‘Thursday Night Football’ Delivers Big Hits and a Loss for Rapper Drake

Posted on: September 30, 2022, 06:42h. 

Last updated on: September 30, 2022, 01:15h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

The Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals kicked off Week 4 of the NFL with their Thursday Night Football battle. It was a hotly contested affair that was evenly matched until Cincinnati turned up the heat in the fourth quarter.

Dolphins vs Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie breaks up a pass intended for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill on Thursday Night Football. The Bengals won the game to stop the Dolphins’ winning streak. (Image: USA Today)

The Bengals changed their stripes as they donned their new White Bengal Tiger uniforms. They managed to stop the Miami Dolphins’ quest for another win with a score of 27-15 in front of their home crowd at Paycor Stadium.

Commanded by quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals added their second victory of the season in a game full of hits. That includes one that saw Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa rushed to the hospital with a concussion.

Tigers Out of Their Cage

Burrow threw for two touchdown passes on 287 yards as he completed 20 of 31 throws. From the first drive, Cincinnati’s determination to take down the Dolphins was evident.

Running back Joe Mixon went into the end zone on a 5-yard run to put the Bengals on the board first. The Dolphins, with Tagovailoa at the helm, managed to quickly move the chains to score a field goal. However, on his second drive, the Miami quarterback was intercepted.

The Dolphins’ defense shone again and stopped Burrow’s attack several times, but Miami’s offense could only get one other field goal. Burrow and the offense began their next drive looking disconnected. Then, on third-and-long, Burrow threw a deep pass to Tee Higgins for a much-needed touchdown.

This gave the Bengals an eight-point lead. But the Dolphins got Edmonds into the end zone after a short pass from Teddy Bridgewater. He came back from a lackluster performance last week and tried to fill Tagovailoa’s cleats after the starter was knocked out of the game after being sacked in the second quarter.

Tagovailoa suffered head and neck injuries as a result of the hit. It came less than a week after he suffered a possible concussion last Sunday in a game against the Buffalo Bills.

By the third quarter, the Dolphins’ defense controlled the game. A field goal gave them the 15-14 lead as the Bengals couldn’t get anything done. Cincinnati then came alive in the fourth quarter to quiet Miami.

Two field goals by Evan McPherson and an interception by Von Bell with three minutes left in the game managed to calm the Bengals’ nerves. On the next offensive drive, Burrow hit a touchdown pass with Hurst to settle the game. Miami was swimming with the fishes, as they could only watch time tick off the clock.

Power Plays Not Enough

Even though the game didn’t go the way Miami planned, running back Raheem Mostert had a stellar night. He picked up 69 rushing yards on 15 carries, continuing the strong performance he’s given since the start of the season.

He beat out fellow RB Chase Edmonds, who had five carries for six yards and two receptions. Those catches were only good for 14 yards, and Edmonds also dropped a touchdown.

Wide receiver Tyreek Hill pulled in a 64-yard reception in the third quarter as he tried to push the Dolphins forward. That was his second 60-plus yards catch this season, the same amount he had in the last two seasons combined.

The Bengals had a few secret weapons of their own. Running back Joe Mixon had 24 carries for 61 yards, while Higgins added seven catches for 124. Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase also had a hand in the victory, averaging 20 yards on four catches.

On the opposite side, Bell’s two interceptions and Josh Tupuo’s takedown of Tagovailoa punctuated the Bengals’ defensive stand. Cincinnati’s defense kept the pressure on Miami almost the entire game.

The Bengals were the favorites to win and didn’t disappoint their backers. Bettors who followed the over/under trend this season and took the under were rewarded as well. The under has come through in two-thirds of the contests, and emerged victorious once again.

Someone who didn’t come out ahead betting on last night’s game is Canadian rapper and gambler Drake. Returning to his favorite gambling haunt, Stake.com, the Certified Lover Boy artist was hoping for a big payout.

Stake.com posted on its media channels a parlay bet that Drake made on three games – Dolphins/Bengals, Ravens/Bills, and Cowboys/Commanders. The bet is already dead with last night’s loss, which means Drake’s alleged $208,644 bet won’t deliver the $2.25 million he hoped.