Live Updates: Green Bay Packers at Cincinnati Bengals
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers (3-1) are facing the Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. Follow along all day for updates.
Overtime
Packers 25, Bengals 22 (1:55 remaining)
Mason Crosby finally ended the nonsense with the winning field goal.
Packers 22, Bengals 22 (8:13 remaining)
De’Vondre Campbell’s interception put the victory on a silver platter. Instead, Mason Crosby missed a 40-yard field goal. That’s Crosby’s fourth miss of the day – three field goals and an extra point.
Fourth Quarter
Packers 22, Bengals 22 (0 seconds remaining)
A 20-yard completion to Davante Adams set up the Packers for a 49ers-style victory. But, after Aaron Rodgers clocked the ball with 3 seconds to go, Mason Crosby was just a hair left on a 51-yarder as time expired. Crosby missed two field goals and an extra point, then lost the coin toss.
Packers 22, Bengals 22 (21 seconds)
Bengals kicker Evan McPherson drilled the right upright on a 57-yard field goal that might have won the game.
Packers 22, Bengals 22 (2:12 remaining)
Mason Crosby’s streak of 27 consecutive field goals ended at the worst possible time, as he yanked a 36-yard field goal wide left. It was yet another red-zone failure for the Packers, who were so dominant in that phase last season. On third down and under pressure, Aaron Rodgers missed Davante Adams for what should have been a touchdown.
Packers 22, Bengals 22 (3:27 remaining)
Cincinnati capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive that consumed almost 8 minutes with an 8-yard touchdown run by Joe Mixon and a 2-point pass to Tee Higgins. On the run, Dixon got around outside linebacker La’Darius Hamilton and juked cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles to the turf. On the two-point play, Joe Burrow completed the pass against Isaac Yiadom. That’s right, on the scoring plays, Cincinnati attacked Hamilton, Jean-Charles and Yiadom.
Packers 22, Bengals 14 (11:20 remaining)
The Packers’ red-zone woes continued – scroll down for more on that – and, therefore, they lead by only eight points. On the third play of the quarter, Davante Adams streaked between cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and safety Jessie Bates – two of the Bengals’ best defenders – for a long-ball gain of 59 yards to the 6. But two runs by AJ Dillon gained only 2 yards. On third-and-goal, Mike Hilton broke up a pass to Randall Cobb. Mason Crosby booted the chip-shot 22-yard field goal.
Third Quarter
Packers 19, Bengals 14 (8 seconds remaining)
Self-inflicted wounds kept the Packers in the driver’s seat. On third-and-2, Tee Higgins dropped a pass at the sideline. On fourth-and-2, guard Quinton Spain was flagged for holding to ruin Joe Burrow’s quarterback draw.
Packers 19, Bengals 14 (5:45 remaining)
Mason Crosby extended his streak to 26 consecutive field goals. Completions to Davante Adams completed a third-and-3 and Robert Tonyan converted a third-and-5. Then, AJ Dillon broke two tackles for a run of 17. The Bengals got off the field on the next third down when safety Jessie Bates sifted through all the crossing routes and crunched Adams on a third-down catch.
Packers 16, Bengals 14 (13:23 remaining)
Ja’Marr Chase’s 28-yard completion – 23 of which came on a missed tackle by Eric Stokes – got the Bengals close to scoring position. However, on the next play, Kenny Clark’s relentless pressure forced a bad throw by Joe Burrow, and safety Adrian Amos made him pay with a leaping interception at the 18.
Injury update: Bengals CB Chidobe Awuzie did not suffer a concussion and will be back in the lineup.
Halftime
Packers 16, Bengals 14
Aaron Rodgers and Joe Burrow have thrown two touchdown passes apiece. Their star receivers are dominating. Davante Adams has six receptions for 117 yards and one score. Ja’Marr Chase struck with a 70-yard touchdown late in the first half. Green Bay leads 239-142 in yards and Cincinnati is 0-for-5 on third down but the Bengals will get the ball to start the second half.
Second Quarter
Packers 16, Bengals 14 (36 seconds remaining)
The Packers had taken control – but not for long. Given all day to survey the defense again and again, Joe Burrow threw a 70-yard comb to rookie Ja’Marr Chase for the touchdown. Chase was all the way on the left sideline before he streaked across the field. The ball got to Chase just before safety Darnell Savage. Savage couldn’t break up the pass and Chase strolled the final 20 yards for the score.
Packers 16, Bengals 7 (1:07 remaining)
Aaron Rodgers’ jump-ball, 5-yard touchdown to Davante Adams over Trae Waynes gave the Packers a nine-point lead. This could be a particularly painful drive for the Bengals. On an early third-and-6, Rodgers hit Adams for a gain of 15. Top cornerback Chidobe Awuzie was hit by a teammate on a tackle and exited with a potential concussion. After a 24-yard catch-and-run completion to running back AJ Dillon, Rodgers beat Awuzie’s replacement, Eli Apple, for a gain of 22. Aaron Jones’ thundering 8-yard run set up the touchdown. Adams has six receptions for 117 yards.
Packers 9, Bengals 7 (6:13 remaining)
In what could be a developing situation, Packers safety Darnell Savage delivered a big hit on scrambling Joe Burrow to stop a third-and-12. Trainers quickly scrambled on the field to check on Cincinnati’s franchise quarterback. Burrow jogged off on his own but is going into the medical tent for examination.
Packers 9, Bengals 7 (7:24 remaining)
Mason Crosby extended his field-goal streak to 25 in a row by making a 44-yarder. Completions of 13 yards to AJ Dillon and 24 yards to Davante Adams on back-to-back plays got the drive rolling, but the Bengals slammed the brakes. Rodgers was ticked off following a first-down throwaway and Equanimeous St. Brown missed the block on a quick pass to Allen Lazard on second down. On third-and-11, Rodgers threw too high to Adams.
Bengals 7, Packers 6 (11:49 remaining)
The “Go Pack Go” chants have started. And Aaron Rodgers has gotten started, too. On the first play of the quarter, Rodgers got excellent protection and Davante Adams broke wide open for a catch-and-run gain of 34 yards. A bootleg completion to Marcedes Lewis set up a 12-yard touchdown pass to AJ Dillon. Dillon caught the ball at the 7 and won a footrace to the pylon. Mason Crosby blasted the left upright on the extra point.
First Quarter
Bengals 7, Packers 0 (0:00 remaining)
Aaron Rodgers is 3-of-7 passing – he hit a 17-yarder to Davante Adams on the next-to-last play of the quarterback – while counterpart Joe Burrow is 9-of-12.
Bengals 7, Packers 0 (1:15 remaining)
Green Bay’s woeful red-zone defense was beaten again – scroll down for more on that. Joe Burrow had and easy pitch-and-catch, 4-yard touchdown to running back Samaje Perine against safety Adrian Amos, who was blocked by receiver Ja'Marr Chase. Set up at its 49 after a bad punt by Corey Bojorquez, the Bengals converted a fourth-and-3 on a pass to Perine against Amos. After a 10-yard run by Joe Mixon, Burrow completed five consecutive passes for the score.
Packers 0, Bengals 0 (6:13 remaining)
Aaron Rodgers is just 2-of-7 passing and has seen plenty of rookie defensive tackle Cam Sample. On third-and-10, Sample plowed through rookie right guard Royce Newman. Rodgers escaped and led tight end Robert Tonyan just a bit too far on a deep ball. Punter Corey Bojorquez’s 31-yard shank set up Cincinnati at the 49.
Packers 0, Bengals 0 (7:09 remaining)
Green Bay escaped Aaron Rodgers’ interception with a big-time stand. On first down, Dean Lowry deflected Joe Burrow’s pass. Next, inside linebacker Krys Barnes, who is back following the concussion in Week 3 at San Francisco, came in untouched on a blitz and sacked Burrow.
Packers 0, Bengals 0 (8:48 remaining)
Aaron Rodgers has made a killing on extended plays over the years. Not this time. He escaped pressure by Cam Sample to his right and fired deep to Davante Adams but Chidobe Awuzie got inside of Adams for the interception. His 42-yard return had the Bengals setting up shop at the Packers’ 42.
Packers 0, Bengals 0 (9:39 remaining)
Kenny Clark continued his superb start to the season by stuffing a third-and-a-foot sneak by quarterback Joe Burrow.
Meanwhile, how would the Packers compensate at outside linebacker with Za’Darius Smith and Chauncey Rivers on injured reserve. Defensive lineman Kingsley Keke is lining up on the edge.
Packers 0, Bengals 0 (12:08 remaining)
The Bengals won the toss and deferred, giving Green Bay its first shot with the ball. Two strong runs by Aaron Jones got the ball on the move but the Bengals sniffed out a second-and-7 play action and didn’t let anyone get open on third down.
How to Watch Packers at Bengals
TV: Fox – Kenny Albert (play-by-play), Jonathan Vilma (analyst) and Lindsay Czarniak (sideline)
Stream: You can stream the game on FuboTV. Get a 7-day Free Trial.
Coverage Map: Check out the map at 506Sports.com to see if the game will be broadcast in your neighborhood.
Radio: Packers Radio Network – Wayne Larrivee, Larry McCarren. SIRIUS: 113 (GB), 83 (Cin.) | XM: 386 (GB), 225 (Cin.) | SXM App: 811 (GB), 806 (Cin.) Sports USA Radio, with Josh Appel (play-by-play) and Mark Carrier (analyst), will have the national broadcast.
Packers vs. Bengals History
There are seven teams with a record of better than .500 against Green Bay. You probably wouldn’t have guessed the Bengals, with a franchise record that is 87 games below .500, are among those teams. Cincinnati leads the series 7-6.
Green Bay won the last matchup, 27-24 in overtime, on Sept. 24, 2017. William Jackson intercepted Aaron Rodgers and returned it for a touchdown to give the Bengals a 21-7 lead in the second quarter. It was a stunning play. Rodgers hadn’t thrown a pick-six since the 2009 season. For context, Philip Rivers threw 19 pick-sixes during that span. But Rodgers threw two touchdown passes to Jordy Nelson, including one with 17 seconds remaining in regulation that tied the game. In overtime, Rodgers’ 72-yard completion to Geronimo Allison set up Mason Crosby’s winning field goal.
“We had a good two-minute drive to tie it up and get it to overtime,” Rodgers recalled. “And then I believe we got Michael Johnson offsides, hit G-Mo for a big one to put that one away. I’ve also had some tough games. The ‘13 game over there, that was back and forth. We were down 14-0, then went ahead 30-14, then lost it 34-30. Jonathan Franklin had a big game that day [but had a fumble on] fourth-and-1 that they ran back for a score.”
Packers-Bengals Inactives
The Packers will be down three-fifths of their preferred offensive line. Along with center Josh Myers (finger), who was ruled out on Friday, Pro Bowler Elgton Jenkins (ankle) will miss a third consecutive game. Combined with the absence of All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari (PUP list; knee), the Packers will need a big performance from a depleted front wall against the Bengals.
The starters up front will be Yosh Nijman at left tackle, Jon Runyan at left guard, Lucas Patrick at center, Royce Newman at right guard and Billy Turner at right tackle.
Green Bay’s inactives: Jenkins and Myers, safety Vernon Scott, defensive tackle Jack Heflin and the two newcomers, linebacker Jaylon Smith and cornerback Rasul Douglas. Cornerback Kevin King will play after missing the last two games with a concussion.
For Cincinnati, star running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is active. Mixon topped 1,100 rushing yards in 2018 and 2019 and is on pace for 1,500 yards this season. Its inactives would have been minor contributors: cornerback Nick McCloud, defensive linemen Darius Hodge and Tyler Shelvin, offensive lineman Fred Johnson and receiver Mike Thomas.
Packers-Bengals Prediction
The Packers will be without three starters on the offensive line, their best cornerback (Jaire Alexander), their best pass rusher (Za’Darius Smith) and their best deep threat (Marquez Valdes-Scantling). That’s an absurd amount of firepower.
Meanwhile, the Bengals have one of the NFL’s top defenses to attack the short-handed offensive line and a budding quarterback-receiver duo to take advantage of the absences of Smith and Alexander.
It all seems like too much to overcome.
Bengals 30, Packers 24. (Bill’s record: a woeful 1-3.)
Fool’s Gold
Last season, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett turned the red zone into the gold zone. The Austin Powers theme was fun and effective.
Green Bay led the NFL in scoring due in large part to its perhaps unprecedented success in the gold zone. The Packers scored touchdowns on 80 percent of their treks inside the 20. The NFL has red-zone data going back to 1999. The previous best was Kansas City’s 78.8 percent in 2003. The franchise’s previous best was 68.1 percent in 2012. Defensively, Green Bay finished eighth with an opponent touchdown rate of 58.3 percent.
This year, Green Bay is off to its 3-1 start in spite of its work in the red zone. By scoring nine touchdowns in 15 trips to the gold zone, the Packers rank 20th with a touchdown rate of 60.0 percent. Their six failures are half of last year’s total.
“It’s the hardest place to score. It’s a shorter field, tighter windows. I think we’ve done a good job, not a great job,” Hackett said this week. “We just have to keep on trucking and keep on finding that gold. It’ll come.”
Last year, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw 35 touchdowns vs. zero interceptions in the red zone and Davante Adams had a league-high 14 touchdowns. This year, Rodgers has one touchdown (to Adams) vs. one interception.
Defensively, only two teams have given up a touchdown on every red-zone possession. One of them is Green Bay, which is a perfectly imperfect 11-of-11.
It won’t get any easier this week. Cincinnati’s offense is fifth with 75.0 percent touchdowns, due in large part to Joe Burrow’s league-best 142.0 passer rating. Its defense is 12th at 58.3 percent.
Packers-Bengals Betting Trends
The Packers are 3-point favorites – just like they were at the start of the week – at SI Sportsbook. The line had fallen to 2 1/2 on Saturday.
The Packers are 3-point favorites, as well, at FanDuel, and that sportsbook will not be backing the Pack. With about 3 hours until kickoff, 78 percent of the handle and 83 percent of the bets are on the Packers to cover. The over/under is 50.5 points, with 82 percent of the money on the over.
Milestone Watch
- Last week, Aaron Rodgers tied Dan Marino for sixth in NFL history with his 420th career touchdown pass. Rodgers’ next touchdown pass will tie Philip Rivers for fifth all-time.
- Davante Adams has 546 career receptions, four behind Jordy Nelson for third in franchise history. Assuming he stays healthy, Adams should catch Sterling Sharpe (595) at some point this season for second place. To knock Donald Driver (743) off the top of the leaderboard will require Adams to re-sign rather than depart in free agency this coming offseason.
- With 72 rushing yards, Aaron Jones would move past Eddie Lacy and into 10th place on the franchise list. Jones has 3,364 career rushing yards; Lacy has 3,435.
