Bengals hold on for 1st playoff win in 31 years
CINCINNATI
Joe Burrow led an efficient offense that scored on six drives, including two of his touchdown passes, and rookie Evan McPherson made four field goals as the Cincinnati Bengals finally advanced in the playoffs with a 26-19 win over Las Vegas in Saturday’s wildcard game.
It was a victory three decades in the making for the Bengals (11-7). After going from worst to first in the AFC North with a generally young roster, they ended an embarrassing, long postseason drought that spanned 31 years and eight consecutive defeats.
“Who Dey,” indeed. Their next opponent will depend on results in the other two AFC wild-card games this weekend.
The Bengals had to survive a Raiders drive to the 9-yard line, but Derek Carr was intercepted on fourth down by Germaine Pratt.
Helped by some problematic officiating by Jerome Boger’s crew that might have allowed Burrow’s touchdown pass to Tyler Boyd to count when it shouldn’t have, the
Bengals also extended a lengthy postseason drought for the Raiders (10-8).
Las Vegas, which won its final four games to squeeze into the playoffs, last won in the postseason in the 2002 AFC championship game.
Cincinnati made it 4 for 4 on scoring drives late in the first half, though with some controversy. Burrow rolled right to avoid pressure and threw from close to the sideline. Play continued despite an erroneous whistle by an official, who thought Burrow stepped out of bounds. Boyd caught the 10-yard pass in the back of the end zone for a 20-6 lead. The play counted, to protests from the Raiders, who cited the rule that the ball should be returned to the previous spot.
And Las Vegas lost by seven points.
After Daniel Carlson, the league’s top scorer, made a 47-yard field goal to get Las Vegas off well on the opening possession, the Bengals countered. And kept scoring, though it was mostly field goals. Burrow took Cincinnati 75 yards in 10 plays, connecting with tight end C.J. Uzomah in the front of the end zone on third down from the 7 to make it 7-3.
Burrow threw for 65 yards on the drive and Uzomah celebrated his score with the Ickey Shuffle.
Then the Bengals’ defense stepped up with their sacks leader, Trey Hendrickson, stripping Carr of the ball and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi rumbling 11 yards with it to the Raiders 10. But Las Vegas held and Evan McPherson made a 31yard field goal.
Tampa Bay 28-22 at home on Oct. 14, including four of the past five to earn the No. 7 seed in the NFC.
One of the keys to the surge has been the NFL’s top rushing attack.
Hurts is one of eight quarterbacks in league history to throw for more than 3,000 yards and run for more than 750 in the same season. He led the Eagles with 784 yards rushing and 10 TDs on the ground, with most of that production coming since facing the defending Super Bowl champs.
“He has definitely gotten better throughout that time, which doesn’t surprise me at all because Jalen is a student of the game,” first-year Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “Jalen wants to get better and craves to get better.
... I think you’re just seeing him grow closer and closer to his ceiling.”
The mistakes kept coming for the visitors. Peyton Barber touched a botched kickoff heading out of bounds at the Raiders 2, putting them in a hole they couldn't climb from when Carr was sacked at his 1. All-Pro punter A.J. Cole got off a 58-yarder, but Trent Taylor’s 14-yard return set up Cincinnati once more in prime position.
Ja’Marr Chase, who had
With Hurts making his playoff debut and Brady beginning his NFL-record 19th postseason, the experience factor obviously favors Tampa Bay.
But it’s not as if Hurts has never performed on a big stage, having done so in college with Alabama and Oklahoma.
Brady was asked where his glittering playoff record ranks among his many accomplishments, including being the NFL’s career passing leader.
“That’s a good question. If you had asked me what my record was, I would have said: ‘I don’t know.’ It’s just the reality of doing this and staying focused on what’s ahead and not looking back,” Brady said. “I’d love to get to 35-11 — that would be my answer. Got to go win a very tough game against a great opponent.” nine receptions for 116 yards, kept victimizing the Raiders, his 38-yard reception getting the Bengals to the 6 before they stalled. McPherson made a 30yarder for a 13-3 lead. It soon was 13-6 as the Raiders did two things right, at last: Josh Jacobs runs of 14 and 35 yards that led to Carlson’s 28-yard field goal.
The Raiders’ impressive two-minute drill covering 80 yards, capped by Carr’s 14-yard pass to Zay Jones with 13 seconds remaining in the second quarter made it 20-13. McPherson, a fifth-round draft pick last April, made two more second-half field goals, as did Carlson.
The crowd of 66,277 fans hungry for some playoff gold had to hold their breath before getting it.