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CINCINNATI —The Bengals scored the first six times they got the ball and then held on at the end.

Forty-two days since their previous win, they had something to celebrate.

Andy Dalton threw a pair of touchdown passes and Cincinnati finally got its depleted offense moving without receiver A.J. Green.

The Bengals emerging from their long slump by sending the Philadelphia Eagles to their most lopsided loss of the season, 32-14 on Sunday.

“You kind of forget that winning feeling,” said tight end Tyler Eifert, who had a touchdown catch.

The Bengals (4-7-1) got their first win since Oct. 23, beating a team that’s in a swoon of its own.

The Eagles (5-7) opened the season with three straight wins, but have dropped seven of nine.

“When you’re down, it’s natural to feel a sense of urgency,” Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz said . “Maybe call it pressing.”

Dalton had completions of 50, 44, 29, 23 and 21 yards as the Bengals scored on each of their first six possessions for a 29-0 lead, reinventing themselves with Green and running back Giovani Bernard sidelined by injuries. The previous time they scored on their first six possessions was 2009 against the Bears.

“We gave him time and space, and he operated,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “When we give him the opportunity to find people, he always plays well.”

The only bad moment: Mike Nugent missed another point-after-touchdown kick wide to the right, his fourth miss in a span of five PAT tries. Nugent made field goals from 32, 33, 26 and 38 yards, the last one deflecting off the left upright.

The Eagles extended Cincinnati’s drives with personal fouls and leaky pass coverage. Dalton finished 23 of 31 for 332 yards without an interception or a sack, completing passes to nine receivers.

“We were in a better rhythm today,” Dalton said . “It just comes with time. We’ve got new guys in there. It was definitely a big improvement this week.”

Injuries

Eagles: WR Jordan Matthews was inactive with an ankle injury after being listed as questionable for the game. Philadelphia also was missing RB Ryan Mathews and RT Halapoulivaati Vaitai. … WR Dorial Green-Beckham suffered a rib injury in the fourth quarter and went for X-rays.

Bengals: DE Wallace Gilberry and TE C.J. Uzomah were out with calf injuries. RT Andrew Whitworth left late in the third quarter with an injured right leg, but returned after tackle Jake Fisher caught a pass, fumbled and hurt his left knee.

Stats

Eagles: Wentz has struggled in the past five games, and this one was in many ways the worst yet. He was 36 of 60 for 308 yards with a season-high three interceptions, two by Vontaze Burfict. Most of his yards and completions came after Cincinnati was in control. The 36 completions are an Eagles rookie record.

Early in the fourth quarter, Wentz was 15 of 31 for 164 yards with a passer rating of 48.3. He threw several other passes that Bengals defenders dropped.

“It’s strictly mechanics,” coach Doug Pederson said. “He’s got to learn to slide and find passing lanes.”

Bengals: Rookie Cody Core caught a 50-yard pass for his first career reception, setting up Jeremy Hill’s TD run in the first quarter. The sixth-round pick with speed will get more chances with Green sidelined.

Empty seats

The Bengals sold 55,456 tickets, by far their smallest crowd of the season in the 65,500-season stadium. A banner in the upper deck summed up the mood in Cincinnati: “Watch. Wince. Repeat.”

No sacks

The Eagles came into the game determined to get to Dalton, but he wasn’t sacked. The Eagles got 20 sacks in first six games, but have only six sacks in the past six games.

Up next

The Eagles host Washington, the first of three home games against their division opponents down the stretch. They lost at Washington 27-20 on Oct. 16.

The Bengals play at winless Cleveland, where head coach Hue Jackson — a former Cincinnati offensive coordinator — has a bye week to come up with some new twists for his former team. The Bengals beat the Browns 31-17 at Paul Brown Stadium on Oct. 23.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Cody Core runs past Philadelphia Eagles free safety Rodney McLeod in the first half of Sunday’s game.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_Eagles-Bengals.jpg.optimal.jpgCincinnati Bengals wide receiver Cody Core runs past Philadelphia Eagles free safety Rodney McLeod in the first half of Sunday’s game. Gary Landers | AP photo

By Joe Kay

AP Sports Writer