Bengals defense leads Buccaneers 14-3 in the first half of season opener

The Cincinnati Bengals hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday to begin the 2026 NFL season. Although the Buccaneers established an early 3-0 advantage, Cincinnati responded with 14 unanswered points to take the lead in the first half. The Bengals scored their first points of the campaign when Demetrius Knight Jr. returned a fumble for a touchdown. The defense forced a second turnover later in the opening quarter when Bucky Irving lost a fumble, positioning the Bengals at the 33-yard line. This defensive performance arrives following an offseason overhaul that included the acquisition of pass rusher Dexter Lawrence to address long-standing roster issues. Cincinnati concludes its current matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before shifting focus to a game against the Houston Texans next Sunday.

• 7:03 PMYahoo Sports — Bengals news: Much-maligned defense scores Cincinnati's first points of season