Bengals erase 17-point deficit to down Bucs

Joe Burrow threw four touchdown passes to help the visiting Cincinnati Bengals overcome a 17-point deficit and post a 34-23 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins and tight end Mitchell Wilcox each reeled in a touchdown pass by Burrow, who completed 27 of 39 passes for 200 yards. Chase finished with seven catches for 60 yards. The Bengals (10-4) forced four second-half turnovers to help them overcome an early 17-0 hole and record their sixth straight win. AFC North-leading Cincinnati resides one game ahead of Baltimore (9-5), which dropped a 13-3 decision to Cleveland on Saturday. Tom Brady completed 30 of 44 passes for 312 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for the Buccaneers (6-8), who have lost three of their last four games. Russell Gage had two touchdown receptions and Chris Godwin had the other. Tampa Bay opened up a 17-0 lead before Evan McPherson sandwiched field goals around former Bengal Giovani Bernard's botched snap in punt formation to trim the deficit. Tre Flowers intercepted Brady on the ensuing possession, and Cincinnati benefited from Lavonte David's holding penalty on fourth down to continue the drive. Burrow found Higgins along the backline of the end zone to pull within five, however, the Bengals were unable to convert the two-point attempt. Joseph Ossai recovered a fumble after Brady was sacked by Logan Wilson, giving Cincinnati the ball at the Tampa Bay 13-yard line. Burrow connected with Boyd on a 3-yard pass just five plays later, and the Bengals made good on the two-point conversion to take a 20-17 lead. Chase reeled in an 8-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter and Wilcox sealed the win with a 12-yard score with 2:21 to play. Ryan Succop drilled a 21-yard field goal to open the scoring midway through the first quarter before Gage corralled a 1-yard touchdown pass from Brady in the corner of the end zone early in the second quarter. Tampa Bay used another double-digit play drive on its next scoring possession, with Godwin reeling in a pass near the goal line before diving into the end zone. --Field Level Media