CINCINNATI — In a close matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Cincinnati Bengals came out on top, winning their first playoff win in more than 30 years.
What You Need To Know
- The Bengals defeated the Raiders, 26-19
- The win ends a 31-year playoff drought for Cincinnati
- A record 66,277 fans attended Saturday’s game
- Fans credited Joe Burrow and a strong offensive showing for the victory
Fans screamed and hugged in uproarious applause as the final seconds ticked off the clock. The scoreboard read Bengals 26, Raiders 19.
For thousands of Bengals fans, it was a moment they’d spent their entire lives waiting to see.
“I was negative-four years old the last time this happened,” Sam Meek said as he left the stadium shaking with excitement.
Before Saturday, the last Bengals playoff win was in 1991. The team defeated the Oilers in Houston only to lose the following week to the then Los Angeles Raiders.
It would take another 14 years before the Bengals returned to the playoffs, something longtime season ticket holders, like Chris Gfroerer, know all too well.
“It has been very painful, which is why I’m standing in front of you today saying today we exercise those demons,” he said.
All season though, he and his fellow fans told themselves this time was different. They put their faith in quarterback Joe Burrow and his young offensive core.
Every time he connected with former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase was cause for celebration as was a strong showing from a healthy Joe Mixon.
“Everyone believes in Burrow, the fans the team,” said Doug Geis, another season ticket holder. “His calm demeanor, his confidence, ensures we’re going to pull this one off.”
In front of a record crowd of 66,277 people, the Bengals did just that, consistently putting points on the board, as their bend-not-break defense kept the Raiders trailing nearly the entire game.
“It finally came true,” Rick Mason said as he left the stands. “I’m almost in tears it feels so good.”
While the win feels good, Mason said he hopes it’s just the start of a much longer post-season run.
“There are more games to win,” he said. “I want the Bengals to go to the Super Bowl, and I think they have the team to do it and let’s hope they get there.”
Cincinnati will learn who its next opponent will be after the rest of the Super Wild CardWeekend round plays out, but no matter who it is, fans are confident the Bengals can pull off at least one more win.
“I think this is going to be the first of two or three wins,” Gfroerer said.
