, and I guess the guys took it to heart,” said Bengal Coach Dick LeBeau, who made a franchise-record 62 interceptions for the Lions from 1959-72. “After that first one, I thought Corey was going to get to 200 again, but he didn’t quite make it. He had a tremendous game, though.”

Dillon’s 96-yard run was the longest in Bengal history, the longest ever against Detroit and tied for the fourth-longest in NFL history. He also caught an eight-yard touchdown pass and ran in the go-ahead score from the one-yard line.

His third touchdown, with 8:06 to go, capped a 13-play, 85-yard drive that took 7:38 after Detroit rallied for its only lead of the game.

Detroit had four more possessions, but failed to score. The Lions have lost its last three games by four, three and five points.