3 big surprises from Cincinnati Bengals overtime victory over Vikings
By Alex Austin
The fan base was a huge factor, forcing Minnesota into several costly penalties that stalled drives and swung momentum.
Most people did not know the passion and excitement that Cincinnati Bengals fans can bring to Paul Brown Stadium, however, Minnesota witnessed firsthand how hard of a place this can be to play in. The Bengal faithful were insanely loud in Joe Burrow’s return and this directly contributed to the Bengals’ success early on.
Minnesota saw their opening drive start with two straight false starts before they even got to snap the ball. This trend continued throughout the game with the fans really stepping up to provide energy and passion to the players on the field.
Beyond just the players on the field, if Cincinnati can continue to create such a hostile environment, that bodes well for how far the team can go, especially as battles within the division get started, the Bengals players will hope to be able to rely on the fans continuing to be loud and proud.
I knew people were excited to be back in the stadium and see the return of Joe Burrow, but even I was surprised by how loud Paul Brown Stadium got. That place was rocking from start to finish, and the good guys got to leave happy.