The Cincinnati Bengals went to Spain and came home with their first-ever win outside the United States, a 34-17 handling of the Atlanta Falcons at the Bernabéu. It was their fourth straight win, it moved them to 6-2, and it put them in a tie with Pittsburgh atop the AFC North heading into next Sunday night’s showdown at Paycor.
Before we get to the Steelers, let’s hand out some hardware. Here are my nominees for Offensive MVP, Defensive MVP, and Unsung Hero. Then you tell me who takes home the trophy
in the comments section.
Offensive MVP Nominees
Joe Burrow, QB. Burrow went 24-of-29 for 271 yards, three touchdowns, and no turnovers, good for a 140.1 passer rating. He also scored on a 1-yard sneak, giving him four total touchdowns. He was nearly flawless in the first half, going 16-of-18 for 234 yards and two scores, as the Bengals built a 24-10 halftime lead.
His 21 touchdown passes lead the NFL, and he has 16 total touchdowns over the last four games. One week after throwing three interceptions against Tennessee, he played a clean, efficient game. If the MVP race were decided today, he’d have a strong case.
Ja’Marr Chase, WR. Atlanta scored on its opening drive, and Chase answered on the Bengals’ first possession by hauling in a 47-yard touchdown from Burrow to tie it at 7. He was already at eight catches for 142 yards by halftime, the most receiving yards he has ever had in a first half.
He finished with 10 catches for 155 yards on 11 targets, and his seven receiving touchdowns lead the AFC. Zac Taylor said it best after the game: “That’s just Ja’Marr Chase. Best in the world.”
Tee Higgins, WR. Five catches for 32 yards won’t jump off the page, but Higgins was the finisher. He caught touchdowns from 4 and 8 yards out, giving him four touchdown catches in the last two games and six on the season. When the Bengals got into the red zone, Burrow looked for No. 5.
Defensive MVP Nominees
Barrett Carter, LB. Carter tied for the team lead with 10 tackles and broke up a pass. Then, with the Bengals up two scores in the fourth quarter, he picked off Michael Penix Jr. at the Atlanta 43 and effectively ended any thought of a comeback. It was his second career interception and his first of 2026.
It’s been an up-and-down year for the linebackers in coverage, so seeing Carter make the game-sealing play was a welcome sight.
Bryan Cook, S. Cook also led the team with 10 tackles, five of them solo. On a day when Bijan Robinson and the Falcons’ run game kept getting to the second level, Cook was the guy cleaning things up. Without him, a few of those 10-yard gains would become 30-yard gains.
Demetrius Knight Jr., LB. Knight added eight tackles, five solo, and was a steady presence in the middle of a defense that held Atlanta to seven points after the opening quarter.
Josh Newton, CB. Newton had five tackles, and the biggest play he made doesn’t show up in the box score as anything more than a pass breakup. Atlanta dialed up a flea-flicker shot into the end zone, and Newton was right there to knock it away. In a game that was 24-17 in the third quarter, that’s a big swing.
Unsung Hero Nominees
Dohnte Meyers, WR/KR. Meyers was all over the box score. He had two catches for 47 yards, including a 42-yarder, a 16-yard run, and four kickoff returns for 100 yards. That’s 163 all-purpose yards from a guy most fans weren’t talking about before Sunday. When the Bengals needed a spark outside of Chase and Higgins, Meyers gave them one.
Evan McPherson, K. McPherson drilled a 57-yarder just before halftime to make it 24-10, then added a 43-yarder in the fourth. He’s now made 23 straight field goals, the longest streak in franchise history and the longest active streak in the NFL. We don’t talk enough about how automatic he’s been.
Samaje Perine, RB. Perine handled the dirty work with 11 carries for 43 yards. He also closed the game out the smart way: after picking up a late first down, he slid down instead of chasing extra yards, so the Bengals could run out the clock. That’s veteran football.
The offensive line, led by Dalton Risner. Risner made his 100th career regular-season start, and the line paved the way for 123 rushing yards at 5.1 yards a carry. It also allowed just two sacks. After weeks of a stuck run game, the line finally won some battles up front.
Your Pick
Those are my nominees. Who gets your Offensive MVP: Burrow or Chase? Is Carter’s game-sealing pick enough for Defensive MVP? And who’s your Unsung Hero from Madrid?
Make your case in the comments!
