It has been four years since the Cincinnati Bengals made their first Super Bowl appearance since 1988, and they’ve missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. This season has been rough for Zac Taylor and company, thanks to a lackluster defense and Joe Burrow missing nine games.
Cincinnati entered Week 15 sitting in third place in the AFC North with a 4-9 record, with its playoff hopes hanging on by a thread. However, a 24-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens was damaging to the Bengals’ outlook.
What Are the Cincinnati Bengals’ Chances of Making the Playoffs?
The Bengals opened the 2025-26 campaign with a strong 2-0 start, but things soon unraveled, as they dropped six of their next seven games heading into a Week 10 bye. Granted, it is tough to win in the NFL without your franchise quarterback. Burrow suffered a turf toe injury in the win over the Jacksonville Jaguars and didn’t return to action until Thanksgiving Day.
Burrow’s return against the Ravens revitalized the Bengals, as Cincinnati trounced Baltimore 32-14 on the road. In Week 14, they had a lead on the Bills but squandered it, allowing Buffalo to score 21 points in the fourth quarter. That defeat was a backbreaker, giving Cincinnati its ninth loss of the season, with only four games remaining.
The Bengals entered Week 15 needing to win out to even have a chance at the postseason. According to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor, they had just a 2.7% chance of making the playoffs and winning the AFC North going into the matchup with the Ravens. That means the only way Cincinnati could’ve gotten into the dance is by winning the division.
Those dreams have now been crushed, as the loss has officially eliminated Cincinnati from playoff contention. The Browns have also been eliminated.
According to the NFL Playoff Predictor, the Ravens had a 22.2% chance of reaching the postseason entering Week 15. After the victory over Cincinnati, those odds increased to 34.7%. The first-place Steelers currently hold a 75.2% chance to win the AFC North. If Pittsburgh loses to the Miami Dolphins on Monday night, its chances to win the division would drop to 57.0% and Baltimore’s would jump to 43.0%.
Zac Taylor, Joe Burrow, and company will miss the playoffs for the third straight season despite reaching the Super Bowl four seasons ago. The Bengals, who have been desperate to get back to postseason, will have to wait awhile longer.
Bengals Remaining 2025 Schedule
- Week 16: Bengals at Dolphins
- Week 17: Bengals vs. Cardinals
- Week 18: Bengals vs. Browns
The Bengals have the fourth-easiest remaining schedule this season, according to PFSN’s Strength of Schedule metric. Cincinnati split the season series with Baltimore and already has a win over Cleveland. While this is a very winnable stretch, there is little incentive for this team to press the gas.
