CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow played for two series and completed 5-of-6 passes and led a field goal drive while Joe Flacco tossed a touchdown pass to rookie Jack Endries to lead the Cincinnati Bengals to a 16-14 win over the Detroit Lions Thursday night at Paycor Stadium in the preseason opener for both teams. Evan McPherson converted field goals of 56, 33 and 41 yards in the win.
Endries finished with three catches for 25 yards. Burrow was not as productive as he was in last year’s preseason opener when he led a pair of first-quarter touchdown drives and then came out of the game. He again played two series but he could only produce one drive leading to points.
The opening drive featured Lions back-up quarterback Luke Altmyer leading the Lions down to the Cincinnati 33, including a 23-yard completion in front of Jordan Battle for a Detroit first down. But on the next play, Battle caught a break when Isaac TeSlaa couldn’t make the grab and the safety picked off the pass for the interception at the Cincinnati 26.
Burrow started under center and opened with a handoff to Chase Brown. His next play was play-action over the middle to Ja’Marr Chase for 16 yards. Burrow’s first five snaps Thursday were under center before he was sacked on second down, forcing the Bengals to the shotgun.
Burrow was hit twice, including edge rusher Eric O’Neill, who drilled the quarterback as he was trying to find Mike Gesicki. The pass fell incomplete and the Bengals had to settle for a 56-yard field goal from Evan McPherson to put Cincinnati up, 3-0, in the first quarter. Burrow finished the night 5-of-6 for 39 yards and took one sack.
Joe Flacco took over and directed a 12-play drive that bridged the first and second quarter. He converted a third-and-16 from the Cincinnati 24 and completed a 20-yard pass to Colbie Young. The rookie out of Georgia atoned for a dropped pass early in the drive and finished with two catches on three targets for 28 yards on the drive. The drive ended when Kendall Milton fumbled the ball in the wet conditions, with the Lions recovering at their 13.
Two plays later, and after a Lions holding penalty, Altmyer fumbled the ball and rookie Cashius Howell recovered at the Lions 7. Two plays later, Flacco found Endries in the flat for a 4-yard TD and a 10-0 Bengals lead. Flacco finished 5-of-8 for 51 yards and a TD. Josh Johnson took over with three minutes left in the second quarter.
Dexter Lawrence II and Jonathan Allen each played three snaps before coming out of the game.
Ke’Shawn Williams had a 49-yard kick return following 41-yard Jake Bates FG. Josh Johnson was called for intentional grounding with 10 seconds left in the first half, setting the stage for Bates’ 52-yard field goal at the halftime gun.
Josh Johnson quarterbacked the final 2 Bengals drives of the first half. Johnson played most of the second half before Sean Clifford came on to finish the game. Johnson finished 10-of-19 for 84 yards. Luke Altmyer connected with Tarik Black on a 24-yard touchdown. Altmyer ran for the two-point conversion with 1:26 left but Noah Thomas recovered the onside kick and then Russ Yeast picked off a pass with 16 seconds left.
Other takeaways:
Active push from Howell and Landon Robinson, who played a majority of the first half.
Linebacker Swayze Bozeman called defense in the second quarter.
Kris Jenkins Jr. with a sack that knocked Lions out of FG range.
Ceyair Wright saved a touchdown with a tackle from behind.
Those not dressing Thursday included Bryan Cook, Dax Hill, Jalen Davis, Bobo Davis, Erick All Jr. and Connor Lew.
With Lew not dressing, Jacob Bayer took over at center for Ted Karras and played effectively on Flacco’s first drive.
Stars Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson did not play for the Lions.
