The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-17 at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid on Sunday, November 8, 2026, in front of 78,660 fans. It was the first Bengals win outside the United States, and it was their fourth straight win. Cincinnati is now 6-2, and the Bengals have scored 30 or more points in four straight games, the first time they have done that since 1997. They are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers at the top of the AFC North. Atlanta falls to 3-6.
Joe Burrow was the story of the game. He completed 24 of 29 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions, for a 140.1 passer rating. He also ran in a 1-yard touchdown. Ja’Marr Chase caught 10 passes on 12 targets for 155 yards and a touchdown, including a 47-yard score. Tee Higgins caught five passes for 32 yards and two touchdowns. Evan McPherson kicked field goals of 57 and 43 yards.
How the Bengals took control
Atlanta started the better of the two teams. The Falcons built a 10-7 lead in the first quarter behind a 31-yard Nick Folk field goal and a 1-yard touchdown pass from Michael Penix Jr. to Charlie Woerner.
Then Cincinnati answered with 17 unanswered points in the second quarter. The Bengals went into halftime ahead 24-10, and the game never really swung back. Atlanta got one more punch in during the third quarter, when Bijan Robinson ran in a touchdown to make it 24-17, but that was as close as the Falcons got. Higgins caught an 8-yard touchdown pass to make it 31-17, and McPherson’s 43-yard field goal in the fourth quarter sealed the 34-17 final score. The quarter-by-quarter story tells it plainly: Cincinnati 7-17-7-3, Atlanta 10-0-7-0.
Burrow, Chase and Higgins deliver again
Burrow’s numbers were close to perfect: 24 of 29, 271 yards, three touchdown passes, no interceptions, a 140.1 passer rating, plus a rushing touchdown. He did not force throws, and he made the Falcons pay whenever they left a receiver open.
Chase was the best player on the field. Ten catches on 12 targets, 155 yards and a 47-yard touchdown is a game that changes how a defence has to play, and Atlanta never found an answer for him. When Chase is winning down the field like that, Higgins gets room underneath, and Higgins finished with two touchdown catches, from four yards and eight yards out. Chase Brown added 57 yards on nine carries, and McPherson’s 57-yard field goal showed the Bengals could take points even when a drive stalled.
Atlanta’s best player was Robinson, who ran 19 times for 100 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 47 yards. Penix finished 20 of 31 for 162 yards and a touchdown, but the Falcons could not keep up once Cincinnati found its rhythm.
What went right, and what still needs work
What went right is simple: the passing game. Burrow, Chase and Higgins are playing like one of the best trios in the league, and the Bengals have now scored 30 or more in four straight games.
What still needs work is the start and the run defence. Cincinnati trailed 10-7 after the first quarter, and the run defence gave up a 100-yard game to Robinson, who averaged more than five yards a carry. The Bengals cannot keep letting lead backs run free and expect Burrow to bail them out every week.
Standings and what is next
The win leaves Cincinnati tied with Pittsburgh at the top of the AFC North at 6-2. The Falcons drop to 3-6. For the Bengals, the Madrid trip is over, and the next test is a much more familiar one: the Bengals vs Steelers rivalry game on Monday, November 16, at 6:20 AM PKT. A win there would give Cincinnati the outright lead in the division. The Lions also won 19-9 in Miami, so both teams on this site are 6-2 with four straight wins. For the full story of both games, start at the Lions vs Bengals homepage.
One note on the pre-game pick: our draft pick had the winner right, Bengals 28-24, but the real margin was wider than picked, and the real score was higher for Cincinnati.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Bengals vs Falcons in Week 9?
Cincinnati won 34-17 at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid on Sunday, November 8, 2026. The Bengals led 24-10 at halftime.
Who starred for the Bengals in Madrid?
Joe Burrow threw for 271 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, Ja’Marr Chase caught 10 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown, and Tee Higgins caught two touchdown passes. Evan McPherson kicked field goals of 57 and 43 yards.
What is next for the Bengals?
Cincinnati plays the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, November 16, at 6:20 AM PKT, with first place in the AFC North on the line. The Bengals are 6-2 after four straight wins.
The Madrid game will be remembered as a first: the first Bengals win outside the United States, in front of nearly 79,000 fans. The Bengals are 6-2, they are scoring at a rate the franchise has not matched since 1997, and they are tied at the top of their division. The Steelers game is the next test, and it is a bigger one than Madrid was.