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Cincinnati Bengals tight end Jack Endries (84) scores on a four-yard touchdown reception against the Detroit Lions during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor wasn’t too pleased with how his team finished out both halves, giving up points, in the preseason opener, but he saw a lot of good things otherwise.
The Bengals only managed three points in Joe Burrow’s two drives and still came away with a 16-14 win over the Detroit Lions in the first test of the preseason Thursday, Aug. 13 at Paycor Stadium.
Starters played two series or less for Cincinnati, and the depth came through for the victory. Here are five takeaways from the game:
1. Under center still a work in progress
Burrow has been working under center frequently in training camp, and that carried into the game Thursday as seven of his 13 snaps came out of that operation. He said there has been “some good, some bad,” and he can get better in those situations.
The Bengals crossed midfield the first drive, totaling 25 yards on three plays before Burrow held onto the ball too long and took a sack. The next play they went back to shotgun but the 5-yard screen pass to Samaje Perine wasn’t enough to move the chains, and Cincinnati punted. His second drive was a mix of shotgun and under center, and it ended in a quarterback hit on third down as Burrow’s pass sailed out of bounds. Evan McPherson nailed a 56-yard field goal to cap the drive.
“We’re adding that (under center) to our system and see where it can take us,” Burrow said.
2. Rough start for Orlando Brown
It’s been a rough training camp for Orlando Brown Jr., and that continued Thursday when undrafted rookie Eric O’Neill blew past him to drive Burrow to the ground as he was launching a pass that went over Mike Gesicki’s head.
Although still early, and just a preseason game, Brown’s struggles are concerning as he has been on the decline the past two seasons. His contract was extended this offseason, and there’s not a lot of competition for his spot. Cody Ford is the backup swing tackle and came back from the offseason in much better shape than a year ago, but the Bengals need more from Brown going forward.
Taylor, when asked about the performance of the offensive line as a whole this camp, said the unit “has been good” and the competition from the Bengals improved defensive line is “making everybody better.”
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Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle (27) celebrates an interception during an NFL preseason football game against the Detroit Lions in Cincinnati, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026.
3. Splash plays on defense
The Bengals defense has looked good in training camp, and they had some big plays Thursday, albeit against a lot of backups. Quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and running back Jahmyr Gibbs were among those who did not play for Detroit.
Jordan Battle came up with the first turnover of the preseason when he intercepted Lions backup quarterback Luke Altmyer on the opening drive after the pass bounced off receiver Isaac TeSlaa’s chest. Battle led the Bengals with four interceptions last year.
Cashius Howell, the team’s second-round draft pick, has been all over the place in training camp and showed well in a good amount of playing time the first half. He recovered an Altmyer fumble in the second quarter and also broke through to apply pressure on a Kris Jenkins third-down sack at the Bengals’ 38-yard line the drive after Cincinnati had taken a 10-0 lead.
“I felt good that my work in camp is allowing me to translate into the game and allowing me to get comfortable so I can just keep getting better,” Howell said.
4. The rookie show
Howell wasn’t the only rookie making plays Thursday. The 2026 rookie class put on a show.
Tight end Jack Endries, a seventh-round selection, caught the first touchdown of the preseason, a 4-yard pass from Joe Flacco, and finished with 25 yards on three catches. Fourth-round pick Colbie Young had two catches for 28 yards, including the long play of the day on a 20-yard pass from Flacco.
“Perfect timing by Flack there just to put it there on time and move the chains, I mean, routine play right there,” Young said of his long catch.
Defensive tackle Landon Robinson, a seventh-rounder, saw some early snaps and had two tackles and a half-sack to go with two quarterback hits.
Offensive lineman Brian Parker played left guard and didn’t do anything to stand out in a negative way. Tacario Davis, a third-round pick, and center Connor Lew, another fourth-round pick, did not play as a precaution.
5. Depth looks better
Preseason results don’t mean a lot, but performance usually is a sign of what the depth looks like, and this might be the deepest roster in Taylor’s eight years.
“I think a lot of guys got a lot of opportunity today to really showcase their abilities,” Taylor said.
That depth especially is noticeable on the defensive line. With Lawrence and Allen only playing three snaps and BJ Hill still out due to injury, the interior backups saw a lot of snaps. Robinson played some alongside TJ Slaton, and Jenkins, now pushed to the third-string, made the most of his opportunities.
Jenkins had a good night in addition to the sack, finishing five tackles, including a tackle for loss. He had two big run stops on the same drive as his sack.
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Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary (21) defends Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Noah Thomas (17) on a pass that was incomplete during the second half of a preseason NFL football game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, in Cincinnati.