The Cincinnati Bengals opened Sunday’s NFL slate with a matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid, Spain.
And they certainly left their mark on the city, erupting for a 34-17 victory while firing on all cylinders offensively behind star quarterback Joe Burrow.
Burrow completed 24-of-29 passes for 271 yards and four total touchdowns. Ja’Marr Chase caught 10 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown, while Tee Higgins added five receptions and two touchdowns.
Rex Ryan Makes Strong Statement on Bengals
Since the game took place Sunday morning on the East Coast of the United States, ESPN’s NFL Countdown was still on the air following the victory.
The crew, including longtime head coach Rex Ryan, reacted to the win and shared their outlook for the Bengals.
“If they’re just average [on defense], this team can win it all. They can win it all because those receivers are so good,” Ryan said. “Why the heck they play single-high against these two without them doubled every single snap is beyond me. But if people are gonna make those type of mistakes, they’re going to light this thing up. The one thing I’m gonna tell you, what I see from the Cincinnati Bengals offense that we haven’t seen in years is they can protect the quarterback. It’s never happened. And if they can protect Joe Burrow like he’s been getting… so to me, that’s the difference in this offense, that’s why I think they can go all the way.”
“This is a dangerous football team.”
After beating the Falcons, are the Bengals a team to worry about? Tedy Bruschi weighs in 🔥 https://t.co/eqVl6VzVlp
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 8, 2026
Looking at the Bengals
Cincinnati now sits at 6-2 overall and shares first place in the AFC North with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The two teams will meet Sunday night in a massive divisional showdown, with the winner taking sole possession of first place.
After Pittsburgh, the Bengals will face the Washington Commanders on Monday night before closing out November against the New Orleans Saints.
Rex Ryan Makes Strong Statement About Bengals After Win Over Falcons