NFL 2026
Week 1 · Sunday, September 13, 2026 · Paycor Stadium · 66,625 attended
Game Recap

Bengals Beat Buccaneers 33-27 in Week 1

Cincinnati Bengals 33, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27 at Paycor Stadium. Joe Burrow went 25 of 35 for 254 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

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Quarter Scoring

Team Q1Q2Q3Q4 Total
Buccaneers
37107 27
Bengals
141036 33

Bengals Leaders

Passing Yards
Joe Burrow
25/35, 254 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing Yards
Chase Brown
16 CAR, 56 YDS, 1 TD
Receiving Yards
Mike Gesicki
5 REC, 78 YDS, 1 TD
Tackles

Buccaneers Leaders

Passing Yards
Baker Mayfield
23/28, 216 YDS
Rushing Yards
Bucky Irving
8 CAR, 45 YDS, 1 TD
Receiving Yards
Emeka Egbuka
5 REC, 63 YDS
Tackles

Team Stats

Buccaneers Stat Bengals
19 1st Downs 26
12 Passing 1st downs 14
5 Rushing 1st downs 10
2 1st downs from penalties 2
5-10 3rd down efficiency 8-14
0-0 4th down efficiency 0-0
52 Total Plays 63
282 Total Yards 351
5.4 Yards per Play 5.6
9 Total Drives 9
193 Passing 245
23/28 Comp/Att 25/35
6.0 Yards per pass 6.8
0 Interceptions thrown 1
4-23 Sacks-Yards Lost 1-9
89 Rushing 106
20 Rushing Attempts 27
4.5 Yards per rush 3.9
2-4 Red Zone (Made-Att) 2-5
8-39 Penalties 7-47
4 Turnovers 1
4 Fumbles lost 0
0 Interceptions thrown 1
1 Defensive / Special Teams TDs 1
28:35 Possession 31:25

Scoring Plays

12 scores
Q1 9:09
Chase McLaughlin 34 Yd Field Goal
3–0
Q1 6:18
Demetrius Knight Jr. 27 Yd Fumble Return (Evan McPherson Kick)
3–7
Q1 1:48
Mike Gesicki 2 Yd pass from Joe Burrow (Evan McPherson Kick)
3–14
Q2 5:32
Chase Brown 5 Yd Rush (Evan McPherson Kick)
3–21
Q2 1:49
Bucky Irving 10 Yd Rush (Chase McLaughlin Kick)
10–21
Q2 0:06
Evan McPherson 20 Yd Field Goal
10–24
Q3 10:03
Evan McPherson 55 Yd Field Goal
10–27
Q3 3:41
Chase McLaughlin 51 Yd Field Goal
13–27
Q3 2:16
Josiah Trotter 38 Yd Interception Return (Chase McLaughlin Kick)
20–27
Q4 14:04
Evan McPherson 58 Yd Field Goal
20–30
Q4 5:19
Evan McPherson 32 Yd Field Goal
20–33
Q4 3:19
Baker Mayfield 9 Yd Rush (Chase McLaughlin Kick)
27–33

Week 1: Healthy Burrow Hosts Buccaneers in Cincinnati

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, September 13. Joe Burrow is fully healthy after missing nine games in 2025, and Cincinnati rebuilt its defensive front around Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen after losing Trey Hendrickson to Baltimore. Ja'Marr Chase (knee) and Tee Higgins (heel) were limited this week but are expected to play. Tampa Bay opens without Mike Evans, who signed with San Francisco, and with Emeka Egbuka nursing a toe sprain, while new coordinator Zac Robinson calls plays for Baker Mayfield.

Burrow is back, and so is Chase, probably

Cincinnati went 6-11 with Burrow sidelined for more than half the year. Chase and Higgins being limited in practice is the only real question on the home side.

Tampa Bay's receiver room without Evans

Egbuka's toe and Jalen McMillan's knee left the Bucs short in practice this week, a bad time to be thin at the position.

Bowles blitz vs. a rebuilt Bengals line

Todd Bowles sent extra rushers on more than 30 percent of snaps last year, and Cincinnati's protection is the part of the roster that changed least.

Pregame AI Prediction

Winner called correctly Confidence: Medium

How the prediction did

Predicted 23-27 (Buccaneers vs Bengals), final was 27-33. Cincinnati won 33-27, matching the projected winner and landing within two points of the projected margin in a higher-scoring game than expected.

Buccaneers
23
42% to win
VS
Bengals
27
58% to win
Buccaneers 42% Bengals 58%

A healthy Burrow at home is the deciding factor

Cincinnati's offense with Burrow, Chase and Higgins on the field is a different team from the one that finished 6-11.

Tampa Bay's passing game is thinner than a year ago

Losing Evans and possibly Egbuka leaves Mayfield with fewer proven targets against a Bengals secondary that added Bryan Cook.

The Bucs' pressure package keeps this close

Bowles' blitz rate and a new defensive front for Cincinnati mean turnovers could swing a game the model expects to be decided by a score.

The pick assumes Chase and Higgins play. If either sits, the lean drops to a coin flip.

Venue

Paycor Stadium
Cincinnati, OH
Attendance: 66,625

Closing Line

CIN -3.5
O/U 50.5
via DraftKings

Officials

Allen Baynes Side Judge
John Hussey Referee
Tim Podraza Line Judge
Matt Edwards Back Judge
Duane Heydt Umpire

Futures odds for these teams

Super Bowl futures, win totals & where to bet

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Bengals Injuries

Cashius Howell
DE · Surgery
Injured Reserve
Kyle Dugger
S · Not Specified
Questionable
DJ Turner II
CB · Not Specified
Questionable
Cedric Johnson
DE · Not Specified
Questionable
Andrei Iosivas
WR · Surgery
Injured Reserve

Buccaneers Injuries

Emeka Egbuka
WR · Not Specified
Questionable
Yaya Diaby
LB · Sprain
Out
Josh Hayes
CB · Surgery
Injured Reserve
Christian Rozeboom
LB · Not Specified
Injured Reserve
Jalen McMillan
WR · Sprain
Injured Reserve