Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Cincinnati Bengals Final — September 13, 2026
Final score and result vs the closing line
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Cincinnati Bengals 33
Cincinnati Bengals won by 6.
- Against the closing spread (Cincinnati Bengals -3.5): Cincinnati Bengals covered.
- Combined score 60 vs the closing total of 50.5: Over.
- Cincinnati Bengals closed at -202 on the moneyline (a 64% no-vig market-implied chance).
The pre-game matchup
The Buccaneers visited the Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Sunday, September 13 at 1:00 PM ET in Week 1.
Last season (2025), the Buccaneers had the 20th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 17th-ranked defense. Meanwhile, the Bengals had the 19th-ranked offense and the 29th-ranked defense. When the Buccaneers have the ball, a 20th-ranked offense (−0.009 EPA per play) meets a 29th-ranked defense (+0.130 allowed); when the Bengals have it, a 19th-ranked offense (−0.008) meets a 17th-ranked defense (+0.013 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Buccaneers offense was at 42.3% (24th) and the Bengals offense at 45.5% (11th). Through the air, the Buccaneers averaged +0.038 EPA per dropback (17th) against a Bengals pass defense ranked 28th; the Bengals averaged −0.020 (25th) against a Buccaneers pass defense ranked 20th. The Buccaneers scored 22.4 points per game (18th) and allowed 24.2 (20th); the Bengals scored 24.4 (12th) and allowed 28.9 (30th). The new season has no games yet, so these are last season's full-season numbers; rosters change over the offseason.
The Bengals closed as 3.5-point favorites at home against the Buccaneers. The spread closed where it opened. The total closed 50.5, unchanged from the open. After removing the vig, the closing moneyline (Buccaneers +167, Bengals -202) prices the Buccaneers at 36% and the Bengals at 64%.
Written from the numbers available before kickoff.
Tale of the tape
BuccaneersFull 2025 regular season (last season), captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (32 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: play-by-play via the public NFL Lab tables (raw EPA, not opponent-adjusted).
Coaching and tendencies
| Staff | Buccaneers | Bengals |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Todd Bowles | Zac Taylor |
| Offensive coordinator | Zac Robinson | Dan Pitcher |
| Defensive coordinator | — | Al Golden |
Season to date before kickoff, from play-by-play (regular season). Ranks out of 32 teams; for style stats with no better or worse, rank 1 = highest. Coaching staff: Wikipedia contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Injury report
- Justin Skule TDoubtfulOblique
- Jalen McMillan WRDoubtfulKnee
- Christian Rozeboom LBQuestionableFoot
- Shemar Stewart DEDoubtfulKnee
Starters (and the primary passer) on the game's official injury report, as of the latest report captured before kickoff.
Travel and schedule
The Buccaneers travel about 777 miles.
Distance is straight-line from each team's home stadium; time-zone change is at kickoff. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.
Head-to-head
The teams have met 2 times since 2015: the Buccaneers won 0 and the Bengals 2. In the most recent meeting (December 18, 2022), the Bengals won 34-23; the Bengals averaged −0.017 EPA per play; the Buccaneers averaged −0.106 EPA per play.
| Date | Score | Spread | Total | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 18, 2022 | Bengals 34, Buccaneers 23 Bengals won | Bengals -3.5 Bengals covered | 47 over | Bengals −0.017 · Buccaneers −0.106 |
| Oct 28, 2018 | Buccaneers 34, Bengals 37 Bengals won | Bengals -3.5 Buccaneers covered | 55 over | Bengals +0.088 · Buccaneers +0.101 |
The last five meetings since 2015, most recent first. Spread and total are the nflverse closing lines.
Closing line and line movement
Buccaneers +3.5 (-108)
Buccaneers +3.5 (-108)
Bengals -202 64%
Bengals -202 64%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. Open = first line after both teams' previous games; Close = consensus at kickoff. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Dig deeper
Teams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers team stats
- Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Oct 4)
- Minnesota Vikings 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16 (Sep 27)
- Cleveland Browns 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19 (Sep 20)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Cincinnati Bengals team stats
- Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals (Oct 4)
- Cincinnati Bengals 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 30 (Sep 27)
- Cincinnati Bengals 20, Houston Texans 6 (Sep 20)
Gridiron & Wine graded a pick on this game: see the archived pick.
More NFL games on September 13, 2026
- Chicago Bears 59, Carolina Panthers 37 (Sep 13)
- Buffalo Bills 36, Houston Texans 31 (Sep 13)
- Baltimore Ravens 41, Indianapolis Colts 23 (Sep 13)
- Cleveland Browns 10, Jacksonville Jaguars 34 (Sep 13)
- Miami Dolphins 13, Las Vegas Raiders 27 (Sep 13)
- Arizona Cardinals 26, Los Angeles Chargers 14 (Sep 13)
- Green Bay Packers 22, Minnesota Vikings 39 (Sep 13)
- Washington Commanders 22, Philadelphia Eagles 24 (Sep 13)
- Dallas Cowboys 20, New York Giants 28 (Sep 13)
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