The Cincinnati Bengals are clinging to the slimmest thread of playoff hope. At 4-9, their margin for error is gone-they’ll need to win out just to finish 8-9, and even then, they’d need a cascade of help from the Steelers and Ravens to sneak into the postseason.
It’s improbable, but not mathematically impossible. And as long as that door’s cracked open, there’s still something to play for.
That brings us to Sunday’s matchup against the Ravens-arguably the Bengals’ last stand. A loss at home, and it’s officially curtains on the 2025 campaign.
Even with the odds stacked against them, there’s a different kind of urgency in the building. This isn’t just about pride anymore-it’s about squeezing every ounce of meaning out of what’s left of the season.
The Bengals will be without one of their most disruptive forces on defense, as Trey Hendrickson has finally been placed on injured reserve. He underwent surgery recently-something he reportedly could’ve done a month ago-but the team had been holding out hope he could push through.
With the move now official, this will be the first time in over a month that Hendrickson won’t be listed as inactive. Instead, he’s sidelined for the rest of the year.
Here’s the full list of Bengals inactives for Sunday:
- WR Tee Higgins
- S PJ Jules
- DT Jordan Jefferson
- QB Jake Browning (emergency 3rd QB)
It’s a light inactive list-one of the smallest the Bengals have had all season. That’s partly due to Hendrickson’s shift to IR and the team moving on from wide receiver Jermaine Burton.
But what really stands out is the tight end situation: all five are active. That could be a signal we’ll see some creative personnel groupings, with combinations like Mike Gesicki and Noah Fant or Tanner Hudson sharing the field.
Expect some heavy sets, multiple tight end looks, and maybe a few wrinkles in the passing game to keep Baltimore guessing.
As for the Ravens, they’ll also be down a few key pieces:
- CB Keyon Martin
- DT Aeneas Peebles
- OT Joseph Noteboom
- WR Rashod Bateman
- QB Cooper Rush (emergency 3rd QB)
Both teams are walking a tightrope here. The winner keeps their playoff dream alive-however faint it may be.
The loser? They’re officially out.
For Cincinnati, it’s desperation football. For Baltimore, it’s a chance to play spoiler-or stay in the hunt themselves.
One thing’s certain: this one’s going to have a postseason intensity, even if the standings say otherwise.