Cincinnati's revamped defense dominated while a surging Amarius Mims silenced critics, stifling Tampa Bay's pass rush to transform the offensive line into a formidable force for Joe Burrow.
The Cincinnati Bengals earned an impressive 33-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, using complementary football to win a game the Bengals likely would have lost over the last three seasons.
Cincinnati used four sacks and three forced turnovers to score three touchdowns, showcasing the newly assembled defense: Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe each had a sack, and Bryan Cook forced and recovered a fumble.
However, one of the biggest questions coming into the season was the Bengals' offensive line. There was a lot of optimism coming into the season because of the positive outlook for 2026 and continuity with Ted Karras, Dylan Fairchild, Dalton Risner, Orlando Brown Jr., and Amarius Mims.
The Bengals' right tackle Amarius Mims posted an 84.1 pass-blocking grade according to PFF as he completely shut down first-round pick edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., taking advantage of his disproportionate length in comparison to Bain, who was knocked for having rather short arms in the pre-draft process.
Mims was drafted as a long-term project as he struggled with injuries at Georgia and didn’t play consistently. It’s seemingly paying off.
Mims was expected to take a big step forward in his third season, his second full season, possibly becoming an All-Pro level tackle. His progress could turn the Bengals into a top-15 or top-10 offensive line, and they played like one against the Buccaneers. Risner posted a score just .2 points below Mims in pass blocking. Orlando Brown Jr. and Ted Karras posted scores just below 70.
Dylan Fairchild struggled mightily, allowing three pressures on 37 opportunities. He had a tough assignment in Calijah Kancey, who posted 7.5 sacks in 2024 and played in just three games in 2025.
While the passing game was impressive with Burrow going 25-for-35 with 254 yards and a score, Cincinnati struggled to run the ball as Chase Brown carried the ball 16 times for 56 yards, averaging 3.5 yards per carry. He did have a score in the red zone.
The Bengals will have a huge challenge in Week 2 as they visit the Houston Texans, as one of the best edge rushers in the league in Will Anderson will try to give the Bengals tons of trouble. This could be one of the best measuring sticks for where Mims stands and how the Bengals can protect Burrow against the league’s best defenses.
