The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Detroit Lions 16-14 in their preseason opener at Paycor Stadium, led by brief appearances from starting quarterback Joe Burrow. Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor played his first-string offense for two series, with Burrow completing five of six passes for 39 yards across 13 snaps. Veteran backup Joe Flacco extended the lead in the second quarter by throwing a four-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Jack Endries, while kicker Evan McPherson contributed three field goals, including a 56-yard conversion. The Lions rested the majority of their starters, leaving undrafted rookie quarterback Luke Altmyer to log extensive playing time. Altmyer finished 13 of 22 for 130 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, orchestrating a late 12-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 24-yard scoring pass to Tarik Black and a two-point conversion. However, safety Russ Yeast secured the victory by intercepting Altmyer in the final moments.
Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.
Left: Emphasized player safety precautions and roster management decisions. Center: Focused strictly on game statistics and player performance evaluations. Right: Highlighted gritty competition and traditional football execution values.
Cincinnati Bengals played Detroit Lions in preseason opening game Thursday night. https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-lions-recap-postgame-preseason-week-1-2026-notes-quotes-stats
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Joe Burrow Starts As Bengals Edge Lions
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