This is how the Bengals make it back to the playoffs.
This is what it all comes down to. Six games. Win them all, and you’re in the playoffs. Lose one, and you’re probably on the outside looking in. Lose two, and…(you fill in the blanks).
The Cincinnati Bengals are in the midst of a disappointing season, checking in at 4-7. Even so, they stand at No. 10 in the race to the playoffs, with the top seven teams making it in. There is still hope, but not for long.
Week 13: Sunday, December 1 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 PM+ (CBS/PARAMOUNT)
Cincinnati is 17-41 in the regular season and playoffs against the Steelers since 1996. In the Joe Burrow era, though, the Bengals hold a 4-3 edge, even though Pittsburgh has claimed victories in the last two meetings.
This one should be another close one. Cincinnati owns the top passing offense in the league, with quarterback Joe Burrow dishing to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Pittsburgh counters with a top-10 defense led by TJ Watt and Cameron Heyward.
Cincinnati’s defense played well for most of the second half in the loss to the Chargers, while Pittsburgh quarterback Russell Wilson did not fare well against the Ravens, whose defense is even worse than the Bengals. The Steelers are primed for a letdown, and Cincinnati desperately needs a win.
Bengals 21, Pittsburgh 20
(5-7)
Week 14: Monday, December 9 at Dallas Cowboys at 8:15 PM+ (ESPN)
Dallas could actually be a slight favorite in this game, primarily because of the home-field advantage. But, at 5-7, the Cowboys’ season has been arguably as disappointing as the Bengals, and all of this talk of a coaching change cannot make for a very good atmosphere in the locker room.
Cincinnati has the edge on paper, largely due to Joe Burrow >>> Cooper Rush, and the Bengals need this one to keep their momentum building.
Bengals 31, Dallas 21
(6-7)
Week 15: Sunday, December 15 at Tennessee Titans at 1 PM+ (FOX)
Tennessee is coming off a big win in Houston, but overall, they’ve been a mess this season. And Cincinnati’s defense plays well against the lower-tier teams, so the run continues.
Bengals 31, Titans 17
(7-7)
Week 16: Sunday, December 22 vs. Cleveland Browns at 1 PM+ (FOX)
Cleveland finally looked like the team it was supposed to be against the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers in recent weeks, but the biggest knock against quarterback Jameis Winston has been his lack of consistency. Cincinnati takes advantage of that for a pair of interceptions, and a pair of touchdown strikes from Burrow to Chase helps put this one away.
Bengals 28, Browns 24
(8-7)
Week 17: Sunday, December 29 vs. Denver Broncos TBD
Somehow or another, the Denver Broncos have made themselves relevant again in the AFC West. But the Bengals are finally on the roll, and it is going to take more than rookie quarterback Bo Nix to derail this train.
Bengals 30, Broncos 21
(9-7)
Week 18: Sunday, December 1 at Pittsburgh Steelers TBD
It all comes down to the final game of the regular season, and that’s exactly the way it should be. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Pittsburgh needs this one as badly as the Bengals do. While Cincinnati has run off five straight wins, the Steelers have dropped enough games that they’re in win-or-out mode.
This time, it is Tee Higgins’ time to shine, and his second touchdown reception gives the Bengals a 24-23 lead. Pittsburgh kicker Christ Boswell’s fourth field goal makes it 26-24, Steelers, with less than a minute left. Burrow drives Cincinnati into Pittsburgh territory at the 43 before Evan McPherson’s 50-yard field goal wins it.
Bengals 27, Steelers 26
(10-7)
