Bengals Cardinals Result: Game Highlights and Recap

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The final score — a 37–14 Bengals win — reflects a game that was never competitive past the first quarter and rarely interesting past halftime.

And while it may not rewrite the Bengals’ 2025 season, it did confirm something important: when this team plays clean, focused football, the gap between Cincinnati and struggling opponents is still wide.

That matters.

Joe Burrow Looked Like the Adult in the Room

This Bengals Cardinals result starts with Joe Burrow, who once again reminded everyone what competent quarterback play actually looks like.

Burrow finished 24-of-31 for 305 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 129.1 passer rating. Those numbers matter, but the feel mattered more. He was decisive. He was efficient. He never let Arizona believe it had a chance.

Cincinnati’s opening drive — 12 plays, 72 yards, over five minutes — set the tone. That wasn’t an offense hunting explosives. That was an offense-imposing structure. And when Burrow plays that way, games like this tend to end early.

Ja’Marr Chase Didn’t Need Big Numbers — He Needed the End Zone

One of the quieter storylines entering the game was Ja’Marr Chase going more than two months without a touchdown.

That storyline ended quickly.

Chase caught two touchdown passes — one in the first quarter and another late in the second — finishing with seven catches for 60 yards and two scores. Arizona bracketed him often, but it didn’t matter in the red zone, where trust outweighs coverage.

This wasn’t a “force-feed Chase” game. It was a “finish with Chase” game. There’s a difference, and Cincinnati handled it correctly.

Chase Brown Turned a Win Into a Statement

If Burrow controlled the game early, Chase Brown ended it.

Brown rushed 22 times for 101 yards and two touchdowns, adding 40 receiving yards on three catches. More importantly, he gave the Bengals something they haven’t consistently had this season: a back who closes games.

Cincinnati scored touchdowns on its first two drives of the third quarter, stretching the lead to 37–7. From there, the game shifted from competition to confirmation.

Brown isn’t just a spark anymore. He’s a workload back — and that matters for how this offense is built going forward.

The Defense Didn’t Dominate — It Dictated

The Bengals’ defense didn’t post gaudy sack totals or force turnovers, but it controlled the game in quieter ways.

Arizona finished with:

233 total yards
12 first downs
3-of-13 on third down
One meaningful scoring drive before garbage time

That’s not dominance. That’s discipline.

The Cardinals held the ball for just over 19 minutes. Cincinnati possessed it for nearly 41. When a defense consistently gets off the field and hands the ball back to its quarterback, it’s doing its job.

This Bengals Cardinals result Was a Grown-Up Win

The most telling stat in this Bengals Cardinals result wasn’t yards or points. It was control.

Bengals: 29 first downs
Cardinals: 12
Bengals: 5-for-5 in the red zone
Cardinals: 1-for-2
Turnovers: zero — because Cincinnati never needed chaos

This was the Bengals beating a lesser team the way good teams are supposed to beat lesser teams.

No drama. No panic. No pretending.

What This Game Actually Says About Cincinnati

This win doesn’t change the standings. It doesn’t erase early-season losses. And it doesn’t guarantee anything next year.

But it does clarify a few things:

Joe Burrow is still the separator
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins still tilt coverage
Chase Brown looks like a real long-term piece
When the Bengals play clean football, they still control outcomes

That’s not nothing — especially late in a season when bad habits usually show.