CINCINNATI — Cincinnati opened the 2026 season with a 33-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, securing the victory behind a new-look defense that forced four turnovers and timely kicking from Evan McPherson. The Bengals built a 21-3 second-quarter lead and held on late in Cincinnati to start 1-0 despite needing to clean up several areas.
The MVP-level impacts came from four different contributors. Knight Jr. opened Cincinnati's scoring with a 27-yard fumble return touchdown after Myles Murphy forced a Baker Mayfield fumble, giving the Bengals their first points of the season in his first regular-season game with a larger role. McPherson connected on all four field-goal attempts, including kicks from 55 and 58 yards for 12 points, with the 58-yarder in the fourth quarter pushing the lead back to 10 after Tampa Bay had cut it to seven. Cook forced a fumble and recovered a Mayfield goal-line gaffe in the first half to prevent Tampa Bay points, while Mike Gesicki led Cincinnati in receiving with five catches for 78 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, including a two-yard touchdown reception for the offense's first touchdown when Tampa Bay limited Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Burrow looked elsewhere.
The unsung contributions were felt up front and in rotation. Dexter Lawrence logged 11 true pass set rushes with a 36% win rate, best in the NFL among defensive interior players with at least 10 attempts, according to PFF grading data that also had cornerbacks Jalen Davis and Dax Hill graded at 84-plus with Hill recording two stops. Carter finished with a team-high eight tackles, a half-sack and a forced fumble at the goal line, while Mafe recovered a fumble after Bucky Irving lost the ball as part of a front that helped force four Tampa Bay turnovers. Brown provided balance with 16 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown and five receptions for 23 yards, scoring on a five-yard run to extend the lead to 21-3 during a game Cincinnati ran 27 times against 35 pass attempts.
The most impactful moment was the defensive touchdown. Murphy knocked the ball loose from Mayfield and Knight Jr. picked it up and raced 27 yards for the score, a swing that gave the new-look defense early life and set the tone for a game defined by takeaways and McPherson's perfect day with two makes from beyond 50 yards.