A week of hyping and crowning the Cincinnati Bengals nearly came to a disgusting halt Sunday afternoon as the Bengals avoid disaster, winning 43-36 in overtime against the Tennessee Titans.

It was another week of Cincinnati sleepwalking through the opening of the game, spotting the one-win Titans a two-possession lead. The Bengals’ offense started turning it on shortly after, but awful turnovers and a disappointing defensive effort made this one of the most thrilling matchups of the Sunday slate.

Cincinnati can call itself a winner, but this game should not have been this close. Here are the winners and losers from the Bengals’ fifth win of the year.

Winners from Bengals’ 43-36 win over Titans in NFL Week 8

Tee Higgins

Once again, the leading receiver for the Bengals was none other than Tee Higgins. Higgins had 10 receptions, his second game this year with double-digit catches, and a team-high 155 yards and two scores, including the game-tying TD with only 77 seconds to play. This is the best start Higgins has had to a season, and with defenses still needing to focus on Chase, it doesn’t look like it’s stopping anytime soon.

Ja’Marr Chase

It feels crazy to say, but Ja’Marr Chase’s first 100-yard game came all the way in November. Chase caught a team-high 11 receptions for 141 yards and the first touchdown of the afternoon for Cincinnati the rest of the offense. He would’ve had another score if Joe Burrow didn’t throw an absolute duck in the third quarter for what ended up as his third interception of the game. Chase was counted on to help close the game, and that’s what he did.

Dexter Lawrence II

We would not be talking about a Bengals win if it wasn’t for Dexter Lawrence II’s game saving sack late in the fourth quarter. Lawrence’s fifth sack on the year essentially took the game into overtime, and he also nearly scored a touchdown upon recovering Boye Mafe’s strip sack in the first half. There wasn’t much to like about Cincinnati’s defense on Sunday, but Lawrence continues to pay massive dividends for the franchise.

Joe Burrow

On one hand, a better game from Joe Burrow would’ve made for a better win for the Bengals. Throwing three interceptions, to the same player nonetheless, and not being able to cleanly hand the ball off to Chase Brown gave the Titans too many extra opportunities on a day in which their offense was already playing really well. On the other hand, Burrow was as good as ever on the game-tying drive at the end of regulation, and the game-winning drive in overtime. Not too often will you see 462 passing yards and six total touchdowns, which were enough to counter four turnovers.

Chase Brown

Chase Brown didn’t necessarily light up the box score with 55 rushing yards on 12 attempts, but 46 receiving yards on eight receptions helped him eclipse 100 yards from scrimmage. In general, he displayed a good amount of burst and explosion. He looked like a guy who has been hearing about Jonathan Taylor trade rumors.

Jack Endries

You catch your first career touchdown, you’re a winner no matter what. Jack Endries’ first-ever reception resulted in six points. Good on the Bengals to give him that opportunity knowing this would be the first week he would be relied on.

Losers from Bengals’ 43-36 win over Titans in NFL Week 8

Zac Taylor, all leadership

The biggest problem with this team is how awfully unprepared and sluggish. They are coming out of the gate. There is no excuse for falling behind, 13-0, to one of the worst teams in the NFL at home. But this is now two consecutive weeks for Cincinnati needing to dig itself out of a self-inflicted two-score hole in the first half. The Bengals nearly couldn’t get out of this one like they did last week. This is the Zac Taylor problem, and it is a general leadership problem that has to be addressed immediately if not sooner.

Dax Hill

Cincinnati has enough issues at cornerback, and Dax Hill decided to make things worse. He was benched halfway into the first quarter for Josh Newton, only to come back on the field in the second half and allow a deep crosser among other easy looks. With DJ Turner II now hurt, the Bengals need to play so much better than this.

Josh Newton

Speaking of Newton, there’s a reason why he came back in the game in the first place. Newton surrendered, Tennessee’s final touchdown of the afternoon, got flagged for pass interference in the game, and was generally unreliable in coverage. There’s a reason why he’s not playing very much this year.

Orlando Brown Jr.

Cincinnati got the bad version of its left tackle against the Titans. Orlando Brown Jr. surrendered five pressures and a sack against the Tennessee front that did not even have its best player from a week ago. Jacob Martin popped off against him for one of his three sacks on the day.