Game story
In Week 15 of the 2015 NFL season on 2015-12-20, the Cincinnati Bengals took care of business against the San Francisco 49ers, pulling away with a 24–14 final that built a comfortable lead.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 21 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
B. Gabbert (San Francisco 49ers) paced the passing game, with -21.96 total EPA, and -9.6% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, M. Jones (Cincinnati Bengals) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +8.15 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-12.0% win probability) landed in the second quarter when San Francisco 49ers changed the game: (8:13) (Shotgun) 2-B.Gabbert pass short right to 81-A.Boldin to SF 32 for 12 yards (96-C.Dunlap). FUMBLES (96-C.Dunlap), RECOVERED by CIN-96-C.Dunlap at SF 32. 96-C.Dunlap to SF 11 for 21 yards (32-T.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 M. Jones · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +8.15 total EPA · 6 snaps · +1.36 EPA/play
- 2 A. McCarron · Cincinnati Bengals · Passing · +6.05 total EPA · 28 snaps · +0.22 EPA/play
- 3 Q. Patton · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +4.02 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.80 EPA/play
- 4 K. Gaskins · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +2.70 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.39 EPA/play
- 5 B. Miller · San Francisco 49ers · Rushing · +2.43 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.22 EPA/play
- 6 G. Bernard · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +2.02 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.50 EPA/play
- 7 T. Kroft · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +1.82 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.61 EPA/play
- 8 T. Smith · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +1.08 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.22 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
M. Jones — CIN · Receiving
M. Jones posted the highest total EPA (+8.15) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Cincinnati Bengals's efficiency. Across 6 counted snaps, they averaged +1.36 EPA per play.
The signature play (-5.85 EPA) came from Cincinnati Bengals: (4:57) 32-J.Hill left end to CIN 49 for -5 yards. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by SF-93-I.Williams at CIN 46. 93-I.Williams to CIN 46 for no gain (89-R.Hewitt).
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Cincinnati Bengals — J. Hill
- Cincinnati Bengals — J. Hill
- Cincinnati Bengals — T. Kroft (A. McCarron pass)
- San Francisco 49ers — B. Miller
- San Francisco 49ers — A. Boldin (B. Gabbert pass)
Field goals
- Cincinnati Bengals — M. Nugent
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The second quarter: Cincinnati Bengals won the period 21–0. Cincinnati Bengals found the end zone from the SF 1 (Q2 35:18); Cincinnati Bengals added 1 points from the SF 15 (Q2 35:16) — 2-M.Nugent extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Harris, Holder-10-K.Huber.; Cincinnati Bengals found the end zone from the SF 1 (Q2 31:19) — (1:19) 70-C.Ogbuehi and 73-E.Winston reported in as eligible. 32-J.Hill left guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Cincinnati Bengals added 1 points from the SF 15 (Q2 31:17) — 2-M.Nugent extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Harris, Holder-10-K.Huber.; Cincinnati Bengals found the end zone from the SF 20 (Q2 30:58) — (:58) (Shotgun) 5-A.McCarron pass deep left to 81-T.Kroft for 20 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Cincinnati Bengals added 1 points from the SF 15 (Q2 30:53) — 2-M.Nugent extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Harris, Holder-10-K.Huber..
The third quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 7–3. Cincinnati Bengals connected on a field goal from the SF 4 (Q3 23:45) — (8:45) 2-M.Nugent 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-C.Harris, Holder-10-K.Huber.; San Francisco 49ers found the end zone from the CIN 1 (Q3 18:18) — (3:18) 49-B.Miller up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on CIN-59-E.Lamur, Defensive 12 On-field, declined.; San Francisco 49ers added 1 points from the CIN 15 (Q3 18:14) — 9-P.Dawson extra point is GOOD, Center-86-K.Nelson, Holder-5-B.Pinion..
The fourth quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 7–0. San Francisco 49ers found the end zone from the CIN 15 (Q4 2:23) — (2:23) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 2-B.Gabbert pass short left to 81-A.Boldin for 15 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Caught in end zone. 0-yds YAC; San Francisco 49ers added 1 points from the CIN 15 (Q4 2:17) — 9-P.Dawson extra point is GOOD, Center-86-K.Nelson, Holder-5-B.Pinion..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- San Francisco 49ers (Q2 38:13) — (8:13) (Shotgun) 2-B.Gabbert pass short right to 81-A.Boldin to SF 32 for 12 yards (96-C.Dunlap). FUMBLES (96-C.Dunlap), RECOVERED by CIN-96-C.Dunlap at SF 32. 96-C.Dunlap to SF 11 for 21 yards (32-T.
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q1 53:28) — (8:28) (No Huddle) 5-A.McCarron pass deep right to 18-A.Green ran ob at SF 36 for 37 yards. Caught at SF 40. 4-yds YAC
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q1 51:29) — (6:29) 25-G.Bernard left guard to SF 28 for -1 yards (53-N.Bowman).
- San Francisco 49ers (Q1 54:40) — (9:40) (Shotgun) 2-B.Gabbert pass incomplete short middle to 81-A.Boldin (55-V.Burfict). PENALTY on SF-24-S.Draughn, Unnecessary Roughness, 14 yards, enforced at SF 29.
- San Francisco 49ers (Q2 31:07) — (1:07) (Shotgun) 2-B.Gabbert pass short right intended for 89-V.McDonald INTERCEPTED by 55-V.Burfict at SF 36. 55-V.Burfict to SF 20 for 16 yards (11-Q.Patton, 32-T.Cadet).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q3 19:57) — (4:57) 32-J.Hill left end to CIN 49 for -5 yards. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by SF-93-I.Williams at CIN 46. 93-I.Williams to CIN 46 for no gain (89-R.Hewitt).
- San Francisco 49ers (Q2 38:13) — (8:13) (Shotgun) 2-B.Gabbert pass short right to 81-A.Boldin to SF 32 for 12 yards (96-C.Dunlap). FUMBLES (96-C.Dunlap), RECOVERED by CIN-96-C.Dunlap at SF 32. 96-C.Dunlap to SF 11 for 21 yards (32-T.
- San Francisco 49ers (Q2 31:07) — (1:07) (Shotgun) 2-B.Gabbert pass short right intended for 89-V.McDonald INTERCEPTED by 55-V.Burfict at SF 36. 55-V.Burfict to SF 20 for 16 yards (11-Q.Patton, 32-T.Cadet).
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q3 27:19) — (12:19) (Shotgun) 5-A.McCarron pass deep left to 82-M.Jones to SF 12 for 47 yards (20-K.Acker). Caught at SF 13. 1-yd YAC
Quarterback report card
B.Gabbert led all passers in efficiency for San Francisco 49ers, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- B.Gabbert (San Francisco 49ers) · 60 dropbacks · 50.0% completion · -9.6% CPOE · -0.37 EPA/play · -21.96 total EPA
- A.McCarron (Cincinnati Bengals) · 28 dropbacks · 53.6% completion · +9.0% CPOE · +0.22 EPA/play · +6.05 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Cincinnati Bengals | San Francisco 49ers |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.164 | -0.268 |
| Offensive success rate | 38.3% | 38.5% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.216 | -0.366 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.487 | -0.016 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.268 | +0.164 |
| Defensive success rate | 61.5% | 61.7% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Cincinnati Bengals generated the better offensive EPA per play (-0.16 vs -0.27), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Cincinnati Bengals: 15 drives, -13.27 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
- San Francisco 49ers: 16 drives, -25.77 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Cincinnati Bengals leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- M. Jones (Cincinnati Bengals) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- B. Gabbert (SF) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
- A. McCarron (CIN) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Cincinnati Bengals TD (+6) — Q2 35:18 · SF 1 · Score 6-0
(5:18) 32-J.Hill up the middle to SF 1 for no gain (53-N.Bowman, 95-C.Carradine). Cincinnati challenged the runner broke the plane ruling, and the play was REVE - Cincinnati Bengals XP (+1) — Q2 35:16 · SF 15 · Score 7-0
2-M.Nugent extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Harris, Holder-10-K.Huber. - Cincinnati Bengals TD (+6) — Q2 31:19 · SF 1 · Score 13-0
(1:19) 70-C.Ogbuehi and 73-E.Winston reported in as eligible. 32-J.Hill left guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Cincinnati Bengals XP (+1) — Q2 31:17 · SF 15 · Score 14-0
2-M.Nugent extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Harris, Holder-10-K.Huber. - Cincinnati Bengals TD (+6) — Q2 30:58 · SF 20 · Score 20-0
(:58) (Shotgun) 5-A.McCarron pass deep left to 81-T.Kroft for 20 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Cincinnati Bengals XP (+1) — Q2 30:53 · SF 15 · Score 21-0
2-M.Nugent extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Harris, Holder-10-K.Huber. - Cincinnati Bengals FG (+3) — Q3 23:45 · SF 4 · Score 24-0
(8:45) 2-M.Nugent 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-C.Harris, Holder-10-K.Huber. - San Francisco 49ers TD (+6) — Q3 18:18 · CIN 1 · Score 24-6
(3:18) 49-B.Miller up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on CIN-59-E.Lamur, Defensive 12 On-field, declined. - San Francisco 49ers XP (+1) — Q3 18:14 · CIN 15 · Score 24-7
9-P.Dawson extra point is GOOD, Center-86-K.Nelson, Holder-5-B.Pinion. - San Francisco 49ers TD (+6) — Q4 2:23 · CIN 15 · Score 24-13
(2:23) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 2-B.Gabbert pass short left to 81-A.Boldin for 15 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Caught in end zone. 0-yds YAC - San Francisco 49ers XP (+1) — Q4 2:17 · CIN 15 · Score 24-14
9-P.Dawson extra point is GOOD, Center-86-K.Nelson, Holder-5-B.Pinion.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Cincinnati Bengals vs San Francisco 49ers?
The Cincinnati Bengals beat the San Francisco 49ers 24-14 in Week 15, 2015 on 2015-12-20.
What was the final score of Cincinnati Bengals vs San Francisco 49ers?
The final score was Cincinnati Bengals 24, San Francisco 49ers 14 (CIN 24-14 SF) in Week 15, 2015 on 2015-12-20.
What was the score by quarter in Cincinnati Bengals vs San Francisco 49ers?
Q2: Cincinnati Bengals 21, San Francisco 49ers 0; Q3: Cincinnati Bengals 3, San Francisco 49ers 7; Q4: Cincinnati Bengals 0, San Francisco 49ers 7; Final: Cincinnati Bengals 24, San Francisco 49ers 14.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Cincinnati Bengals vs San Francisco 49ers?
Cincinnati Bengals touchdown — J. Hill (Q2 35:18) Cincinnati Bengals touchdown — J. Hill (Q2 31:19) Cincinnati Bengals touchdown — T. Kroft (A. McCarron pass) (Q2 30:58) San Francisco 49ers touchdown — B. Miller (Q3 18:18) San Francisco 49ers touchdown — A. Boldin (B. Gabbert pass) (Q4 2:23) Cincinnati Bengals field goal — M. Nugent (Q3 23:45, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Cincinnati Bengals vs San Francisco 49ers?
B. Gabbert (San Francisco 49ers), 50.0% completion, -9.6% CPOE, -0.37 EPA per dropback, -21.96 total passing EPA. A. McCarron (Cincinnati Bengals), 53.6% completion, +9.0% CPOE, +0.22 EPA per dropback, +6.05 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Cincinnati Bengals vs San Francisco 49ers?
M. Jones (Cincinnati Bengals) led the game in total EPA with +8.15 on receiving plays. across 6 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-5.85 EPA): (4:57) 32-J.Hill left end to CIN 49 for -5 yards. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by SF-93-I.Williams at CIN 46. 93-I.Williams to CIN 46 for no gain (89-R.Hewitt).. The biggest win-probability swing was -12.0%.
Season records after this game
Cincinnati Bengals
Entered 10-3 Now 11-3 W
San Francisco 49ers
Entered 4-9 Now 4-10 L
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