Tuesday Trenches: Bengals still alive; Accountability

On to the next one.

The Cincinnati Bengals have won two consecutive games against subpar opponents—the Cowboys and Titans. Against the Cowboys, they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, recovering their own blocked punt after Amani Oruwariye mishandled the ball. Had he simply avoided touching it, the outcome might have been different.

Against the Titans, the Bengals played what might have been one of the sloppiest games of the season. Both quarterbacks threw multiple interceptions, there were several fumbles, and there were enough yellow flags on the field to make it look like a sunflower patch. The Bengals emerged victorious only because the Titans were an even bigger mess.

Now sitting at 6-8, the Bengals face a daunting final stretch against the Browns, Broncos, and Steelers. To make the playoffs, Cincinnati must win all three games while hoping the Dolphins and Colts lose one each and the Broncos lose out. While the Dolphins and Colts dropping one seems plausible, the Broncos losing their remaining games—including matchups against the Chargers, Bengals, and Chiefs—is less certain.

Here’s how I predict the Bengals’ season ends and what happens in Week 18.

• The Bengals defeat the Browns.
• They beat the Broncos, as Joe Burrow outperforms Denver’s rookie quarterback.
• They defeat the Steelers, who could rest starters if they’re out of contention for a first-round bye.

That scenario sets up a dramatic Week 18. If the Chiefs have the No. 1 seed locked up, they might rest their starters against the Broncos, effectively gifting Denver a win—and keeping Cincinnati out of the playoffs. It’s not hard to imagine Kansas City preferring to face a rookie quarterback over Burrow in the postseason.

For the Bengals, the best-case scenario would be the Chiefs losing to the Texans and Steelers in the next two weeks, forcing them to play to win in Week 18. If that doesn’t happen, Cincinnati’s fate could rest in the hands of a conference rival.

Accountability for the 2024 season

While fans will understandably be frustrated by the Chiefs, refs, or other teams, the reality is this season was undone by the Bengals’ own mismanagement. They failed to complement an elite offense with even a mediocre defense, allowing talent like Jessie Bates and DJ Reader to leave without adequately replacing them.

The Bengals haven’t defeated a single team with a winning record this season. In seven games against winning teams, they’ve averaged over 30 points scored—and still lost every one. That’s a near-impossible feat and speaks to epic failures at every level, from ownership to assistant coaches.

Draft missteps and an inability to develop talent have compounded the issue. The Bengals have struggled to find and groom offensive line talent, forcing them to overspend on aging free agents. Players like Amarius Mims appear to be the exception, not the rule.

This isn’t about bad luck or poor officiating. It’s about a front office that couldn’t build a balanced team around an MVP quarterback and the league’s best receiver.

Here are some thoughts on Sunday’s game:

• I wouldn’t be surprised if Sam Hubbard’s last act as a Cincinnati Bengals player was to catch a touchdown pass. He’s been hurt all season and he injured his knee on that play. His contract would cost the Bengals $11.6 million in 2025, but if they cut him, they would save $9.6 million. That’s what I’m sure happens. This is, after all, a business. What an awesome way to go out, though. If this is the end, “The Cincinnati Kid” will be missed.
• The Bengals need to replace both guards in 2025. Burrow is getting way too much pressure from the middle because of them.
• The Bengals have Chase, who is a true No. 1. They have Tee Higgins, who obviously wants to stay in Cincinnati, and he is also a true No. 1 wide receiver. They don’t have a true No. 2 or even a true No. 3. Mike Gesicki is their third-best option.
• Chase Brown is going to be very good. He has a great burst. If and when the Bengals get their line fixed, he’ll be a terrific asset. BUT, I want us all to remember that this offense, at least the current scheme, flows through Burrow, not Brown or any other running back. It’s clear the Bengals would rather throw the ball, and it’s obviously working.
• McKinnley Jackson showed some serious flash on a couple of plays, including one where he forced a fumble.
• Jordan Battle’s fumbled-almost-scoop-and-score isn’t as egregious as some others I’ve seen. It looked to me as if Battle just didn’t have the ball secured very well and fumbled it as he was attempting to reach the ball out over the goal line instead of keeping it securely tucked in his arm, and he just dropped it. Jonathan Taylor did it on Sunday against the Broncos too, but he just let go of the ball too early, just like DeSean Jackson did way back when. Battle should have just kept the ball where it was, but what happened happened. I don’t blame Battle the way I would have had he done this:

or this:

• He was careless, but not because he was showboating. All is forgiven.
• But really, how many times do we have to see a player just drop the ball before they cross into the end zone before players refuse to let go of the ball until they hear a whistle?
• We’ve seen some improved play from safety Geno Stone over the last two weeks, but I’m more convinced that’s a result of playing against sub-par offenses.

—

The Bengals have one more game against a bad team, and that’s this Sunday against the Browns. Obviously, if the Bengals lose or the Broncos win, the season is over, and the playoffs will be out of reach. It’s a shame that a team this talented is reliant on other teams to get into the playoffs, especially when the AFC isn’t nearly as loaded as it has been in the past.

If the Bengals do win, though, they’ll suddenly find themselves in a position where they have to beat two teams with winning records in back-to-back weeks. They haven’t beaten anyone with a winning record yet.

I guess we’ll cross that bridge when (if) we get there.

Relative Song Lyrics:

Grab your ticket and your suitcase
Thunder’s rolling down the tracks
You don’t know where you’re goin’
But you know you won’t be back
Darlin’ if you’re weary
Lay your head upon my chest
We’ll take what we can carry
And we’ll leave the rest