Raiders vs. Bengals game recap: Everything we know from playoff matchup

The Cincinnati Bengals overcame a 31-year drought during Saturday’s playoff game against the Las Vegas Raiders, winning 26-19.

Joe Burrow led a feisty Bengals team into the homestand and jumped out to an early lead, with a few mistakes here and there keeping the visiting team in it.

In the end, the Bengals held on for the win, with big performances from Joe Burrow and others giving the team enough cushion to endure those mistakes.

Before we start focusing on what comes next, here’s everything we know about the game.

Final score: 26-19

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Keys to the game

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Missed chances: The Bengals had two instances of settling for field goals with extra chances in the first half, which could’ve cost them eight points had they scored touchdowns. They did it again right out of the halftime tunnel. It almost ended up swinging the game in the other direction…Ja’Marr Chase: The Raiders just didn’t have a way to stop him. The rookie had nine catches for 116 yards, moving the chains three times on the first drive alone…Third downs: The Raiders went 8-of-18 in this area, consistently getting a big play when it needed it most.

It was over when...

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…A Derek Carr pass got intercepted by Germaine Pratt in the endzone with a few seconds left in regulation.

Bengals' Top Performers

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QB Joe Burrow: 24/34, 244 yards, 2 TD

RB Joe Mixon: 17 rushes, 48 yards

TE C.J. Uzomah: 6 catches, 64 yards, 1 TD

WR Ja’Marr Chase: 9 catches, 116 yards

LB Logan Wilson: 12 total tackles

FS Jessie Bates: 6 tackles, 3 PBU

Injuries

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Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi left in the second half with a lower body injury he couldn’t put weight on. Mike Daniels left early in the game with a groin injury and didn’t return.

Important game notes

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— Bengals forced two third-and-short looks on the game’s first drive, coughing up both before finally getting a stop. Raiders went up 3-0, but the big storyline was the defense letting up those third downs, as Las Vegas entered as a mediocre team in this area.

— Zac Taylor called the drive of his life to start the game. Burrow went 5-of-7 with 65 yards and a score. The only incompletions were drops. It was a statement drive that gave the team a chance to set the tone of the game early.

— Trey Hendrickson strip-sack on Raiders’ second drive. Offense oddly blocked him with only a tight end and one of the best free-agent signings in the NFL made them pay. Bengals went up 10-3.

— Bengals had two big chances to put touchdowns on the board early but got conservative with running calls, settled for field goals to make it 13-3.

— Some of the culprits to those issues, and really the only big mistakes offensively of the first half, were questionable running calls on second downs.

— Burrow hit on an epic play to Tyler Boyd to drum up a 20-6 lead. Only problem was the defense then collapsing and letting up a touchdown right before the half.

— Bengals exited halftime and immediately settled for another field goal, 23-13.

— Burrow’s offense didn’t punt until 7:35 left in the third quarter. They had a 10-point lead, but the offensive line was really starting to struggle and increasing penalties were putting them in bad spots.

— Injuries started to devastate the Bengals defense in the third quarter. Trey Hendrickson left to be evaluated for a concussion. Mike Daniels and Larry Ogunjobi were already out. Corner Mike Hilton then went down.

— Taylor got very conservative with about three minutes left, calling brutal running plays that went nowhere. That let the Raiders get the ball back and drive down into the redzone until the game’s final moments.

What's next?

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The Bengals advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. They’ll have to overcome some key injuries to guys like Trey Hendrickson before next weekend, with an AFC crown and Super Bowl berth still a possibility.

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