The Cincinnati Bengals opened their 2026 season with a 33-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a result that pleased plenty of bettors using Ohio online sports betting apps. Cincinnati entered as 3.5-point home favorites, and the six-point margin of victory meant the Bengals covered the spread comfortably to start the year. For a franchise that has had its share of shaky September performances, that combination of a win and a cover was a welcome sight for backers who trusted the home team in Week 1.
Burrow Powers Through
It was an uneven day for Joe Burrow, who finished 25 of 35 for 254 yards, one touchdown through the air, and one score on the ground, where he added 20 yards on five carries. Burrow did enough to win without needing his best performance, and after going just 2-4 in his career Week 1 games, this one goes in the win column. The running game was similarly up and down, as Chase Brown carried the ball 16 times for 56 yards, a modest 3.5 yards per attempt.
Surprise Stars
The passing game had its share of surprises. Tight end Mike Gesicki was the unlikely leading target, hauling in five of seven targets for 78 yards and a touchdown. Tee Higgins added three catches for 59 yards, but Ja'Marr Chase was held quiet, managing just two catches on four targets for 12 yards. Even with Chase struggling to get going, the offense generated enough production to build an early lead and stay ahead on the scoreboard.
New-Look Defense Stars Fast
The bigger story was the defense. Cincinnati sacked Baker Mayfield four times, and three of those sacks produced fumbles. The Bengals also bottled up Bucs running back Bucky Irving, limiting him to eight carries for 45 yards and forcing a fumble, even though he did find the end zone once. That pressure and ball production allowed Cincinnati to jump out to a 21-3 lead and carry a 24-10 advantage into halftime.
The Bengals pushed the lead to 27-10 before Tampa Bay made things interesting, storming back to cut it to 27-20. But instead of the late-game collapses that have plagued past Bengals teams in Week 1, Cincinnati held firm, converting enough on third down (8 for 14 on the day) to run out the clock and close out the 33-27 win. Cincinnati has quietly been floated as a sleeper pick to make a deep run this season, and this gritty finish was a good early sign.
Week 2 Offers a New Challenge
Next up, the Bengals travel to Houston for a Week 2 matchup with the Texans, a game that will again draw plenty of attention from anyone using Ohio sports betting apps apps to shape their picks. Week 1 numbers can be misleading, and Chase's quiet day is a good example. Expect him, along with a few other stars around the league who had strange stat lines in the opener, to bounce back closer to their usual form as the season settles in and matchups become clearer.
