Cincinnati Bengals vs Tennessee Titans, Divisional Round 2021
Cincinnati Bengals
AwayWon, advanced
19
Tennessee Titans
Home
16
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 6 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 19 |
| Titans | 0 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 16 |
CIN 19TEN 16 Final
Passing leader
13.4PPR pts
28/37, 348 YDS, 1 INT
Top fantasy scorer
25.2PPR pts
5 REC, 142 YDS, 1 TD
Titans leader
12.2PPR pts
20 ATT, 62 YDS, 1 TD
Defensive playmaker
Amani Hooker
1 INT, 8 TKL
Bengals 19, Titans 16: Cincinnati holds off Tennessee in the 2021 Divisional Round
Cincinnati led 9–6 at halftime to win 19–16. Tennessee outgained the Bengals 353–345.
The Titans went 1-for-8 on third down and committed three turnovers, while the Bengals kept the ball for 33:25.
The Bengals' run ended in the Super Bowl, a 23–20 loss to the Rams.
The two teams meet again in Week 8 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.
Key advantages
- +2 turnover margin CIN 1 · TEN 3 turnovers
- +34% third-down rate CIN 47% · TEN 13%
- +6:50 time of possession CIN 33:25 · TEN 26:35
Game Highlights
Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube
Got a Bengal or Titan on your fantasy team?
Check their next matchup with the Start/Sit Tool, compare their value in the Fantasy Trade Calculator, or connect your league for personalized advice in Redraft Command.
Works with Sleeper, ESPN and Fleaflicker. No password needed.
Why the Bengals Won
Cincinnati won the turnover, third-down, and time of possession battles.
| Bengals | Stat | Titans |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turnovers | 3 |
| 47% | Third-down conversion | 13% |
| 33:25 | Time of possession | 26:35 |
| Other team stats | ||
| 345 | Total yards | 353 |
| 5.4 | Yards per play | 6.8 |
| 64 | Plays | 52 |
Scoring Summary
The Bengals scored one touchdown and four field goals; the Titans scored two touchdowns and one field goal.
| Time | Team | Play | CIN | TEN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st quarter | ||||
| 12:03 | CIN | Evan McPherson 38-yard FG Takes lead | 3 | 0 |
| 2:11 | CIN | Evan McPherson 45-yard FG Extends lead | 6 | 0 |
| 2nd quarter | ||||
| 6:07 | TEN | Derrick Henry 3-yard TD run Ties game2-pt try failed | 6 | 6 |
| 1:35 | CIN | Evan McPherson 54-yard FG Takes lead | 9 | 6 |
| 3rd quarter | ||||
| 9:34 | CIN | Joe Mixon 16-yard TD run Extends leadEvan McPherson XP | 16 | 6 |
| 1:36 | TEN | Randy Bullock 34-yard FG | 16 | 9 |
| 0:15 | TEN | Ryan Tannehill → A.J. Brown, 33-yard TD Ties gameRandy Bullock XP | 16 | 16 |
| 4th quarter | ||||
| 0:00 | CIN | Evan McPherson 52-yard FG Game winner | 19 | 16 |
Playoff game: these points don't count in most season-long fantasy leagues.
Fantasy Points vs Expected
Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.
- Biggest overperformer+10.0A.J. Brown25.2 PTS vs 15.2 xFP
- Biggest underperformer−4.2Joe Burrow13.4 PTS vs 17.6 xFP
- Highest expected volume20.8 xFPJoe Mixon22.5 PTS scored
| Player | PTS | xFP | vs xFP | Snap% | Usage | Rte% | Pass att | Car | Car% | Tgt | Tgt% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe MixonCIN · RB | 22.5 | 20.8 | +1.7 | — | 78% car | — | 0 | 14 | 78% | 7 | 20% |
| Joe BurrowCIN · QB | 13.4 | 17.6 | −4.2 | — | 37 att | — | 37 | 2 | 11% | 0 | 0% |
| A.J. BrownTEN · WR | 25.2 | 15.2 | +10.0 | — | 38% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 9 | 38% |
| Tee HigginsCIN · WR | 16.6 | 15.2 | +1.4 | — | 26% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 9 | 26% |
| C.J. UzomahCIN · TE | 14.1 | 13.5 | +0.6 | — | 23% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 8 | 23% |
| Derrick HenryTEN · RB | 12.2 | 12.8 | −0.6 | — | 74% car | — | 0 | 20 | 74% | 0 | 0% |
| Ryan TannehillTEN · QB | 11.0 | 12.5 | −1.5 | — | 24 att | — | 24 | 3 | 11% | 0 | 0% |
| Julio JonesTEN · WR | 12.2 | 11.8 | +0.4 | — | 29% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 7 | 29% |
| Ja'Marr ChaseCIN · WR | 16.1 | 10.7 | +5.4 | — | 17% tgt | — | 0 | 1 | 6% | 6 | 17% |
| Dontrell HilliardTEN · RB | 4.3 | 5.1 | −0.8 | — | 13% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 13% |
| Tyler BoydCIN · WR | 3.7 | 5.1 | −1.4 | — | 9% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 9% |
| Chester RogersTEN · WR | 1.3 | 3.4 | −2.1 | — | 8% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 8% |
| Samaje PerineCIN · RB | 1.4 | 3.4 | −2.0 | — | 6% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 6% |
| D'Onta ForemanTEN · RB | 6.6 | 2.6 | +4.0 | — | 15% car | — | 0 | 4 | 15% | 0 | 0% |
| Anthony FirkserTEN · TE | 0.0 | 1.7 | −1.7 | — | 4% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 4% |
| Khari BlasingameTEN · RB | 0.0 | 1.7 | −1.7 | — | 4% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 4% |
| Nick Westbrook-IkhineTEN · WR | 0.0 | 1.7 | −1.7 | — | 4% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 4% |
| Chris EvansCIN · RB | 0.4 | 0.6 | −0.2 | — | 6% car | — | 0 | 1 | 6% | 0 | 0% |
Team totals: Bengals 35 targets and 18 carries; Titans 24 targets and 27 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts aren't available for this game. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.
Fantasy Verdicts
Joe Burrow
28 of 37 passing for 348 yards, 1 interception; 2 carries for 5 yards.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 17.6 expected.
Ryan Tannehill
15 of 24 passing for 220 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 interceptions; 3 carries for 12 yards.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 12.5 expected.
Fewest points since Week 15.
Joe Mixon Strong role
7 targets (20% of the team's), 6 catches for 51 yards; 14 carries (78% of the team's) for 54 yards and 1 touchdown.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 20.8 expected.
A touchdown in 5 of the last 8 games.
Tee Higgins
9 targets (26% of the team's), 7 catches for 96 yards.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 15.2 expected.
A.J. Brown Ran hot
9 targets (38% of the team's), 5 catches for 142 yards and 1 touchdown.
Verdict: The opportunities were worth 15.2 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.
Derrick Henry Volume, no payoff
20 carries (74% of the team's) for 62 yards and 1 touchdown.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 12.8 expected.
A touchdown in 5 of the last 8 games.
Ja'Marr Chase Ran hot
6 targets (17% of the team's), 5 catches for 109 yards; 1 carry (6% of the team's) for 2 yards.
Verdict: The opportunities were worth 10.7 points; efficiency supplied the rest.
Fantasy Matchups
Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.
| Points allowed to | Bengals D | Titans D |
|---|---|---|
| QBs | 16.0 | 18.0 |
| RBs | 24.5 | 16.1 |
| WRs | 31.7 | 40.9 |
| TEs | 14.7 | 8.7 |
Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.
How the Game Swung
Tennessee opened at 62% win probability and fell below 2% in overtime.
Titans win probability
Key Swings
- +23Henry 3-yd TD run37% → 59%Q2 6:07
- −12McPherson 54-yd FG59% → 46%Q2 1:35
- −27Mixon 16-yd TD run44% → 17%Q3 9:34
- +37Tannehill → Brown, 33-yd TD19% → 56%Q3 0:15
- −50McPherson 52-yd FG50% → <1%Q4 0:00
Swing in Titans win probability, in points
Play Calling and Possessions
| Cincinnati Bengals | Measure | Tennessee Titans |
|---|---|---|
| 64 | Plays | 52 |
| 72% | Pass rate | 48% |
| 6.1 | Yds / dropback | 8.5 |
| 3.6 | Yds / carry | 5.2 |
| 7/15 | Third downs | 1/8 |
Efficiency edge Cincinnati ran 12 more plays than Tennessee.
- Top targets
- CIN Higgins 26% · Uzomah 23% · Mixon 20%
- TEN Brown 38% · Jones 29% · Hilliard 13%
Possession Results
| Result | CIN | TEN |
|---|---|---|
| Touchdowns | 1 | 2 |
| Field goals | 4 | 1 |
| Punts | 5 | 4 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Turnovers on downs | 0 | 1 |
CIN turnover edge: +2
- The Bengals opened the scoring on their first possession, a 6-play, 22-yard drive that ended in a field goal.
- The Bengals drained the clock with two second-half drives of four to six minutes.
All 23 possessions, drive by drive
| Team | Start | Plays | Yards | Time | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEN | Q1 15:00 | 1 | 0 | 0:07 | Interception |
| CIN | Q1 14:53 | 6 | 22 | 2:50 | Field goal |
| TEN | Q1 12:03 | 3 | -6 | 2:03 | Punt |
| CIN | Q1 10:00 | 3 | -4 | 1:31 | Punt |
| TEN | Q1 8:29 | 6 | 21 | 2:37 | Punt |
| CIN | Q1 5:52 | 6 | 61 | 3:41 | Field goal |
| TEN | Q1 2:11 | 5 | 22 | 2:19 | Punt |
| CIN | Q2 14:52 | 6 | 28 | 3:35 | Punt |
| TEN | Q2 11:17 | 9 | 84 | 5:10 | Touchdown |
| CIN | Q2 6:07 | 11 | 39 | 4:32 | Field goal |
| TEN | Q2 1:35 | 3 | 8 | 0:33 | Punt |
| CIN | Q2 1:02 | 7 | 58 | 1:02 | End of half |
| CIN | Q3 15:00 | 9 | 65 | 5:26 | Touchdown |
| TEN | Q3 9:34 | 5 | 66 | 2:53 | Interception |
| CIN | Q3 6:41 | 3 | 5 | 1:41 | Punt |
| TEN | Q3 5:00 | 7 | 56 | 3:24 | Field goal |
| CIN | Q3 1:36 | 1 | 0 | 0:17 | Interception |
| TEN | Q3 1:19 | 2 | 27 | 1:04 | Touchdown |
| CIN | Q3 0:15 | 6 | 32 | 3:57 | Punt |
| TEN | Q4 11:18 | 7 | 46 | 4:02 | Downs |
| CIN | Q4 7:16 | 6 | 5 | 4:33 | Punt |
| TEN | Q4 2:43 | 5 | 24 | 2:23 | Interception |
| CIN | Q4 0:20 | 4 | 19 | 0:20 | Field goal |
About these numbers
Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.
Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.
Bengals vs Titans Head-to-Head
The Bengals and Titans first met in 1968 and have played 80 times since.
- All-time series
- 41–38–1Titans lead, 80 meetings since 1968
- Postseason
- 2–0Bengals won in 1990 and 2021
- Largest Bengals win
- 61–71989
- Largest Titans win
- 38–31993
Since 2021
3–1 Bengals lead
4 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.
Oldest to newest. B = Bengals win, T = Titans win, outlined = this game.
2026 Meetings
- Week 8 Titans at Bengals Upcoming
Recent Meetings
- 2024 Wk 15 Bengals at Titans, 2024 Wk 15 recap CIN 37 TEN 27 CIN W
- 2023 Wk 4 Bengals at Titans, 2023 Wk 4 recap TEN 27 CIN 3 TEN W
- 2022 Wk 12 Bengals at Titans, 2022 Wk 12 recap CIN 20 TEN 16 CIN W
- 2021 Divisional Round Bengals at Titans CIN 19 TEN 16 CIN W
Season to Date (Through Week 18)
The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.
| Bengals | Stat | Titans |
|---|---|---|
| 10-7 | Record | 12-5 |
| 27.1 | Points per game | 24.6 |
| 361.5 | Yards per game | 342.5 |
| 5.9 | Yards per play | 5.1 |
| 22.1 | Points allowed per game | 20.8 |
| 350.8 | Yards allowed per game | 329.8 |
Bengals vs Titans Odds and Results
How this game finished against the betting lines.
- Spread
- TEN −4Titans failed to cover by 7
- Total
- 48.5Under: 35 points scored (by 13.5)
Expected vs Actual Scoring
| Team | Implied | Actual | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titans | 26.3 | 16 | −10.3 |
| Bengals | 22.3 | 19 | −3.3 |
Both offenses finished under the market's expectation, which matches the low fantasy output in the Fantasy tab.
Betting Trends
Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.
Cincinnati Bengals
- Against the spread
- 12–7
- Over/under
- 8–10–1
- ATS as favorite
- 5–4
- ATS as underdog
- 7–3
- ATS on the road
- 7–2
Tennessee Titans
- Against the spread
- 10–8
- Over/under
- 8–10
- ATS as favorite
- 4–6
- ATS as underdog
- 6–2
- ATS at home
- 6–4
Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.
Bengals vs Titans Fantasy Outlook for 2026
One meeting is left on the 2026 schedule: Week 8 in Cincinnati. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.
- Start/Sit ToolShould your Bengals or Titans player start in Week 8? Compare the decision against your other options.
- Fantasy Football ProjectionsSee the latest weekly and rest-of-season projections for Bengals and Titans players.
- Fantasy Points Allowed by PositionHow the Bengals and Titans defenses have treated QBs, RBs, WRs and TEs.
- Strength of ScheduleWhere this matchup falls in each team's fantasy playoff run.
- Redraft CommandConnect your league for personalized lineup, trade and roster advice.
Keep Exploring
2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game
Bengals vs Titans Game FAQ
Who won the 2021 Bengals vs Titans Divisional Round game?
The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Tennessee Titans 19–16 in the Divisional Round of the 2021 playoffs. The game was played at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN, on January 22, 2022. See the Bengals' 2021 schedule.
What was the final score of Bengals vs Titans?
The final score was Bengals 19, Titans 16. The Bengals led 9–6 at halftime, and the second half went Bengals 10, Titans 10.
What happened in the Bengals vs Titans game?
Cincinnati led 9–6 at halftime to win 19–16. Tennessee outgained the Bengals 353–345. The Titans committed 3 turnovers, the Bengals 1.
What was the game-winning score in Bengals vs Titans?
Evan McPherson's 52-yard field goal with 0:00 left in the fourth quarter gave the Bengals a 19–16 lead they never gave up. It was the final score of the game.
How did the Bengals beat the Titans?
The Bengals beat the Titans 19–16 because they won the turnover battle 3–1. Evan McPherson's 52-yard field goal put them ahead for good.
Which team won the turnover battle in Bengals vs Titans?
The Bengals won the turnover battle 3–1: the Titans gave the ball away 3 times and the Bengals 1 time. The Bengals won the game.
What was the turning point of Bengals vs Titans?
Evan McPherson's 52-yard field goal with 0:00 left in the fourth quarter was the biggest swing of the game, moving the Titans' win probability from 50% to <1%.
What is the all-time Bengals vs Titans record?
The Titans lead the all-time series 41–38–1 across 80 meetings since 1968, including a 0–2 record in the postseason.
When did the Bengals and Titans last play before this game?
Before the 2021 Divisional Round, they last met in the 2020 season on November 1, 2020, when the Bengals beat the Titans 31–20.
Have the Bengals and Titans met in the playoffs?
Yes, 2 times, most recently in the 2021 playoffs. The Bengals are 2–0 against the Titans in the postseason.
What is the Bengals vs Titans record since 2021?
The Bengals lead 3–1 across 4 meetings since the 2021 season, including this game.
What was the closing spread for Bengals vs Titans?
The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Titans −4, making the Tennessee Titans 4-point favorites, with a closing total of 48.5. That implied about 26.3 points for the Titans and 22.3 for the Bengals.
Did Bengals vs Titans go over or under the total?
The game went under. The consensus closing total was 48.5, and the teams combined for 35 points, 13.5 under the number.
Who covered the spread in Bengals vs Titans?
The Bengals covered as 4-point underdogs against the closing line of Titans −4. The final margin was 3 points.