Bengals Control Game in Madrid, 34-17
MADRID, SPAIN – November 8, 2026, Brendon D. Miller
The Bengals looked the part of AFC contenders on Sunday morning in defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-17 in the NFL Madrid game for 2026. The game was played before 78,660 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The win pushed the Bengals to 6-2 on the season. As has become the modus operandi for the Bengals, they immediately fell behind 7-0 as the Falcons took the opening kick and drove for a score, and then 10-7 in the first quarter, but then dominated the second quarter and never trailed again.
Score by quarter
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 7 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
| Falcons | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
Game Summary
Atlanta struck first as Michael Penix Jr. found Charlie Woerner for a 1-yard touchdown, but Cincinnati answered quickly. Joe Burrow hit Ja’Marr Chase for a 47-yard touchdown, tying the score 7-7. A Nick Folk field goal put Atlanta ahead 10-7 after one quarter.
The second quarter changed the game. Cincinnati scored 17 unanswered points. Burrow powered in from one yard for a touchdown and later connected with Tee Higgins for a 4-yard score. Evan McPherson then drilled a 57-yard field goal with 24 seconds remaining, sending Cincinnati to halftime with a 24-10 advantage.
Atlanta made one serious push in the third quarter. Bijan Robinson scored on a 1-yard run, trimming Cincinnati’s lead to 24-17. Burrow responded with another touchdown drive, finding Higgins for an 8-yard TD to restore the two-touchdown margin at 31-17.
Cincinnati’s defense shut Atlanta out in the fourth. McPherson’s 43-yard field goal supplied the final points in the 34-17 victory.
Bengals Offensive Summary
This was a highly efficient performance from Joe Burrow.
- Burrow: 24-of-29, 271 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, plus a rushing touchdown.
- Ja’Marr Chase: 10 catches, 155 yards and 1 TD, highlighted by the 47-yard touchdown.
- Tee Higgins: 5 catches, 32 yards and 2 touchdowns.
- Chase Brown: 9 carries for a team-high 57 rushing yards.
- Cincinnati finished with 388 total yards, 24 first downs and zero turnovers and converted 6 of 10 third downs.
The biggest offensive positive was balance and efficiency. Cincinnati ran for 123 yards while Burrow completed nearly 83% of his attempts. The Bengals averaged 7.1 yards per play and scored touchdowns on three of four red-zone possessions.
Chase supplied the explosive element, but Higgins was particularly important near the goal line. His two touchdown receptions helped Cincinnati turn sustained drives into points.
Bengals Defensive Summary
Cincinnati’s defense had a somewhat unusual statistical performance. Atlanta accumulated 319 total yards, including 157 rushing yards, but the Bengals repeatedly prevented those yards from becoming points.
Bijan Robinson was Atlanta’s biggest problem for Cincinnati, rushing 19 times for 100 yards and a touchdown. Penix also contributed 50 rushing yards. But Cincinnati was much better against Atlanta’s passing game.
Penix finished only 20-of-31 for 162 yards, one touchdown and one interception, an average of just 5.2 yards per pass attempt.
The major defensive play came from Barrett Carter, who intercepted Penix and returned it six yards. Carter also tied Bryan Cook for the Bengals’ team lead with 10 total tackles.
Cincinnati did not record a sack, so this wasn’t a victory built upon overwhelming pass pressure. Instead, the defense limited Atlanta to 2-for-4 in the red zone, produced the game’s only turnover and pitched a fourth-quarter shutout.
Key Bengals numbers
Burrow: 271 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD
Chase: 10 receptions, 155 yards, TD
Higgins: 5 receptions, 32 yards, 2 TDs
Brown: 57 rushing yards
McPherson: field goals from 57 and 43 yards
Cincinnati offense: 388 yards, 24 first downs, 0 turnovers
Cincinnati defense: 319 yards allowed, 17 points allowed, 1 interception.
BOTTOM LINE
For the Bengals, this was a complete, controlled victory after an uneven opening quarter. Burrow and Chase generated the explosive plays, Higgins delivered in the red zone, McPherson contributed two field goals, and the defense kept Atlanta scoreless in two of the four quarters. Most importantly for Cincinnati, the Bengals played turnover-free football while forcing Atlanta’s only turnover, turning a 10-7 first-quarter deficit into a convincing 34-17 win and a 6-2 record.
NEXT
The Bengals fly home and begin preparation for the Divisional showdown with the Steelers next Sunday Night at Paycor on Sunday Night Football!. The Bengals will be looking to even the season series with the Steelers, as Pittsburgh defeated Cincy 30-27 on September 27, 2026.