Shough throws for 261 yards as Saints beat Bengals 23-6

Cincinnati, OH - The New Orleans Saints arrived with three wins and left Cincinnati with one of Week 12's most striking results, defeating the Bengals 23-6 after steadily creating separation against a team that entered the game 7-3.

Tyler Shough threw for 261 yards and a touchdown, Travis Etienne Jr scored on the ground and New Orleans held Cincinnati to 239 offensive yards. The Saints finished with 332 offensive yards and allowed only six points while earning their second consecutive victory.

New Orleans established an advantage and made Cincinnati spend much of the game trying to close the gap. The Bengals found some production through the air, but their offense never developed a sustained response as the Saints widened the margin. Neither defense recorded an interception, leaving the game to be shaped by execution across a series of possessions rather than a turnover-heavy exchange.

Shough completed 27 of 44 passes, posted an 85.5 passer rating and connected with Jordyn Tyson for a touchdown. His longest completion covered 24 yards, and he distributed the ball across several targets instead of leaning on one option.

"We stayed patient and kept taking what was there," Shough said. "When we had a chance to build on the advantage, the focus was on staying composed and not trying to force everything at once. A road win against a team with that record is something we can build from."

Chris Olave led all players with 75 receiving yards, catching six passes with a long reception of 19 yards. Tyson added five catches for 62 yards and the touchdown, while Juwan Johnson supplied seven receptions for 49 yards. That spread gave Shough three receivers with at least five catches and helped New Orleans finish with 80 more passing yards than Cincinnati.

Etienne handled a game-high 19 rushing attempts and finished with 67 yards, including a game-long run of 14 yards. He also scored New Orleans' rushing touchdown. The Saints totaled 71 rushing yards as a team, a modest figure that nonetheless exceeded Cincinnati's 58.

New Orleans also held clear advantages in first downs and third-down conversions. The Saints recorded 17 first downs to Cincinnati's 11 and converted 7 of 16 third downs. The Bengals went 4-for-16 in that category and converted two of four fourth-down attempts.

The red-zone numbers offered another contrast. New Orleans made three trips inside the 20, scoring one touchdown and one field goal. Cincinnati reached the red zone once but came away without a touchdown or field goal on that possession.

Joe Burrow completed 20 of 41 passes for 181 yards and a 61.1 passer rating. He also led Cincinnati with 32 rushing yards on five carries. Chase Brown was limited to 26 yards on 14 attempts as the Bengals struggled to generate much on the ground beyond Burrow's contributions.

Ja'Marr Chase remained Cincinnati's leading receiver with five catches for 70 yards, including a 24-yard reception that matched the game's longest catch. Mike Gesicki added six receptions for 58 yards, but the Bengals could not turn their passing production into enough points to match New Orleans.

"Six points isn't close to what we expect from ourselves," Burrow said. "We had some completions and moved it at times, but four conversions on 16 third downs tells you we weren't consistent enough. We have to be much better with the opportunities we get."

The Saints' defense finished with three sacks, including two by Cameron Jordan. New Orleans did not record an interception, but its defense kept the Bengals' scoring total in single digits while Cincinnati finished with six fewer first downs and 93 fewer offensive yards.

"You look at the scoreboard and six points is something the whole defense can take pride in," Jordan said. "It wasn't about chasing one big moment. It was about continuing to make them work and staying disciplined from one series to the next."

Cincinnati's defense recorded one sack and no interceptions. The Bengals entered the afternoon on a two-game winning streak, but the 17-point defeat dropped them from 7-3 to 7-4. New Orleans improved from 3-7 to 4-7, following its previous victory with a convincing road result against a winning opponent.

Up Next

The Saints will return home in Week 13 to host the Green Bay Packers as they look to extend their two-game winning streak. The Bengals will try to rebound on the road against the Cleveland Browns.