I have good news and bad news.
The Bengals aren’t in the playoffs right now, and the road to get there will not be easy and will require help.
That’s the bad news.
The good news is this: if you like playoff football, you’re about to watch it, because if the Bengals lose, the season’s practically over. I know it’s not technically over, but winning the AFC North with a 9-8 record is already improbable enough. Let’s not complicate it by trying to navigate the waters of winning the division with a losing record.
So yeah, this is basically playoff football. At least it is for the 4-8 Bengals.
Here are some matchups that could decide the game when the Bengals and Bills take the field in upstate New York on Sunday.
Joe Burrow vs. Josh Allen
There will be 22 players on the field at a time, but in a way, Burrow and Allen are the only two that matter. Allen is the league’s defending MVP, and Burrow has yet to win his, but he put up a real case in 2024. Both are capable of willing their teams to new heights, and there is a real chance the team that wins will be the same team whose quarterback had the ball in his hands last.
Bengals defensive front vs. Bills rushing attack
The Bengals’ defense was a major hero in their surprising Thanksgiving win over the Ravens, and they’ll need to come up big again. Not just because Allen, though. The Bills have the most yards on the ground of any team in the NFL. They average five yards a carry, and both James Cook and Allen are capable runners. Cook is just behind Jonathan Taylor in total yards so far in the league, and Allen is third in the league in rushing touchdowns with 11, where he’s tied with Josh Jacobs.
Ja’Marr Chase/Tee Higgins vs. Bills secondary
Chase is just short of his fifth 1000-yard season, which would put him in rare company—he’d be the fifth player in NFL history to begin his career with five straight seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards. He’d join Randy Moss, Mike Evans, Justin Jefferson, and AJ Green. He’ll be joined by Higgins, who missed the last game and a half with a concussion.
Opposing them will be Christian Benford, the AFC’s defending defensive player of the week. They’ll have their hands full all afternoon. Neither wide receiver can be doubled all the time, and, when they’re not, Burrow will be counting on two of the best wide receivers in the league to get some separation.
Myles Murphy/Joseph Ossai vs. Bills tackles
Trey Hendrickson is out again, and probably should have been put on IR a month ago. Luckily for Al Golden and the Bengals’ defense, Murphy and Ossai have shown sparks of life as pass rushers. The more snaps they’ve taken, the better the product has been.
They’ll need it on Sunday, and they’ll need it to be disciplined, too. Allen isn’t the kind of quarterback to lose contain on. To be fair, neither was Lamar Jackson, and the Bengals handled him well. Allen is dangerous and, without the Bengals’ best defensive player—again—Murphy and Ossai need to continue their upwards trajectory.
Bengals’ linebackers/secondary vs. Dalton Kincaid (maybe)
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the Bengals’ defense is having trouble covering tight ends. Even though the Bengals won in Week 13, and the Bengals’ defense looked much improved, they allowed Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews to combine for 142 yards.
Kincaid has been dealing with hamstring and knee issues and is officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. He hasn’t played since early November, but if he does play, he’s one of Allen’s favorite targets and is capable of stretching the field with the best of them. Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter need to beware.
What matchups will you be keeping an eye on?
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