Game preview
Titans @ Bengals
Week 8 · 2026
Tennessee has trailed at halftime in all seven games, and Cincinnati just won a half 35-0.
Tennessee has trailed at every halftime. Cincinnati just won a half 35-0
StorylineBoth of these teams won their last game from the same place: down 13-0 at halftime. The Titans came back to beat the Colts 26-20 in Week 6, and the Bengals were shut out for 30 minutes in Baltimore last Sunday before Joe Burrow threw four second half touchdown passes in a 35-13 win. Cincinnati is the fifth team since 1999 to score 35 or more in a second half after a scoreless first half, and only the 2012 Broncos also held the other team scoreless after the break. Tennessee, 1-6, has trailed at halftime in all seven of its games, and Cam Ward, the 2025 first overall pick, has four touchdown passes to Burrow's 15. Sunday asks whether the Titans can play a first half that does not need a comeback, against the 4-2 Bengals and the passer who throws the most touchdowns per game in football.
Shut out in the first half, 35 or more points in the second half, since 1999
| Season | Week | Team | Opponent | Halftime | Second half | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 5 | IND | TB | 0-21 | 38-14 | W 38-35 |
| 2008 | 4 | ARI | NYJ | 0-34 | 35-22 | L 35-56 |
| 2012 | 6 | DEN | LAC | 0-24 | 35-0 | W 35-24 |
| 2022 | 15 | MIN | IND | 0-33 | 39-3 | W 39-36 |
| 2026 | 7 | CIN | BAL | 0-13 | 35-0 | W 35-13 |
Halftime score by game, 2026 (team first)
| Week | Titans | Bengals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3-10 vs NYJ, lost 10-23 | 24-10 vs TB, won 33-27 |
| 2 | 10-14 vs PHI, lost 20-24 | 7-3 at HOU, won 20-6 |
| 3 | 0-9 at NYG, lost 7-12 | 17-17 at PIT, lost 27-30 |
| 4 | 7-24 at BAL, lost 18-24 | 3-13 vs JAX, lost 17-22 |
| 5 | 3-12 vs HOU, lost 3-26 | 21-7 at MIA, won 31-24 |
| 6 | 0-13 at IND, won 26-20 | Bye |
| 7 | 14-17 vs CLE, lost 24-27 | 0-13 at BAL, won 35-13 |
The two first overall picks, 2026 through Week 7
| Passer | Drafted | Games | Comp-Att | Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Burrow, CIN | 2020, No. 1 | 6 | 157-219 | 1,653 | 15 | 3 |
| Cam Ward, TEN | 2025, No. 1 | 7 | 129-208 | 1,179 | 4 | 5 |
Why it matters. The two teams arrive from opposite ends of the same game script. Tennessee's season is a series of first half holes, 37 points scored and 99 allowed before halftime, and its one win needed a 26-7 second half. Cincinnati has a passer who can turn a 13-0 deficit into a 35-13 win in two quarters. If the Titans fall behind early again, they need a second half comeback against the passer leading the league in touchdown passes per game.
Burrow throws 2.5 touchdowns a game. Tennessee allows fewer than one
What to watchCincinnati's passing game meets a Tennessee pass defense that gives up yards but not touchdowns. The Bengals have 15 touchdown passes in six games, 2.5 a game and first in the league, and Burrow's 6.8 percent touchdown rate sits beside 6.6 percent across his eight games of 2025; in Baltimore he went 22 of 30 for 292 yards and four scores, with Tee Higgins catching six for 148. The Titans have allowed six touchdown passes in seven games, third fewest per game, yet rank 26th in EPA per dropback and 27th in completions of 20 yards or more allowed per game, after 29th by EPA in 2025. Cleveland hit six of those 20-yard completions against them in Week 7. If Burrow completes a pass of 20 yards or more on Cincinnati's first possession, the Titans are giving up the yards they usually allow; if the Bengals' first drives stall short of the end zone, Tennessee's habit of keeping passers out of it is holding.
Touchdown passes per game, 2026 through Week 7 (top five and Tennessee's defense)
| Rank | Team | Games | TD passes | TD passes allowed | Allowed rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIN | 6 | 15 | 6 | 4 |
| 2 | JAX | 6 | 14 | 7 | 8 |
| 2 | DET | 6 | 14 | 16 | 32 |
| 4 | LV | 7 | 16 | 16 | 27 |
| 5 | SF | 7 | 15 | 10 | 14 |
| 31 | TEN | 7 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
Cincinnati's passing against Tennessee's pass defense
| Unit | Window | Dropbacks | EPA per dropback | Rank of 32 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIN passing | 2026 Wks 1 to 7 | 229 | +0.200 | 5 |
| CIN passing | 2025 regular season | 677 | -0.027 | 23 |
| TEN pass defense | 2026 Wks 1 to 7 | 240 | +0.138 | 26 |
| TEN pass defense | 2025 regular season | 558 | +0.167 | 29 |
Completions of 20 yards or more per game, 2026 through Week 7
| Unit | Games | Completions of 20 plus | Per game | Rank of 32 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIN offense, made | 6 | 18 | 3.00 | 13 |
| TEN defense, allowed | 7 | 24 | 3.43 | 27 |
| TEN defense, Wk 7 vs CLE | 1 | 6 | 6.00 | Not ranked |
Why it matters. Tennessee's pass defense bends between the 20s: it ranks 27th in 20-yard completions allowed per game but has kept passers out of the end zone more than almost anyone. Burrow's touchdown rate is nearly identical to his 2025 rate, so his 15 scores in six games reflect a passer playing at his usual level, not a hot streak. One of those two numbers gives Sunday.
Cincinnati's rush ranks second. Ward is sacked 5.0 percent, down from 9.0
What to watchWard's protection meets a pass rush that climbed from 23rd to second. Cincinnati sacks the passer on 9.5 percent of dropbacks, second of 32, after 6.1 percent and 23rd in 2025, and it has at least two sacks in every game, with Boye Mafe at 4.5, Dexter Lawrence at 4.0 and Jonathan Allen at 3.0. Tennessee allows a sack on 5.0 percent of dropbacks, ninth fewest, after 9.0 percent and 27th in 2025, though Houston got Ward four times in Week 5. When Ward has thrown, it has not been efficient: minus 0.168 EPA per dropback, 31st of 34 passers with 100, after minus 0.192 and 32nd of 33 in 2025, and in Week 7 he went 20 of 31 for 181 yards with no touchdown and one interception. The Week 8 injury report lists Carnell Tate, his leading receiver with 34 catches for 413 yards, as not participating in practice with a shoulder injury. If Cincinnati sacks Ward on either of Tennessee's first two possessions, the Bengals' rush is doing what it has done in every game; if Ward is clean through the first quarter, Tennessee's improved protection is winning the matchup.
Sack rate, both units
| Unit | 2026 Wks 1 to 7 | Rank of 32 | 2025 regular season | 2025 rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIN defense, sacks made | 21 on 221, 9.5% | 2 | 35 on 571, 6.1% | 23 |
| TEN offense, sacks allowed | 11 on 220, 5.0% | 9 (fewest first) | 56 on 623, 9.0% | 27 |
Sacks by game, 2026
| Week | Cincinnati defense made | Tennessee offense allowed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 vs TB | 3 vs NYJ |
| 2 | 4 at HOU | 2 vs PHI |
| 3 | 2 at PIT | 0 at NYG |
| 4 | 4 vs JAX | 1 at BAL |
| 5 | 3 at MIA | 4 vs HOU |
| 6 | Bye | 0 at IND |
| 7 | 4 at BAL | 1 vs CLE |
EPA per dropback by passer (2026: 100 dropbacks, 2025: 250)
| Season | Passer | Dropbacks | EPA per dropback | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Joe Burrow | 229 | +0.200 | 7 of 34 |
| 2026 | Cam Ward | 220 | -0.168 | 31 of 34 |
| 2025 | Joe Burrow | 278 | +0.099 | 12 of 33 |
| 2025 | Cam Ward | 592 | -0.192 | 32 of 33 |
Cincinnati sack leaders, 2026 through Week 7
| Player | Sacks | QB hits |
|---|---|---|
| Boye Mafe | 4.5 | 6 |
| Dexter Lawrence | 4.0 | 7 |
| Jonathan Allen | 3.0 | 8 |
| Kris Jenkins | 2.0 | 2 |
| Cedric Johnson | 2.0 | 2 |
Why it matters. Tennessee's sack rate is its clearest passing improvement from 2025, and it is the number Cincinnati's defense is built to attack: three linemen have 11.5 sacks between them. Ward's efficiency ranked near the bottom both seasons even with fewer sacks, so pressure takes away the one part of Tennessee's passing game that has improved. Both samples are six or seven games set beside a full season.
Cincinnati converts third downs best in football, and stops them 28th
What to watchThe Bengals extend drives better than anyone and let opponents extend them almost as easily. Cincinnati converts 51.9 percent of third downs, first of 32, after 44.5 percent and fifth in 2025, while its defense allows 48.1 percent, 28th, after 27th in 2025. Tennessee is the opposite shape: its offense converts 35.4 percent, 29th, after finishing last in 2025 at 31.9 percent, and its defense allows 41.1 percent, 16th. So the Titans' weakest phase meets one of Cincinnati's, and the Bengals' best phase meets a defense in the middle of the league. If Tennessee converts two of its first three third downs, it is getting the help Cincinnati's defense has given all season; if the Titans are punting after three plays on their first two drives, the Bengals' offense gets the extra possessions its third down rate turns into points.
Third down conversion rate, 2026 through Week 7 (top five and both teams)
| Offense rank | Team | Offense | Defense allowed | Defense rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIN | 40 of 77, 51.9% | 38 of 79, 48.1% | 28 |
| 2 | BUF | 31 of 61, 50.8% | 36 of 79, 45.6% | 25 |
| 3 | DAL | 43 of 85, 50.6% | 46 of 85, 54.1% | 31 |
| 4 | SF | 38 of 76, 50.0% | 36 of 94, 38.3% | 11 |
| 5 | JAX | 35 of 72, 48.6% | 26 of 68, 38.2% | 10 |
| 29 | TEN | 29 of 82, 35.4% | 37 of 90, 41.1% | 16 |
Third down conversion rate, 2025 regular season
| Team | Offense | Offense rank | Defense allowed | Defense rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIN | 97 of 218, 44.5% | 5 | 89 of 202, 44.1% | 27 |
| TEN | 74 of 232, 31.9% | 32 | 83 of 200, 41.5% | 21 |
Why it matters. Third down is where Tennessee's offense has failed for a season and a half, last in 2025 and 29th now, and Cincinnati's defense, 28th, is one of the five worst at getting off the field on third down. Every Titans conversion keeps Burrow on the sideline, which is the most direct way a 1-6 offense can limit a passer averaging 2.5 touchdown passes a game. The Bengals' own rate, first in the league, means their drives rarely end early.
Tennessee is minus 62 in first halves and plus 14 in second halves
What to watchThe Titans' problem has a clock on it. They have been outscored 99 to 37 before halftime, the worst first half margin and the fewest first half points per game in the league, and they are the 10th team since 1999 to trail at the half in each of their first seven games. After halftime they are plus 14, ninth, a reversal from 2025, when they were minus 106 in first halves and minus 88 in second halves. Last week they led Cleveland 14-0 in the first quarter on two Tony Pollard touchdown runs and still trailed 17-14 at the half; Pollard finished with 129 yards and three touchdowns, after 1,082 yards and five touchdowns in all of 2025. Cincinnati is plus 9 in first halves, 13th, and plus 32 in second halves, third. If Tennessee leads at halftime for the first time this season, Cincinnati has to win a second half again, as it did in Baltimore; if the Bengals lead at the break, the Titans need their own second half against the third best second half team in football.
First and second half scoring, 2026 through Week 7 (rank of 32 by margin per game)
| Team | Games | First half | Margin | Rank | Second half | Margin | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEN | 7 | 37-99 | -62 | 32 | 71-57 | +14 | 9 |
| CIN | 6 | 72-63 | +9 | 13 | 91-59 | +32 | 3 |
| MIN | 6 | 54-49 | +5 | 16 | 71-25 | +46 | 1 |
| SEA | 7 | 63-72 | -9 | 20 | 105-53 | +52 | 2 |
| BAL | 7 | 118-53 | +65 | 1 | 51-114 | -63 | 32 |
Teams that trailed at halftime in each of their first seven games, since 1999
| Season | Team | First half points | First half points allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | CIN | 49 | 140 |
| 2006 | SF | 46 | 171 |
| 2012 | CLE | 57 | 105 |
| 2012 | DET | 51 | 94 |
| 2013 | JAX | 33 | 127 |
| 2014 | TB | 27 | 126 |
| 2017 | CLE | 34 | 117 |
| 2021 | NYJ | 34 | 123 |
| 2022 | IND | 39 | 98 |
| 2026 | TEN | 37 | 99 |
Halves in the 2025 regular season
| Team | First half | Margin | Rank | Second half | Margin | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEN | 140-246 | -106 | 29 | 144-232 | -88 | 31 |
| CIN | 198-240 | -42 | 25 | 216-252 | -36 | 26 |
Why it matters. Tennessee's second halves add up to plus 14, and its first halves have decided its record: seven halftime deficits, one win. Cincinnati is one of the league's best second half teams, so the usual Titans recovery window is the stretch the Bengals play best. The first half margin carries over from 2025, while the second half margin is a seven game sample against a full season.
FanIQ answers any NFL stats question with receipts, on your phone.
Get FanIQ freeGet it on Google Play