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Postgame Observations: Bengals Rally From 17-Point Deficit, Beat Buccaneers 34-23

Cincinnati improves to 10-4 on the season. They've won six-straight games.

James Rapien

In this story:

TAMPA — The Bengals rallied from a 17-0 deficit to beat the Buccaneers 34-23 on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. 

An injury-riddled defense forced four turnovers in the second half and the offense took advantage of short fields to get back into the game after a dreadful start. 

The Bengals improve to 10-4 on the season. They're in sole possession of first place in the AFC North for the first time this year. 

Huge Third Quarter

The Bengals dominated the third quarter, outscoring Tampa Bay 17-0 to take a 20-17 lead. 

Cincinnati's defense forced two turnovers in the third quarter. Tre Flowers intercepted Tom Brady at the Tampa Bay 31-yard line. 

Burrow found Tee Higgins for a 5-yard touchdown seven plays later. 

DJ Reader poked the ball away from Brady while sacking him on the following possession. Joseph Ossai recovered the fumble. 

Burrow hit Tyler Boyd for the go-ahead touchdown to give Cincinnati their first lead of the game. 

The Buccaneers fumbled again on the following drive to give the Bengals a chance to add to their lead. 

All four of the Bengals' third quarter possessions started in Tampa Bay territory thanks to three turnovers and a botched fake punt. 

Cincinnati scored 34 unanswered points after trailing 17-0. 

Star Trio 

All three of the Bengals' starting receivers had touchdown catches on Sunday. 

Burrow connected with Ja'Marr Chase, Boyd and Higgins for scores in the second half. He completed 27-of-39 passes for 200 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. 

Chase led the way with seven receptions for 60 yards and one score. Boyd had five receptions for 35 yards and Higgins finished with five catches for 33 yards. 

Slow Start

The Bengals' offense moved the ball well on their first drive, racking up three first downs in the process, but things came to a halt when Buccaneers safety Keanu Neal tipped a Burrow pass at the line of scrimmage. It was intercepted by Carlton Davis.

Cincinnati went 3-and-out on three-straight possessions following the interception.

The Bengals struggled to get pressure on Tom Brady and he made them pay throughout the first half.

Tampa Bay scored on their first two possessions and it would've been their first three, but Ryan Succop missed a 50-yard field goal attempt.

The Bucs scored on three of their four first half possessions and never punted. Meanwhile, the Bengals punted three times.

Brady completed 17-of-23 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. 

Key Injuries 

Sam Hubbard suffered a left calf injury in the second quarter and didn't return. Cincinnati was already without star defensive end Trey Hendrickson. 

Despite not having either player, the Bengals' defense forced turnovers on four-straight possessions in the second half. 

Rookie cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt suffered a left shoulder injury in the fourth quarter and didn't return. 

Wild Stat

The four turnovers in one half are the most by a Brady-led offense since October 28, 2001 according to ESPN's Bill Barnwell. That was 371 starts ago. 

Up Next

The Bengals travel to Foxboro to play the Patriots on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 1 p.m. ET.

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Published
James Rapien
JAMES RAPIEN

James Rapien is the publisher of Bengals On SI. He's also the host of the Locked on Bengals podcast and Cincinnati Bengals Talk on YouTube. The Cincinnati native also wrote a book about the history of the Cincinnati Bengals called Enter The Jungle. Prior to joining Bengals On SI, Rapien worked at 700 WLW and ESPN 1530 in Cincinnati

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