The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t mathematically eliminated just yet - and that’s all they need to keep fighting.
At 4-8, with a razor-thin four percent shot at making the playoffs, the Bengals are clinging to postseason hope with white knuckles. But Week 14 brings a heavyweight challenge: the 8-4 Buffalo Bills.
A loss here, and Cincinnati’s playoff odds would be sliced in half, down to a mere two percent. In other words, this one’s as close to a must-win as it gets.
The biggest reason the Bengals still have a pulse? Joe Burrow.
Back from a foot injury that sidelined him earlier in the season, Burrow is once again the heartbeat of this team - and his teammates know it. Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase isn’t shy about the role Burrow plays, calling him “Captain America” ahead of Sunday’s clash with Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who’s often referred to as “Superman” for his own brand of gridiron heroics.
"I don't think Joe is the underdog. I think they're looking at the whole team as the underdog in the situation," Chase said Thursday.
"Joe's just doing what Captain America do - save us the day. You know what I'm saying?
That's what we need him to do as a quarterback, as a leader of the offense, of the whole team. We need him to step up and be that guy."
And he has been that guy - when healthy.
Burrow’s return on Thanksgiving night couldn’t have come at a better time. In a divisional showdown against a red-hot Baltimore Ravens team that had won five straight, Burrow was sharp and efficient, throwing for 261 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions on 24-of-46 passing. That performance helped power the Bengals to a 32-14 win - a much-needed spark in a season that’s been full of setbacks.
Before the injury, Burrow had only appeared in two games, throwing for 189 yards and two touchdowns without a pick. It wasn’t flashy, but it showed his trademark poise and command. Now, Cincinnati is counting on him to recapture that rhythm and carry them through the final stretch of the season.
But standing in their way is a Bills defense that’s been locking things down through the air. Buffalo is allowing just 163.2 passing yards per game - the best mark in the league.
In last week’s win over the Steelers, they held Pittsburgh to just 117 yards through the air, and they’ve racked up 27 sacks this season. That pass rush is no joke, and it’s going to test Cincinnati’s offensive line and Burrow’s ability to get the ball out quickly.
Still, if Burrow can find a rhythm - and if Chase and the rest of Cincinnati’s playmakers can create separation - the Bengals could make things interesting. A win over Buffalo wouldn’t just keep their playoff hopes alive; it would give them a much-needed momentum shift heading into the final stretch.
The stakes are sky-high. It’s Captain America vs. Superman - and for the Bengals, it’s the kind of showdown that could define their season.