Buccaneers vs. Cincinnati Bengals 
LOSS - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17 Cincinnati Bengals 23
The matchup featured two statistically similar teams, both with 0–3 records.
The Bengals entered the game with the NFL's 27th-ranked offense, but were able to move the ball easily against a Buccaneer defense that had performed well in the three previous games. Ken Anderson completed all of his first-half passes, and moved past Len Dawson into 10th place all-time in NFL career passing, with 28,775 yards.
James Wilder tied his team record of 11 receptions, and gained a career-best 126 receiving yards. Jack Thompson's 75% completion percentage against Cincinnati was a team record.
Bengal Ken Riley scored a first-quarter touchdown on his 59th career interception, the most among active players. Riley then sat out the rest of the game, having pulled his hamstring on the return. McKay criticized Thompson for giving Riley an easy interception by not throwing far enough toward the sideline on an out pattern.
After falling behind 20–7, Thompson rallied the team to within six points with a 15-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Kevin House. Robert Jackson preserved the win for the Bengals by intercepting another Thompson pass in the end zone.
The win ended the Bengals' seven-game (including preseason) losing streak, dating back to the previous December.
GAMEDAY BRIEF
OFFICALS
- REFEREE: Red Cashion
- UMPIRE: Art Demmas
- LINE JUDGE: Vern Marshall
- HEAD LINESMAN: Ligouri Hagerty
- BACK JUDGE: Ben Tompkins
- FIELD JUDGE: Bob Wortman
- SIDE JUDGE: Nate Jones
SCORING
- BENGALS: 11:54-1Q Riley 34 interception return (Breech kick)
- BENGALS: 04:28-1Q Wilson 4 pass from Anderson (Breech kick)
- BENGALS: 07:26-2Q Alexander 2 run (pass failed)
- BUCCANEERS: 01:51-2Q Owens 1 run (Capece kick)
- BUCCANEERS: 03:58-3Q Capece FG20
- BENGALS: 13:25-4Q Breech FG24
- BUCCANEERS: 09:19-4Q House 15 pass from Thompson (Capece kick)
STARTERS OFFENSE
- WR: #87 G. Carter
- LT: #75 D. Reavis
- LG: #72 R. Snell
- C: #50 S. Wilson
- RG: #68 G. Yarno
- RT: #70 K. Thomas
- TE: #88 J. Giles
- WR: #89 K. House
- QB: #14 J. Thompson
- FB: #32 J. Wilder
- TB: #26 J. Owens
STARTERS DEFENSE
- LE: #78 J. Cannon
- NT: #76 D. Logan
- RE: #63 L. Selmon
- LOLB: #59 A. Hawkins
- LILB: #58 J. Davis
- RILB: #52 S. Brantley
- ROLB: #53 H. Green
- LCB: #23 J. Castille
- RCB: #21 J. Holt
- SS: #20 N. Colzie
- FS: #34 C. Brown
SUBSTITUTIONS
- 1 Morton, 3 Capece, 5 Garcia, 22 Smith, 24 Morris, 28 Carver, 43 Middleton, 44 O'Steen, 54 Wood, 55 Spradlin, 56 Johnson, 60 Grimes, 65 Stalls, 66 Reese, 69 Arbubakrr, 74 Sanders, 81 Tyler, 82 J Bell, 83 T Bell, 85 Witte, 86 Obradovich, 90 White
DID NOT PLAY
- 8 Hewko, 11 Golsteyn, 40 Washington, 57 Leonard
INACTIVE
- 62 Farrell
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
- BUCCANEERS: Carver 10-38, Owens 7-10, Wilder 2-2, Thompson 4-2.
- BENGALS: Alexander 20-61, Anderson 5-42, Wilson 2-11, Tate 3-7.
PASSING
- BUCCANEERS: Thompson 40-30-316-3-1.
- BENGALS: Anderson 20-15-168-1-1.
RECIEVING
- BUCCANEERS: Wilder 11-126, Carter 4-42, Carver 4-39, Giles 4-31, Owens 3-19, House 2-35, T.Bell 1-20, Obradovich 1-4.
- BENGALS: Alexander 3-10, Collinsworth 2-45, Nate 2-30, Curtis 2-24, Ross 2-21, Wilson 2-8, Kreider 1-8, Harris 1-12.
INTERCEPTIONS
- BUCCANEERS: Holt 1-13.
- BENGALS: Riley 1-34, Griffin 1-24, Jackson 1-15.
KICK RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Owens 2-45, O'Steen 2-30, Morton 1-20.
- BENGALS: Tate 1-20, Verser 1-18, Dinkel 1-1.
PUNT RETURNS
- BUCCANEERS: Tyler 2-16.
- BENGALS: Martin 1-2.
SACKS
- BUCCANEERS: Cannon 1-14, Hawkins 1-8.
- BENGALS: Edwards 2-15, Kemp 1-10.
