Bengals Beat Titans 43-36 in Overtime as Burrow Accounts for Six Touchdowns

The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Tennessee Titans 43-36 in overtime at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, November 1, 2026, in Week 8 of the NFL season. Joe Burrow accounted for six touchdowns and 472 total yards, and his nine-yard touchdown run in overtime settled a game Cincinnati had trailed by 13 points in the first quarter. The Bengals improved to 5-2. The Titans fell to 1-7.

Burrow carries Cincinnati

Burrow completed 38 of 48 passes for 462 yards and five touchdowns, with three interceptions. He also ran three times for 10 yards and another touchdown, six touchdowns in all. Tennessee safety Amani Hooker intercepted Burrow three times, and the Titans still could not hold their late lead.

The finish was frantic. Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Wan'Dale Robinson with 3:46 left in the fourth quarter to put the Titans ahead 36-29. Burrow answered with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins with 1:17 left, tying the game at 36-36 and forcing overtime.

In the extra period, Burrow scored the winner himself on a nine-yard run. Ward could not move the Titans on their overtime possession after that score, and the game ended there.

Tennessee's fast start

Tennessee led 13-0 in the first quarter. Tony Pollard opened the scoring with a 40-yard touchdown run, and Joey Slye added two field goals. Pollard finished with 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

By quarters, Tennessee scored 13 points in the first, none in the second, eight in the third, 15 in the fourth and none in overtime. Cincinnati scored none in the first, 14 in the second, nine in the third, 13 in the fourth and seven in overtime.

Ward completed 26 of 40 passes for a career-high 304 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first 300-yard game of his career, on the road against a team chasing the top of its conference.

A loss that still said something

Tennessee played days after trading defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to the Chicago Bears for two first-round picks, a trade that led some to think the Titans were giving up on the season. A 1-7 team that trades a star defender usually folds. Tennessee instead built a 13-0 lead and still led 36-29 with under four minutes left in the fourth quarter.

The loss counts the same in the standings, and the Titans leave Cincinnati at 1-7. The Bengals move on at 5-2 behind one of the biggest quarterback performances of the season: 462 passing yards, five passing touchdowns and the overtime winner on the ground.