Cincinnati’s rebuilt defense forced four Tampa Bay fumbles and scored a touchdown as the Bengals opened the season with a 33-27 win over the Buccaneers.

The Cincinnati Bengals spent the offseason trying to repair one of the NFL’s worst defenses. One game into the 2026 season, the renovation already looks promising.

Cincinnati forced four Tampa Bay fumbles, collected four sacks and survived a late Buccaneers rally for a 33-27 victory Sunday at Paycor Stadium.

The Bengals needed nearly every takeaway.

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Baker Mayfield lost three fumbles during a brutal afternoon protecting the football. One turned directly into points when linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. scooped up the loose ball and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown.

Another Mayfield fumble ended up in the Cincinnati end zone, where safety Bryan Cook recovered it and erased a Tampa Bay scoring opportunity. Running back Bucky Irving also put the ball on the ground as Cincinnati consistently found ways to disrupt the Buccaneers offense.

That represented a dramatic change from a Bengals defense that finished 31st in total yards allowed and 30th in scoring defense last season.

Cincinnati held Tampa Bay to 282 total yards Sunday while repeatedly creating short fields and momentum swings for Joe Burrow and the offense.

Burrow didn’t need a huge statistical afternoon to get Cincinnati across the finish line. His touchdown pass came on a 2-yard connection with tight end Mike Gesicki.

Gesicki emerged as one of Cincinnati’s most reliable weapons, finishing with five receptions for 78 yards.

Ja’Marr Chase, meanwhile, was unusually quiet. Tampa Bay limited the Bengals star receiver to only two catches for 12 yards, forcing Cincinnati to find production elsewhere.

Kicker Evan McPherson provided plenty of it.

McPherson connected on four field goals from 20, 55, 58 and 32 yards, including two kicks from beyond 50 yards.

Tampa Bay still made Cincinnati sweat.

Mayfield scrambled for a late touchdown that pulled the Buccaneers within six points, but the Bengals held on to start the season 1-0.

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The biggest takeaway wasn’t necessarily Burrow or Cincinnati’s offense.

After an offseason built around fixing a defense that repeatedly failed the Bengals in 2025, Cincinnati opened 2026 by winning largely because of it.

Four recovered fumbles, four sacks and a defensive touchdown made that message difficult to miss.