The Eagles were back in action on Sunday, picking up a big 37-17 victory over the Bengals to move to 5-2 on the season.
The Bengals fell to 3-5 on the season, still searching for their first win at home on the year.
The Eagles put together 397 yards of total offense and the defense forced an interception and a fumble in the win.
“It was exciting. It’s hard to win in this league. Doesn’t matter if you win by what we won by today, you win by one, win by two, you’re going to be excited. We put everything we have into this every single week,” Head Coach Nick Sirianni said. “It really takes truly mentally tough people to be involved in this game where you pour every ounce of what you have into each week, and then you win or you lose, and you do it again.”
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins was a surprise late addition to the final injury report in Week 8 before kickoff against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Missing Higgins would be a major blow for the Bengals offense as they look to get back to .500, considering he was a key catalyst in the offense’s revival over the last few weeks — after he returned from a different injury.
Here’s the latest.
Tee Higgins injury update
Final Update: Tee Higgins will be inactive, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Update: According to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer, “it doesn’t look good” for Higgins’ chances to play.
Higgins appeared on the injury report with a quad injury on Friday, throwing his status into doubt.
A report from ESPN’s Dan Graziano on Saturday night said there is “pessimism” around Higgins’ chances of playing.
How long will Tee Higgins be out?
Hard to say. Soft-tissue issues, usually the hamstrings, have chased him throughout his career. But the fact this popped on a Friday pretty much guarantees he’s on a snap count Sunday — and the week after could be in jeopardy too. No longer than four games though, otherwise he’d be on injured reserve.
Bengals WR depth chart
Ja’Marr Chase, Andrei Iosivas, Trenton Irwin, Jermaine Burton, Charlie Jones
Iosivas and potentially the rookie Burton will be asked to step up if Higgins can’t go.
The Battle of Ohio is reimagined between two struggling divisional rivals as the Cleveland Browns (1-5) host the Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) in an NFL Week 7 matchup on CBS and Paramount+. Deshaun Watson and the Browns have been on the wrong side of the scoreboard in four straight games heading into Sunday’s tilt, most recently falling 20-16 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Joe Burrow and the Bengals haven’t fared much better this season, although they could have some momentum after getting a 17-7 win against the New York Giants in Week 6. You may be able to stream Sunday’s game live on Paramount+, which you can now try free for the first seven days when you sign up here.
Kickoff from Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland is set for 1 p.m. ET. The Bengals are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Bengals vs. Browns odds via SportsLine consensus, and the over/under for total points scored is 41.5. Cincinnati is a -250 money line favorite (risk $250 to win $100), while Cleveland is a +203 underdog (risk $100 to win $203). Sunday’s game will be streamed live on Paramount+ with their must-have Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan, which you can now get on a 7-day free trial.
Paramount+ is the only place to watch every minute of every NFL on CBS game this season. A subscription also gives you access to other sports content including the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, NWSL, Serie A, and countless movies and shows. You can now get a free 7-day trial, so sign up right here.
Before tuning into Sunday’s Browns vs. Bengals game, you need to see the NFL picks from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 11-3 hot streak on top-rated NFL picks this year. Longer term, it is on a 192-132 roll on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season and a 46-24 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022.
For Browns vs. Bengals, the model is backing Cleveland to cover the spread at home. The Browns have dominated this rivalry in recent years, winning seven of the last 10 meetings against the Bengals. Cleveland enters Sunday’s showdown having won six straight at home against Cincinnati.
Cincinnati’s defense has been leaky this season, giving up 25.3 points per game on average, which ranks 25th in the NFL. Browns running back Nick Chubb (knee) is expected to make his season debut, which could be the spark Cleveland’s offense has been missing. The Browns will likely lean on their defense to keep them in Sunday’s game, and the model has them covering the spread in almost 60% of simulations. You may be able to stream the game here.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Las Vegas Raiders this Sunday – Here’s how to watch. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)
This Sunday afternoon, the 3-2 Pittsburgh Steelers will head to Nevada to play the 2-3 Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. It’s looking like Justin Fields, and not Russell Wilson, will remain the starting QB for the Steelers this week. Head coach Mike Tomlin stated on Tuesday, “We’re going to continue to push forward with Justin,” until Wilson is able to “execute the offense and schematics” and attend back-to-back practices with the team. The Raiders, who benched QB Gardner Minshew last week, have been practicing Minshew and Aidan O’Connell for the starting job this week. Here’s all the info you need about today’s NFL Week 6 game between the Steelers vs. Raiders. You can also keep an eye on live game-day updates here.
How to watch the Steelers vs. Raiders game:
Watch NFL games on ESPN, NFL Network, Fox, NBC, CBS and some RSNs
Fubo TV
Date: October 13, 2024
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET/1:05 p.m. PT
Game: Steelers vs. Raiders
TV channel: CBS
Streaming: Paramount+, Fubo, DirecTV, NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube, and more
What channel is the Steelers vs. Raiders game on?
The Steelers will visit the Raiders this Sunday, Oct. 13 airing live at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS.
How to watch the Steelers vs. Raiders game:
The Steelers vs. Raiders game is also available to stream on Paramount+ through their NFL on CBS channel, which is included in both their Essential plan and their Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan. You can also watch CBS on platforms including Fubo TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV. Out of market viewers will be able to find the game on YouTube TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL+.
Paramount+
Paramount+ offers subscribers access to NFL games on CBS. Plus, the platform is great for fans of Champions League soccer, Star Trek, Survivor, The Challenge and so much more.
Unlike a lot of other streaming services these days, Paramount+ still offers a one-week free trial — so new subscribers can sign up to watch this weekend and check out the rest of the Paramount+ library totally free for seven days.
Fubo TV gives you access to ESPN, NFL Network, Fox, ABC, CBS and 100+ more live channels. At $80/month, the live TV streaming service is definitely a big investment for football fans. But it offers nearly every channel you’ll need to watch the NFL season, and still leaves you with major savings compared to a traditional cable package. Fubo subscribers also get 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage. The platform also offers a free trial period, so you can catch a week’s worth of games risk-free.
The platform also offers a free trial period, so you can catch some games risk-free. Right now you can get $30 off any Fubo tier for your first month.
NFL Sunday Ticket is available exclusively on YouTube TV and offers football fans the chance to watch every major game that’s airing out of their local markets. NFL Sunday ticket is available with a subscription to YouTube TV for $670.96 over four months (that’s $168/mo). You can also purchase a subscription without being a YouTube TV subscriber for $479 for the season.
A basic $6.99 per month (or $40 annually) NFL+ subscription will get you live local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, and live audio for every game of the season across supported devices. NFL+ Premium, while a little pricier at $14.99 per month (or $80 annually) also includes access to NFL Network and NFL RedZone, plus full and condensed replays of every game across supported devices. NFL+ also offers a 7-day free trial.
Watch NFL games on ESPN, ESPN+, NBC, CBS, Fox and NFL Network
Hulu + Live TV
2024 NFL season Week 6 full schedule:
All times Eastern
Thursday, Oct. 10
Sunday, Oct. 13
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Chicago Bears: 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
Washington Commanders vs. Baltimore Ravens: 1 p.m. (CBS)
Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers: 1 p.m. (FOX)
Houston Texans vs, New England Patriots: 1 p.m. (CBS)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints: 1 p.m. (FOX)
Cleveland Browns vs. Philadelphia Eagles: 1 p.m. (FOX)
Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans: 1 p.m. (CBS)
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Denver Broncos: 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Las Vegas Raiders: 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys: 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Cincinatti Bengals vs. New York Giants: 8:20 p.m. NBC)
Monday, Oct. 14
How to watch every NFL game this season:
Many NFL games are broadcast on local channels, so if you’re looking to catch an in-market game, it may be as simple as turning on your TV (or setting up a digital TV antenna). A $7/month subscription to NFL+ will get you access to NFL Network which can be great for watching some games, but the downside of NFL+ is that when it comes to the regular season, it’s just local and primetime games (and only on mobile or tablet!). In which case, here’s what we recommend to watch the NFL.
(Fubo)
Fubo TV gives you access to ESPN, NFL Network, Fox, ABC, CBS and 100+ more live channels. At $80/month, the live TV streaming service is definitely a big investment for football fans. But it offers nearly every channel you’ll need to watch the NFL season, and still leaves you with major savings compared to a traditional cable package. Fubo subscribers also get 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage.
The platform also offers a free trial period, so you can catch some games risk-free. Right now you can get $20 off any Fubo tier for your first month.
Week 5 is a bit early for a playoff game, but it sure felt that way when the Baltimore Ravens squared off against the Cincinnati Bengals in what turned out to be a magnificent quarterbacks’ duel and 41-38 overtime win for Baltimore.
Week 5 is also a bit early for a referendum game, but it sure felt that way for Joe Burrow and the Bengals.
Week 5 is definitely a bit early for crowning the touchdown pass of the year, but Lamar Jackson may have pulled it off for the Baltimore Ravens.
Jackson appeared to have made a catastrophic overtime mistake, fumbling away a snap, but Cincinnati missed a winning field goal attempt, and Derrick Henry made the Bengals pay on the very next play with a 51-yard sprint that set up Baltimore’s walkoff field goal.
The instant-classic showdown began as a typical AFC North rock fight, but the second half turned into an Olympic sprint. The teams combined for an astounding six straight touchdowns to start the second half, then settled matters with a chaotic back-and-forth overtime.
The game began with a bit of history. On the Ravens’ first series, Henry rumbled into the end zone for his 100th career touchdown; he’s only the 27th player in NFL history to hit triple digits in touchdowns. Jackson later found Rashod Bateman to take a 14-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
But then the 2024 Bengals began to look more like the Bengals of yore — or the Tigers of Burrow’s college days at LSU. Cincinnati halted Henry in the end zone for a safety, then ran off another 15 unanswered points to take a 24-14 lead.
Burrow, who has effectively addressed all lingering injury concerns, delivered two highlight-reel passes in that run, starting with a 41-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase:
He later found Andrei Iosivas in double coverage with a pinpoint rainbow that set up Burrow’s third touchdown pass, and second to Tee Higgins:
Also in the mix: a strange play where the officials wouldn’t let Cincinnati snap the ball … then dinged the Bengals for a delay-of-game penalty because they didn’t snap the ball.
The second half was a flat-out sprint, with the first six combined possessions ending in touchdowns, none smoother than Jackson’s brilliant disaster-to-glory touchdown pass with less than six minutes remaining in the game:
Burrow’s interception late in the fourth quarter ended the nothing-but-touchdowns second-half run at the worst possible time for Cincinnati. Fortunately for the Bengals, Jackson and the Ravens weren’t able to flip that into another touchdown; they managed to wrangle a 56-yard field goal from Justin Tucker to tie the game at 38-38.
Then came overtime, and Jackson’s crucial mistake. In Cincinnati territory and driving, the Ravens appeared primed to nail down a game-winning touchdown. But Jackson fumbled the snap, and Cincinnati played conservatively to set up a field goal … that Evan McPherson missed after a botched hold.
On the very next play, Henry stomped for 51 yards, setting up Tucker’s winner.
The loss spoiled what had been an outstanding day for Burrow. He threw for 392 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, but that fourth-quarter interception when the Bengals led by 3 allowed the Ravens to force overtime. Jackson, meanwhile, was 26 of 42 for 348 yards and four touchdowns, and the missed field goal meant his overtime fumble didn’t end up costing Baltimore the game. Henry carried the ball 15 yards for 92 yards.
Cincinnati is now in a world of trouble, at 1-4 and looking at a huge mountain to climb to get back into the playoff hunt. Baltimore, meanwhile, has resolved all concerns after its 0-2 start, with three straight wins and an offensive attack that’s clearly working to (near) perfection.
Looking ahead, the Ravens have the Battle of I-95 next week, facing off against Washington, followed by road games against Tampa Bay and Cleveland. Cincinnati, meanwhile, will have road games against the Giants and Cleveland before welcoming in the Eagles. By then, the identity of both of these teams will be a lot clearer, for better or worse.
Burrow Moves to Fifth on Bengals All-Time Passing Yards List
Joe Burrow in the second quarter surpassed former quarterback Jeff Blake for fifth place on the Bengals all-time passing yards chart. He entered the day 73 passing yards shy of Blake (15,134), who played in 75 games for Cincinnati from 1994-99.
Burrow’s career passing yardage total following Sunday’s game is 15,453. Positioned fourth on the team’s all-time list is Carson Palmer, who threw for 22,694 yards during his Bengals career.
Career-high Five TDs for Burrow
Burrow completed 30 of 39 passes for 392 yards and five touchdowns with one interception, good for a 137.0 passer rating that goes in as the fourth-highest in a game in his career. His five scoring tosses set a new career high (threw four on four occasions), and tied for the second-most in a game in Bengals history. Three previous Cincinnati quarterbacks had five or more touchdown passes in a game — Boomer Esiason (twice), Carson Palmer (twice), and Andy Dalton.
Burrow became the 10th quarterback in NFL history with a stat line of 390+ passing yards, 5+ touchdown passes and a completion percentage of 75+, and the first since former Houston QB Deshaun Watson in 2019.
Chase Shines in 50th Game
Ja’Marr Chase played in his 50th career regular-season game on Sunday and finished with 10 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns. His scoring receptions were a 41-yarder from Burrow with nine seconds remaining in the first half, and a 70-yarder on a quick screen midway through the fourth quarter.
Chase’s career receiving yardage total following the game is 4,210, which surpasses Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (4,164) for the fifth-most in NFL history through a player’s first 50 games. Leading that list are Lance Alworth (4,785), Odell Beckham Jr. (4,695), Julio Jones (4,471) and Randy Moss (4,272).
Chase also is one of just five players in league history with over 4,000 receiving yards and 30 receiving touchdowns through 50 games, alongside Rice, Moss, Beckham and former Bengals Pro Bowler A.J. Green.
Chase’s 70-yarder marked his 10th career touchdown reception of 60+ yards, which tied Harlon Hill for the most in NFL history by a player under the age of 25.
Bengals Double Dip… Again
Cincinnati executed the “double-dip” for a second straight week, scoring a touchdown on the final true possession of the first half and the first possession of the second half. Burrow found Chase on a 41-yard bomb with nine seconds remaining in the second quarter to give the Bengals their first lead of the game.
The play marked Burrow’s 22nd touchdown pass of 40 or more yards since the start of the 2020 season, and Chase’s 14th TD reception from 40-plus since 2021 — both lead the NFL in their respective time frames.
The Bengals then opened the second half with a 12-play, 70-yard march down the field capped off by a five-yard scoring pass from Burrow to Higgins. It marked Higgins’ fifth career multi-TD game and his first since a Week 15 win over Minnesota last season.
The Bengals also pulled off the double-dip last week at Carolina, when they scored with one second remaining in the first half then found the end zone again early in the third quarter en route to their first win of the season.
Burrow to Higgins Gets Bengals on Board
Tee Higgins gave Cincinnati its first points of the afternoon with his first touchdown of the season, an 11-yard catch from Burrow on third down early in the second quarter. It was Higgins’ 25th career score, and his first since Week 16 of last season at Pittsburgh. He is the 15th player in Bengals history to reach 25 receiving touchdowns.
Hubbard Stops Henry For Safety
Sam Hubbard snuck through the Ravens’ offensive line and stuffed running back Derrick Henry two yards deep in the Baltimore end zone for a safety midway through the second quarter. It marked the first safety recorded by the Bengals since Week 13 of the 2019 season, when Cincinnati drew a holding call when the N.Y. Jets attempted a pass from their own end zone.
A Pair of Two-Pointers
The safety forced by Hubbard was followed later by a successful two-point conversion via a Chase Brown one-yard run late in the second quarter. It marked the first time in Bengals history that the team recorded a safety and a two-point conversion in the same half. The last time Cincinnati had a pair of two-point plays of any kind in the same game was Week 16 of the 2019 season, when the Bengals converted a two-point attempt twice in the fourth quarter at Miami.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws as Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) applies pressure while Baltimore Ravens guard Patrick Mekari (65) blocks in the first quarter of a Week 2 NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
Jackson has started three career games at Cincinnati, posting a 3-0 record. At Paycor Stadium, Jackson is 49-of-68 passing(72.1%) for 573 yards, eight touchdowns, and one interception (130.3 rating). He’s also added 216 rushing yards and one touchdown on 30 carries (7.2 avg.), and he’ll be called upon for a dazzling performance.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Running backs Zack Moss and Chase Brown scored on one-yard plays to end the first half and open the second, and the Bengals used the “double-dip” to post their first win of the year in a 34-24 victory over the Panthers.
Quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns, one a 63-yard-catch-and-run play by wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Brown and Moss combined to put the Bengals over 100 yards rushing.
NOTES
Burrow Hits 15K
Joe Burrow surpassed 15,000 career passing yards on his first completion of the third quarter, a 10-yarder to tight end Erick All Jr. Playing in his 56th game, Burrow tied for the fourth-fastest player in NFL history to reach 15,000 passing yards.
Burrow finished the day 22 of 31 for 232 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, good for a passer rating of 100.5.
Burrow Through 2,000 Attempts
Burrow threw his 2,000th career pass attempt on the Bengals’ opening offensive possession. His 1,363 completions at the time he reached that mark went in as the second-most in NFL history through any quarterback’s first 2,000 attempts. Only former San Diego/New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees had more (1,444).
Joe to Ja’Marr For 63
Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase over the middle on a third down in the second quarter, and the Pro Bowler fought off would-be tacklers to take it for a 63-yard touchdown. It marked Chase’s ninth career receiving touchdown of 60 or more yards, the most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2021. It also ties former Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for the most such touchdowns in the Super Bowl era by a player under the age of 25.
The play also marked Burrow’s 15th career touchdown pass of 50 or more yards, the most leaguewide since the start of the 2020 season.
Ja’Marr Reaches 4K
Chase finished with three catches for 85 yards and his third touchdown of the season. He reached 4,000 career receiving yards in the process, and playing in his 49th game he became the fastest Bengal ever to do so. Chase surpassed A.J. Green, who hit the 4K mark in his 50th game.
Chase also became just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era to reach 4,000+ receiving and 30+ receiving touchdowns in his first 50 games, joining Green, Beckham Jr., and Pro Football Hall of Famers Randy Moss and Jerry Rice.
Bengals Execute “Double-Dip”
Cincinnati successfully pulled off the “double-dip,” scoring a touchdown on the final true possession of the first half and the opening possession of the second half. The Bengals received the ball on their own 34-yard line with 1:08 remaining in the second quarter and marched on an eight-play, 66-yard drive capped off by a Burrow-to-Zack Moss TD pass with one second left on the clock.
It marked the latest Bengals touchdown scored in a first half since A.J. Green caught a 48-yard pass from Andy Dalton with no time remaining in Week 7 of the 2016 season against Cleveland.
The Bengals then opened the third quarter with an eight play, 71-yard drive that was punctuated by Chase Brown’s second rushing score of the afternoon to make it 28-14.
Bell Sets Up Brown
Vonn Bell intercepted a Dalton pass that was affected by Trey Hendrickson in the first quarter, and returned the pick 32 yards to the Carolina 16. It was Bell’s eighth career interception and his first since Week 2 of last season, which also came at Bank of America Stadium when he played for the Panthers.
The pick made way for Chase Brown’s first career rushing touchdown five plays later that gave Cincinnati a 7-0 lead. The second-year back out of Illinois had one previous career touchdown via a screen pass he took 54 yards to the end zone in Week 14 last season versus Indianapolis.
Money Mac Good From 56
Evan McPherson drilled a 56-yard field goal to boost the Bengals’ lead to 31-14 late in the third quarter. It extended his Bengals career record to 24 field goals from 50+ yards, which also are the second-most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2021. It was McPherson’s longest field goal since Week 8 of last season at San Francisco — also a 56-yarder. McPherson later knocked through a 46-yard field goal with 1:14 remaining to put Cincinnati up by 10 and seal the victory.
Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports.
He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs.
A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
John Keim covers the Washington Commanders for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2013 after a stint with the Washington Post. He started covering the team in 1994 for the Journal Newspapers and later for the Washington Examiner. He has authored/co-authored four books. You can also listen to him on ‘The John Keim Report’, which airs on ESPN Richmond radio, and follow him on Twitter @john_keim
Sep 23, 2024, 11:02 PM ET
CINCINNATI — Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders stole the show in their 38-33 upset victory over Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals on “Monday Night Football.”
Daniels, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, led the Commanders down the field for touchdowns on each of their first four full drives to build a 28-13 lead midway through the third quarter and held off the Bengals from there. The former Heisman winner from LSU showed off his dual-threat ability in the win. He tossed two TDs and ran for one, finishing the night 21-of-23 for 254 yards while running for another 39 on 12 carries.
Meanwhile, the Bengals’ offense struggled to find its rhythm for most of the game but made its push in the second half. A fourth-down touchdown pass from Burrow to second-year wide receiver Andrei Iosivas pulled Cincinnati within a score with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter. Washington answered that with a field goal before Burrow found Chase for the pair’s second TD connection of the night with 9:42 left in the fourth quarter to make the score 31-26. But Daniels had the final say, spectacularly capping off a 12-play, 70-yard drive that lasted over seven minutes with a perfect 27-yard TD pass down the sideline to wideout Terry McLaurin to seal the impressive win.
The Commanders improved to 2-1 on the season. The Bengals dropped to 0-3.
Here are the most important things to know from Monday night for both teams:
The Commanders appear to have found a young quarterback to build around.
Rookie Jayden Daniels revealed himself to the NFL world, completing 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-33 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He also rushed 12 times for 39 yards.
Daniels hurt Cincinnati with his arm — dropping a perfect pass to receiver Terry McLaurin for a 55-yard gain to set up the Commanders’ third touchdown in the first half. Then, three plays after converting a fourth-and-4, Daniels was drilled by a blitzing defender — and placed another perfect ball to McLaurin for the game-clinching 27-yard touchdown pass.
Daniels hurt the Bengals with his legs, too, scrambling for a 4-yard touchdown run around left end two plays after McLaurin’s 55-yard catch.
Washington has looked for a franchise quarterback for a long time, through first-round picks (four since 2002), trades and free agent signings. The Commanders started 10 quarterbacks in the previous five years. Through three games, Washington can finally look to the future with excitement thanks to Daniels.
Promising performance: Running back Austin Ekeler. Before leaving early in the third quarter with a concussion, Ekeler gained 119 all-purpose yards, with 62 coming on a kick return. Ekeler has looked good since training camp opened and showed excellent burst on a 24-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Defending receiver Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals wide receiver is one of the most dangerous skill players in the NFL. He scored touchdowns on catches of 41 and 31 yards when the Commanders opted for single-high coverage, leaving corners Mike Sainristil and Benjamin St-Juste with no help on Chase’s respective touchdowns.
Pivotal play: Washington converted a fourth-and-4 with 4 minutes, 25 seconds left in the game from the Bengals’ 38-yard line. The Commanders could have attempted a 56-yard field goal or punted and played defense. Instead, they opted to go for it, and Daniels completed a 9-yard pass to tight end Zach Ertz. Three plays later, Daniels clinched it with a touchdown pass to McLaurin.
Troubling trend: Defending the run. Washington entered Monday night ranked 29th vs. the run, allowing 5.1 yards per carry. But the Commanders allowed 6.2 yards per carry Monday night. They’ve used a lot of two-deep safety looks, keeping an extra defender out of the box, but they must play better along the front. — John Keim
Next game: vs. Arizona Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 29)
For the second time in three games, the Bengals were big home favorites over a team that had a rough 2023 season. And yet again, Cincinnati suffered a stunning upset.
Led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders topped the Bengals 38-33 to send Cincinnati to an 0-3 start.
Daniels produced a masterful performance. Washington scored touchdowns on five of its first six drives, including a 27-yard pass from Daniels to wide receiver Terry McLaurin to salt away the win with 2:10 left.
Before the season started, the Bengals were in the conversation to challenge Kansas City for the AFC title. But a third AFC title meeting in four seasons between the teams seems very distant right now. According to ESPN Research, only six teams have reached the playoffs in the Super Bowl era after an 0-3 start to the season.
Troubling trend: Failing to convert possessions into touchdowns was an issue last week against the Kansas City Chiefs and persisted against Washington. In the second quarter, Cincinnati had three drives inside Washington’s 30-yard line. The Bengals settled for field goal tries on all three of them. Kicker Evan McPherson made 2 of 3 attempts.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Containing Daniels. The rookie quarterback made running the offense look effortless in his third career start. Daniels completed 14 of his first 16 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown. He also scrambled for one touchdown to help the Commanders torch Cincinnati’s defense. Washington scored touchdowns on its first four drives. — Ben Baby
Next game: vs. Carolina Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 29)
Burrow capped off the Bengals’ six-play opening drive with a 41-yard bomb to Chase that put Cincinnati in front just 3:23 into the game. It marked the Bengals’ quickest touchdown scored since Week 16 of the 2022 season at New England, when Tee Higgins found the end zone 2:36 into the first quarter.
The play marked Burrow’s 100th career touchdown pass in his 55th regular-season game, tying him for the seventh-fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach the century mark. It also was his 20th career touchdown pass of 40 or more yards, the most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2020.
For Chase, it was his 12th career touchdown catch of 40-plus yards, the second-most leaguewide since his 2021 NFL debut (Kansas City/Miami WR Tyreek Hill has 13). It also marked Chase’s first 40-plus-yard reception of any kind since his 76-yard touchdown in Week 13 of last season at Jacksonville.
Ja’Marr Goes For 100+, Two Touchdowns
Burrow found Chase down the right sideline for a 31-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to pull the Bengals within five. It gave Chase his seventh career game with multiple receiving touchdowns, the third-most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2021.
Chase finished the game with six catches for a season-high 118 yards. He now has 15 career games with 100-plus receiving yards, the eighth-most leaguewide since 2021.
Three On The Year For Yoshi
Burrow connected with second-year receiver Andrei Iosivas on fourth-and-goal late in the third quarter, and the Princeton product reached the ball just over the goal line to cut Cincinnati’s deficit to one possession. It marked Iosivas’ third touchdown of the season, and the seventh of his career on just 25 total receptions.
McPherson Logs 100th Attempt
Evan McPherson’s 28-yard field goal midway through the second quarter marked his 100th career field goal attempt. His 84 made field goals are the third-most in team history through any kicker’s first 100 attempts, trailing Shayne Graham and Randy Bullock (87 each).
Linebacker Duo Fills Tackle Column Again
Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt combined for 18 tackles, as each player finished with nine to tie for the team lead. Combining Wilson’s total tonight with his 12 stops in each of the first two weeks, he became the first Bengals player since linebacker Nick Vigil in 2018 to post nine or more tackles in three straight games to open a season.
Pratt and Wilson have 33 total tackles apiece this season, which are tied for the most over the first three weeks of a season by any Bengals player since at least 1987. They also are two of the four Bengals ever to total 30-plus stops through the team’s first three games, joining Vigil (32 in 2018) and linebacker Dhani Jones (32 in 2008).
The Bengals came away with points on six of their seven offensive drives, with the one outlier being a missed field goal try in the second quarter. Washington, meanwhile, scored on each of its six true possessions (two kneel-downs at end of the first half and end of game). It marked the first NFL game since 1940 in which neither team punted or committed a turnover.
