Zac Taylor took a moment. Duke Tobin took a bow. Jonathan Allen took a re-do. Joe Burrow took a knee, and Bryan Cook took to tears.
"We've talked about these situations a million times, and these guys nailed it," said Taylor after his team won Sunday's opener by chilling Baker Mayfield in the Paycor Stadium sauna when they kept the ball on ice for the final 3:19 of the 33-27 win over Tampa Bay.
Taylor has openly talked about exorcising the late-game demons of the last two seasons, and he and his staff made quite sure Sunday that there would be no Colston Lovelands levitating in the end zone at the last minute.
"Credit to Zac Taylor," said right guard Dalton Risner. "From the moment I walked in here on April 21, he made a point about the four-minute offense. Him and (offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher). We worked it the last six months. We didn't get it done last year, and we were going to get it done this year. We got the job done. The coaches made a point and we executed."
The only missed tackles that mattered were Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum's whiff of wide receiver Dohnte Meyers on his 18-yard catch-and-jaunt that started the last drive and Bucs linebacker Alex Anzalone missing running back Samaje Perine on the next snap for 14 more yards.
"They're playing man, they're trying to stop the run. They know the situation. So we know the situation, too," Burrow said. "And we have to go and make plays with man coverage. That's what we did. Tee (Higgins), Samaje, Dohnte. Big time plays. Chase (Brown) being smart and staying inbounds on a good run. That's how you win football games."
An hour after the clock ran down, left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., was still ebullient about the offense being on the field at the end.
"That's a sign of growth from our players, our coaches going out there and saying this is how we're going to end the game," Brown said. "After working on all those situations in camp, it felt good to be out there when it was over."
After Burrow took his knee on the game's last snap, Taylor flipped a game ball to Tobin in recognition of his 200th win with the Bengals.
But it was just as much for Tobin's stunning offseason as the director of player personnel that rebuilt the defense in the image of what his buddy did in Seattle last year. General manager John Schneider won the Super Bowl title with a wave of defensive linemen, and that's how the Bengals beat the Bucs Sunday.
With defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery giving at least 19 snaps to eight players, the Bengals front rattled Tampa Bay for four forced fumbles and recoveries to go with four sacks.
Tackle Kris Jenkins Jr., had a sack in his eight snaps. Allen, also at tackle, had a sack. Two edgers had a hand in a sack, Myles Murphy and Boye Mafe, a Schneider draft pick who was the Bengals' most expensive free-agent in the offseason. He added a fumble recovery, as did tackle T.J. Slaton. Murphy also forced a fumble.
"It's the maturity of the room," said nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, Tobin's Mona Lisa of a masterpiece offseason.
"We talked after every series. We talked about what we wanted to do, how we wanted to attack, how they were trying to attack. That right there keeps the game fresh and new. At the end of the day, we know the team runs as we go. We take pride in that, that's an honor."
The stat sheet said Lawrence had a mere quarterback hit in his Bengals debut. But don't tell Allen about stat sheets after his own Bengals debut in a stately career of pass-rushing from the interior that is now in its 10th season.
Allen says take a look at his 46.5 career sack on third down Sunday in the middle of the third quarter that forced a 51-yard field goal.
"Dexter gets a lot of attention. I don't think people realize the impact he has," Allen said. "If you look at the stats, it doesn't paint even a quarter of the picture that Dexter does. No matter how good we're all playing, he's forced to command a double."
Before a third-and-six from the Bengals 24 and the Bengals leading 27-10, Lawrence and Allen talked about a game in an attempt to exploit the double-teaming of Lawrence. What happened next had Allen shaking his head.
"I picked his guard and he wrapped around. They stayed on him," Allen said. "That's the benefit of having Dexter. I never had a guy command that much attention. It's a testament to how teams view him around the league."
Lawrence was the approving den mother after it was over. He gave tight end Mike Gesicki a seven out of 10 for his rendition of the Sexy Dexy dance: "You've got to give him some grace."
"We didn't play our best game, but we won and that's what counts," he said. The four offsides penalties on the D-line? "I think they were calling it tight. I have to look at the tape because that's not right."
Lawrence saw one of his projects have a banner day as linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., kick-started the win with a 27-yard fumble return for their first touchdown of the season with help from fellow linebacker Barrett Carter.
Carter the other second-year linebacker coming off a tough rookie baptism, was, like Knight, all over the yard leading the Bengals in tackles with eight and throwing in a forced fumble and tackle for loss.
"I actually want to go over there and talk to them and ask them how they felt during the game," Lawrence said. "Those are my linebackers. I'm going to take care of them and they're doing all they can to take care of me, too."
Taylor chose Allen to break down the group after the celebration, but Allen went right to "Dominate on three," before defensive tackle B.J. Hill stepped in to remind him he had to lead them in the "Who Gonna Beat Them Bengals?" chant.
Allen laughed when told it was the only thing the defense did wrong all day: "Hey, that's a lot of pressure after the first game. Oh my goodness!" Allen did just fine, and then he and Burrow shared a hug.
"The crowd was great. The fans showed up, and it was a cool experience. It was a good day for Bengals Nation," Allen said. "When it counted, you always count on 9. You can always count on 9. I told him, 'We've always got your back, brother. You're the best in the league for a reason.'"
On the other side of the locker room, another one of Tobin's high-priced imports, Cook, the homegrown safety from College Hill and the University of Cincinnati, talked about his back-breaking fumble recovery in the end zone as well as his forced fumble of Mayfield when he got his helmet on the ball.
"Just going for the ball. That's all it was," said Cook, who has been doing that as-matter-of-factly since the Hillcrest Hawks.
Cook also spoke about looking around orange-festooned Paycor during Cincinnati firefighter Nate Hicks' scrapbook rendition of the national anthem and weeping.
"Overwhelming," Cook said. "I'm looking around. Dang. I grew up here. My family is here now. Raising kids. I'm a father. So many emotions that led up to it."
Cook talked about getting barely any offers out of Mount Healthy High School. He talked about making a name for himself at UC. He talked about a lifetime moment.
You hear, 'Bryan Cook,' 'Bryan Cook.' But at the same time, he's the kid who grew up on Hamilton Avenue in those little apartments," Cook said.
Astor Place. Where they played 'Kill A Man.' Whoever had the ball. On Sunday, Mayfield had the ball.
"Just like 'Kill A Man?" someone asked Cook.
"You could say that," Cook said.
Opening Day, and the Bengals were right at home at 1-0.
