Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
0-0
20
FINAL
33
Cincinnati
Bengals
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling kickoff to the 2026 season, the Cincinnati Bengals took down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a final score of 33-20. This Week 1 matchup not only set the tone for the season ahead but also showcased the Bengals' offensive prowess against a formidable opponent.
Quarterback Joe Burrow was the star of the night, throwing for an impressive 376 yards and four touchdowns, demonstrating his ability to connect with his targets. Ja'Marr Chase was a standout receiver, racking up 125 yards and making crucial catches to keep drives alive. While Chase Brown contributed on the ground with 56 rushing yards, it was Burrow's aerial assault that truly defined the game.
Defensively, the Bengals made their mark, particularly through Shemar Stewart, who registered 1.5 sacks, putting pressure on Tampa Bay's offense. The Bengals' defense stifled crucial drives, turning the momentum in their favor. The turning point came late in the second quarter when Burrow connected with Chase for a touchdown, putting Cincinnati ahead and allowing them to hold off any comeback attempts from the Buccaneers.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Burrow | QB | 32 | 23 | 72% | 376 | 4 | 0 | 150.5 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 24 | 16 | 67% | 232 | 1 | 0 | 111.8 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Brown | HB | 12 | 56 | 4.7 | 20 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 7 | 42 | 6.0 | 6 | 1 | 14 | 0 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Mike Gesicki | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | 1 | -3 | -3.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 10 | 125 | 12.5 | 58 | 2 | 33 | 0 |
| Mike Gesicki | TE | 6 | 108 | 18.0 | 71 | 1 | 46 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 5 | 92 | 18.4 | 79 | 1 | 62 | 0 |
| Jonnu Smith | TE | 1 | 61 | 61.0 | 28 | 1 | 61 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 2 | 59 | 29.5 | 52 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| Andrei Iosivas | WR | 4 | 39 | 9.8 | 16 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 4 | 36 | 9.0 | 24 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Chase Brown | HB | 1 | 35 | 35.0 | 6 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Isaiah Likely | TE | 3 | 29 | 9.7 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Chris Godwin Jr | WR | 2 | 16 | 8.0 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Morrison | CB | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lonnie Johnson Jr | FS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr | FS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Josiah Trotter | MIKE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shemar Stewart | LEDG | 1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ Turner II | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tykee Smith | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zyon McCollum | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Demetrius Knight Jr | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Battle | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darnell Savage | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vita Vea | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tacario Davis | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Matt Milano | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yaya Diaby | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dexter Lawrence II | DT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonathan Allen | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Dax Hill | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase McLaughlin | K | 2 | 2 | 2 | 52 |
| Evan McPherson | K | 2 | 2 | 3 | 53 |

