Bengals vs Buffalo Bills Match Player Stats

The bengals vs buffalo bills match player stats from the December 7, 2025 meeting tell the story of an unusually explosive NFL game. Buffalo defeated Cincinnati 39-34 at Highmark Stadium, but the five-point margin does not fully describe how competitive the game was. Joe Burrow threw for 284 yards and four touchdowns, while Josh Allen produced 251 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and another rushing touchdown. The game also featured five interceptions combined, a lost fumble by Buffalo, multiple lead-changing moments, and major contributions from tight ends, running backs, and defensive players.

For anyone researching individual performances rather than simply looking for the final score, this matchup offers much more to examine. Cincinnati’s passing production was efficient enough to keep the Bengals within striking distance, while Buffalo’s ability to combine Josh Allen’s mobility with James Cook’s rushing workload helped the Bills survive a high-scoring battle.

The most important lesson from the box score is that this was not simply a quarterback duel. Several players shaped the result in different ways, including Tee Higgins, Dawson Knox, James Cook, Geno Stone, Jordan Poyer, Christian Benford, and AJ Epenesa.

Bengals vs Buffalo Bills Match Player Stats at a Glance

The game took place on December 7, 2025, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo entered the contest at 8-4 and improved to 9-4 with the victory, while Cincinnati fell to 4-9. The final score was:

Buffalo Bills 39, Cincinnati Bengals 34

Quarterback comparison

Player	Completions	Attempts	Passing Yards	TD	INT	Rating
Joe Burrow	25	36	284	4	2	106.7
Josh Allen	22	28	251	3	0	139.7

Burrow completed a higher percentage of his throws by volume, while Allen produced the cleaner statistical performance because he avoided an interception and added significant rushing value.

Rushing leaders

Player	Carries	Rushing Yards	TD
James Cook III	18	80	0
Josh Allen	9	78	1
Samaje Perine	6	31	0
Chase Brown	12	23	1
Ty Johnson	2	25	0

The most striking number here is Allen’s 78 rushing yards. That total was only two yards short of Cook’s team-leading 80, making the Bills’ quarterback a major component of the ground game.

Joe Burrow’s Performance Against Buffalo

Joe Burrow delivered one of Cincinnati’s strongest offensive performances on the afternoon, finishing with 25 completions on 36 attempts for 284 yards and four touchdowns.

His 7.9 yards per attempt showed that Cincinnati was not relying exclusively on short, conservative throws. The Bengals were able to generate meaningful passing production despite playing against a Buffalo defense that produced multiple turnovers.

Burrow’s final passer rating was listed at 106.7, while his QBR was 81.6.

Those numbers provide an important distinction.

A quarterback can have a strong statistical afternoon while still losing the game. Burrow’s performance belongs in that category. He generated enough passing production to keep Cincinnati competitive, but the two interceptions became extremely important because Buffalo converted defensive opportunities into points.

Burrow’s biggest strength

The biggest strength in Burrow’s performance was his ability to distribute the ball.

Cincinnati did not depend entirely on Ja’Marr Chase. Tee Higgins led the receiving group, Mike Gesicki made a major contribution, and Chase Brown also scored through the air.

That distribution made Cincinnati’s offense difficult to completely shut down.

The two interceptions mattered

Burrow’s two interceptions were among the clearest differences between the two quarterbacks.

Allen finished without an interception. Burrow finished with two.

In a game decided by only five points, that turnover difference cannot be treated as a minor detail.

Buffalo recorded two interceptions in the matchup, including Christian Benford’s 63-yard interception return for a touchdown.

That defensive touchdown gave Buffalo a type of scoring opportunity that Cincinnati could not match through interceptions.

Josh Allen’s Performance Was More Complete

Josh Allen completed 22 of 28 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns, finishing with a 139.7 passer rating.

Those numbers are impressive on their own, but the rushing statistics make his performance even more significant.

Allen added:

• 9 rushing attempts
• 78 rushing yards
• 1 rushing touchdown

That means Allen accounted for 329 yards of combined passing and rushing production, along with four total touchdowns.

This is one of the most useful ways to interpret his performance.

Looking only at passing statistics makes Allen’s game appear excellent. Looking at his total offensive contribution makes it even clearer why Buffalo was able to score 39 points.

Allen’s rushing changed the matchup

A quarterback rushing for 78 yards is not simply a bonus statistic.

It changes defensive structure.

When Allen can escape pressure and gain significant yardage with his legs, opposing defenses must account for an additional runner. That can reduce the number of defenders available to help in coverage and can create opportunities for receivers and tight ends.

Against Cincinnati, that dual-threat element was a major part of Buffalo’s offensive success.

Tee Higgins Was Cincinnati’s Leading Receiver

Tee Higgins led Cincinnati with:

• 6 receptions
• 92 receiving yards
• 2 touchdowns

His performance was particularly important because Cincinnati needed production beyond Ja’Marr Chase.

Higgins averaged more than 15 yards per reception based on the supplied game statistics, demonstrating that his contributions were not limited to short completions.

Two touchdowns also made his performance highly valuable from a scoring perspective.

Mike Gesicki provided another major target

Mike Gesicki finished with:

• 6 receptions
• 86 yards
• 1 touchdown

His 86 yards were only six behind Higgins.

That is an important detail when evaluating Cincinnati’s passing attack. The Bengals were able to generate substantial production from both an outside receiving option and a tight end.

Gesicki’s involvement also indicates that Buffalo could not simply concentrate its coverage around Cincinnati’s primary wide receiver threats.

Ja’Marr Chase Had a Quieter Statistical Game

Ja’Marr Chase recorded:

• 5 receptions
• 44 receiving yards
• 1 rushing attempt
• 8 rushing yards

Those numbers are modest compared with the production usually associated with an elite receiver.

However, it would be misleading to interpret that line as meaning Chase was irrelevant.

Cincinnati’s passing production was spread across multiple players. Higgins and Gesicki combined for 178 receiving yards, while Chase added 44.

That distribution helped Cincinnati produce a four-touchdown passing performance even without a massive receiving total from Chase.

Buffalo’s Receiving Production

Dawson Knox led Buffalo’s receivers with:

• 6 receptions
• 93 yards

That was an especially important performance because Knox finished with more receiving yards than any Buffalo wide receiver listed in the supplied statistics.

Dalton Kincaid added:

• 4 receptions
• 41 yards
• 1 touchdown

Khalil Shakir recorded:

• 2 receptions
• 16 yards
• 1 touchdown

James Cook also contributed 31 receiving yards on two catches.

The result was a balanced Buffalo passing attack rather than an offense built around one dominant receiver.

Cincinnati’s Defensive Leaders

Geno Stone led Cincinnati defensively with:

• 9 total tackles
• 7 solo tackles
• 1 sack
• 2 tackles for loss

The Bengals finished with:

• 70 total tackles
• 39 solo tackles
• 3 sacks
• 5 tackles for loss
• 3 passes defended
• 5 quarterback hits

The defensive statistics show that Cincinnati was active around the line of scrimmage.

Three sacks and five quarterback hits indicate that Buffalo’s passing game was not operating without pressure.

Yet Buffalo’s ability to protect scoring possessions and avoid interceptions ultimately proved important.

Buffalo’s Defensive Leaders

Jordan Poyer led Buffalo with:

• 8 total tackles
• 6 solo tackles

Buffalo’s team defense recorded:

• 63 total tackles
• 31 solo tackles
• 1 sack
• 2 tackles for loss
• 7 passes defended
• 5 quarterback hits
• 1 defensive touchdown

The contrast between the two defensive units is interesting.

Cincinnati produced more sacks and tackles for loss, while Buffalo produced more passes defended and, most importantly, two interceptions.

Christian Benford’s interception return was a turning point

Christian Benford recorded an interception and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown.

That is one of the most valuable individual defensive plays in the entire box score.

A defensive touchdown is worth more than the interception itself because it immediately converts a turnover into points.

In a five-point game, that distinction becomes critical.

AJ Epenesa also recorded an interception, returning it one yard.

Buffalo therefore produced two interceptions without allowing Cincinnati to record one.

Turnovers Explain a Large Part of the Result

The turnover summary is simple:

Cincinnati: 2 interceptions, no interceptions forced

Buffalo: 1 lost fumble, 2 interceptions

From a pure turnover perspective, Buffalo committed one lost fumble but created two interceptions.

Cincinnati committed two interceptions and did not create an interception of its own.

That gave Buffalo a clear advantage in turnover margin.

This is why a box-score analysis should not focus only on total yardage.

Cincinnati’s offense produced 284 passing yards.

Buffalo produced 251 passing yards.

Yet Buffalo won.

The difference came from the combination of quarterback efficiency, rushing production, turnovers, defensive scoring, and situational execution.

Special Teams Also Played a Role

Special teams did not dominate the game, but the statistics show several useful contributions.

Cincinnati

Evan McPherson went:

• 0/0 field goals
• 4/4 extra points
• 4 total points

Ryan Rehkow punted twice for 79 yards, averaging 39.5 yards per punt, with a long of 57 yards.

Charlie Jones handled five kick returns for 138 yards.

Samaje Perine added two kick returns for 49 yards.

Buffalo

Matt Prater went:

• 1/1 field goals
• 4/4 extra points
• 7 total points

His field goal was 26 yards.

Ray Davis returned four kickoffs for 84 yards.

Ty Johnson returned two kickoffs for 46 yards.

Khalil Shakir had one punt return for nine yards.

These contributions helped establish field position and added scoring support without becoming the central story of the game.

What the Box Score Says About the Game

A useful way to understand this matchup is to divide it into five areas.

1. Quarterback efficiency

Allen had the cleaner passing line.

He completed 22 of 28 attempts, threw three touchdowns, and did not throw an interception.

Burrow completed 25 of 36 passes for more yards and four touchdowns, but his two interceptions hurt Cincinnati.

2. Rushing balance

Buffalo had an unusual quarterback-running-back combination.

Cook produced 80 rushing yards.

Allen produced 78.

That gave Buffalo 158 rushing yards between its two primary ball carriers.

3. Receiving distribution

Cincinnati’s passing game was led by Higgins and Gesicki.

Buffalo’s receiving production was spread across Knox, Kincaid, Cook, Shakir, and others.

Neither team relied on only one receiver.

4. Defensive takeaways

Buffalo intercepted Burrow twice.

Cincinnati did not intercept Allen.

That was a major difference.

5. Situational scoring

Buffalo’s defense scored a touchdown through Benford’s 63-yard interception return.

That type of score can change the value of every offensive possession that follows.

Why Cincinnati Still Scored 34 Points

It is easy to look at the loss and conclude that Cincinnati’s offense simply came up short.

The statistics tell a more nuanced story.

Cincinnati scored 34 points.

Burrow threw four touchdown passes.

Higgins caught two touchdown passes.

Gesicki caught one touchdown.

Chase Brown caught one touchdown and also scored on the ground.

That is a productive offensive performance.

The problem was not an inability to score.

The problem was that Buffalo found enough ways to score even more.

This distinction matters for anyone studying bengals vs buffalo bills match player stats for fantasy football, betting analysis, historical research, or team performance evaluation.

Why Buffalo Won Despite Cincinnati’s Passing Advantage

Cincinnati’s 284 passing yards were higher than Buffalo’s 251.

Yet passing yardage alone is not the objective of the game.

Buffalo gained major value through Allen’s rushing production.

Allen’s 78 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown effectively added another dimension to the Buffalo offense.

Buffalo also benefited from the two interceptions.

One became a defensive touchdown.

The Bills therefore generated scoring through both offense and defense.

That combination is one of the clearest reasons the final score reached 39 points.

A Closer Look at Offensive Efficiency

One of the best ways to interpret quarterback statistics is yards per attempt.

Burrow averaged 7.9 yards per attempt.

Allen averaged 9.0.

That means Allen generated more yards per pass attempt while also throwing fewer interceptions.

This combination is highly valuable.

Allen’s 28 pass attempts were also eight fewer than Burrow’s 36.

So Buffalo did not need Allen to throw as frequently to generate 251 passing yards.

That allowed the Bills to incorporate rushing opportunities without abandoning their passing attack.

The Weather Context Matters

The game was played in snowy conditions at Highmark Stadium.

That context is worth including when evaluating the passing statistics.

A quarterback throwing for 250-plus yards and producing multiple touchdowns in those conditions is noteworthy.

It also makes the game’s offensive output more impressive.

The weather did not prevent both offenses from producing explosive scoring drives.

The Game Flow Reveals More Than the Final Score

The game repeatedly shifted momentum.

That is important because a final score of 39-34 can make a game appear like a straightforward shootout.

It was more complicated than that.

Buffalo created defensive points.

Cincinnati repeatedly responded offensively.

Buffalo used its running game to keep drives moving.

Cincinnati used Burrow’s passing attack to attack scoring opportunities.

The result was a game in which neither defense could consistently control the opposing offense.

Most Important Cincinnati Players

Based on the supplied statistics, these were the Bengals’ most influential performers:

Joe Burrow

25/36, 284 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT

Burrow produced the majority of Cincinnati’s offensive passing value.

Tee Higgins

6 receptions, 92 yards, 2 TD

Higgins was Cincinnati’s leading receiver and primary scoring threat through the air.

Mike Gesicki

6 receptions, 86 yards, 1 TD

Gesicki nearly matched Higgins in yardage and provided a major contribution from the tight end position.

Chase Brown

12 carries, 23 yards, 1 rushing TD; 3 receptions, 12 yards, 1 receiving TD

Brown’s efficiency was limited, but his two touchdowns made him an important scoring contributor.

Geno Stone

9 tackles, 7 solo, 1 sack, 2 TFL

Stone was Cincinnati’s leading tackler and one of its most active defensive players.

Most Important Buffalo Players

Josh Allen

22/28, 251 yards, 3 passing TD, 0 INT; 9 carries, 78 yards, 1 rushing TD

Allen’s combined production makes him the clearest offensive standout.

James Cook III

18 carries, 80 yards; 2 receptions, 31 yards

Cook supplied the primary running-back workload and contributed in the passing game.

Dawson Knox

6 receptions, 93 yards

Knox led Buffalo in receiving yardage.

Dalton Kincaid

4 receptions, 41 yards, 1 TD

Kincaid added another important red-zone contribution.

Christian Benford

1 interception, 63-yard return, 1 defensive TD

Benford produced one of the game’s biggest individual plays.

Bengals vs Buffalo Bills Match Player Stats: Key Takeaways

The overall statistical picture can be summarized through several observations.

First, Cincinnati’s offense was productive enough to score 34 points and produce 284 passing yards.

Second, Buffalo’s offense was more efficient through the air, with Allen averaging 9.0 yards per attempt.

Third, Buffalo’s rushing game was heavily influenced by Allen himself. His 78 rushing yards nearly matched Cook’s 80.

Fourth, Cincinnati’s receiving production was led by Higgins and Gesicki rather than Chase.

Fifth, Buffalo’s receiving attack was distributed across multiple players, with Knox leading the group at 93 yards.

Sixth, turnovers separated the teams. Buffalo intercepted Burrow twice, while Cincinnati failed to intercept Allen.

Seventh, Buffalo’s defense created a touchdown, turning an interception into a 63-yard score.

Those details explain the 39-34 result much better than the final score alone.

How to Read These Player Stats Correctly

When analyzing an NFL box score, avoid focusing on only the largest number.

A receiver with 100 yards may not have scored.

A running back with 80 yards may have been more valuable than a player with 100 yards if the latter committed a costly turnover.

A quarterback with more passing yards may still have had a weaker overall game if another quarterback was more efficient and protected the football.

For this matchup, that principle is especially important.

Burrow had more passing yards.

Allen had fewer attempts, a higher yards-per-attempt figure, no interceptions, and 78 rushing yards.

That combination made Allen’s overall performance more efficient.

Historical Significance of the Matchup

This was another high-scoring meeting between two teams with quarterbacks capable of creating offense in different ways.

Burrow’s value came primarily through his accuracy, pocket passing, and ability to distribute the ball.

Allen combined passing efficiency with elite rushing ability.

The December 7 game demonstrated how those contrasting quarterback styles can produce a matchup in which both teams score heavily.

For readers studying previous meetings between these franchises, it is also useful to compare individual production rather than relying only on team records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the Bengals vs Bills game on December 7, 2025?

The Buffalo Bills defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 39-34 at Highmark Stadium.

How many yards did Joe Burrow pass for against Buffalo?

Joe Burrow completed 25 of 36 passes for 284 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions.

How many yards did Josh Allen have against Cincinnati?

Josh Allen passed for 251 yards and added 78 rushing yards, giving him 329 combined passing and rushing yards.

Who was Cincinnati’s leading receiver?

Tee Higgins led Cincinnati with 6 receptions for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Who led Buffalo in receiving yards?

Dawson Knox led Buffalo with 6 receptions for 93 yards.

How many interceptions did Buffalo record?

Buffalo recorded two interceptions of Joe Burrow. Christian Benford returned one 63 yards for a touchdown, while AJ Epenesa recorded the other interception.

Conclusion

The bengals vs buffalo bills match player stats show a game that was far more competitive than the five-point final margin might suggest.

Joe Burrow produced 284 passing yards and four touchdowns, while Tee Higgins and Mike Gesicki gave Cincinnati two highly productive receiving options. Chase Brown also scored twice through different parts of the offense.

Buffalo countered with a more efficient Josh Allen performance. Allen combined 251 passing yards with 78 rushing yards and four total touchdowns. James Cook added 80 rushing yards, while Dawson Knox led the Bills in receiving with 93 yards.

The defensive difference was equally important. Buffalo intercepted Burrow twice, while Christian Benford’s 63-yard interception return produced a defensive touchdown. Cincinnati’s Geno Stone led the Bengals with nine tackles and a sack, but the Bills created the more valuable turnover opportunities.

Ultimately, the 39-34 result was shaped by more than quarterback statistics. Buffalo’s rushing efficiency, Allen’s mobility, turnover advantage, defensive scoring, and balanced receiving attack all contributed to the victory.

For readers studying this game closely, the biggest takeaway is simple: the box score becomes much more useful when passing, rushing, receiving, turnovers, defense, and situational scoring are examined together rather than separately.