The Cincinnati Bengals are officially on playoff life support - and the prognosis isn’t great. After a crushing 39-34 loss to the Bills, they’re sitting at 4-9, and the only remaining path to the postseason involves a miracle run to an AFC North title… with a losing record. That’s not just unlikely, it’s nearly unprecedented.
Let’s be clear: the Bengals aren’t mathematically eliminated yet. But the margin for error?
Gone. Their only shot at sneaking into the playoffs is to win out and hope the rest of the division collapses around them.
That’s a tall order in a division as competitive - and unforgiving - as the AFC North.
The Burrow-Chase connection is back, but it might be too late
Joe Burrow looked close to his old self in Buffalo, showing flashes of the elite quarterback play we’ve come to expect. The connection with Ja'Marr Chase is still there, and it’s still dangerous. But even a healthy Burrow couldn’t overcome a pair of costly interceptions, and those turnovers helped swing the game in Buffalo’s favor.
This is the Bengals’ first losing season since 2020 - back when Burrow was a rookie and Chase was still lighting it up at LSU. Fast forward to now, and the two stars are battling to keep the season alive, but the clock is ticking.
Breaking down the playoff path: Slim, but technically still open
Here’s the situation: the Bengals split their season series with the Steelers, so the head-to-head tiebreaker doesn’t help them there. And even if Cincinnati manages to sweep the Ravens - which they can do with a win this Sunday - Week 14's results have complicated things enough that the tiebreaker might not matter.
The Steelers’ win over Baltimore on Sunday was a gut punch. It means Pittsburgh would have to lose at least three of their final four games, including one of their last two division matchups - either against the Browns in Week 17 or in a Week 18 rematch with the Ravens.
Meanwhile, the Bengals have to be perfect from here on out. That means running the table over the final four games.
The good news? Three of those games are at home, starting with this week’s pivotal matchup against Baltimore.
After that, it’s a trip to Miami, followed by home games against the Cardinals and Browns.
But even if they win out, they still need help - a lot of it. Baltimore would have to lose not just to Cincinnati, but also to either New England or Green Bay.
And the Steelers? They’d need to drop three of their last four, including at least one division game.
That stretch includes matchups against Miami, Detroit, and the aforementioned division rivals.
So you’re saying there’s a chance?
Technically, yes. But it’s the kind of “chance” that requires multiple teams to collapse in just the right way, while Cincinnati becomes a completely different team overnight. It’s not impossible - but it’s about as close as it gets.
This is where things get uncomfortable. If the Bengals miss the playoffs - and that’s the heavy favorite right now - it raises serious questions about the direction of the franchise. Whether that means front office changes, coaching shifts, or a broader reevaluation of the roster, something’s likely to give.
Burrow and Chase are still the cornerstone. But this season has shown that even elite talent can’t cover every crack.
Injuries, inconsistency, and a brutal division have left Cincinnati needing a miracle. And unless that miracle shows up fast, this team’s postseason hopes will be buried before New Year’s.