Joe Burrow Leads Bengals to Overtime Win Over Titans With Six-Touchdown Performance

Joe Burrow accounts for six touchdowns as Bengals rally past Titans in overtime

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow completed 33 of 48 passes for 462 yards and accounted for six touchdowns on Sunday, leading his team to a 43-36 overtime victory against the Tennessee Titans at Paycor Stadium. The win lifts Cincinnati to a 5-2 record for the first time since 2021.

Burrow threw five touchdown passes in regulation before securing the game with a 9-yard untouched scramble in overtime. His performance marked his second 400-yard passing game of the season and the ninth of his career. The outing also featured Burrow’s first career six-touchdown game, surpassing Carson Palmer on the franchise’s all-time passing-yardage list to move into fourth place among Bengals quarterbacks.

Rare statistical company and high-turnover margins

With his performance, Burrow and Hall of Famer Norm Van Brocklin stand as the exclusive quarterbacks in history to record at least 450 passing yards, five passing touchdowns, a rushing score, and multiple interceptions in one game. Van Brocklin set the benchmark on Sept. 28, 1951, when the Los Angeles Rams defeated the New York Yanks.

Despite the historic numbers, ball security remained a major hurdle for Cincinnati. Burrow was intercepted three times by Titans safety Amari Hooker, who tied a franchise record shared by nine other players.

I felt like we moved it pretty well all game. We had four turnovers. It’s hard to win that way. Today we did, but you can’t make a living like that, Burrow said.

Consecutive double-digit comebacks

The victory mirrored the previous week’s contest against Baltimore, marking the second consecutive week the Bengals rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit. Data provided by Sportradar highlights that this achievement marks the first time a franchise has overcome 13-point deficits in the first half of back-to-back games since New Orleans managed the feat in 2020.

Tennessee, entering the matchup as 13 1/2-point underdogs, capitalized on early miscues. Running back Tony Pollard rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns, including a 40-yard run in the first quarter that helped stake the Titans to a 13-0 lead. Cam Ward recorded the first 300-yard passing game of his two-year career, finishing 26 of 40 for 340 yards and two touchdowns. Ward engineered a late lead change with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Wan’Dale Robinson and a subsequent two-point conversion to Gunnar Helm, putting Tennessee ahead 36-29 with 3:42 remaining in regulation.

Cincinnati responded when Burrow connected with Tee Higgins for an 18-yard score with 1:17 left on the clock to force overtime. Higgins finished with 10 receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns, while Ja’Marr Chase added 11 catches for 141 yards and a score.

Defensive contributions and upcoming schedules

Dexter Lawrence provided critical plays down the stretch, recording seven tackles, a pivotal sack that pushed Tennessee out of field-goal range late in regulation, and a fumble recovery. Lawrence also teamed up with Demetrius Knight Jr. to tackle Pollard in the end zone for a safety in the third quarter.