That’s the second game in a row where the Cincinnati Bengals fell behind 13-0. Only this time, it came against a seemingly outmatched opponent, the Tennessee Titans.
This was one that Cincinnati easily could have lost, and that would have been a disaster in a tight AFC North.
Instead, it resulted in a thrilling overtime victory that taught us a lot about how the team (especially the defense) has grown.
Here’s what we learned.
1. There’s no stopping this offense once it gets going
Against the Baltimore Ravens two weeks ago, the Bengals got 35 points in the second
half.
Then, against Tennessee, the Bengals scored zero points in the first quarter but ended up with 43.
Tee Higgins got the ball rolling, and Ja’Marr Chase led the way late. But the engine was, of course, Joe Burrow, who finished 38-of-48 for 462 yards, with five touchdowns, three interceptions, and a rushing touchdown.
To put that into perspective, Burrow became the first quarterback since 1951 to get 450 yards, five touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown in the same game. (The fact that the Bengals QB did something that got “Norm Van Brocklin” trending 43 years after his death is saying something.)
So when the defense did what it has done so often in recent years (give up long plays and turn borderline starting QBs into superstars), the offense didn’t blink. Burrow and the Bengals just continued to fire downfield, not letting interceptions get in the way, because they know they can outlast anyone.
2. Tee Higgins has gone all the way beast mode
It’s not just the 10 catches for 155 yards. It’s the fact that Tee Higgins looks more dominant than he ever has before. He’s manhandling defensive backs, catching in traffic, catching over the top of their heads, and not showboating afterwards.
He knows who he is: one of the very best in the game.
What’s really noticeable is how easy it seems to be for him. Higgins doesn’t even seem to be going full speed, but he’s getting right by guys because of how confident he is in his route running, hands, and big body, which is always going to win.
Higgins now has totaled 148 yards or more in three of seven games. He’s on pace for 104 catches, 1,763 yards, and 10 touchdowns, which has only been done six times before.
Forget the WR2 or WR1A talk. Just enjoy the fact that the Bengals have two supremely talented receivers, and neither of them can be contained for an entire game.
3. The defensive line gives them a chance to win games they never used to
Burrow pointed out that this Titans game was precisely the kind of contest they’d lost the last three years.
And it looked bound to happen again, with Cam Ward driving to get near field goal range with under a minute left.
But then Dexter Lawrence got a monstrous sack, grabbing hold of Ward and slamming him to the ground.
It was the most dominant sack these eyes have seen since Geno Atkins propelled Deshaun Watson into the air back in 2017.
That play brought the Bengals back to life. And it was the kind of play that was missing, especially from the interior of the defensive line, for so many years.
It was the result of a beautiful collaboration with Boye Mafe. According to Paul Dehner Jr., “Lawrence and Mafe gave each other a look” and then we had “Mafe banging into Lawrence’s blocker, helping free the 350-pound wrecking ball to slam Titans quarterback Cam Ward to the ground for a sack.”
The two combined for another huge play in the third quarter, when Mafe strip-sacked Ward, and Lawrence picked up the ball and returned it eight yards (he was tragically tripped before he could take it all the way—that would have been an all-time highlight).
Those two plays, along with Demetrius Knight Jr. shooting through the gap to tackle Tony Pollard for a safety, showed you precisely the kind of game-changing plays that are possible when you’re consistently winning in the trenches.
