Hallelujah: Joe Burrow (2TDs) Leads Bengals Past Raiders, 26-19, To Snap Playoff Skid

CINCINNATI — The 31-year wait is over.

Germaine Pratt’s interception of a Derek Carr fourth-down pass with 12 seconds left on a pass intended for Zay Jones sealed Cincinnati’s 26-19 win Saturday.

Joe Burrow threw touchdown passes to C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Boyd while Ja’Marr Chase caught nine passes for 116 yards to lead the Bengals past the Raiders before a frenzied record crowd of 66,277 Saturday at Paul Brown Stadium.

It was Cincinnati’s first playoff win in 31 years and nine days.

“I’m happy for the city,” head coach Zac Taylor said. “I think the city can finally exhale. I get that. We haven’t felt that pressure, I’ll be quite honest — me maybe more so than the players, because I’m out more in the offseason and talk to people who have been here a long time. But I don’t think the players ever felt that. I’m just really, really happy for the city of Cincinnati, and hope they get a chance to enjoy this. And now, we’ll just exhale and enjoy the ride, because we’re not done yet.”

The Raiders, who drew to within seven on a Daniel Carlson field goal with 3:34 left, forced a Bengals punt. The Raiders went from their own 35 to the Bengals 35 in one play, as a 15-pass to Josh Jacobs was tacked on with a 15-yard roughing the passer call on Tre Flowers.

The Raiders had four chances from the Bengals 9, including an incomplete pass to Zay Jones in the end zone that was nearly intercepted by Jessie Bates on second down. After an incompletion to Hunter Renfrow, Pratt jumped in front of the pass intended for Jones with 12 seconds left to start the wild celebration inside Paul Brown Stadium and throughout Cincinnati.

“They did the same play again, the one Jessie (Bates) almost picked. It was the same read for me. I read the quarterback’s eyes and he threw it. I was trying to make a play and take advantage of the opportunity.”

The Bengals will advance to the AFC Divisional round for the first time since the 1990 season that ended with a 20-10 loss to the Raiders at the LA Coliseum.

Before Saturday, Oct. 6, 1995 was the last time either the Reds or Bengals advanced in the postseason when Mark Lewis’ pinch-hit grand slam led the Reds over the Dodgers, 10-3, at Riverfront Stadium.

That was also the last time Cincinnati fans were able to witness either team winning a playoff game at home. The two teams were a combined 0-10 at home in the playoffs, with the Bengals going 0-4 at Paul Brown Stadium.

The two teams were a combined 2-20 in the playoffs since that Friday night at Riverfront.

To start the game, the Raiders converted a pair of third down conversions, one on a 17-yard completion on third-and-2 to Zay Jones to midfield. The second on a eight-yard completion to Darren Waller on third-and-3 to the Bengals 35. On the play, the Bengals showed a new wrinkle, dropping edge Sam Hubbard into linebacker position just before snap. But a false start on second down pushed the Raiders back to second-and-6.

A diving pass break-up by Mike Hilton on a deep pass intended for Hunter Renfrow forced the Raiders to settle for a 47-yard Daniel Carlson field goal and a 3-0 lead.

Trey Hendrickson’s first playoff sack in a Bengals uniform was a big one. He broke through and got to Carr’s blind side, stripped the ball and Larry Ogunjobi recovered and returned to the Raiders 15. Trey Hopkins failed to snap the ball on third-and-2 at the Raiders 7 led to a Burrow incompletion and a 31-yard Evan McPherson field goal for a 10-3 Bengals lead.

The Bengals again had a chance at a red area touchdown after a near safety sack by Sam Hubbard at the Vegas 1 to open the second quarter. But the NFL’s leading punter in gross yards (50.0) A.J. Cole boomed a 58-yard punt that Trent Taylor returned to the Raiders 45. Burrow spotted Chase in single coverage down the right sideline and threw a 28-yard pass to the star rookie receiver to the Vegas 6. But Burrow took a sack on third down and the Bengals settled for McPherson’s second field goal, from 30 yards, and a 13-3 lead.

Josh Jacobs, held to 39 yards in the Nov. 21 game in Las Vegas, began to gash the Bengals in the second quarter. He had runs of 14 and 35 yards on consecutive carries as the Raiders marched to the Cincinnati 10. But the Raiders had to settle for a 28-yard Carlson field goal, as the Bengals lead was trimmed to 13-6.

Following a muffed kickoff return by Chris Evans that put the Bengals in their worst field position to open a drive, the Bengals responded with their longest drive of the first half. It was also their most exciting. Joe Burrow had a third-down conversion pass over the middle to Tyler Boyd. Then he drilled a strike on a perfectly-thrown seam pass to C.J. Uzomah that put the Bengals in business at the Raiders 40. Chase had a 15-yard run on fourth-and-1 to move the sticks.

Then came one of the pivotal plays of the game. Facing a third-and-4 at the Vegas 10, Burrow was scrambling to his right. Just as he was about to step out of bounds he fired a cross-body dart to Tyler Boyd for a 10-yard touchdown and a 20-6 Bengals lead. But the touchdown was tinged with controversy as TV picked up an inadvertent whistle from referee Jerome Boger while Burrow was headed out of bounds.

The touchdown stood, though by rule, the play could’ve been ruled dead and replayed.

The Raiders responded with an 80-yard drive that took only 1:38 and was capped by a 14-yard touchdown over the middle to Zay Jones, barely beating Eli Apple in coverage. That touchdown was marred by a third-down conversion after the Bengals apparently had the Raiders stopped on a third down. But Boger’s crew granted the Raiders a timeout before the Bengals deflection had the Raiders on the verge of fourth down and another field goal attempt from Carlson.

The Bengals took the opening kick of the second half and marched down the field and had the Raiders caught with too many men on the field. Burrow recognizing that fired a pass to Chase down to the Raiders 6. But Boger overturned that play and allowed the Raiders a timeout that wiped out a big gain. The Raiders held and forced a third Evan McPherson field goal from 43 yards that put the Bengals up, 23-13.

Jessie Bates came up with a big play when he knocked the ball out of Hunter Renfrow’s hands at the Bengals 35 on what would’ve been a big third-down conversion. The Raiders punted. The Bengals then punted for the first time all day.

The Raiders came back with another scoring drive that ended in a 57-yard, 13-play drive that consumed nearly eight minutes.

With the lead down to seven, Burrow and the Bengals responded again. Joe Mixon’s second effort on third-and-inches extended the drive. Evan McPherson’s set a playoff single-game record with his fourth field goal from 28 yards to give the Bengals a 26-16 lead with 6:46 left.