Burrow, Bengals strike fast, blow by Falcons 35-17
CINCINNATI, OHIO - OCTOBER 23: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs with the ball while defended by Rashaan Evans #54 of the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Paul Brown Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Justi
CINCINNATI - Joe Burrow passed for 345 yards and three touchdowns in the first half as the Cincinnati Bengals scored on their first four possessions on the way to a 35-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The Cincinnati quarterback played his best game of the season, finishing 34 of 42 for 481 yards and three touchdowns and running for a 1-yard score as the defending AFC champion Bengals (4-3) moved above .500 for the first time this season.
Receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd both eclipsed the 100-yard mark in the first half. Boyd finished with a career-high 155 yards on eight catches. Chase also caught eight passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
Marcus Mariota completed just eight passes for the Falcons (3-4), whose strong running game was also stymied by Cincinnati. Mariota threw for 124 yards and Atlanta generated only 214 yards of offense to the Bengals’ 537.
Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins had five receptions for 93 yards, including a 22-yard reception that set up Burrow’s TD plunge in the third quarter that put the Bengals up 35-17.
Burrow started by connecting with a wide-open Boyd in stride down the middle for a 60-yard touchdown. After an Atlanta punt, a scrambling Burrow hit Joe Mixon on second-and-5 for 22 yards to extend a drive that Mixon finished off with a 1-yard TD plunge.
After another punt, Burrow went to work again, completing seven passes in a row, the last a 32-yard scoring toss to Chase amid two defenders.
Down 21-0, the Falcons then pieced together a 10-minute drive capped by a 1-yard dive by Tyler Allgeier — his first NFL touchdown.
Chase caught his second TD pass late in the first half, stopping at the sideline to make the catch and then running past cornerback Darren Hall.
Atlanta then scored 10 points in final 39 seconds of the half. Mariota hit Damiere Byrd for a 75-yard TD. After a Cincinnati three-and out, Younghoe Koo booted a 43-yard field goal to make it 28-17 at the half.
INJURIES
Falcons: CB A.J. Terrell limped off in the first quarter and was declared out with a hamstring injury. ... CB Mike Ford left with an ankle injury in the second half. ... S Jaylinn Hawkins left in the second half and was being evaluated for a head injury.
Bengals: RT La’el Collins went to the locker room in the second quarter with a left ankle injury but returned in the second half. ... DE Trey Hendrickson left with a neck injury in the second half and was declared out.
UP NEXT
Falcons: Host NFC South rival Carolina next Sunday.
Bengals: At AFC North rival Cleveland on Monday, Oct. 31.