New England
Patriots
1-2
6
FINAL
29
Cincinnati
Bengals
3-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn an impressive performance, the Cincinnati Bengals secured a dominant 29-6 victory over the New England Patriots in the Wildcard Round of the 2026 season. With this win, Cincinnati advances in the playoffs while the Patriots see their season come to a close. The Bengals showcased their prowess on both sides of the ball, proving they are a force to be reckoned with this postseason.
Quarterback Joe Burrow led the way for Cincinnati, throwing for 200 yards and a touchdown, while also managing the game effectively. Running back Kenneth Walker was a standout, racking up 93 rushing yards and leading all receivers with 118 receiving yards, showcasing his versatility and big-play ability. Together, they formed a potent offensive duo that kept the Patriots' defense on its heels throughout the game.
On defense, the Bengals were relentless, with Dax Hill making a significant impact by recording two interceptions, effectively stalling any momentum the Patriots attempted to build. Cashius Howell added pressure with a sack, while Russ Yeast anchored the defense with three total tackles. The game's turning point came early in the second half when Hill's second interception set the tone for a decisive Bengals drive, sealing their commanding lead and ensuring their advancement in the playoffs.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Burrow | QB | 10 | 6 | 60% | 200 | 1 | 0 | 137.4 |
| Drake Maye | QB | 17 | 8 | 47% | 169 | 1 | 4 | 62.7 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Walker | HB | 7 | 93 | 13.3 | 12 | 1 | 80 | 0 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | HB | 4 | 29 | 7.3 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | — | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | HB | 3 | 12 | 4.0 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Antonio Gibson | HB | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Demarcus Robinson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Walker | HB | 3 | 118 | 39.3 | 66 | 0 | 52 | 0 |
| Romeo Doubs | WR | 1 | 62 | 62.0 | 32 | 1 | 62 | 0 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | 2 | 54 | 27.0 | 17 | 1 | 47 | 0 |
| Hunter Henry | TE | 2 | 45 | 22.5 | 33 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| A.J. Brown | WR | 3 | 37 | 12.3 | 25 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Demarcus Robinson | WR | 1 | 28 | 28.0 | 19 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | HB | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 27 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Kyle Williams | WR | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dax Hill | CB | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Russ Yeast | FS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ Turner II | CB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Brandon Jones | FS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cashius Howell | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kris Jenkins Jr | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Spillane | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Marcus Jones | CB | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ar'Darius Washington | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Craig Woodson | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harold Landry III | LEDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| #555221401 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Christian Barmore | DT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sean Murphy-Bunting | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jordan Battle | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Gonzalez | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bryan Cook | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marshon Lattimore | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Milton Williams | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kyle Dugger | SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jonathan Allen | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Baringer | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Evan McPherson | K | 1 | 1 | 2 | 18 |
| Andres Borregales | K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

