Cincinnati, which trailed by 14 with eight minutes left, couldn’t get the necessary stops when it mattered most, and the slow start paved the way for a fourth straight loss, as the Bengals fell 27-18 to the Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Flacco’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase, plus a two-point conversion, made it a six-point game with just under three minutes remaining, but Green Bay’s new kicker, Lucas Havrisik, made a 39-yard field goal with 1:52 left and that sealed it. Flacco, who the Bengals traded for Tuesday to replace Jake Browning, completed 29 of 45 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Green Bay had taken a 10-0 lead into halftime after the Bengals picked off Jordan Love in the red zone on the opening drive and forced punts on two of the next four possessions. DJ Turner, who played one of the best games of his career, tipped a pass intended for Romeo Doubs and Geno Stone intercepted at the 11-yard line to prevent a score that first drive.
The Bengals couldn’t take advantage on their opening drive, only managing one yard and it didn’t get much better until the final drive before halftime. They had just one first down on their first four drives but moved the ball 44 yards on nine plays in the final 1:06 before halftime, ultimately giving Evan McPherson a shot at a 67-yard field goal in the final second.
McPherson actually made his first attempt, doinking it off the crossbar and over, but Green Bay had called timeout before he kicked it. The second attempt, which counted, was short and to the right.
Cincinnati has been outscored 79-9 in the lsat four first halves. The only other time that has happened was in 1999, when the Bengals were outscored by 80 in a four-game span.
Halftime adjustments paid off, though, as Flacco led the Bengals down the field for a touchdown, which came on a fourth-and-goal, 2-yard pass to Tanner Hudson to make it a 10-7 deficit. Hudson was seeing more usage with Mike Gesicki exiting in the first quarter with a pectoral injury.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Green Bay responded with back-to-back touchdown drives, while limiting the Bengals to a field goal in between, and Chase’s 19-yard grab made things interesting only until Matthew Golden toasted Jordan Battle for a 31-yard completion to the Cincinnati 29-yard line on a key third down with 2:32 left.
Four plays later, Havrisik nailed his second field goal of the day to put the game out of reach. McPherson missed a 56-yard field goal with 41 seconds left, and that ended the game.
Trey Hendrickson missed the entire second half after exiting just before halftime with a back injury.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The Bengals finished with 268 yards but allowed the Packers 409 yards. Love finished with 259 yards passing and one touchdown with one interception, while Josh Jacobs rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
Cincinnati now faces a quick turnaround to Thursday’s home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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