Los Angeles
Chargers
10-7
45
FINAL
51
Cincinnati
Bengals
14-3
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Wildcard Round showdown, the Cincinnati Bengals narrowly defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 51-45, advancing in the 2026 postseason. Both teams fought fiercely, but it was the Bengals who emerged victorious, securing their place in the next round of the playoffs.
Offensively, Breece Hall was the standout performer for Cincinnati, racking up an impressive 215 rushing yards and 192 receiving yards, showcasing his versatility and playmaking ability. Joe Burrow complemented Hall’s efforts with a stellar performance, throwing for four touchdowns and keeping the Chargers' defense on their heels throughout the game. Meanwhile, Justin Herbert of the Chargers put up a valiant fight, amassing 391 passing yards, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Bengals' explosive offense.
Defensively, the Bengals made key plays when it counted, with Tacario Davis intercepting a crucial pass that shifted momentum late in the game. Brandon Cisse led the team with six total tackles, ensuring that the Chargers' big plays were limited. The turning point came in the fourth quarter when Burrow connected with Hall for a touchdown, sealing the game and sending Cincinnati to the next round.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | QB | 28 | 21 | 391 | 4 | 2 | 126.4 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 17 | 15 | 346 | 4 | 0 | 158.3 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breece Hall | HB | 17 | 215 | 12.6 | 3 | 55 | 0 |
| Keaton Mitchell | HB | 20 | 110 | 5.5 | 2 | 37 | 0 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 2 | 8 | 4.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Mecole Hardman | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Aiyuk | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 1 | -4 | -4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matthew Golden | WR | 1 | -5 | -5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breece Hall | HB | 7 | 192 | 27.4 | 2 | 76 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 10 | 156 | 15.6 | 2 | 24 | 0 |
| KeAndre Lambert-Smith | WR | 7 | 147 | 21.0 | 2 | 42 | 0 |
| Matthew Golden | WR | 2 | 66 | 33.0 | 2 | 39 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 3 | 50 | 16.7 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Oronde Gadsden | TE | 2 | 37 | 18.5 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Tre' Harris | WR | 1 | 31 | 31.0 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| Devin Culp | TE | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| David Njoku | TE | 1 | 20 | 20.0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Tanner Koziol | TE | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Battle | SS | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryan Cook | FS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Rodriguez | MIKE | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Cisse | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tacario Davis | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tarheeb Still | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Genesis Smith | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daiyan Henley | MIKE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Akheem Mesidor | REDG | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terell Smith | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pat Surtain II | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kelvin Joseph | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Khalil Mack | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eric Stokes | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kris Jenkins Jr | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derwin James Jr | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Hart | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tuli Tuipulotu | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Coby Bryant | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bud Dupree | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Swayze Bozeman | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Troy Dye | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evan McPherson | K | 1 | 1 | 4 | 42 |
| Cameron Dicker | K | 1 | 2 | 2 | 28 |

