The Cincinnati Bengals’ 33-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a fairly tightly contested affair. You can take so many things away — both positively and negatively — from this game. One thing that is a bit of both, but we will spin as a positive, was the team winning despite Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow having some issues.
It used to be that if I told you Chase had 12 receiving yards and Burrow threw a pick-six, you would have been positive the team had lost. In fact, it has never happened when
both players have been healthy for a game.
How were they able to win? The defense, an unexpected leading receiver, and the running backs stepped up in key situations.
The defense created four turnovers, which included a scoop-and-score by Demetrius Knight Jr. in the first quarter. It helped set up a short field in the first quarter as well on the very next drive, and caused a 14-point swing when (on the drive after that, if you can believe) Barrett Carter stripped Baker Mayfield as he was diving for the end zone to save a possible touchdown.
Burrow and company went ahead and marched 80 yards. In all, the four fumbles resulted in 24 points. Effectively wiping out Burrow’s interception in the third quarter that made it a one-score game.
The running game deserves more credit than the box score will tell you. The team had just over 100 yards in total. However, it was a rushing touchdown by Chase Brown that gave the team a 21-3 lead in the second quarter. Those short-yardage situations near the end zone proved to be an issue when attempting to pass the ball outside of Mike Gesicki’s touchdown.
Speaking of, Gesicki deserves a game ball of his own. The Bucs and refs did everything they could to take away Chase. Gesicki made them pay with five receptions that resulted in a total of 78 yards and the aforementioned touchdown.
Samaje Perine deserves a quick nod as well. He had a total of eight touches for 50 total yards. There were three first-down plays among those touches. Not something that will jump out at you, but he certainly made an impact.
It is fairly easy to feel like, had this Bucs team played the 2025 Bengals, that it would have been a much different outcome. Not to mention how many new acquisitions popped up during turnover plays. Bryan Cook and Boye Mafe each forced a fumble and recovered a fumble on the day.
Now, we just need to see this team with Burrow and Chase firing on all cylinders. But if nothing else, this type of performance shows that this team is capable of winning in more ways than one, a far cry from past years when it felt like the offense always had to win the game.
