Cincinnati
Bengals
0-0
35
FINAL
20
Minnesota
Vikings
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn an impressive season opener, the Cincinnati Bengals topped the Minnesota Vikings with a final score of 35-20, showcasing their offensive firepower and setting a strong tone for the 2027 season. The Bengals capitalized on their early momentum, while the Vikings struggled to keep pace, making this matchup a statement victory for Cincinnati.
Joe Burrow led the Bengals' charge with three touchdown passes, efficiently connecting with his star receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who racked up over 100 receiving yards. On the ground, Chase Brown was a force, rushing for 133 yards and consistently finding ways to break through the Vikings' defensive front. Together, they combined for a dynamic offensive performance that proved too much for Minnesota to handle.
Defensively, Dominique Hampton stood out for the Bengals with nine total tackles, playing a crucial role in stifling the Vikings' attack. The turning point came late in the second quarter when Cincinnati's defense forced a critical turnover, allowing Burrow to extend the lead just before halftime. This momentum shift ultimately paved the way for the Bengals to control the game and secure a strong start to their season.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julian Sayin | QB | 41 | 29 | 71% | 323 | 1 | 0 | 101.9 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 26 | 20 | 77% | 235 | 3 | 0 | 142.3 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Brown | HB | 18 | 133 | 7.4 | 68 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| Cam Cook | HB | 8 | 61 | 7.6 | 25 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Kenny Gainwell | HB | 13 | 37 | 2.8 | — | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Julian Sayin | QB | 4 | 22 | 5.5 | — | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Erick All Jr | TE | 3 | 13 | 4.3 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Brian Robinson Jr | HB | 7 | 13 | 1.9 | — | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | — | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Malik Washington | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Luke McCaffrey | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 1 | -3 | -3.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 1 | -3 | -3.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 6 | 110 | 18.3 | 61 | 1 | 59 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 6 | 93 | 15.5 | 21 | 1 | 29 | 1 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 8 | 77 | 9.6 | 28 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | 5 | 76 | 15.2 | 47 | 2 | 43 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 5 | 55 | 11.0 | 30 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Luke McCaffrey | WR | 5 | 52 | 10.4 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| Erick All Jr | TE | 3 | 23 | 7.7 | 16 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Brian Robinson Jr | HB | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Kenny Gainwell | HB | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Mike Gesicki | TE | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Josh Oliver | TE | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Chase Brown | HB | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Johnny Wilson | WR | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cam Cook | HB | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominique Hampton | MIKE | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Channing Tindall | WILL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Josh Metellus | SS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas Turner | LEDG | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylin Simpson | FS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ Turner II | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryan Cook | FS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Harrison Smith | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zah Frazier | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ James | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Rasul Douglas | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tommy Togiai | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Demetrius Knight Jr | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cashius Howell | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eric Wilson | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Akeem Davis-Gaither | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Boye Mafe | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Barrett Carter | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TJ Hall | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kris Jenkins Jr | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ja'Whaun Bentley | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Reichard | K | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Evan McPherson | K | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |

