Following last week's script, the Bengals tied Sunday's game with 56 seconds left in the first half, but the defense again imploded in a quick situation and allowed the Jags to drive to their 2 with no timeouts for a field goal that gave Jacksonville 13-10 halftime lead.
According to The Athletic's Jay Morrison it was the 24th time in the last 34 games the Bengals had allowed a score in the last two minutes of the half in a stretch that spans three defensive coordinators.
- It marred a brilliant half for rookie quarterback Joe Burrow. He sifted 13 of 18 for 169 yards but it could have been so much more if he had a little help. It was a nice duel against Gardner Minshew II's 14 of 20 for 182 yards.
- Burrow put together another microwave drive of 75 yards as the clock ticked. He got a nine-yard touchdown on a swing pass to running back Joe Mixon with 56 seconds left that tied the game at 10. It was Mixon's first touchdown of the season, but it should have been Burrow's third touchdown pass of the day. Mixon vaulted over cornerback Chris Claybooks at the 2 to get it done.
- Burrow went right back to tight end Drew Sample to start that drive for 23 yards over the middle even though Sample betrayed him in the end zone earlier in the second quarter for what would have been one of those touchdowns.
- Burrow waited for a bad time to throw his first NFL overhanded interception. The man who didn't throw an end-zone pick last year at LSU did it midway through the second quarter and it wasn't really his fault. Looking to re-take the lead on third down from the 1, he went play-action and threw it high to Sample. The pass hit the leaping Sample in the facemask and linebacker Myles Jack wrenched it out of his hands tumbling to the ground.
- They needed third down because even though they rolled out Fred Johnson as an extra lineman, Mixon got nothing and finished the half with just 30 yards on 12 carries.
Check out some of the top images from the Bengals Week 4 contest against Jacksonville.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) stands on the field after an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. Cincinnati won 33-25. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Jacksonville Jaguars strong safety Josh Jones (29) defends as Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Auden Tate (19) makes a catch during an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. Cincinnati won 33-25. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd (83) makes a catch against Jacksonville Jaguars free safety Andrew Wingard (42) during an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. Cincinnati won 33-25. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Bengals nose tackle D.J. Reader (98) against Jacksonville Jaguars offensive guard A.J. Cann (60) during an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. Cincinnati won 33-25. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) waves to fans as he leaves the field following a 33-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) runs off the field following a 33-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Jordan Evans (50) celebrates late in the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. The Bengals defeated the Jaguars 33-25. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) celebrates a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Bengals kicker Randy Bullock (4) kicks a field goal against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) runs for a touchdown in front of Jacksonville Jaguars strong safety Josh Jones (29) in the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) leaps over Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Chris Claybrooks (27) for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Devine Ozigbo (35) breaks up a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) in the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) runs against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) celebrates a touchdown pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) makes catch in front of Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Cassius Marsh (54) in the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor before an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) takes the field before an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Bengals kicker Randy Bullock (4) kicks a field goal against the Jacksonville Jaguars from the hold of Kevin Huber in the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker Jordan Evans (50) intercepts a pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor watches for the sideline in the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Tyler Eifert (88) is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Darius Phillips (23), cornerback William Jackson (22), linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither (59) and strong safety Shawn Williams (36) in the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) runs for a touchdown in front of Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Chris Claybrooks (27) in the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
- The turnover spoiled Burrow's longest throw to a wide receiver this season, a 30-yarder to rookie Tee Higgins. But it wasn't what you think. He hit Higgins on a slant over the middle and got most of them after the catch. A.J. Green had just one catch for three yards, and that as on the first snap, even though the jags lost first-round cornerback C.J. Henderson during the first snap.
- The Bengals flagged themselves out of the first quarter. They had a touchdown taken off the board after Burrow converted a third-and-six with a drop-a-dime 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyler Boyd. But center Trey Hopkins couldn't ward off defensive end Josh Allen and held him. They settled for Randy Bullock's field goal.
- The Bengals defense gave up their only touchdown because of another implosion, this one on 40 yards of penalties in one drive: a 17-yard pass interference on cornerback Darius Phillips, a facemask on middle linbebacker Josh Bynes and unnecessary roughness on defensive end Carl Lawson.
For the third straight interception, the Bengals couldn't get much. This time only three yards to again waste golden field position at the Jags 43 after they turned over Minshew on the first drive.
On third and-six, Mishew went to old friend Tyler Eifert over the middle and had to hurry it with rookie linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither lined up in a Double A gap blitz. Free safety Jessie Bates broke on the ball, tipped it high in the air and linebacker Jordan Evans caught it. Evans came into the game with just one snap, but with rookie Logan Wilson out with a concussion, he was getting some work in the nickel package.
- But like last week in Philly, when the Bengals' two interceptions put them basically in the same spot, they couldn't convert. Worse on Sunday, they went three-and-out. On third-and-seven, Burrow didn't go to his initial reads and motioned Green deep working on Henderson. Green seemed to get separation, but Burrow overthrew him.
- The Bengals followed up that pick with a nice stand. When Minshew tried a quarterback draw on third-and four, Carlos Dunlap and D.J. Reader stopped him to force a field goal and Alex Rosas missed his first try as a Jaguar from 48 yards.
