Ja’Marr Chase turned Cincinnati’s trip to Madrid into a showcase, catching 10 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown as the Bengals defeated the Falcons 34-17 on Sunday. Cincinnati arrived at 5-2, hoping to stay close to the AFC’s leading teams. Atlanta, at 3-5, wanted a fresh start after being shut out a week earlier. For one bright opening drive, Bijan Robinson gave the Falcons exactly that. But Joe Burrow and Chase soon seized control.

Atlanta marched down the field after the opening kickoff behind Robinson’s sharp runs. He broke free for gains of 19 and 21 yards, while Michael Penix Jr. scrambled to the 8-yard line. Tight end Charlie Woerner finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown catch, putting Atlanta ahead 7-0.

Burrow answered in a flash. After a 16-yard run by Dohnte Meyers helped move the chains, Burrow spotted Chase racing down the right side. The 47-yard touchdown tied the game, 7-7. The Falcons fought back with a 31-yard field goal, but Cincinnati’s passing attack had found its rhythm.

Chase kept slipping into open space, and Burrow kept finding him. A long Cincinnati drive early in the second quarter ended with Burrow’s 1-yard sneak for a 14-10 lead. Then Chase made catches of 31, 14 and 12 yards on another march. Tee Higgins caught the 4-yard touchdown, stretching the lead to 21-10. Evan McPherson’s 57-yard field goal just before halftime made it 24-10 and gave Cincinnati a strong grip on the game.

Robinson refused to let Atlanta fade. He caught a 28-yard pass, then powered through the Bengals defense during a third-quarter drive. His 1-yard touchdown run cut the score to 24-17. Robinson finished with 100 rushing yards and 47 receiving yards, showing why he remains the center of Atlanta’s offense.

Yet Cincinnati answered with a steady, crushing drive. Chase Brown ran for 57 yards, including gains of 11 and 19 on the key series. Burrow then hit Higgins for an 8-yard touchdown, his second score of the day, to restore a 14-point lead at 31-17.

Atlanta had one last chance early in the fourth quarter, driving inside the Cincinnati 10. A holding penalty erased a pass near the goal line, however, and Nick Folk missed a 38-yard field goal wide left. The missed chance mattered because the Falcons never got that close again.

Cincinnati’s defense sealed the result when linebacker Barrett Carter intercepted Penix with 4:06 left. McPherson added a 43-yard field goal, and the Bengals ran out the clock. Burrow finished with 271 passing yards and three touchdown passes without an interception.

The Bengals improved to 6-2 and will carry their high-powered attack into a meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Atlanta fell to 3-6 and faces the Kansas City Chiefs next. The Falcons showed fight behind Robinson, but Cincinnati showed the sharper finish: when the game tightened, Burrow, Chase and Higgins made every big moment count.

Ja’Marr Chase Lights Up Madrid as Bengals Pull Away From Falcons