Bengals down Bills 27-24 in OT
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Mike Nugent hit a 43-yard field goal with 6:44 left in overtime to lift the Cincinnati Bengals to a 27-24 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Brandon Tate’s 29-yard punt return to the Bills 33 set up the decisive score. Cincinnati improved to 16-11-1 in overtime games, and snapped a six-game losing streak at Orchard Park, dating to 1985.
Andy Dalton went 26 of 40 for 337 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception. He bounced back after a two-game touchdown drought, and led the Bengals (4-2) to their first road win of the season.
Nugent made up for his miscue. With the Bengals up 24-10, Nugent missed a 34-yard attempt wide right late in the third quarter.
The Bills (2-4) were led by quarterback Thad Lewis, starting in place of injured rookie EJ Manuel. Lewis went 19 of 32 for 216 yards and two touchdowns after being promoted off the practice squad last week. Both touchdown passes came in the fourth quarter, including a 40-yarder to Marquise Goodwin with 1:08 remaining.
Lewis also scored a touchdown rushing in making only his second career start. But not all the news was good for Lewis. Coach Doug Marrone said Lewis was being sent for tests after hurting his right foot. Marrone didn’t reveal when the injury occurred.
The potentially leaves the Bills having to turn to another practice squad player, Dennis Dixon, who was signed Tuesday.
Lewis still produced a near-stunning comeback in rallying the Bills from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit.
The comeback began five minutes into the fourth quarter, when Lewis found tight end Scott Chandler for a 22-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-8.
His next touchdown pass was equally impressive. After hitting Chandler for a 25-yard gain over the middle, Lewis connected with Goodwin on the run in the end zone, a step ahead of cornerback Terence Newman.
The Bengals got the ball first in overtime, and Dalton produced a 40-yard drive that ended at the Bills 37. Kevin Huber pinned the Bills back with a punt to Buffalo’s 7.
The Bills went three-and-out. Brian Moorman hit a 51-yard punt from the goal line to Tate, who zigzagged across the middle of the field before being pushed out of bounds at the Bills 33.
The Bengals ran the ball three times before Nugent won it.
Dalton had his first three-touchdown game since he threw three in a 34-10 win against Oakland last Nov. 25.
AJ Green scored on an 18-yard reception. Running back Giovani Bernard scored on a 20-yard shovel pass, and Dalton’s 10-yard touchdown to Marvin Jones came early in the third quarter.