Bengals erase deficit to beat Titans 43-36 in overtime
Joe Burrow threw for 462 yards and five touchdowns before running for the winning score in Cincinnati's comeback victory.
By Jessica Abebe ·
Cincinnati fans saw their team fall behind by 13 points in the first half before watching a complete turnaround. The Bengals finished the game with a 43-36 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. The result moves the Bengals to a 5-2 record, their best start since 2021. The win also marks the second straight week the team erased a 13-point first-half deficit. According to Sportradar, no other NFL team has done that since New Orleans in 2020.
Joe Burrow threw five touchdown passes in regulation and added a rushing score in overtime. He completed 33 of 48 passes for 462 yards. This is his second 400-yard game this season. Burrow also threw three interceptions. Only Hall of Famer Norm Van Brocklin in 1951 has thrown for at least 450 yards with five touchdowns, a rushing score, and multiple interceptions in a single game.
Tee Higgins and Ja'Veon Smith, known as Ja'Marr Chase, both had 100-yard receiving games. Higgins caught 10 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Chase had 11 catches for 141 yards and one score. Higgins made three catches for 56 yards on the final two drives. Chase added three receptions for 48 yards in the same span.
Tennessee started fast. Safety Amari Hooker picked off Burrow three times. That tied a franchise record. Cam Ward threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns. He gave the Titans a 36-29 lead late in regulation with a 15-yard pass to Wan'Dale Robinson. A two-point conversion extended that lead. Tony Pollard rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns for Tennessee.
Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence recorded seven tackles. He sacked the Titans late in regulation to push them out of field-goal range. He also recovered a fumble in the third quarter. Lawrence and Demetrius Knight Jr. tackled Pollard in the end zone for a safety. That play put Cincinnati ahead 23-21 with 46 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Titans played without wide receiver Carnell Tate and pass rusher Jeffery Simmons. Simmons was traded to the Chicago Bears on Thursday. Coach Robert Saleh said the team had to get four takeaways and score 36 points to compete. The Titans lost after holding a 14-0 lead against Cleveland the previous week. This is the fourth time in NFL history a team has lost consecutive games after a first-quarter lead of at least 13 points.
The Bengals will travel to Madrid next Sunday to face the Atlanta Falcons. The Titans have a bye week before hosting Jacksonville on November 15.
