The Bengals needed every bit of their offense to survive Sunday’s shootout with the Titans, but it was Dexter Lawrence who slammed the door when it mattered most.
Cincinnati escaped with a 43-36 win at home, and Lawrence was right in the middle of the finish. He finished with seven tackles and one sack, then delivered the play that stopped Tennessee’s last real chance at a game-winning field goal in regulation. Facing a huge third down at midfield, Cam Ward was brought down by Lawrence, ending the Titans’ push.
It was the latest big moment in a season that has been full of them for Lawrence. He has become exactly the kind of difference-maker Cincinnati hoped for, and Sunday was another reminder of how quickly he can change a game.
That stop also kept Joe Burrow’s late surge from going to waste. Burrow came through in a huge way down the stretch despite throwing three interceptions, and Lawrence’s sack preserved the win for the Bengals defense.
“In that moment right there, we've kind of seen that situation before," Taylor told the media. "Two-minute drive, a field goal wins it for them.
They could probably kick it at that point from 45 or beyond. They might have attempted that thing, so we're right there on the fringe, and Dexter can win: get him on the ground, not let him out of his grasp, not let him throw the ball away, and see if they can't try something really long.
Gets him on the ground and finishes the game for the defense. That's why you trade for a guy like that, and he stepped up and has been the impact player we hoped he would be."
Now Cincinnati turns its attention to a days-long trip to Spain this week, carrying a 5-2 record into a stretch that suddenly looks even more important. With the 6-2 Steelers sitting in front of them, the AFC North is starting to look like a two-team race.
Taylor said the Bengals have to keep their perspective after a game like this.
"Gotta take a deep breath," Tayor said. "I wish we played 17 perfect regular season games, but those guys are getting paid a lot of money too on the other side of the ball on the other team, and so they made some plays today too that made things difficult for us. And again, it's just about finding a way."
Cincinnati has now won in dramatic fashion after blowing out the Ravens, and the next challenge comes against an NFC opponent in the Falcons.
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Demetrius Knight Jr Keeps Showing Up In Bengals' Biggest Moments
Demetrius Knight Jr. has become one of those Bengals defenders who seems to find himself in the middle of the games most consequential stretches, even when the day starts with a scare. In Sundays overtime win over the Titans, the rookie linebacker was shaken up in the first quarter and needed evaluation before getting back on the field, another reminder that his first NFL season has already included more than its share of bumps and bruises.
Knights latest return mattered almost immediately, because Cincinnati kept leaning on him in a game that stayed tight deep into the second half. He answered with one of the biggest defensive plays of the afternoon, a stop that flipped the momentum and fit the pattern he has been building all season: when the Bengals need a jolt, Knight keeps finding his way into the frame. [Read more 🡒]
Dexter Lawrence Is Giving Bengals Fans Another Reason To Love That Trade
Dexter Lawrence II keeps finding ways to matter for Cincinnati, and his latest contribution came in the Bengals overtime win against the Titans in Week 8. After recovering a fumble, Lawrence helped swing the field position in a game that needed every break it could get, adding another timely moment to a stretch that has already made his arrival from the Giants look like a smart move for Cincinnati.
Zac Taylor has taken notice, praising Lawrences impact and pointing to the key plays he has made in recent games. The Bengals also locked him in with a one-year contract extension recently, a sign they see him as more than a short-term fix. For a team that has spent plenty of time searching for difference-makers, Lawrence is giving fans another reason to like the trade that brought him in. [Read more 🡒]
JaMarr Chases Sideline Frustration Says Plenty About Bengals Offense
JaMarr Chase did plenty of damage against the Titans, hauling in 11 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown, but the bigger takeaway for the Bengals may have been the edge he showed when things bogged down on the sideline. Cincinnatis offense has been searching for a cleaner rhythm early in games, and Chases body language offered another glimpse of how much that has been bothering one of its top playmakers.
Joe Burrow brushed off the sideline frustration as a good sign, reading it as competitive fire rather than a problem. Chase also leaned into the conversation afterward by pointing back to head coach Zac Taylor when asked about the slow starts, a nod to a phrase Taylor has already made part of the teams vocabulary. For a Bengals offense built around high expectations, even the frustration says something about how much is still being left on the field. [Read more 🡒]