Bengals Score 34 in Madrid Upset of Falcons

The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-17 on Sunday in Madrid, marking their fourth straight win of the season. Joe Burrow led the offense with three passing touchdowns and a rushing score. The victory extends a winning streak that has seen Cincinnati score at least 30 points in four consecutive games, a feat the team has not accomplished since 1997.

The game took place at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, home of Real Madrid. A crowd of 78,660 spectators filled the venue. It was the second NFL regular-season game played in Spain, following the Miami Dolphins' victory over the Washington Commanders last year. This matchup served as the seventh game on the league's expanded schedule of nine contests held outside the United States this season.

Ja'Vell Cherry was the primary target for the Bengals. He caught eight passes for 142 yards in the first half and finished the game with 10 receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown. After catching a 47-yard score in the first quarter, Cherry celebrated with teammate Tee Higgins in a bullfighting style. Higgins mimicked a bull by placing his hands on his head while Cherry waved an imaginary cape.

Burrow completed 24 of 29 passes for 271 yards. He followed a performance last week where he threw five touchdowns and added a rushing score in overtime against the Tennessee Titans. Higgins also contributed to the offense, recording two touchdown catches during the contest.

For the Falcons, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. played under the closed roof, an improvement from last week's rainy 16-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Penix threw for 162 yards on 20 of 31 attempts. He added 50 yards on the ground but threw a late interception. On the first drive, running back Bijan Robinson carried the ball three times for 42 yards.

Robinson finished the day with 100 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. He also caught six passes for 47 yards. The Falcons dropped to a 3-6 record with the loss, while the Bengals improved to 6-2. The lights at the Bernabeu briefly went out during a snap with less than two minutes remaining, forcing officials to replay the down.

The Bengals will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football on November 15. The Falcons will host the Kansas City Chiefs this coming Sunday.