Joe Burrow spoiled Urban Mayor's Ohio return and denied his former college coach a win on the NFL sideline.
Burrow produced four second-half scoring drives, passing for 348 yards and two touchdowns, and the Bengals overcame a 14-0 halftime deficit to beat Meyer and the Jacksonville Jaguars 24-21 on Thursday night.
Ewan McPherson won it with a 35-yard field goal as time ran out, culminating in a 10-play, 73-yard drive that consumed the last 5 1/2 minutes.
The top overall draft pick from LSU after relocating from Ohio State in 2020, Burroughs overtook 2021's top pick, Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who looked at halftime as if he could direct his first NFL win and his coach. for a happy homecoming. . Meyer grew up in Northeast Ohio, played safety at the University of Cincinnati and won the 2014 national championship coaching at Ohio State.
The Bengals (3-1) were dismissed in the first half and could not repel Joe Mixon. McPherson missed a 43-yard field-goal effort, and Cincinnati pent on the next three positions.
"We didn't play great football, they usually beat us on all three stages," said Cincinnati coach Zack Taylor. “But we get a full second half to play, so there was nothing to panic. Nobody did. Everyone was calm, calm and collected. He knew we were going to start the ball in the half, where we are usually very skilled. "
Cincinnati had two quick scoring drives to open second. A touchdown from James Robinson's running second put Jacksonville up again at the start of the fourth quarter. Burrow responded with a 31-yard touchdown pass to tie CJ Uzoma again.
After the Jaguars punt, Burrow set up McPherson, who has the winning kick in two of Cincinnati's three wins.
"I'm very pleased with my performance tonight," Burrow said. "I'll keep building on it and keep getting better and better."
The Jaguars scored in the first half with a 6-yard goal by Robinson and a 7-yard keeper by Lawrence.
It could have been worse for Cincinnati at the break. Lawrence was stopped by linebacker Logan Wilson for fourth and 1 on goal, with less than a minute left in the half.
"When you control the game like we did before - and it should have been 21-0," Lawrence said. “In the second half, we didn't do a good job of getting hold of the ball. He made a quick touch and then we were three-out. "
Lawrence was 17 for 24 for 204 yards.
"Trevor took care of the ball," Meyer said. "Trevor played his best game. He's coming alive."
Tyler Boyd had nine receptions for 118 yards for Bengal. Uzoma took five catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns.
Robinson reached a season-high 78 yards.
"We have to regroup a little bit," Lawrence said. "it's hurts."
DOWN TIME
Both teams will have 10 days to consider Thursday night's game. Meyer said the winner would be particularly difficult for the Jags.
"That's a heartbroken locker room," he said. "We have to bring them back."
After winning twice in five days, the Bengals have extra time to prepare for Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay Packers. Cincinnati beat Pittsburgh 24-10 last Sunday.
"It's important to get this momentum going in the 10-day work week against an opponent in the last two AFC Championship games," Taylor said.
RING OF HONOR
The Bengals added four to the team's new Ring of Honor. The inaugural class included the team's founder and first coach, Paul Brown; Hall of Fame faced Anthony Munoz (1980–92); Quarterback Ken Anderson (1971–86) and cornerback Ken Riley (1969–83).
INJURIES
Jaguars: WR DJ Chark broke an ankle in the third game of the game and didn't come back. ... Guard AJ Cain was injured in the second quarter but its severity was unclear.
Bengals: No one reported.
UP NEXT
Jaguars: Host Tennessee on Oct. 10.
Bengals: Host Green Bay on Oct. 10.