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The Cincinnati Bengals kept their (slim) playoff hopes alive with a win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 15. Cincinnati fell to 4-8 after Week 13, needing to run the table to have a shot at the postseason. While the team has been able to win two straight games to improve to 6-8, the Bengals lost a key defender to a knee injury during their victory Sunday.
Veteran defensive end Sam Hubbard went down with a PCL injury in Week 15 that’s expected to end his season, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on X.
The seventh-year pro actually caught a touchdown pass from Joe Burrow during the game, hauling in the score with a little more than five minutes remaining in the second quarter. Unfortunately, it’s believed that Hubbard suffered the knee injury on that play.
It was actually the DE’s second career touchdown, as he is credited with a return TD in 2018, his rookie season. Hubbard’s score Sunday helped the Bengals take a 24-14 lead into halftime and the team hung on to earn the 37-27 win over the 3-10 Titans.
The Bengals’ defense took a major hit in Week 15
While Cincinnati got a much needed victory, the game was a sloppy, turnover-filled affair. The two teams combined to commit 10 turnovers, the most in a contest since 2007.
Titans' quarterback Will Levis struggled mightily, throwing three picks and zero touchdowns before being benched for Mason Rudolph. Levis also lost a fumble, totaling four turnovers of his own on Sunday.
Even Joe Burrow wasn’t immune to the sloppy play as the Bengals’ QB tossed two interceptions and fumbled the ball. However, Burrow ultimately continued his exemplary play, completing 26 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. The performance helped lift the Bengals past the Titans and also placed Burrow alongside Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks with six straight games with at least 250 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Despite the win, Hubbard’s loss will have a significant impact on Cincinnati’s defense, which was already playing poorly. Beyond Bengals’ sack leader Trey Hendrickson, the team hasn’t been able to consistently get to the quarterback. Hubbard had only notched two sacks in a down season but he’s consistently brought pressure throughout his seven-year career.
The Bengals are two games out of the final Wild Card berth with three games remaining in the regular season. The team will host the Cleveland Browns in a divisional matchup in Week 16.
