Burrow Throws for 462 and Five TD’s in Bengals Win
CINCINNATI – November 1, 2026 – Brendon D. Miller
The Bengals survived a valiant effort by Tennessee, overcoming a 13-0 first-quarter deficit and seven point fourth quarter deficit to beat the Titans 43-36 in overtime. Cincinnati generated 510 total yards, and Joe Burrow threw five touchdown passes before running for the game-winning score in overtime.
Score by Quarter
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titans | 13 | 0 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 36 |
| Bengals | 0 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 7 | 43 |
Tennessee controlled the opening quarter. Joey Slye kicked field goals of 46 and 29 yards around a 41-yard Tony Pollard touchdown run, putting Cincinnati in a 13-0 hole.
The Bengals answered in the second quarter. Burrow hit Ja’Marr Chase for a 30-yard touchdown, then found rookie tight end Jack Endries for a 1-yard TD with 20 seconds left, sending Cincinnati into halftime ahead 14-13.
Cincinnati immediately added another touchdown after halftime when Burrow connected with Tee Higgins for 17 yards. Tennessee answered with Pollard’s second touchdown and a Cam Ward two-point conversion to tie it at 21. The Bengals defense then produced a huge play late in the quarter, tackling Pollard in the Tennessee end zone for a safety, giving Cincinnati a 23-21 lead.
The fourth quarter turned into a shootout. Ward threw touchdowns to Chimere Dike and Wan’Dale Robinson, while Burrow hit Mike Gesicki for a 25-yard touchdown. Tennessee went ahead 36-29 with 3:46 remaining.
Burrow responded with one of the game’s defining drives: 7 plays, 81 yards in 2:29, ending with an 18-yard touchdown to Higgins with 1:17 left. McPherson’s extra point tied it 36-36.
In overtime, Cincinnati drove 70 yards in five plays, and Burrow finished the game himself with a 9-yard touchdown run for the 43-36 victory.
Bengals Offensive Recap
Burrow was a times outstanding, but did throw three interceptions in the game.
Joe Burrow: 38-of-48, 462 passing yards, 5 TD, 3 INT, plus the 9-yard overtime rushing touchdown.
Burrow’s touchdown passes went to:
- Ja’Marr Chase, 30 yards
- Jack Endries, 1 yard
- Tee Higgins, 17 yards
- Mike Gesicki, 25 yards
- Tee Higgins, 18 yards
Receiving leaders
Tee Higgins: 10 catches, 155 yards, 2 TD
Ja’Marr Chase: 11 catches, 141 yards, 1 TD
Mike Gesicki: 4 catches, 76 yards, 1 TD
Chase Brown: 8 catches, 46 yards
Dohnte Meyers: 3 catches, 34 yards
Jack Endries: 1 catch, 1 yard, 1 TD
The Chase-Higgins combination was particularly damaging: 21 receptions for 296 yards and three touchdowns between them.
Rushing
Cincinnati didn’t get nearly as much from the ground game.
Chase Brown: 12 carries, 55 yards
Joe Burrow: 3 carries, 10 yards, TD
Samaje Perine: 4 carries, 10 yards
The Bengals finished with just 75 rushing yards on 19 attempts, but their passing game pushed the overall offensive total to 510 yards.
Cincinnati also converted 7 of 10 third downs and scored touchdowns on 5 of 6 red-zone opportunities.
The major blemish was turnovers. Cincinnati committed four, including Burrow’s three interceptions and a lost fumble.
Bengals Defensive Recap
The defensive performance was much less comfortable.
Tennessee accumulated 440 total yards, including 282 net passing and 158 rushing, and averaged 6.3 yards per play. The Titans reached the red zone four times and scored touchdowns on three of those trips.
Tony Pollard presented the biggest problem, carrying 21 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns, including his 40-yard TD in the first quarter. Cam Ward completed 26 of 40 passes for 304 gross passing yards and two touchdowns without an interception.
Key Bengals defenders
Jordan Battle: 12 tackles, 9 solo
Barrett Carter: 8 tackles
Dexter Lawrence II: 7 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss
Myles Murphy: 6 tackles
Demetrius Knight Jr.: 5 tackles
Boye Mafe: 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss
The defense’s biggest play came late in the third quarter. Demetrius Knight Jr. and Dexter Lawrence II tackled Pollard in the end zone for a safety, breaking a 21-21 tie and putting Cincinnati ahead 23-21.
Tennessee also turned the ball over twice on lost fumbles, while Cincinnati recorded two sacks.
Key team statistics
| Statistic | Titans | Bengals |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 440 | 510 |
| First downs | 23 | 29 |
| Net passing yards | 282 | 435 |
| Rushing yards | 158 | 75 |
| Third down | 5/12 | 7/10 |
| Red zone | 3/4 | 5/6 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 4 |
| Penalties | 10-73 | 8-67 |
| Time of possession | 32:11 | 32:12 |
Bottom Line
This was essentially Burrow and the Bengals’ passing game overcoming their own mistakes. Cincinnati fell behind 13-0, committed four turnovers and surrendered 440 yards, yet still produced 510 yards and 43 points.
The game’s defining sequence came late: Tennessee took a 36-29 lead with 3:46 remaining, Burrow answered with the tying touchdown to Higgins with 1:17 left, and then Burrow scored on a 9-yard run in overtime to win it 43-36.
For the Bengals, the biggest positives were the Burrow-Higgins-Chase passing attack and the defense’s crucial safety. The biggest concerns were four turnovers and allowing 158 rushing yards, particularly Pollard’s 117-yard, two-touchdown game.
NEXT
The Bengals head to Madrid to take on the Falcons next Sunday at 9:30 am.