The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Tennessee Titans 43-36 in overtime Sunday, and Joe Burrow's arm decided it. Cincinnati threw for 435 net yards, enough to survive 4 turnovers on a day the Titans ran the ball well.

Tennessee won the turnover battle, out-rushed Cincinnati by a wide margin and still lost. That tells you how little the Titans could do against the Bengals' passing game once it got rolling.

How It Happened

Tennessee owned the first quarter. Joey Slye hit a 46-yard field goal, Tony Pollard broke a 40-yard touchdown run, and Slye added a 29-yarder before the quarter ended.

Burrow answered in the second quarter. He hit Ja'Marr Chase for a 30-yard touchdown early, then found Jack Endries from 1 yard out with 0:20 left in the half to send Cincinnati into the break ahead.

Burrow opened the third quarter with a 17-yard touchdown to Tee Higgins. Tennessee drew level when Pollard scored from 1 yard and Cam Ward ran in the two-point conversion. A safety credited to Demetrius Knight Jr. with 0:46 left in the quarter put Cincinnati back in front.

The fourth quarter turned into a shootout. Ward hit Chimere Dike for an 11-yard touchdown to give Tennessee the lead, and Burrow responded with a 25-yard score to Mike Gesicki, though the two-point pass failed.

Ward struck again with 3:46 left, a 15-yard touchdown to Wan'Dale Robinson, then hit Gunnar Helm for the two-point conversion to put the Titans up a touchdown. Burrow replied by finding Higgins from 18 yards with 1:17 left to tie it at 36.

Overtime

Burrow ended it himself. He kept the ball on a 9-yard touchdown run with 7:00 left on the overtime clock, and Evan McPherson's extra point closed it out.

Key Performers

Joe Burrow, CIN: 5 TD passes – 30 YDS (Chase), 1 YD (Endries), 17 YDS (Higgins), 25 YDS (Gesicki), 18 YDS (Higgins); 9-YD rushing TD in OT
Bengals passing: 38-48, 435 net YDS, 5-3 (TD-INT)
Tee Higgins, CIN: 2 TD REC – 17 YDS, 18 YDS

Tony Pollard, TEN: 2 rushing TD – 40 YDS, 1 YD
Cam Ward, TEN: 2 TD passes – 11 YDS (Dike), 15 YDS (Robinson); two-point run; two-point pass to Gunnar Helm
Titans rushing: 28 ATT, 158 YDS, 5.6 per carry

What It Means

Cincinnati moves to 5-2, and the passing game is the reason. The Bengals averaged close to 9 yards per pass and converted 7 of 10 third downs, which kept drives alive even when the run game stalled at 75 yards.

The red zone separated the offenses too. Cincinnati scored on 5 of 6 trips inside the 20.

The concern for Cincinnati is ball security. The Bengals' 3 interceptions and a lost fumble gave a 1-7 opponent every chance to steal this one on the road.

For Tennessee, this is the kind of loss that stings. The Titans ran for nearly 6 yards a carry, committed no interceptions and lost only 2 fumbles, yet couldn't get a stop when it mattered. Their 10 penalties for 73 yards didn't help, and they remain winless at home at 0-4 with their only win coming on the road.