Joe Burrow tossed a pair of first-half touchdowns and the Bengals’ defense intercepted two passes to lead Cincinnati past the visiting Seattle Seahawks 17-13 on Sunday.
Cincinnati (3-3) sacked Geno Smith four times and stopped Seattle (3-2) twice inside the 10-yard line in the final three minutes to seal the win.
Burrow finished 24-of-35 passing for 185 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while Smith finished 27-of-41 passing for 323 yards for the Seahawks, who had won three in a row. Mike Hilton and Cam Taylor-Britt intercepted Smith, which saved the day after the Bengals’ offense went cold.
Seattle took the game’s opening drive and marched down the field in 11 plays, covering 75 yards. The Bengals appeared ready to hold the Seahawks to a field goal but safety Nick Scott was called for pass interference on Tyler Lockett in the end zone.
Kenneth Walker III scored on the next play from the Cincinnati 1 and Seattle led 7-0.
The Bengals answered with one of their best drives of the season, going 69 yards in 13 plays. Cincinnati benefited from a Seattle neutral zone infraction on fourth-and-2 following Joe Mixon’s dropped pass on third down.
Burrow connected with Tyler Boyd three times on the drive for 22 yards, including an 8-yard in-slant for a touchdown.
The Bengals forced a three-and-out on the next series, highlighted by a key pass breakup by Taylor-Britt, who stuck his left arm in and knocked the ball out of the arms of DK Metcalf in front of the Bengals’ sideline.
Burrow remained red-hot on the next series, highlighted by a 31-yard completion to Ja’Marr Chase over the middle. Later on the drive, Burrow drifted to his left and fired a strike to rookie Andrei Iosivas for a 3-yard touchdown and a 14-7 Cincinnati lead.
It was the first career touchdown for the rookie out of Princeton and came on Iosivas’ 24th birthday.
Burrow started 17-of-19 for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Burrow completed 15 straight passes during one stretch of the first half.
Jason Myers’ 55-yard field goal narrowed Cincinnati’s lead to 14-10 at the half.
Burrow threw a pass short of Chase on the opening drive of the second half that was picked off by Tre Brown, giving Seattle the ball at its 31. The Seahawks drove deep into Cincinnati territory before Mike Hilton intercepted Smith’s pass at the 3.
Seattle forced a punt and was able to drive to the Cincinnati 5. But Taylor-Britt — also celebrating his 24th birthday — broke up a pass for Lockett in the end zone and Seattle settled for a 23-yard Myers field goal to cut Cincinnati’s lead to 14-13.
Evan McPherson connected on a 52-yard field goal with under 12 minutes left to put Cincinnati ahead 17-13.
The Bengals lost their starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to a groin injury late in the third quarter.
–Field Level Media
