CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals won their fourth game in a row and fifth in their last six with a 24-18 triumph over the Buffalo Bills before 66,695 fans at Paycor Stadium and a national Sunday Night Football audience.
With the win, the Bengals improved to 5-3 and moved into the No. 7 spot in the AFC playoff standings. All four of the AFC North teams are at least two games over .500 and currently occupy playoff positions.
Cincinnati Bengals Defeat Buffalo Bills
Another Fast Start
The Bengals won the toss — their seventh straight — and elected to take the ball and went 76 yards in nine plays. Six players had touches on the drive, and none of them were named Ja’Marr Chase.
Tight end Irv Smith Jr. bounced back from his red-zone fumble right before halftime last week and caught an 11-yard pass to give the Bengals first-and-goal at the 7-yard line, and one play later, he hauled in his first touchdown pass as a Bengal.
Joe Burrow connects with Irv Smith for the early tuddy and a 7-0 #Bengals lead❕ pic.twitter.com/M7McQznHoH
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 6, 2023
It’s the first time since Games 11-14 of the 2012 season the Bengals have scored touchdowns on their opening drive in four consecutive games.
The Bengals followed that score with an 11-play, 69-yard drive that ended with a Joe Mixon two-yard touchdown run and a 14-7 lead.
Since 2021, the Bengals have the best record in the league when owning a lead at any point in the game, and they are second in the league in owning a lead of at least seven points in the second half.
Tight End Time
The elevation of Tanner Hudson from the practice squad infused some life into a part of the Bengals offense that has been missing — tight end production.
In addition to Smith catching Burrow’s first touchdown pass, Drew Sample caught a 22-yard scoring strike just before the half to up the lead to 21-7. It was the second-longest reception of Sample’s career (23 is his longest) and the 2019 season-round pick’s second career touchdown. His first came back in 2020 against the Texans.
Spike that ball, @drewcal‼️#BUFatCIN | 📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/RAVx8A7GEO
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 6, 2023
Prior to Sunday night, Bengals tight ends had 20 catches for 132 yards. That’s an average of 2.5 receptions for 16.5 yards per game.
Against the Bills, the tight ends combined for seven catches and 74 yards in the first half alone.
MORE: Cincinnati Bengals Depth Chart
Hudson added a 17-yard catch on 3rd-and-1 in the fourth quarter, extending a drive that ended with an Evan McPherson field goal to up the lead to 24-10.
Bengals tight ends finished with 10 catches for 101 yards.
Uncharacteristic Penalties
The Bengals have been one of the least penalized teams in the last few years, but they had a sloppy stretch Sunday night that cost them points.
After Cam Taylor-Britt intercepted Josh Allen to give the Bengals the ball at the 32-yard line, the Bengals failed on a 2nd-and-1 quarterback sneak and then got flagged for delay of game, turning 3rd-and-1 into third-and-6.
Burrow scrambled for an eight-yard gain and a first down, but right guard Alex Cappa was called for holding, setting up third and 15.
On 3rd-and-15, left guard Cordell Volson had a holding penalty, but that was declined.
Evan McPherson bailed everyone out with a 55-yard field goal, but there was another penalty, a false start on Orlando Brown Jr. Taylor opted not to have McPherson try a 60-yard field goal and punted.
Coming into the game, the Bengals were averaging 4.4 penalties per game, the fewest in the league. And their 33.9 penalty yards per game also were best in the league.
MORE: Week 10 NFL Power Rankings
The Bengals ranked in the top six in both categories last year, averaging 5.1 penalties (sixth) and 38.9 yards (fifth).
And in 2021, they ranked second in penalties per game (4.2) and first in yards (36.5).
They finished Sunday’s game with six for 49.
Red-Zone Defense
With the Bills down 11 and driving early in the fourth quarter, linebacker Germaine Pratt forced a fumble by knocking the ball free of a cartwheeling Dalton Kincaid after Bengals safety Nick Scott upended him in the red zone.
Scott grabbed the loose ball to end the Buffalo threat. It was the defense’s second turnover of the game, marking the fourth consecutive contest in which they’ve recorded multiple takeaways. That’s tied with the Bills and the Buccaneers for the longest streak in the league this year.
Pratt had the red-zone interception of Brock Purdy last week in San Francisco.
The Bengals came into the game tied for 10th in red-zone defense touchdown percentage (48.1). The Bills were two of three on their red-zone trips Sunday night, but the turnover was crucial.
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