Joe Burrow, Zac Taylor Assess Game-Changing Interceptions To Close Bills Loss

CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow had an elite first 90% of the game on Sunday, but things came crumbling apart with a pick-six and another interception in the final minutes of a 39-24 loss to Buffalo.

Cincinnati is trying to become the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs after a 3-8 start, and that pipe dream isn't quite dead thanks to the bad AFC North, but Sunday was a massive hit.

The Bengals held a 10-point lead at multiple points in the loss. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Christian Benford's 63-yard pick-six increased the Bills' win probability by 60.8% (from 16.2% to 77.0%).

It was the single biggest win probability swing on a play outside of the last two minutes in the NGS era (since 2016).

"Yeah, great play. Great plays by them," Burrow said about the late interceptions. "Corner Blitz and trying to throw a hot reaction, and the guy jumps up and catches it. Great play. Next one, the tip ball lands in the right in that guy's hands. So, yeah, good place by them."

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor noted the nature of some tough moments continuously striking the team at the wrong times this season.

"We were in a great spot. And I thought, you know, 47 just made an outstanding point," Taylor said about Benford's touchdown. "That's a big time point in this league; he's playing with a lot of confidence. 47 just made an outstanding point. That's a big time point in this league. He's playing with a lot of confidence.

"You don't see a lot of guys be able to make that play. And he did it. And credit to him. He's [Burrow] got awareness of both of them. If the defense has great awareness and they're great players, then they're capable of making those plays. And the pick six, I mean, the guy just took the ball."

Cincinnati had a 7.6% chance to make the playoffs entering today's game, which will surely get cut in half or worse on ESPN's Football Power Index.

It's been one thing after another during one of the wonkiest Bengals campaigns in recent memory.

"There's nobody that can watch that game and say they didn't think we had a chance to win that, and that's what I believe every time we've walked on the field this year," Taylor said. "I think everybody who's watched every game we played has seen these games come down to this man, and it's disappointing that this one got away from us, but we got to find a way to respond next week with a huge home game."

Cincinnati has its final battle with Baltimore this season next Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

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