Detroit Lions traveled to Cincinnati to face off against the Bengals at Paycor Stadium, winning 37-24. The atmosphere crackled with tension: Detroit was riding a hot streak, while Cincinnati was trying to steady itself after losing Joe Burrow to injury. The Lions struck first, as quarterback Jared Goff connected with tight end Sam LaPorta on a 10-yard touchdown pass, setting the tone early. In the second quarter, in what felt like a cinematic moment, running back David Montgomery—returning to his hometown—lined up in a wildcat formation and lofted a 3-yard scoring pass to Brock Wright, giving Detroit a 14–0 lead. The Bengals finally got on the board as time expired in the half with a 50-yard field goal by Evan McPherson, making it 14–3 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Detroit continued to pour it on. Goff threw a 20-yard touchdown to Jahmyr Gibbs, weaving through traffic as he broke multiple tackles. Before the quarter closed, Montgomery capped a sustained drive with an 8-yard rushing touchdown, pushing the Lions’ lead to 28–3. At that point, Cincinnati looked overmatched—yet they were far from done.
The fourth quarter saw the Bengals mount a furious comeback attempt. Backup quarterback Jake Browning—forced into duty in Burrow’s absence—torched Detroit’s defense with three touchdown passes, two of them to Ja’Marr Chase (including a 64-yard bomb), and one to Tee Higgins, narrowing the score to 35–24. But Detroit answered as well. Goff found rookie wideout Isaac TeSlaa for a 12-yard touchdown and later, in a critical moment, linebacker Derrick Barnes forced a safety by sacking Browning in the end zone. That final play sealed the Lions’ victory, 37–24.
Beyond the box score, the human stories made the game special. Montgomery’s homecoming carried emotional weight: his sister, paralyzed in a car accident the prior year, was in attendance, making the moment even more meaningful. Goff was surgical, finishing 19 of 23 for 258 yards and three touchdowns. Detroit’s defense chipped in too, creating turnovers and unlocking short fields for the offense. Meanwhile, the Bengals’ brave rally late couldn’t erase the momentum the Lions had built early. For Detroit, it marked their first win over Cincinnati since 1992—and extended their winning streak to four games on the season.
Credits: https://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore/_/gameId/401772854
