By JOE KAY,

Associated Press

10:26 PM Thursday, December 1, 2011

CINCINNATI — Quarterback Andy Dalton and receiver A.J. Green hit it off right away, realizing their personalities and talents were a good fit at the NFL scouting combine.

When the Cincinnati Bengals drafted Green in the first round and Dalton in the second last April, they had already hit it off.

“Once training camp started, the way we were able to connect, and bond on the field started to increase,” Dalton said. “It was early on.”

In only a few months, they’ve become one of the NFL’s most dangerous pass-and-catch pairings.

Green’s 51-yard catch-and-run off a trusting throw from Dalton set up Cincinnati’s 23-20 win over Cleveland on Sunday that kept the Bengals (7-4) in the playoff hunt. It also threw another chill into opposing defensive backs, who aren’t going to relish facing this duo for years to come.

“They’re well beyond their years as far as athletically and their knowledge of football,” offensive coordinator Jay Gruden said. “They’re going to get better, but we totally expect them to be at the top of their game, the top of the NFL game right now, and they are now.”

They’re just getting started.

Dalton, the 35th overall pick out of TCU, and Green, the fourth pick from Georgia, already are one of the best rookie duos in recent decades.

They’ve combined for five touchdown passes, the fourth-highest total for a rookie quarterback and receiver since 1950, according to STATS LLC. New England’s Jim Plunkett and Randy Vataha had nine in 1971; Cleveland’s Tim Couch and Kevin Johnson had eight in 1999; St. Louis’ Tony Banks and Eddie Kennison had seven in 1996.

The Bengals duo has accounted for 43 completions, fourth-most since 1991, according to STATS. Couch and Johnson had 57 in 1999, when the Browns returned as an expansion team.

Dalton and Green have accounted for 704 yards together, the third-highest total since 1991. Couch and Johnson had 859 yards.

They have five games left to climb in those categories, using their big-play abilities to pull out games and keep the Bengals one of the NFL’s biggest surprises.

“You put somebody one-on-one with A.J., and you (just) throw the ball down the field,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “You can talk about Xs and Os all you want, but that X is pretty special.”

They started showing it early on.

During the Bengals’ second practice of training camp, Dalton severely underthrew a long pass down the right sideline. Green was able to stop, come back toward the ball and jump over safety Chris Crocker’s shoulder to make a sensational catch that showed Dalton something.

“I remember we had a double move on, and I underthrew it a little bit and he jumped over a couple guys and made the catch,” Dalton said.

Dalton never again hesitated just to throw it Green’s way. During a game against Pittsburgh on Nov. 13, Dalton eluded the rush and saw Green heading into the end zone with both Steelers safeties around him. He let it fly, and Green jumped above Troy Polamalu for a 36-yard touchdown.

Green hyperextended his right knee when he landed on the play, forcing him to the sideline for most of the 24-17 loss and a 31-24 loss in Baltimore the following week. He was back to making the game-changing play against Cleveland.

“I’ve always thought he’s special,” Whitworth said. “You’ve got a guy that anytime you get one more shot, he’s got a shot to go up and get it. Any play can be the next ‘best’ play. That’s just how he is.”

His play against the Browns set up the winning field goal and prompted coach Marvin Lewis to gush, something he rarely does.

“He’s the best first-round draft pick I’ve ever been around,” said Lewis, who was the defensive coordinator in Baltimore when linebacker Ray Lewis was a first-round pick in 199. “He continues to amaze me.”

Green expects the ball his way even when he’s covered.

“It’s like a dream when I’m 1-on-1,” said Green, who leads NFL rookies in yards receiving and touchdowns. “I’m thinking that anywhere he throws the ball gives me a chance to make the catch.”

Dalton has been nearly as impressive in his own way. The NFL’s lockout prevented him from learning a new offense over the summer. He had only two weeks to get ready for the first preseason game once training camp opened.

Dalton already has set a Bengals rookie record with 16 touchdown passes overall. Peyton Manning holds the season record for a rookie with 26 in 1998.

Dalton, too, is doing things rarely accomplished by a rookie.

“He keeps doing it,” Whitworth said. “I’ve said since we showed up in July that I thought there was something special about him.”

Their biggest test comes Sunday in Pittsburgh (8-3), where the Bengals need a win to stay in the AFC North race. It’s likely to come down to the two rookies. “Usually, it’s so rare to see rookies come in and do so well,” Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. “And then to see the two of them do it like that, that’s an awesome chemistry.”

What looked improbable at the start of the season is gaining momentum by the week. The Cincinnati Bengals allegedly were in the midst of a rebuilding period after the promising Carson Palmer-Chad Ochocinco era came crashing to an end. Instead, under the guidance of longtime coach Marvin Lewis and with a rookie quarterback in Andy Dalton, they are poised to make a playoff push after a 23-20 win over Cleveland last week.

“This is a remarkable story. I really thought this team had a shot at the first overall pick in the draft,” NBC football analyst Cris Collinsworth said. “They had a new offensive coordinator. They had a rookie quarterback in Andy Dalton. They had a rookie wide receiver in A.J. Green. It is all falling together in a remarkable way. It now looks like we may well see three teams out of the AFC North going into the playoffs.”

Cincinnati can make an emphatic statement with a game at Pittsburgh this weekend. If that doesn’t work, the Bengals also face Houston and Baltimore at home. All three of those teams should qualify for the postseason. But they still might need to take at least one of those difficult games. Cincinnati sits at No. 6 in the AFC — the final playoff spot — with a 7-4 record. Denver, Tennessee and the New York Jets are all one game back at 6-5. Better than the alternative, of course, which is what everyone expected for 2011. It also helps that games against St. Louis and Arizona remain on the schedule.

“These guys aren’t only going to be fun to watch; they’re going to be dangerous,” NBC analyst Tony Dungy said.

- Brian McNally

bmcnally@washingtonexaminer.com

“Once training camp started, the way we were able to connect, and bond on the field started to increase,” Dalton said. “It was early on.”

In only a few months, they’ve become one of the NFL’s most dangerous pass-and-catch pairings.

Green’s 51-yard catch-and-run off a trusting throw from Dalton set up Cincinnati’s 23-20 win over Cleveland on Sunday that kept the Bengals (7-4) in the playoff hunt. It also threw another chill into opposing defensive backs, who aren’t going to relish facing this duo for years to come.

“They’re well beyond their years as far as athletically and their knowledge of football,” offensive coordinator Jay Gruden said. “They’re going to get better, but we totally expect them to be at the top of their game, the top of the NFL game right now, and they are now.”

They’re just getting started.

Dalton, the 35th overall pick out of TCU, and Green, the fourth pick from Georgia, already are one of the best rookie duos in recent decades.

They’ve combined for five touchdown passes, the fourth-highest total for a rookie quarterback and receiver since 1950, according to STATS LLC. New England’s Jim Plunkett and Randy Vataha had nine in 1971; Cleveland’s Tim Couch and Kevin Johnson had eight in 1999; St. Louis’ Tony Banks and Eddie Kennison had seven in 1996.

The Bengals duo has accounted for 43 completions, fourth-most since 1991, according to STATS. Couch and Johnson had 57 in 1999, when the Browns returned as an expansion team.

Dalton and Green have accounted for 704 yards together, the third-highest total since 1991. Couch and Johnson had 859 yards.

They have five games left to climb in those categories, using their big-play abilities to pull out games and keep the Bengals one of the NFL’s biggest surprises.

“You put somebody one-on-one with A.J., and you (just) throw the ball down the field,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “You can talk about Xs and Os all you want, but that X is pretty special.”

They started showing it early on.

During the Bengals’ second practice of training camp, Dalton severely underthrew a long pass down the right sideline. Green was able to stop, come back toward the ball and jump over safety Chris Crocker’s shoulder to make a sensational catch that showed Dalton something.

“I remember we had a double move on, and I underthrew it a little bit and he jumped over a couple guys and made the catch,” Dalton said.

Dalton never again hesitated just to throw it Green’s way. During a game against Pittsburgh on Nov. 13, Dalton eluded the rush and saw Green heading into the end zone with both Steelers safeties around him. He let it fly, and Green jumped above Troy Polamalu for a 36-yard touchdown.

Green hyperextended his right knee when he landed on the play, forcing him to the sideline for most of the 24-17 loss and a 31-24 loss in Baltimore the following week. He was back to making the game-changing play against Cleveland.

“I’ve always thought he’s special,” Whitworth said. “You’ve got a guy that anytime you get one more shot, he’s got a shot to go up and get it. Any play can be the next ‘best’ play. That’s just how he is.”

His play against the Browns set up the winning field goal and prompted coach Marvin Lewis to gush, something he rarely does.

“He’s the best first-round draft pick I’ve ever been around,” said Lewis, who was the defensive coordinator in Baltimore when linebacker Ray Lewis was a first-round pick in 199. “He continues to amaze me.”

Green expects the ball his way even when he’s covered.

“It’s like a dream when I’m 1-on-1,” said Green, who leads NFL rookies in yards receiving and touchdowns. “I’m thinking that anywhere he throws the ball gives me a chance to make the catch.”

Dalton has been nearly as impressive in his own way. The NFL’s lockout prevented him from learning a new offense over the summer. He had only two weeks to get ready for the first preseason game once training camp opened.

Dalton already has set a Bengals rookie record with 16 touchdown passes overall. Peyton Manning holds the season record for a rookie with 26 in 1998.

Dalton, too, is doing things rarely accomplished by a rookie.

“He keeps doing it,” Whitworth said. “I’ve said since we showed up in July that I thought there was something special about him.”

Their biggest test comes Sunday in Pittsburgh (8-3), where the Bengals need a win to stay in the AFC North race. It’s likely to come down to the two rookies.

“Usually, it’s so rare to see rookies come in and do so well,” Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. “And then to see the two of them do it like that, that’s an awesome chemistry.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Read More: Chris Crocker (S – CIN), Nate Clements (CB – CIN), Donald Lee (TE – CIN), Domata Peko (DT – CIN), Cedric Benson (RB – CIN), Jerome Simpson (WR – CIN), Pat Sims (DT – CIN), Bernard Scott (RB – CIN), Carlos Dunlap (DE – CIN), Brandon Ghee (CB – CIN), Dontay Moch (LB – CIN), Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals

The 7-4 Cincinnati Bengals got back onto the practice field Wednesday to prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers in an important AFC North matchup that has playoff implications. The Bengals were missing eight players from practice, however. 

For the Bengals on Wednesday, wide receiver Jerome Simpson (knee), running back Cedric Benson (foot), cornerback Nate Clements (not injury related), safety Chris Crocker (biceps), defensive end Carlos Dunlap (hamstring), cornerback Brandon Ghee (groin), defensive tackle Domata Peko (foot) and linebacker Dontay Moch (not injury related) all did not practice. If Benson is out, that means the running back duties will fall once again on Bernard Scott to carry the load.

Tight end Donald Lee (foot) and defensive tackle Pat Sims (ankle) were both limited on Wednesday.

For more on the Steelers, check out Behind The Steel Curtain. For more on the Bengals there’s Cincy Jungle. For more on this game, stick to this StoryStream.