CINCINNATI -- A pair of third-place teams knew exactly what this one meant. Either the Bills or the Bengals were going to walk off the field feeling their season was just about gone.Despite losing two more key players, the Bills were the ones still standing at the end.LeSean McCoy ran 7 yards for a touchdown before suffering a thumb injury on Sunday, and Buffalos defense held on at the end for a 16-12 victory over Cincinnati Bengals.Were in a desperate position, defensive tackle Kyle Williams said. You look at it: We were kind of two teams teetering on the brink.The Bills (5-5) had lost three straight heading into their bye week. When they lost both McCoy and top receiver Robert Woods in the first half, things looked bleak. They piled up 183 yards on the ground -- the most against the Bengals this season -- to bust out of their long slump.Theyve got yet more injury problems, but at least theyre still in position to end their run of 16 seasons without a playoff appearance.I feel deflated about the injuries, coach Rex Ryan said. I know what this team can do. If we are healthy, we are going to be pretty tough.By contrast, the Bengals (3-6-1) are in danger of not making the playoffs for the first time in six years.Playing their first game at Paul Brown Stadium in nearly a month, they couldnt move the ball consistently or make an extra point.Yes, its tiring, cornerback Adam Pacman Jones said. Its depressing. Its nerve-wracking. Whatever you want to call it.To make matters worse for Cincinnati, receiver A.J. Green left with a severely injured right hamstring on the Bengals first pass of the game. He couldnt bend the leg and was taken off on a cart.You never want to lose a guy like that, quarterback Andy Dalton said. Hes the best receiver in the league, so when you lose him it hurts.Some takeaways from Buffalos slump-busting win:RUN IT: Even with McCoy out, the Bills showed why they were ranked No. 2 in the league in rushing. Mike Gillislee filled in and picked up 72 yards, averaging 5.1 per carry. The Bills averaged 5.4 overall against a defense that has struggled to stop the run all season.Its good to spread the ball around, said quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who ran for 39 yards. It wasnt pretty by any means, but we got a win and thats all that really matters.DEFENSIVE TURNAROUND: The Bills came in leading the league with 30 sacks, but theyd also given up a lot of big plays as well -- seven completions of at least 50 yards. After Green got hurt, they clamped down and didnt allow a completion of more than 21 yards. They knocked down Daltons desperation pass in the end zone to end it.Its a look-at-me-now moment, Bills linebacker Preston Brown said.A.J.s INJURY: The Bengals will be without Green for the foreseeable future. He ranked third in the league in catches and second in yards receiving. Hes their only consistent deep threat, and it showed against the Bills. None of the other receivers had a catch of more than 16 yards.CANT RUN IT: Cincinnati had trouble running the ball again, which played into the Bills hands. Jeremy Hill managed only 62 yards on 16 carries. The Bengals ran for a total of 93, only 3.4 yards per carry.All season, its been mistake after mistake, Hill said.UPRIGHT KICKS: Mike Nugent hit the upright on both of his extra-point attempts while compensating for the wind. Nugent also missed an extra point and a field goal during a 27-27 tie with Washington on Oct. 30 in London.It just drives me crazy to have a poor performance that contributes to a loss, Nugent said. Thats the second time thats happened this year, that Ive contributed enormously to a loss. If I did what I was brought here to do, wed have two less losses, in my opinion.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Kevin Byard Jersey . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. Corey Davis Jersey . John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead. http://www.officialtitansnflauthenticshop.com/ben-jones-stitched-jersey/ . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. Logan Ryan Jersey . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. Camo Titans Jerseys . Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter.Rory McIlroy feels there were plenty of positives to take from his first-round display at the Irish Open. The tournament host, who has missed the cut three years running in the event, briefly held a share of the lead on his way to an opening-round 67 at the K Club.McIlroy, who has never finished higher than seventh in nine appearances in his home Open, reached the turn in 32 and picked up further birdies at the 10th and 13th before carding his only dropped shot of the day with a three-putt bogey at the next. Three pars were followed by a final-hole birdie to hand the Northern Irishman outright second, two strokes behind early pace-setter Danny Willett. McIlroy mixed six birdies with one bogey during the opening day I thought I played very well, I gave myself plenty of chances, McIlroy told Sky Sports. Obviously it looks like we got the better of the conditions out there, but it was still tricky with the wind getting up.I feel like you still had to go out there and play the shots and I holed a few putts, which was nice to see. I had a little bit of a blip on 14, but apart from that obviously really happy with how I played today. This is still my third week in a row but I feel nice and fresh and coming off a three-week break after Augusta has definitely helped as well.ddddddddddddI managed myself around the golf course well and five under was a good reflection of how I played.Masters champion Willett missed the cut by a shot in the Players Championship last week in his first event since Augusta but was in much better form here.He said: It was nice coming off a pretty poor week last week, getting here Monday, and trying to get some work done with my coach, and getting everything sorted out.This is the first time I have played this golf course and its just fantastic, every holes different. Theres a few really challenging holes, a few good, fun holes.It was a good day. Played some really good golf with some birdies to start with and then started getting hot with the putter.A 65 was far beyond my expectations for today, especially after waking up and looking out the window when it was miserable and raining.Watch the Irish Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Live second round coverage begins on Friday from 9.30am. Also See: Willett sets Irish pace Latest leaderboard WATCH: The next McIlroy? Golf live on Sky Sports 4 Cheap Jerseys Store Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Wholesale Jerseys Jerseys NFL China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '