Joe Burrow and the Bengals grit out a physical win over the Titans

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow rolled out of the pocket late in the second quarter on Sunday, he saw a winnable matchup. He kept his eyes down the field, watched his target cut past a linebacker and gave him a chance to make a leaping grab inside the red zone.

Bengals fourth-string running back Trayveon Williams, who didn’t have a catch all season, reeled the ball in.

On Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, as the Bengals won 20-16, at Nissan Stadium, Burrow had less to work with than ever before in the NFL. Pro Bowlers Ja’Marr Chase (hip) and Joe Mixon (concussion) were out. Wide receiver Tyler Boyd missed about half of a scoring drive in the third quarter. The Bengals gave Williams, wide receiver Trenton Irwin and wide receiver Kwamie Lassiter the biggest opportunities of their NFL careers.

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But because Burrow was the one mixing the ingredients together, it was still a winning recipe for the Bengals. Even against one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Bengals improve to 7-4 with win over Titans

The Bengals improved to 7-4 on the season and picked up their most quality win of the season. For most of the game, the Titans sold out on stopping wide receiver Tee Higgins, and Boyd was also having a tough time getting open.

It took a series of long, methodical drives, but the Bengals offense stayed afloat. Burrow didn’t get many chances to throw the ball deep, even though he was looking. Instead, the Bengals offense was fueled by Burrow’s creativity and a different cast of playmakers stepping up.

On third-and-12 from midfield in the fourth quarter, on the Bengals’ go-ahead touchdown drive, Burrow found wide receiver Trenton Irwin, who was just added to the 53-man roster last week. Irwin perfectly timed his cut to the right sideline, kept the cornerback on his back hip and snagged a diving catch for a first down.

Samaje Perine shines in first start for Bengals since 2020

Backup running back Samaje Perine, making his first start since 2020, showed his physical style as a runner and his upside as a playmaker on yards after the catch. On a touchdown run following Williams’ catch, Perine ran through an attempt at a shoestring tackle and powered his way into the end zone. Perine added a 32-yard catch in his second consecutive standout game.

The Bengals offense stayed consistent because of the power run game that included multiple tight ends and plays with a sixth offensive lineman. It’s a package that the Bengals rarely use, but on Sunday, they needed it to make up for what the offense was missing.

Burrow got a chance to show his ability as a runner, consistently extending plays like the 24-yard throw to Irwin. The Bengals offense was set back by a long run of penalties, including a drive-changing holding penalty, a key drop and two special teams penalties that forced the Bengals to start drives near their own goal line.

The Bengals missed Chase and Mixon’s playmaking, as well as their ability to make defenders miss. The Titans are one of the best defenses in the NFL at limiting big plays, and they made Burrow’s decision making difficult all game.

Backups step up for Bengals vs. Titans

The Bengals stayed in the game because players like Perine, Irwin, Williams and backup offensive lineman Hakeem Adeniji. They took the lead in the fourth quarter because Burrow and Higgins are stars.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Burrow saw that Higgins was being double-teamed on the right sideline. Burrow had been in this position before, against the same defense at the exact same spot on the field.

Higgins, who topped 100 yards, ran a bench route, just like Chase did on the game-winning drive in the playoffs last season. Higgins cut his route between the corner and the safety and made a toe-tapping catch for a 24-yard gain.

One minute later, Burrow saw a one-on-one matchup for Higgins down the sideline. He threw a 50/50 ball, which Burrow has called “90/10 balls” for a receiver as tall and physical as Higgins. Higgins made the leaping catch in the end zone to give the Bengals a 20-13 lead.

The Bengals’ offense lacked fireworks until the fourth quarter, so the Bengals defense picked the team up with its most physical game of the season.

Derrick Henry, Titans running game shut down vs. Bengals

The Titans are built around the run game and All-Pro running back Derrick Henry. He scored on a 75-yard screen in the second quarter, making multiple defenders miss and sprinting down the field. But as a runner, Henry was a non-factor.

All week, the Bengals coaching staff stressed that it takes an entire unit to match up against a back like Henry. Everyone, from Logan Wilson to Cam Taylor-Britt to Sam Hubbard, showed the toughness it takes to beat Tennessee. There were diving tackles, one-on-one plays in space and moments where it looked like the Bengals defense knew what was coming.

Following Higgins’ touchdown early in the fourth quarter, the Bengals defense got a stop in the red zone. Cornerback Mike Hilton caught Henry in the backfield, and Hilton made a tackle in pass coverage on third down to force the Titans to settle for a field goal.

The Bengals got the ball back with 6:07 left, up four points. They ran out the clock with physical runs from Perine, a first down throw to tight end Hayden Hurst, and an incredible escape on a run by Williams. He broke three tackles on his fourth carry of the season and got past midfield.

Then Burrow had one more special moment. While the Bengals should have been running out the clock, Burrow delivered a perfect 29-yard throw to Higgins down the right sideline. The Bengals nearly settled for a field goal, but a “hit on a defenseless player” against Bengals long snapper Cal Adomitis gave the Bengals the chance to run out the clock.

There aren’t many NFL quarterbacks who could have made a throw like Burrow’s game clinchers to Higgins, kept an offense going with so many pieces missing and outplayed one of the best defenses in the NFL. Burrow had another special performance, giving the Bengals their toughest win of the year.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals defeat Titans in gritty Week 12 win without several stars