The Cincinnati Bengals led by double-digits with eight minutes to play Sunday afternoon in Orchard Park, New York.By the time the clock hit quadruple zero, the Bengals were on the losing end for the ninth time in 11 games, and the first time in a game started by Joe Burrow, as the Buffalo Bills pulled away late for a 39-34 win.The Bengals weathered the literal and metaphorical storms about as well as you could have asked for for 52 minutes until the 7:33 mark in the fourth quarter.From there, the Bills scored 21 of the game’s final 27 points and forced two turnovers to snatch a win from a desperate Bengals team looking to keep their long-shot playoff hopes alive.Here are the key moments from the game, as well as what we took away.Burrow vs. Allen Lived Up To The HypeClose your eyes for a moment and picture the following: It’s an early December afternoon in Buffalo. The quarterback matchup is Joe Burrow against Josh Allen. The stakes, for both teams, are playoff positioning.Everything you’d think that game would be, it was Sunday afternoon. A game flexed into the 1 p.m. window, honestly, could have stayed in it’s initial 4:25 timeslot, and the play followed.Both Burrow and Allen were their usual magic selves: Both used their legs to extend, or make, plays and both completed passes in tight windows, on a snowy Western New York day built for offensive success.In just his second game back after toe surgery earlier this year, Burrow played well in the snow, showing easy mobility when he needed to, like on a touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki that extended the Bengals lead to 10 points in the fourth quarter.Burrow stepped up to evade pressure and lofted a pass on the run to his tight end for the Penn State product’s first receiving touchdown of the year.Once the Bengals found themselves down (a sequence we’ll discuss in a bit), Burrow showcased some more of his vintage-stock magic, leading a four-play, 66 yard drive that was capped off by a beautiful touch pass to Tee Higgins for the pair’s second connection of the day.However, Allen had some vintage magic, too. He set a franchise record for longest touchdown rush by a quarterback, a play that sparked Buffalo’s game-winning run, and scrambled to convert a 3rd & 15, picking up 17 yards, to seal the game.Where it All Went WrongDown 28-18 and facing a 2nd and 10 just past midfield, the Bills were looking for a spark to clamp down on a very solid effort from the Bengals on both sides of the ball.With 7:39 left in regulation, Josh Allen stepped up to evade pressure from Cedric Johnson and never stopped running, taking a 40-yard rush all the way to the house to pull the Bills within three points.From there, the Bengals’ downfall came from an uncharacteristic place: Offensive turnovers.Four plays after Allen’s franchise-record run, Joe Burrow was trying to hit Ja’Marr Chase on a short screen, but his pass was picked out of the air by Christian Benford, who rumbled 63 yards the other way to give Buffalo their first lead of the game, at 32-28.On the very next play from scrimmage, Burrow had a pass deflected at the line of scrimmage and picked from the air by A.J. Epenesa, setting Buffalo up inside the Cincinnati 30.Five plays later, Buffalo extended their lead, to 39-28, capping off a stretch of 21 points in 4:30 of game time to turn the game in their favor for good.Tight End Woes ContinueCincinnati’s inability to stop team’s top tight end targets showed up in a big way again on Sunday, and against one of the teams you have to take extra precautions with.Buffalo’s two top leading receivers were tight ends, Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid, who combined to catch 10 passes for 134 of Allen’s 251 passing yards.Two of Allen’s three passing touchdowns went to tight ends, too: Kincaid caught the first score of the second half, a five-yard pitch and catch from Allen that pulled the Bills within 21-18, and Jackson Hawes, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass after Burrow’s second interception for his only catch of the day.Not only were Knox and Kincaid used in volume, their production came in chunks as well: the former averaged 15.5 yards per catch while the later averaged 10.3. After two games away from Paycor Stadium, the Bengals return home next week to closeout the season series against the Baltimore Ravens, who lost Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers.Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. —
The Cincinnati Bengals led by double-digits with eight minutes to play Sunday afternoon in Orchard Park, New York.
By the time the clock hit quadruple zero, the Bengals were on the losing end for the ninth time in 11 games, and the first time in a game started by Joe Burrow, as the Buffalo Bills pulled away late for a 39-34 win.
The Bengals weathered the literal and metaphorical storms about as well as you could have asked for for 52 minutes until the 7:33 mark in the fourth quarter.
From there, the Bills scored 21 of the game’s final 27 points and forced two turnovers to snatch a win from a desperate Bengals team looking to keep their long-shot playoff hopes alive.
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Here are the key moments from the game, as well as what we took away.
Burrow vs. Allen Lived Up To The Hype
Close your eyes for a moment and picture the following: It’s an early December afternoon in Buffalo. The quarterback matchup is Joe Burrow against Josh Allen. The stakes, for both teams, are playoff positioning.
Everything you’d think that game would be, it was Sunday afternoon. A game flexed into the 1 p.m. window, honestly, could have stayed in it’s initial 4:25 timeslot, and the play followed.
Both Burrow and Allen were their usual magic selves: Both used their legs to extend, or make, plays and both completed passes in tight windows, on a snowy Western New York day built for offensive success.
In just his second game back after toe surgery earlier this year, Burrow played well in the snow, showing easy mobility when he needed to, like on a touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki that extended the Bengals lead to 10 points in the fourth quarter.
Burrow stepped up to evade pressure and lofted a pass on the run to his tight end for the Penn State product’s first receiving touchdown of the year.
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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Once the Bengals found themselves down (a sequence we’ll discuss in a bit), Burrow showcased some more of his vintage-stock magic, leading a four-play, 66 yard drive that was capped off by a beautiful touch pass to Tee Higgins for the pair’s second connection of the day.
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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
However, Allen had some vintage magic, too. He set a franchise record for longest touchdown rush by a quarterback, a play that sparked Buffalo’s game-winning run, and scrambled to convert a 3rd & 15, picking up 17 yards, to seal the game.
Where it All Went Wrong
Down 28-18 and facing a 2nd and 10 just past midfield, the Bills were looking for a spark to clamp down on a very solid effort from the Bengals on both sides of the ball.
With 7:39 left in regulation, Josh Allen stepped up to evade pressure from Cedric Johnson and never stopped running, taking a 40-yard rush all the way to the house to pull the Bills within three points.
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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
From there, the Bengals’ downfall came from an uncharacteristic place: Offensive turnovers.
Four plays after Allen’s franchise-record run, Joe Burrow was trying to hit Ja’Marr Chase on a short screen, but his pass was picked out of the air by Christian Benford, who rumbled 63 yards the other way to give Buffalo their first lead of the game, at 32-28.
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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
On the very next play from scrimmage, Burrow had a pass deflected at the line of scrimmage and picked from the air by A.J. Epenesa, setting Buffalo up inside the Cincinnati 30.
Five plays later, Buffalo extended their lead, to 39-28, capping off a stretch of 21 points in 4:30 of game time to turn the game in their favor for good.
Tight End Woes Continue
Cincinnati’s inability to stop team’s top tight end targets showed up in a big way again on Sunday, and against one of the teams you have to take extra precautions with.
Buffalo’s two top leading receivers were tight ends, Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid, who combined to catch 10 passes for 134 of Allen’s 251 passing yards.
Two of Allen’s three passing touchdowns went to tight ends, too: Kincaid caught the first score of the second half, a five-yard pitch and catch from Allen that pulled the Bills within 21-18, and Jackson Hawes, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass after Burrow’s second interception for his only catch of the day.
Not only were Knox and Kincaid used in volume, their production came in chunks as well: the former averaged 15.5 yards per catch while the later averaged 10.3.
After two games away from Paycor Stadium, the Bengals return home next week to closeout the season series against the Baltimore Ravens, who lost Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.