Photo: Getty Images
Bengals 35 Falcons 17
Joe Burrow threw for 481 yards, accounting for four TDs (3 passing/1 rushing), Tyler Boyd and Ja'Marr Chase topped 100 yards receiving and the Bengals piled up 537 yards of total offense in beating the daylights out of the Falcons 35-17. It was not nearly as close as the final score indicated. The Bengals scored TDs on their first four possessions, racing to a 21-0 lead. Leading 28-7, the Bengals watched the Falcons score 10 points in the final :39 of the first half to cut the lead to 28-17. The offense produced back-to-back games of 30+ points.
The Bengals have won 4 of their last 5 games and have pulled above .500 for the first time this season at 4-3. Next up: Browns, Monday Night Football.
Offense
You go, Joe: Burrow 34 of 42, 481 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 3 sacks, QB rating 138.2, a rushing TD for the third straight game (sneak) and a 20 yard run. He completed 17 consecutive passes at one point, toying with the Atlanta secondary from jump. It was like running a 7-on-7 drill. Last two games: 62 of 79 (78.4), 826 yards, 8 TD (6 passing/2 rushing), 0 INT.
Century mark: Boyd (8-155-TD on 9 targets/career high yardage) and Chase (8-130-2 TD on 11 targets) each reached 100 yards by halftime. Boyd had a sweet one hand catch. Chase added a nice block for a Hayden Hurst screen for 1st down. Tee Higgins 5-93 yards, just missed making it a 100-yard trio.
Explosions: 10 plays of 20+ yards....by 5 different players. Boyd 60-yard TD on the opening drive + 23, 20 yard catches. Chase 32-yard TD and 41-yard TD, Higgins catches of 25-22-21 yards, Mixon 22 yard catch. Burrow 20 yard run.
Bengals on 1st down: 32 snaps (not including knee)...3 TD....Burrow 17-20, 288 yards, 3 TD....7 different w/ receptions....9 rushes for 42 yards. Completions: 60, 41, 32, 22, 21, 20, 13, 13, 12, 11, 9, 8, 6, 6, 6, 5, 3
Boyd bounce: Last 2 games 14 catches/15 targets, 221 yards, TD.......1st 5 games 15 catches/23 targets, 234 yards, 2 TD.
Run game: 21-78 (3.7), 2 TD.....Mixon 17-58-3.4, TD.....3 catches on 3 targets/33 yards. Total: 20 touches for 91 yards.
Line of the game: "Fans wanting the Bengals to run the ball more, your QB has thrown for 473! What the hell?"
Hurst: 6-48 on 8 targets.....this season 29 catches on 39 targets, 226 yards, 2 TD.......last season 26 catches on 31 targets, 221 yards, 3 TD.
The offense had their streak of consecutive quarters scoring a TD ended at eight in the 4th quarter.
Defense: Playing without DJ Reader and Logan Wilson, the D did not allow a 2nd half TD for the 7th consecutive game. A lot of guys stepped up and contributed. 3 of top 4 players in tackles: Akeem-Davis Gaither (8), Jay Tufele (6) Zach Carter (5).
Sam Hubbard came up big....with a 3rd down bat down on the 1st drive and a 3rd down sack later. Trey Hendrickson had a sack. Bates seemed to play his best game of the season. Davis Gaither got snaps for the injured Logan Wilson and contributed a team-high 8 tackles. Cam Taylor-Britt rotated snaps w/ Eli Apple throughout the game. Apple was torched on the 75-yard TD....the first TD he's allowed this season. Jay Tufele had a nice game. Joseph Ossai recorded his first career sack. Carter got a large number of snaps.
Pressure: 3 sacks on 13 pass attempts
Run defense: 29 carries for 107 yards (3.7). The Falcons entered averaging 4.9 per carry. Despite being down more than two scores, the Falcons continued to run the ball. 29 rush attempts to just 13 pass attempts by Marcus Mariota, after 14 pass attempts last week.
The Falcons marched 75 yards on 16 plays and consumed 10:09 in scoring their first TD.
The Falcons scored 10 points over the final :39 of the half with a 75-yard TD bomb (Apple) and a big PR that set up a FG to make it 28-17 Bengals at the half.
Momentum stopper: The D recorded back to back three and out series begin the 3rd quarter, halting any Falcons momentum from the end of the first half. Hendrickson had his sack on the 2nd series and Bates smacked Mariota on a 3rd and 14 scramble.
3rd quarter silence: The defense has allowed just 22 points over their last 15 3rd quarters (Per Warren Sharp,Twitter)
Special Teams:
Trent Taylor had returns of 21 and 15 yards. Kevin Huber had a 37-yard returned 59 yards to set up a FG. He did bang one 56 yards later. Clayton Johnston was called for a personal foul late. Chris Evans had kick returns of just 17 and 14 yards.
More:
Banged up: La'el Collins tweaked his ankle and left. Akeem Adeniji replaced until until Collins returned. Trey Hendrickson left the game late with a neck issue. Chase limped off a the half after appearing to aggravate his hip. But he returned in the 2nd half.
Scene of the game I: Hurst standing with his arm raised in celebration near the line of scrimmage as Burrow let go of his 60 yard TD pass to Boyd.
Scene of the game II: Facing 4th and 2 at the Falcons four-yard line with :31 remaining in the game Hurst motioned under center, causing the Falcons to jump offside. It was hard not to laugh.
Scene of the game III: Trent Taylor executing a backflip behind Burrow in the formation on the final snap of the game.