How the Bengals Defeated the Titans to Advance to the AFC Championship


NASHVILLE — The Cincinnati Bengals broke their 31-year playoff drought last week and looked like this year’s dark horse contender with a young, explosive offense.

And now they officially are. The 4th Bengals won nine sacks and six penalties to shock the 19-16 seeded Tennessee Titans, with rookie batsman Evan McPherson scoring the fourth and final goal on Saturday, dividing the uprights with 52 yards as time expired.

With three interceptions of their own, the Bengals will face the winner of the Chiefs-Bills game on Sunday and travel to Kansas City or Buffalo.

“We don’t know what we don’t know,” said quarterback Joe Burrow about the team’s youth, conceding that he will have less experience in next week’s AFC championship game, whether or not he has counterpart Patrick. Mahomes, 26, from Kansas City, or Josh Allen, 25, from Buffalo. In his second season in the NFL, 25-year-old Burrow has one experience difference that sets him apart from his peers.

“It might be a different story tomorrow morning, but I’m feeling great right now,” Burrow said.

Despite many hits, Burrow threw 348 yards on the 28th of 37 with an interception. On Saturday, his colleague Ryan Tannehill suffered only one sack, but was sentenced to three interceptions.

Statistically, the game made no sense. Burrow was spectacular when he had time to spot his fast-footed receivers, completing 28 of 37 passes for 348 yards. The Titans covered Ja’Marr Chase, who still managed to pull through five passes for 109 yards. Buyer Tee Higgins and tight end CJ Uzomah each received seven receptions.

Still, Burrow was repeatedly dismissed as the Titans’ defense ran around and through the Bengals porous offensive line. Tennessee defensive end Jeffery Simmons led the offense with three sacks of Burrow.

“It was really tough,” Burrow said of the pressure he faced throughout the game.

Still, it was Tannehill and the occasional intervening Bengals defense in the Titans’ first and last game that ultimately saved the day. The final pick was crucial as it only came with 20 seconds left.

In a drive that started with 2:43 left in the game, Tannehill slowly drove the Titans onto the field to take the team from the field to goal position. Then, in the fifth game of the series, at the third and 5th from Titan’s 40-yard line, Tannehill’s pass was knocked down by cornerer Eli Apple and pulled by defender Logan Wilson.

After an exit season throwing more than 4,600 yards, Burrow got another chance to add to his résumé by stealing a second playoff win. From the Bengals’ 47-yard line, Burrow slammed into Chase to move the ball to the Titans’ 35 and straight shot position.

The Bengals emptied for a few more seconds before McPherson tied the game to the winner.

Had Cincinnati’s offensive line been more successful, the Bengals could have easily won the game as the team held the ball nearly seven minutes longer than the Titans, despite Tennessee’s star Derrick Henry coming back from his absence. more than two months.

Indeed, the game got off to an auspicious start for the Bengals. In the first game, Cincinnati safety Jessie Bates stopped Tannehill. With a great field position, the Bengals looked ready to attack. But in a game-defining pattern, Burrow was sacked in the first game on offense. A game delay penalty stopped the promising drive and the Bengals decided for a field goal, not a goal.

Cincinnati kicked three players in the first half and went 9-6 into the locker room.

The Titans, meanwhile, looked rusty after a farewell week. Tannehill missed receivers, was sacked, ran shots, and Henry, who finished 62 yards in 20 carries, wasn’t much help.

The Titans designed a solid drive mid-second quarter. Tannehill linked up with his two top buyers, AJ Brown and Julio Jones. Henry, who scored the first goal, lined up at the wildcat, took his shot and scored a goal that would delight the spectators shouting his name.

However, Henry and the Titans failed to score in a 2-pointer. In the end, those 2 extra points wouldn’t have mattered because the Bengals’ final shot was enough.



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