Quick answer
- Winner
- Buffalo Bills
- Final score
- Buffalo Bills 37–27 Cincinnati Bengals
- Halftime
- Buffalo Bills 13–14 Cincinnati Bengals at halftime
- FantasyHQ MVP
- K. Holcomb
- Top passer
- C. Palmer
- Biggest EPA play
- (:46) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass intended for 83-K.Walter INTERCEPTED by 24-T.McGee at CIN …
- Game date
- 2005-12-24
Game summary
The Buffalo Bills beat the Cincinnati Bengals 37–27 on 2005-12-24, overcoming Cincinnati Bengals's 14–13 halftime lead. K. Holcomb posted a game-high +16.95 total EPA in the passing.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 21 combined points.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 37 | |
| 0 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA).
- 1
K. Holcomb · Buffalo Bills · Passing · +16.95 total EPA · 34 snaps · +0.50 EPA/play - 2

Cornelius Johnson · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +11.64 total EPA · 9 snaps · +1.29 EPA/play - 3
L. Evans · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +8.89 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.78 EPA/play - 4
E. Moulds · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +8.41 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.84 EPA/play - 5
T. Houshmandzadeh · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +6.26 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.89 EPA/play - 6

Joe Reed · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +5.31 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.77 EPA/play - 7
R. Parrish · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +4.19 total EPA · 2 snaps · +2.09 EPA/play - 8
C. Henry · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +2.93 total EPA · 1 snaps · +2.93 EPA/play
FantasyHQ Game MVP
Highest total EPA with the player's top snap and the game's biggest single play when different.
FantasyHQ Game MVP
K. Holcomb — BUF · Passing
K. Holcomb posted the highest total EPA (+16.95) in the game, the strongest overall impact for Buffalo Bills. Across 34 counted snaps, they averaged +0.50 EPA per play.
K. Holcomb's top snap (+5.24 EPA): (13:27) 10-K.Holcomb pass to 83-L.Evans to CIN 2 for 65 yards (34-K.Kaesviharn; 24-D.O'Neal). Penalty on CIN-20-T.James, Illegal Contact, declined. {D.O'Neill (CIN#24) injured on the play, came off the field on his own p
Biggest single play (-7.38 EPA): C. Palmer — (:46) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass intended for 83-K.Walter INTERCEPTED by 24-T.McGee at CIN 46. 24-T.McGee for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
C. Palmer led all passers in efficiency for Cincinnati Bengals, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
C. Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals) · 40 dropbacks · 62.5% completion · +0.06 EPA/play · +2.28 total EPA
K. Holcomb (Buffalo Bills) · 34 dropbacks · 70.6% completion · +0.50 EPA/play · +16.95 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency.
| Stat | ||
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.248 | +0.059 |
| Offensive success rate | 50.6% | 58.0% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.499 | +0.049 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.208 | +0.102 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.059 | -0.248 |
| Defensive success rate | 42.0% | 49.4% |
Drive & efficiency notes
Despite the final score, Buffalo Bills generated the better offensive EPA per play (+0.25 vs +0.06), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
Season benchmark context (offensive EPA per play):
- Buffalo Bills: +0.25 EPA/play (95th percentile vs. 2005 team-game averages)
- Cincinnati Bengals: +0.06 EPA/play (66th percentile vs. 2005 team-game averages)
- Buffalo Bills: 11 drives, +19.56 total EPA, 6 scoring drives
- Cincinnati Bengals: 11 drives, +4.78 total EPA, 6 scoring drives
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal from official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
Cincinnati Bengals — T. Perry
Buffalo Bills — L. Evans (K. Holcomb pass) 
Cincinnati Bengals — Cornelius Johnson (C. Palmer pass)
Buffalo Bills — T. McGee
Cincinnati Bengals — C. Henry (C. Palmer pass)
Buffalo Bills — K. Holcomb
Buffalo Bills — T. McGee
Field goals
Buffalo Bills — R. Lindell
Buffalo Bills — R. Lindell
Cincinnati Bengals — S. Graham
Cincinnati Bengals — S. Graham
Buffalo Bills — R. Lindell
Quarter by quarter
Quarter-by-quarter recap from live scoring plays.
The opening quarter: Buffalo Bills won the period 6–0. Buffalo Bills connected on a field goal from the CIN 2 (Q1 11:48) — (11:48) 9-R.Lindell 21 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.; Buffalo Bills connected on a field goal from the CIN 6 (Q1 5:40) — (5:40) 9-R.Lindell 24 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman..
The second quarter: Cincinnati Bengals won the period 14–7. Cincinnati Bengals found the end zone from the BUF 2 (Q2 14:35) — (14:35) 88-T.Perry left end for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Cincinnati Bengals added 1 points from the BUF 2 (Q2 14:29) — 17-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-19-K.Larson.; Buffalo Bills found the end zone from the CIN 3 (Q2 9:42) — (9:42) 10-K.Holcomb pass to 83-L.Evans for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Buffalo Bills added 1 points from the CIN 2 (Q2 9:37) — 9-R.Lindell extra point is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.; Cincinnati Bengals found the end zone from the BUF 41 (Q2 1:27) — (1:27) 9-C.Palmer pass to 85-C.Johnson for 41 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Cincinnati Bengals added 1 points from the BUF 2 (Q2 1:17) — 17-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-19-K.Larson..
The third quarter: Cincinnati Bengals won the period 10–7. Cincinnati Bengals connected on a field goal from the BUF 13 (Q3 4:13) — (4:13) 17-S.Graham 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-19-K.Larson.; Buffalo Bills found the end zone from the CIN 30 (Q3 4:09) — 17-S.Graham kicks 69 yards from CIN 30 to BUF 1. 24-T.McGee for 99 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Buffalo Bills added 1 points from the CIN 2 (Q3 3:57) — 9-R.Lindell extra point is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.; Cincinnati Bengals found the end zone from the BUF 27 (Q3 1:42) — (1:42) 9-C.Palmer pass to 15-C.Henry for 27 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Cincinnati Bengals added 1 points from the BUF 2 (Q3 1:36) — 17-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-19-K.Larson..
The fourth quarter: Buffalo Bills won the period 17–3. Buffalo Bills found the end zone from the CIN 1 (Q4 11:35) — (11:35) 10-K.Holcomb up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Play Challenged by CIN and Upheld. (Timeout #1 by CIN at 11:29.); Buffalo Bills added 1 points from the CIN 2 (Q4 11:29) — 9-R.Lindell extra point is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.; Cincinnati Bengals connected on a field goal from the BUF 9 (Q4 7:30) — (7:30) 17-S.Graham 27 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-19-K.Larson.; Buffalo Bills connected on a field goal from the CIN 4 (Q4 1:01) — (1:01) 9-R.Lindell 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.; Buffalo Bills found the end zone from the BUF 58 (Q4 0:46) — (:46) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass intended for 83-K.Walter INTERCEPTED by 24-T.McGee at CIN 46. 24-T.McGee for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Buffalo Bills added 1 points from the CIN 2 (Q4 0:35) — 9-R.Lindell extra point is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most.
- Buffalo Bills (Q3 4:09) — 17-S.Graham kicks 69 yards from CIN 30 to BUF 1. 24-T.McGee for 99 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q4 0:46) — (:46) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass intended for 83-K.Walter INTERCEPTED by 24-T.McGee at CIN 46. 24-T.McGee for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Buffalo Bills (Q4 15:00) — (15:00) (Shotgun) 10-K.Holcomb pass to 11-R.Parrish pushed ob at CIN 15 for 28 yards (34-K.Kaesviharn).
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q2 1:27) — (1:27) 9-C.Palmer pass to 85-C.Johnson for 41 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Buffalo Bills (Q4 2:29) — (2:29) (Shotgun) 10-K.Holcomb pass to 80-E.Moulds to CIN 7 for 8 yards (21-R.Bauman).
Impact plays
Highest EPA snaps that flipped field position.
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q4 0:46) — (:46) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass intended for 83-K.Walter INTERCEPTED by 24-T.McGee at CIN 46. 24-T.McGee for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Buffalo Bills (Q3 4:09) — 17-S.Graham kicks 69 yards from CIN 30 to BUF 1. 24-T.McGee for 99 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Buffalo Bills (Q1 13:27) — (13:27) 10-K.Holcomb pass to 83-L.Evans to CIN 2 for 65 yards (34-K.Kaesviharn; 24-D.O'Neal). Penalty on CIN-20-T.James, Illegal Contact, declined. {D.O'Neill (CIN#24) injured on the play, came off th
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q2 1:27) — (1:27) 9-C.Palmer pass to 85-C.Johnson for 41 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with play-by-play context.
Buffalo Bills FG (+3) — Q1 11:48 · CIN 2 · Score 3-0
(11:48) 9-R.Lindell 21 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.
Buffalo Bills FG (+3) — Q1 5:40 · CIN 6 · Score 6-0
(5:40) 9-R.Lindell 24 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.
Cincinnati Bengals TD (+6) — Q2 14:35 · BUF 2 · Score 6-6
(14:35) 88-T.Perry left end for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Cincinnati Bengals XP (+1) — Q2 14:29 · BUF 2 · Score 6-7
17-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-19-K.Larson.
Buffalo Bills TD (+6) — Q2 9:42 · CIN 3 · Score 12-7
(9:42) 10-K.Holcomb pass to 83-L.Evans for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Buffalo Bills XP (+1) — Q2 9:37 · CIN 2 · Score 13-7
9-R.Lindell extra point is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.
Cincinnati Bengals TD (+6) — Q2 1:27 · BUF 41 · Score 13-13
(1:27) 9-C.Palmer pass to 85-C.Johnson for 41 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Cincinnati Bengals XP (+1) — Q2 1:17 · BUF 2 · Score 13-14
17-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-19-K.Larson.
Cincinnati Bengals FG (+3) — Q3 4:13 · BUF 13 · Score 13-17
(4:13) 17-S.Graham 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-19-K.Larson.
Buffalo Bills TD (+6) — Q3 4:09 · CIN 30 · Score 19-17
17-S.Graham kicks 69 yards from CIN 30 to BUF 1. 24-T.McGee for 99 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Buffalo Bills XP (+1) — Q3 3:57 · CIN 2 · Score 20-17
9-R.Lindell extra point is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.
Cincinnati Bengals TD (+6) — Q3 1:42 · BUF 27 · Score 20-23
(1:42) 9-C.Palmer pass to 15-C.Henry for 27 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Cincinnati Bengals XP (+1) — Q3 1:36 · BUF 2 · Score 20-24
17-S.Graham extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-19-K.Larson.
Buffalo Bills TD (+6) — Q4 11:35 · CIN 1 · Score 26-24
(11:35) 10-K.Holcomb up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Play Challenged by CIN and Upheld. (Timeout #1 by CIN at 11:29.)
Buffalo Bills XP (+1) — Q4 11:29 · CIN 2 · Score 27-24
9-R.Lindell extra point is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.
Cincinnati Bengals FG (+3) — Q4 7:30 · BUF 9 · Score 27-27
(7:30) 17-S.Graham 27 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-19-K.Larson.
Buffalo Bills FG (+3) — Q4 1:01 · CIN 4 · Score 30-27
(1:01) 9-R.Lindell 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.
Buffalo Bills TD (+6) — Q4 0:46 · BUF 58 · Score 36-27
(:46) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass intended for 83-K.Walter INTERCEPTED by 24-T.McGee at CIN 46. 24-T.McGee for 46 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Buffalo Bills XP (+1) — Q4 0:35 · CIN 2 · Score 37-27
9-R.Lindell extra point is GOOD, Center-54-M.Schneck, Holder-8-B.Moorman.
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research and follow-up box score digging.
- Buffalo Bills earned the result — use the box score for snap-level context.
- K. Holcomb (Buffalo Bills) led total EPA — start here for highlight and prop research.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Buffalo Bills vs Cincinnati Bengals on 2005-12-24?
The Buffalo Bills beat the Cincinnati Bengals 37-27 in Week 16, 2005.
What was the score by quarter in Buffalo Bills vs Cincinnati Bengals?
Q1: Buffalo Bills 6, Cincinnati Bengals 0; Q2: Buffalo Bills 7, Cincinnati Bengals 14; Q3: Buffalo Bills 7, Cincinnati Bengals 10; Q4: Buffalo Bills 17, Cincinnati Bengals 3; Final: Buffalo Bills 37, Cincinnati Bengals 27.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Buffalo Bills vs Cincinnati Bengals?
Cincinnati Bengals touchdown — T. Perry (Q2 14:35) Buffalo Bills touchdown — L. Evans (K. Holcomb pass) (Q2 9:42) Cincinnati Bengals touchdown — C. Johnson (C. Palmer pass) (Q2 1:27) Buffalo Bills touchdown — T. McGee (Q3 4:09) Cincinnati Bengals touchdown — C. Henry (C. Palmer pass) (Q3 1:42) Buffalo Bills touchdown — K. Holcomb (Q4 11:35) Buffalo Bills touchdown — T. McGee (Q4 0:46) Buffalo Bills field goal — R. Lindell (Q1 11:48, 3 pts) Buffalo Bills field goal — R. Lindell (Q1 5:40, 3 pts) Cincinnati Bengals field goal — S. Graham (Q3 4:13, 3 pts) Cincinnati Bengals field goal — S. Graham (Q4 7:30, 3 pts) Buffalo Bills field goal — R. Lindell (Q4 1:01, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Buffalo Bills vs Cincinnati Bengals?
C. Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals), 62.5% completion, +0.06 EPA per dropback, +2.28 total passing EPA. K. Holcomb (Buffalo Bills), 70.6% completion, +0.50 EPA per dropback, +16.95 total passing EPA.
Who was FantasyHQ's player of the game in Buffalo Bills vs Cincinnati Bengals?
K. Holcomb (Buffalo Bills) was FantasyHQ's Game MVP with +16.95 total EPA on Passing plays. across 34 snaps. Their top snap (+5.24 EPA): (13:27) 10-K.Holcomb pass to 83-L.Evans to CIN 2 for 65 yards (34-K.Kaesviharn; 24-D.O'Neal). Penalty on CIN-20-T.James, Illegal Contact, declined. {D.O'Neill (CIN#24) injured on t.
Season records after this game
Buffalo Bills
Entered 4-10 Now 5-10 W
Cincinnati Bengals
Entered 11-3 Now 11-4 L