India, Sept. 29 -- In a preseason showcase built on quick strikes, special packages, and roster battles on the margins, the Cincinnati Bengals beat Washington 31-17 in Landover, a result that read less like August and more like a checklist of jobs won and lessons learned. For readers searching Washington Commanders vs Bengals match player stats, the story of the night lives in the numbers: disciplined possessions from Cincinnati's quarterbacks, two sudden touchdowns from a roster hopeful just before halftime, and a Washington ground game that briefly turned the game into a track meet before stalling.

The quarterback ledger told the cleanest tale. Cincinnati opened with Joe Burrow taking three series, a carefully measured template for his...