Buffalo Bills vs Cincinnati Bengals Box Score on Nov 20, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Nov 20, 2016

CINCINNATI -- Tyrod Taylor passed for 166 yards and rushed for another 39, and Dan Carpenter kicked field goals of 20, 26, and 54 yards as the Buffalo Bills defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 16-12 in a battle of attrition on Sunday afternoon at Paul Brown Stadium.

Injuries were the theme of the day.

Bills' leading rusher LeSean McCoy left in the second quarter with a thumb injury and did not return. McCoy rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown before the injury.

The top receivers for each team – Buffalo's Robert Woods and Cincinnati's A.J. Green – also were injured in the first half. Green suffered a hamstring injury on the third play from scrimmage. Woods injured his left knee after making a catch late in the first quarter. Neither returned.

Mike Gillislee rushed for 72 yards 14 carries in McCoy's place as Buffalo (5-5) snapped a three-game losing streak. The Bills hadn't won since Oct. 16 when they won their third straight.

Mike Nugent missed a pair of extra-point attempts as Cincinnati (3-6-1) has lost three straight to further derail its playoff hopes.

Without Green, Dalton had a rough afternoon, going 24 of 43 for 207 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for a 57.0 rating.

In Cincinnati's previous two games, the Bengals lost 21-20 to the Giants and flew back from London after tying the Redskins 27-27.

Four of the Bengals' next six games are against AFC North opponents. They entered Sunday's game only a half-game behind Baltimore in the division standings. The Ravens lost to Dallas.

Buffalo's strength's – pass rush, and running game – matched up well against the Bengals' primary weaknesses, which are protecting Dalton and stopping the run.

Dalton was sacked for the 29th time this season on the game's first play.

Buffalo drove 75 yards in eight plays with McCoy rushing for 28 of those yards and scoring on a seven-yard run to make the score 7-0.

With Green out, Tyler Boyd, a rookie out of the University of Pittsburgh, had two catches for 20 yards as the Bengals drove 75 yards for a touchdown on Dalton's two-yard run. The extra-point struck the upright, and the Bills led 7-6.

Boyd had six catches for 54 yards and his first career TD catch.

Stephon Gilmore anticipated an out route to Brandon LaFell and returned it 49 yards to the Bengals' 3-yard line. The Bills settled for a Carpenter field goal to make it 10-6.

Boyd's first career touchdown catch came with three minutes remaining in the first half to put the Bengals ahead 12-10. The Bills' deficit remained two after Nugent missed his second PAT.

Buffalo couldn't convert promising drives into touchdowns in the second half when a pair of Carpenter field goals put them ahead 16-12 early in the fourth quarter.

The Bills' defense gave the Bengals little chance to rally, forcing four straight three-and-outs in the fourth quarter.

Cincinnati drove to the 28-yard line with three seconds remaining in the game, but Dalton's pass into the end zone fell incomplete.

NOTES: Bills DT Corbin Bryant missed his third straight game with a shoulder injury. Jerel Worthy started in his place. ... Bengals LB Rey Maualuga was inactive Sunday. He missed Monday's game with an injured fibula but returned to practice on Thursday. Vinny Rey started for Maualuga. ... Ryan Groy started at center for Buffalo. ... Cincinnati was playing at Paul Brown Stadium for the first time since Oct. 23. ... Buffalo DE Adolphus Washington attended Taft High School in Cincinnati.