Overview
- Cincinnati beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 33-27 on Sunday after its defense produced four turnovers including a Demetrius Knight Jr. scoop‑and‑score and a Barrett Carter goal‑line strip.
- Joe Burrow finished 25-of-35 for 254 yards but threw a 38-yard pick-six to Josiah Trotter, a mistake he called the game’s biggest error that the team must fix.
- Pro Football Focus data showed Burrow faced pressure on just 19% of dropbacks, reflecting strong pass protection from the offensive line that helped the offense survive a below‑par day from Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
- Role players paced the attack with Mike Gesicki catching five passes for 78 yards and Chase Brown scoring a rushing touchdown while new defensive additions such as Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook, Jonathan Allen and Dexter Lawrence made impactful plays.
- Coaches praised the early defensive payoff but warned of problems to clean up on tackling and third down as the Bengals turn their focus to a road test at the Houston Texans next Sunday.