Bengals beat Rams to pick up first win of season
Joe Burrow played through a right calf strain to complete 26 of 49 passes for 259 yards while Ja’Marr Chase had 12 catches for 141 yards to lead the Cincinnati Bengals past the visiting Los Angeles Rams, 19-16, on Monday night.
Logan Wilson intercepted Matthew Stafford twice and the Bengals (1-2) recorded six sacks to hold Los Angeles’ offense at bay.
Stafford finished 18-for-33 for 269 yards with one touchdown and the two interceptions. The Rams (1-2) were held to three field goals from Brett Maher before Stafford found Tutu Atwell for a 1-yard TD with 1:03 left in the game.
The ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Bengals.
Evan McPherson went 4-for-5 on field-goal tries to help Cincinnati grab control of the game.
Four plays into Los Angeles’ first drive, Atwell took an end around and raced to the end zone from 24 yards out. But replay caught Atwell stepping out of bounds at the 2-yard line.
DJ Reader sacked Stafford on the next play, and the Rams were eventually forced to settle for a 30-yard field goal from Maher.
The Bengals didn’t respond until there was 12:55 left in the second quarter, as McPherson capped a 12-play, 48-yard drive with a 49-yard field goal to make it 3-3.
Both kickers traded field goals later in the quarter, with McPherson’s 53-yarder as time expired in the first half sending the teams into the break tied at 6-6.
After Maher closed the first possession of the second half with a 42-yard field goal, Cincinnati put together the first drive of the game that resulted in a touchdown. The Bengals drove 75 yards in 10 plays, and Joe Mixon rushed for a 14-yard score that provided the hosts with a 13-9 lead with 5:34 left in the third quarter.
Mixon finished with 65 yards on 19 carries.
McPherson added two more field goals to push Cincinnati’s advantage to 10 before Stafford connected with Atwell for the late score that gave Los Angeles a fighting chance.
–Field Level Media
