Bengals Edge Lions 16-14 in Preseason Week 1
Cincinnati Bengals 16, Detroit Lions 14 at Paycor Stadium. Josh Johnson went 10 of 19 for 84 yards.
Quarter Scoring
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Lions | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 14 |
 Bengals | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
Bengals Leaders
Lions Leaders
Team Stats
| Lions | Stat | Bengals |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1st Downs | 15 |
| 8 | Passing 1st downs | 11 |
| 6 | Rushing 1st downs | 4 |
| 2 | 1st downs from penalties | 0 |
| 4-11 | 3rd down efficiency | 7-18 |
| 0-1 | 4th down efficiency | 1-2 |
| 58 | Total Plays | 69 |
| 274 | Total Yards | 256 |
| 4.7 | Yards per Play | 3.7 |
| 12 | Total Drives | 12 |
| 145 | Passing | 159 |
| 17/30 | Comp/Att | 21/36 |
| 4.5 | Yards per pass | 4.2 |
| 2 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
| 2-17 | Sacks-Yards Lost | 2-17 |
| 129 | Rushing | 97 |
| 26 | Rushing Attempts | 31 |
| 5.0 | Yards per rush | 3.1 |
| 0-0 | Red Zone (Made-Att) | 1-3 |
| 9-84 | Penalties | 10-83 |
| 3 | Turnovers | 1 |
| 1 | Fumbles lost | 1 |
| 2 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
| 0 | Defensive / Special Teams TDs | 0 |
| 26:31 | Possession | 33:29 |
Scoring Plays
7 scores Preseason Week 1: Lions Bring Backups to Cincinnati to Face Bengals
Read the full recap →The Detroit Lions travel to Paycor Stadium to face the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday, August 13. Jared Goff is expected to sit, leaving the Lions' quarterback reps to UDFA Luke Altmyer, who became the clear QB2 after Teddy Bridgewater left the roster. The Bengals are dealing with a banged-up defensive line, including Shemar Stewart working back from a knee issue.
Detroit's QB2 job is Altmyer's to lose
With Bridgewater gone, Altmyer enters camp as the presumptive backup behind Goff. This game is a major evaluation point for a Lions front office that otherwise has few questions at the position.
Bengals defensive line depth is being tested
Shemar Stewart working back from a knee injury thins Cincinnati's rotation up front, which could open running lanes for Detroit's backfield mix even with backups on the field.
Contender caution on both sides
Detroit is coming off a strong 2025 and Cincinnati remains a playoff-caliber roster, so both teams are expected to lean heavily on backups and roster-bubble players rather than risk starters in a Preseason Week 1 game.
Pregame AI Prediction
How the prediction did
Predicted 20-17 (Lions vs Bengals), final was 14-16. Cincinnati won 16-14, not Detroit as projected, in a tight backup-driven game that came in close to the model's projected margin even though it missed the winner.
Lions Bengals Detroit's backup pecking order is more settled
Altmyer has had a clear runway as QB2 all camp, while Cincinnati's own backup situation is less defined heading in.
Bengals' D-line injuries open a window
Stewart working back from knee soreness could soften Cincinnati's pass rush against Detroit's backup offensive line.
Both rosters are deep enough to keep it close
Neither team is desperate for roster answers at the top of the depth chart, which typically produces an even, backup-driven game.
This is a preseason exhibition with both likely starters sitting. Expect backups, rookies and roster-bubble players to decide the outcome, which caps confidence regardless of team quality.
Venue
Closing Line
Officials
Futures odds for these teams
Super Bowl futures, win totals & where to bet
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Bengals Injuries