Postgame Observations: Cincinnati Bengals Fall to Indianapolis Colts 27-14

The Bengals finish 0-3 this preseason.

Aug 22, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross (20) and linebacker Zaire Franklin (44) bring down Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (81) in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

CINCINNATI — The Bengals lost to the Colts 27-14 in their preseason finale on Thursday night. Cincinnati was 0-3 this preseason.

Indianapolis played their starters for most of the first half. Meanwhile, the Bengals sat their starters and a lot of their key backups.

Here are our postgame observations:

Highlight of the Night

Bengals safety Jordan Battle intercepted Anthony Richardson's pass on the Colts' second possession of the game and returned it 14 yards for a touchdown.

The play tied the game 7-7 and was the biggest defensive play of the Bengals' preseason. Watch it here.

Njongmeta Leads the Way Again

Maema Njongmeta had nine tackles. He led the team in tackles in each of their three preseason games.

The undrafted free agent from Wisconsin made the most of his opportunities this preseason. Will he make the team? Final cuts have to be made on Tuesday by 4 p.m. ET.

Burton Makes Plays

The Bengals' offense was awful on Thursday night, but rookie Jermaine Burton continued to make plays. He finished with four receptions for 56 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown catch—their longest play from scrimmage.

Burton had the Bengals' longest reception in each of their three preseason games and finished with two of their three offensive touchdowns this preseason.

Preseason Woes

Preseason wins and losses don't matter, but this is the Bengals' second-straight winless preseason and their fourth in team history (1983, 1999, 2023).

Up Next

The Bengals play the Patriots in the regular season opener on Sept. 8 at 1 p.m. ET at Paycor Stadium.

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