CINCINNATI (ENQUIRER) - The Cincinnati Bengals played their worst game of the 2026 NFL season, facing one of the worst teams in the league, yet still beat the Tennessee Titans 43-36 in [overtime at Paycor Stadium](https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2026/11/01/how-the-bengals-beat-the-titans-in-overtime/92553511007/) on Nov. 1.
Cincinnati improved to 5-2 and trails first-place Pittsburgh by a half game in the AFC North Division. The Titans are 1-7, the second-worst record in the AFC.
In front of their home fans for the first time in a month, the Bengals turned the ball over four times and allowed 440 yards of total offense to the Titans. Prior to the loss on Sunday, the Titans hadn’t scored more than 36 points in five years (Oct. 10, 2021).
“Certainly a stressful day,” Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said. “... We’ll go learn from our mistakes and go from there.”
Cincinnati trailed 13-0 in the first quarter and was behind 36-29 with 3:50 left in regulation. Burrow then led the Bengals on a 10-play, 81-yard drive capped by an 18-yard TD pass to Tee Higgins.
“You try to treat it one play at a time,” Burrow said. “Then you try to go make it happen. In those spots, big-time players gotta step up, and Tee and Ja’Marr (Chase) certainly did.”
It was Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II who forced overtime. Lawrence sacked Titans quarterback Cam Ward out of field-goal range on a crucial third-down play with roughly 30 seconds left in regulation.
Burrow threw three interceptions − all to Tennessee safety Amani Hooker − but led the Bengals down the field on the first possession of overtime for the game-winning score. It was a seven-play, 70-yard drive that took three minutes and ended with Burrow running it in from 9 yards out. Burrow threw five touchdown passes and recorded the one rushing touchdown in the win − the first time in his NFL career he totaled six touchdowns. Burrow finished 38-of-48 passing for 462 yards. He was sacked three times.
Higgins had 10 receptions for 155 yards and two TDs, and Chase had 11 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown. It was Chase’s first 100-yard game of the season.
The Bengals only ran the ball 19 times for 75 yards. Tight end Mike Gesicki caught a touchdown pass for the fifth straight game, setting a Bengals record for tight ends. He also has six TDs this season, trying a career high.
“I don’t take winning for granted,” Burrow said.
The performance from Cincinnati’s defense was so disappointing because of what transpired earlier in the week. The Titans admitted they were in rebuild mode trading away their best player in defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Tennessee traded Simmons to the Chicago Bears on Oct. 29 and received two first-round picks and a fourth rounder.
The Titans were also without their best wide receiver in Carnell Tate. Tennessee running back Tony Pollard had 117 rushing yards on 21 carries, and Ward threw for a career-high 304 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
Cincinnati will head overseas to Madrid, Spain, for an international game against the Atlanta Falcons next on Nov. 8.
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