Joe Burrow Throws 5 TDs as Bengals Beat Titans in OT

Joe Burrow threw five touchdown passes in regulation and then ran it in himself, scrambling untouched for a 9-yard score on the first drive of overtime, as the Cincinnati Bengals outlasted the Tennessee Titans 43-36 on Sunday at Paycor Stadium. Cincinnati went 70 yards in five plays to open OT, and Tennessee's last chance died on a fourth-and-3 incompletion from Cam Ward.

The win is Cincinnati's third straight and puts the Bengals at 5-2 for the first time since 2021. It should not have been this hard. Tennessee came in with one win as a 13 1/2-point underdog playing without receiver Carnell Tate and without pass rusher Jeffery Simmons, who was traded to the Bears on Thursday, per the AP. The Titans still led 13-0 after one quarter.

A Wild Fourth Quarter

There were three lead changes and a tie in the fourth quarter alone. Ward put Tennessee back in front with a 15-yard touchdown to Wan'Dale Robinson with 3:42 left, and Gunnar Helm caught the 2-point try for a 36-29 lead. Burrow answered with an 18-yard touchdown to Tee Higgins with 1:17 to go to tie it at 36.

The numbers that matter:

• Burrow: 38 of 48 for 462 yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions, plus the walk-off rushing score.

• Higgins: 10 catches, 155 yards, two touchdowns.

• Ja'Marr Chase: 11 catches, 141 yards, one touchdown.

It was not a clean day. All three of Burrow's picks went to Titans safety Amari Hooker, the first NFL player with three interceptions in a game since Jordan Whitehead did it against Buffalo in Week 1 of 2023. But when Burrow has both Chase and Higgins going over 100 yards, he can afford a few mistakes.

Tennessee Gave Them Everything

Credit the Titans. Ward had the first 300-yard passing game of his career, finishing 26 of 40 for 304 yards and two touchdowns. Tony Pollard ran for 117 yards and two scores, giving him five touchdowns in his last two games. The turning point before the chaos was a third-quarter safety, when Demetrius Knight Jr. and Dexter Lawrence dropped Pollard in the end zone for a 23-21 Bengals lead.

Tennessee drops to 1-7 and has a bye before hosting Jacksonville on Nov. 15.

Next Up: Madrid

The Bengals play the Falcons in Madrid next Sunday at 6:30 AM PT at the Santiago Bernabeu. Atlanta got shut out 16-0 by Tampa Bay today, so Cincinnati's offense walks into Spain on a roll.

Mike Gesicki caught a 25-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, extending his streak to five straight games with a score. My Smacktok lean for Madrid: stay higher on Gesicki finding the end zone again, since Burrow keeps going to him in scoring range while defenses chase Chase and Higgins. Bengals fans finally have a team that looks like it can win a shootout every week.