CINCINNATI (AP) — Evan McPherson kicked a 35-yard field goal as time ran out to give the Bengals a 24-21 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night, spoiling Urban Meyer’s Ohio return.
Joe Burrow passed for 348 yards and two touchdowns to help the Bengals (3-1) overcome a 14-0 halftime deficit.
Burrow, the top overall draft pick in 2020 outdueled the 2021 top pick, Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Meyer, who coached Ohio State to the 2014 national championship, was born in Toledo, grew up in Ashtabula rooting for the Bengals, went to college at Cincinnati, played safety for the Bearcats, got his first coaching job at nearby Saint Xavier High School in 1985, and has two sisters who still live in the area.
Jacksonville jumped out to a surprising 14-0 lead in the first half and had the chance to add to it.
But the Cincinnati Bengals stopped Lawrence on fourth-and-goal inside the 1 late in the first half in what ended up being a turning point in the game.
Cincinnati came out and scored two third-quarter touchdowns to tie the game. The Bengals ended up scoring on all four second-half possessions, including McPherson’s game-winning field-goal.