Both the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Payments marked this Sunday evening’s sport on their calendars when the 2023 NFL schedule bought launched.
In Week 17 of final season, a extremely anticipated matchup between the 2 with playoff seeding on the road was halted by a terrifying state of affairs by which Payments security Damar Hamlin needed to be resuscitated on the sphere. The emotional weight of this rematch was heavy for each groups, whereas convention bragging rights and positioning have been on the road as properly.
Though Hamlin did not play, he made the journey and warmed up on the sphere, the place he was greeted by Bengals receivers Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins. Boyd is a fellow alum of Pittsburgh, and Higgins was the participant who hit Hamlin when the unthinkable occurred final season.
How the Bengals beat the Payments
The Bengals offense got here out firing on this sport. Joe Burrow surged down the sphere on the opening drive and located Irv Smith Jr. for a seven-yard rating.
The Payments instantly responded with an 85-yard scoring drive of their very own, capped off by a Josh Allen dashing landing. However the Bengals shrugged it off and drove down the sphere for his or her second rating instantly after.
This time, it was Joe Mixon punching it in on the bottom.
The offenses then went a bit chilly, buying and selling punts with an Allen interception blended in. However proper earlier than halftime, Burrow hit Drew Pattern on third and seven for a 22-yard rating.
Cincinnati held a ten level lead for all the third quarter earlier than extending it to 14 halfway by way of the fourth. Stefon Diggs pulled Buffalo nearer with a receiving landing and two-point conversion.
However it wasn’t sufficient, because the Bengals have been capable of run out the clock with two first downs.
The Bengals at the moment are 5-3 and sit in a Wild Card spot, whereas the Payments fall out of 1 as their report worsens to 5-4.
