The Cincinnati Bengals outlasted the top-seeded Tennessee Titans en route to a 19-16 upset victory in the AFC Divisional Round. A solid outing from Joe Burrow and company was enough to power the team to its first AFC Championship Game appearance since 1988.
With the win, the Bengals will now await the winner of the Divisional Round matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. Zac Taylor and his squad still have many things to work on but a confidence-boosting victory will surely help them in their bid to extend their postseason campaign in 2021.
Let's take a look at three takeaways from the Bengals' stunning win over the Titans on Saturday night:
Bengals Takeaways
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3. Evan McPherson highlighted the value that kickers bring to the table.
Rookie kicker Evan McPherson was put to the test when the Bengals found themselves knotted in a 16-all standoff in the final seconds of the game. He showed confidence and wasn't fazed by the moment as he successfully nailed a 52-yard field goal attempt to ice the narrow victory for his team.
Looking back, the Bengals were the only team that drafted a kicker in the 2021 NFL Draft with McPherson getting selected with the 149th overall pick in the fifth round. With their victory on Saturday night, the team proved that kickers are game-changers on the field and that investing in them remains to be a must in order to attain success in the league today.
2. Cincinnati's offensive line struggled anew in protecting their quarterback.
Prior to the season, the Bengals were heavily criticized for not upgrading their offensive line and the impact that it could have on Joe Burrow's performance for 2021. Against the Titans, the unit failed to provide sufficient pass protection for their QB who was sacked nine times throughout the tilt.
A number of Titans defenders led by Jeffery Simmons and Harold Landry, who had three and one and a half sacks, respectively, all made life difficult for Burrow in the Divisional Round matchup. Surely enough, the Bengals would find it hard to extend their playoff run if the offensive line continues to struggle in their upcoming contests.
Hopefully, the front office would get to haul in more talent who can perform better in the trenches, not just to win more games, but to ultimately preserve Burrow's career in the long run.
1. Joe Burrow continues to find ways to lift his team to greater heights.
Despite absorbing nine sacks in the game, Bengals QB Joe Burrow still managed to come out with a solid performance to steer his team to victory. He did a superb job in orchestrating the passing attack as Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and C.J. Uzomah all made damage on the field.
The sophomore playmaker ended the night with 348 passing yards on 28-of-37 attempts to go with an interception. Amid the struggles of his offensive line, Burrow continues to prove that he can still perform under the bright lights and lead his team to a groundbreaking victory.
One can only imagine how much more dangerous the QB can be with an above-average offensive line that can provide him with adequate pass protection in the pocket.
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