Burrow's Six-Touchdown Escape: Bengals Outlast Titans 43-36 in Overtime
Joe Burrow threw for 462 yards, survived three interceptions, and scrambled nine yards for the overtime winner as Cincinnati moved to 5-2 before its Madrid trip.
This one had everything except order. The Bengals beat the Titans 43-36 in overtime at Paycor Stadium on Sunday, a shootout with multiple lead changes that Cincinnati finally ended with Joe Burrow's legs: a nine-yard scramble for the winning touchdown, capping a five-play, 70-yard drive to open the extra period. The defense then stopped Tennessee on downs.
Burrow's wild afternoon
Burrow finished 38-of-48 for 462 yards and five touchdown passes — six total scores — against three interceptions, all of them to Titans safety Amani Hooker. Along the way he passed Carson Palmer for fourth on the Bengals' all-time passing list, per the team's recap. Tee Higgins caught 10 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns, including the 18-yarder that tied it at 36 with 1:17 left. Ja'Marr Chase added 11 catches for 141 yards and his 60th career touchdown. Mike Gesicki's 25-yard score made it a touchdown in five straight games, the longest streak ever by a Bengals tight end.
Tennessee made them earn it
The Titans jumped out 13-0 behind Tony Pollard, who ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns including a 40-yard burst. Cam Ward had his first 300-yard day — 26-of-40 for a career-high 304 yards and two touchdowns — and put Tennessee up 36-29 late with a 15-yard strike to Wan'Dale Robinson plus his own two-point run, per the Titans' recap.
The turning point came earlier: with Tennessee leading in the third quarter, Boye Mafe stripped Ward deep in Titans territory and Cincinnati recovered at the 17. Burrow hit Higgins for a touchdown on the very next snap, and a safety soon after flipped the game's momentum for good stretches of the second half.
What it means
Cincinnati is 5-2 and flies to Madrid to face Atlanta in Week 9. Tennessee falls to 1-7 and heads into its bye having lost a game in which Hooker picked off Burrow three times and Jacob Martin had three sacks — effort that deserved more than another one-score defeat.