Joe Burrow gave the Bengals a late push, but Cincinnati still walked off Paycor Stadium with a 22-17 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday.
For most of the afternoon, the bigger problem was the same one that kept showing up in the middle of the game: the Bengals never really got into a clean rhythm. They stayed close enough to matter, but penalties, turnovers and a flat stretch of offense kept them from turning pressure into points. Cincinnati got within 13-10 early in the third quarter, then let the chance slip away.
The most damaging moment came early in the fourth quarter. With the Bengals only 10 yards from the end zone, Burrow threw an interception to Foyesade Oluokun on the second play of the period. The defense forced a punt, but Cincinnati had already blown its best shot to grab control after trailing 13-3 earlier.
Then came the final drive. Burrow marched the offense downfield with 50 seconds left and completed his first three passes of the possession, but the rally stopped one yard short when Chase Brown was tackled before the first down. The Bengals never got the go-ahead score they were chasing.
Burrow finished 39-of-54 for 428 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The first pick came when he was hit as he threw and the ball fell short, where Jourdan Lewis made the easy interception. The second one was the real backbreaker, coming with the Bengals in prime position to at least tie the game and likely take their first lead.
Even with the turnovers, Burrow was sharp for much of the day. He stood in the pocket, took hits and kept delivering the ball accurately.
Tee Higgins carried the passing game, piling up 11 catches for 157 yards. Mike Gesicki added one catch for 15 yards and a touchdown, and Dohnte Meyers finished with six receptions for 67 yards on seven targets.
Ja’Marr Chase caught three passes for 27 yards before leaving with a concussion. The hit that ended his day came after Ventrell Miller came in late while Jarrian Jones was already making the tackle.
Jones grabbed Chase’s facemask and was twisting him down when Miller delivered the blow. Chase was officially ruled out at the start of the third quarter.
Ja’Marr Cause took a monster hit here.He walked off under his own power and is in the blue tent pic.twitter.com/e8AE28VpgG
The ground game never got going. Chase Brown finished with nine yards on eight carries, Samaje Perine had seven yards on three attempts, and Burrow added six yards on three carries and a touchdown. Brown did catch 10 passes for 62 yards, but the Bengals’ rushing attack was basically a non-factor.
Cincinnati’s defense was also working shorthanded, with safeties Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger out, along with starting nickel Jalen Davis. The group did enough at times to keep the Bengals in it, including getting the ball back after Burrow’s interception in the fourth quarter, but it couldn’t get off the field late when it mattered most.
Missed tackles remained a problem. Jordan Battle was at the center of that issue, including a missed open-field tackle on 3rd-and-18 early in the first quarter.
The loss drops Cincinnati to 2-2, and the Bengals head to Miami next to face the Dolphins on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 1 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Bengals Loss Exposed A Bigger Problem Than Just One Bad Night
The Bengals Week 4 loss to Jacksonville was more than a frustrating 22-17 finish, because it also forced a hard look at how much of the roster held up when the game tightened. Cincinnati still got encouraging work from Dohnte Meyers and Tee Higgins, but the night turned choppy quickly after JaMarr Chase left for a concussion evaluation, and the offense never really settled into a rhythm from there.
What made the result sting was how many layers of the operation looked off at once. Jordan Battle and Dylan Fairchild drew criticism for their play, Zac Taylors offensive adjustments did not seem to solve the Jaguars pressure points, and Joe Burrows decision-making under pressure came under the microscope again, leaving the Bengals with a familiar but troubling question about whether this was just a bad night or something deeper. [Read more 🡒]
Tee Higgins Injury Leaves Bengals Facing One Big Offensive Concern
Tee Higgins night against the Jaguars ended with a late adductor injury, and it left the Bengals with one of the more immediate questions they can face this early in the week. Higgins tried to come back after leaving the game, but he was unable to continue, and Cincinnati still has not offered any recovery timeline as the team awaits further evaluation.
For a passing game that leans heavily on Higgins as one of its top targets, the timing matters as much as the injury itself. The Bengals now have to sort through what comes next without knowing how long they may be without him, and that uncertainty adds another layer to an offense already trying to keep its footing. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Suddenly Face A Ja'Marr Chase Scare They Can't Afford
JaMarr Chases afternoon against Jacksonville took an unwelcome turn when a facemask hit led to a head injury and a concussion evaluation, forcing the Bengals star receiver out of the game for a stretch. For a Cincinnati offense that leans heavily on Chase to set the tone, any pause in his availability immediately changes the feel of the sideline and the play-calling.
Zac Taylor also pointed to the broader reality the Bengals are dealing with, noting the strain of injuries across the receiver room with Chase among the players affected. Even when Chase is only listed as questionable to return, the ripple effect is clear for a team that cannot afford to lose more firepower while trying to stay on schedule offensively. [Read more 🡒]