Walk-Off Thoughts: Bengals Dominate Second Half, Beat Buccaneers 34-23

Cincinnati is in sole possession of first place in the AFC North.

Author:
James Rapien
Publish date:
Dec 18, 2022 11:05 PM EST

In this story:

TAMPA — The Bengals rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the Buccaneers 34-23 on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

It wasn't always pretty, but Cincinnati did enough to secure their sixth win in a row. They're 10-4 on the season and in sole possession of first place in the AFC North for the first time this season.

Here are our walk-off thoughts following a successful road trip in Tampa Bay:

Shorthanded Defense Dominates

Dec 18, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle DJ Reader (98) celebrates after he recovered the fumble against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports — Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Bengals didn't have Trey Hendrickson or Mike Hilton. Sam Hubbard left the game in the second quarter with a calf injury.

They couldn't stop Tom Brady and the Bucs' offense in the first half. The 45-year-old moved the ball up-and-down the field.

Instead of panicking, the Bengals' defense rallied and forced four turnovers in the second half, which led to 21 points.

Guys like Germaine Pratt, DJ Reader and Tre Flowers made big plays. Joseph Ossai had a big fumble recovery. Logan Wilson led the team with 15 tackles, one sack and two quarterback hits.

This defense didn't flinch and held the Bucs to just six second half points.

“I just thought they did a great job stepping up in the second half," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. "All the guys. I saw Jay Tufele in the backfield, Tre Flowers picking off passes, I saw AG (Akeem Davis-Gaither) making plays, Eli Apple—so really, guys just stepped up at every position and this is the type of year where you’re going to lose some guys. So, guys need to step up and keep the team going, and I saw a lot of that across the board from a lot of our players through all three phases.”

Playing Through Pain

Dec 18, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd (83) scores a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports — Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Tyler Boyd suffered a gruesome finger injury last week against the Browns. Not only did he play today, but he caught the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter, finishing with five receptions for 35 yards.

“He was gritty all day. That shows his toughness, his leadership, his commitment to the team and organization," Joe Burrow said. "He played really well today for us and stepped up in some big spots.”

Burrow Throws Four Touchdowns

Burrow didn't play his best game of the season, but responded the right way, especially after throwing an interception on the first drive of the game and being out of rhythm for most of the first half.

The Bengals punted on three-straight drives following the turnover and were facing a 17 point deficit when Burrow led the offense on a 7-play, 47-yard drive that ended with a 41-yard field goal. Trimming the deficit to 17-3 gave Cincinnati a little momentum going into the half.

"I think that really started the momentum. I think all year we’ve really been a good two-minute team," Burrow said. "I feel really good about our calls in that situation and we were able to go right down the field and get some points right before the half that was much needed—cut it to a two score game instead of three. So that was a big point in the game.”

The Bengals went on to score 34-straight points and cruise to their 10th victory of the season.

Money Mac

Bengals kicker Evan McPherson was perfect on Sunday, making both of his field goal attempts and both extra points. He didn't have any long kicks, but it didn't matter. Having a reliable kicker is valuable and McPherson bounced back after missing an extra point last week.

Burrow vs Brady Delivers

Dec 18, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) greets Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) after a game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports — Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

It was a weird game, but Brady vs Burrow part one was entertaining. Both quarterbacks finished with solid numbers, although neither guy was perfect.

Burrow completed 27-of-39 attempts for 200 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Brady completed 30-of-44 passes for 312 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

"He's a really good quarterback," Brady said when asked about Burrow.

That could be the only time they play against each other. Maybe they'll meet again next season if Brady decides to hang around. Regardless, Burrow was able to beat the G.O.A.T.

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