Bengals 33, Buccaneers 27: Four Fumbles, Two Long McPherson Kicks

September 13, 2026 - Cincinnati - Tampa Bay led 3-0. Then Baker Mayfield put the ball on the ground three straight possessions, and Cincinnati turned those fumbles into a 21-3 hole the Buccaneers never fully climbed out of.

Joe Burrow completed 25 of 35 for 254 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 33-27 at Paycor Stadium. A rebuilt Bengals defense that ranked 31st in yards a year ago forced four turnovers and had four sacks. Evan McPherson made all four field goals, including 55 and 58 yards.

Mayfield finished 23 of 28 for 216 yards and a 9-yard rushing score. He also lost three fumbles for the first time in his career. Chase McLaughlin opened the day from 34. That was the last time Tampa Bay led.

Three fumbles, three touchdowns

Myles Murphy and Barrett Carter strip-sacked Mayfield. Demetrius Knight Jr. picked the ball up at the 27 and ran it in. First Bengals fumble-return touchdown since 2022. 7-3.

Boye Mafe recovered a Bucky Irving fumble at the Buccaneers 33. Seven plays later, Burrow hit Mike Gesicki from 2 yards. 14-3. Gesicki finished with five catches for 78.

Chase Brown capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive from 5 yards. 21-3. Irving answered from 10. 21-10. McPherson hit from 20 as the half expired. 24-10. Cincinnati scored on six of seven drives after a three-and-out to start. The only empty one later was a pick.

A 38-yard pick-six, then 58 yards of insurance

McPherson made it 27-10 from 55. McLaughlin answered from 51. 27-13. Then Josiah Trotter, a second-round rookie, jumped a throw for Andrei Iosivas and ran 38 yards the other way. 27-20 with 2:16 left in the third. Trotter had already sacked Burrow for a 9-yard loss. The building remembered that 2025 defense for a minute.

McPherson ended the argument from distance. Fifty-eight yards, 30-20. He is the first kicker in Bengals history with two makes from 55-plus in the same game. It is the fourth time in league history a kicker has done that in Week 1. Mafe then sacked Mayfield and knocked the ball free. T.J. Slaton recovered. McPherson from 32. 33-20.

Mayfield scrambled 9 yards with 3:19 left. 33-27. Cincinnati ran the last 3:19 off the clock. Burrow's 18-yard throw to Tee Higgins on second-and-10 to the Tampa Bay 26 ended it. Ja'Marr Chase caught two balls for 12 yards. The skill night belonged to Gesicki, Brown (16 carries, 56 yards, a score), and a kicker who never missed.

Cincinnati allowed 282 yards. Mayfield still almost stole the last drive. The four fumble recoveries were the difference, and McPherson's two long ones were the cushion.

AthX Engine on a turnover Sunday

AthX Engine NFL scoring already has the Week 1 lines in. Trotter's sack and pick-six land at 58.00, the top total in this game. Mafe is 44.00. McPherson's four field goals are 42.00. Gesicki is 33.00. Burrow is 29.32. Brown is 28.00. Cincinnati's team line is 76.75, ninth on the Week 1 board.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay after four recovered fumbles and two kicks from 55-plus. They move together. They are not the same number.

Track Burrow, McPherson, Mayfield, and both clubs on the marketplace. Cincinnati visits Houston on Sept. 20. Cleveland visits Tampa Bay the same afternoon.

*Sources: AP recap (ESPN), Bengals.com, Reuters, NBC Sports. AthX Engine Week 1 lines scored from nflverse weekly stats. Information only; not financial advice.*