The game I chose to report on is the Bengals vs. Panthers game in September 2024, because I saw it in person and it marked an important shift in the Bengals’ 2024 season. Being that I got the opportunity to watch it in the stadium with my family, it felt right to revisit that day and report on it.
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The Bengals-Panthers game took place at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at the Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. The stakes were high: it was Week 4, and the Bengals had suffered three losses in a row while the Panthers were 1-2. Depending on who won, it could make or break either team’s season. Andy Dalton was the starting quarterback for the Panthers, and Joe Burrow was the starting quarterback for the Bengals. It was sure to be an interesting game, being that Dalton was the Bengals’ quarterback from 2011 to 2019.
Cincinnati and Carolina spent most of the game being neck and neck with scoring:
1st Quarter: CIN: 7 CAR: 0
2nd: Quarter: CIN: 21 CAR: 14
3rd Quarter: CIN: 31 CAR: 21
4th Quarter: CIN: 34 CAR: 24
Despite having an overall lead in all of the quarters, Cincinnati was close to losing it several times. In terms of statistics, Carolina had more time of possession (31:02) compared to Cincinnati (28:58) and had slightly more total yards, with 375 total yards compared to Cincinnati’s total of 373 yards. Carolina also had more total plays, with 70 in all whereas Cincinnati had 62 plays. Former Bengals QB Andy Dalton also put up impressive statistics against current Bengals QB Joe Burrow:
Burrow: 232 Passing yards, 2 Touchdowns, 1 Interception
Dalton: 220 Passing yards, 2 Touchdowns, 1 Interception
The results of the game were a huge relief for Bengals fans, ending in a win for Cincinnati. This was the Bengals’ first win of the season, putting them at 1-3, and it became the Panthers’ third loss of the season, also putting them at 1-3. Cincinnati was able to pull off a miraculous win despite already being up by 7 points (they have unfortunately lost with bigger leads in the past) with a 46-yard field goal by kicker Evan McPherson with less than 2 minutes left in the game, making the final score 34-24.
Being able to experience the first win of the Bengals’ 2024 season in person after weeks of disappointment was a feeling I cannot put into words. Hearing the cheers of Cincinnati fans who had traveled to support their team for an away game was like being on top of the world. I remember everyone chanting the famous “Who Dey” chant while leaving the stadium, and feeling proud of what the Cincinnati Bengals were able to accomplish.