The Bengals‘ season is on the ropes, and we haven’t even reached October. A franchise with Super Bowl aspirations has looked unprepared against both perennial bottom feeders and the defending champions, which has sparked confusion about what’s wrong. The most significant question in Cincinnati is: Can this team still make the playoffs? If history is any indication, the answer is emphatically no.
Since 1990, 162 teams have started 0-3, translating to roughly five per season. Of that bunch, only four have made the postseason. It’s not a complete death sentence—but it’s pretty close.
Despite a horrific season debut against the dreadful Patriots, Joe Burrow has been playing phenomenal football. He walked into Arrowhead Stadium and completely outperformed the best player in the world, Patrick Mahomes, despite coming up short in the end. All the headlines after Monday Night were about Jayden Daniels’ stellar outing, but the other former LSU signal caller tossed for 324 yards and three touchdowns. Burrow went through a bit of a lull, but he’s back to superstar form.
Ja’Marr Chase busted out of his own slump by torching the Commanders, and fellow wideout Tee Higgins is back in the lineup after dealing with a hamstring injury. Chase Brown showed some life as a ball carrier, and Zach Moss is a serviceable rotational bruiser. Add in the emergence of slot sensation Andrei Iosivas and a serviceable Mike Gesicki at tight end, and this offense is as loaded as advertised.
Defensively, the Bengals are a total failure. The bunch can’t get off the field on third and fourth down, and despite what online discourse might suggest, they committed a horrific penalty late in the game in Kansas City to lose a nailbiter. Outside of Trey Hendrickson, none of their pass rushers generate consistent pressure. They’ve gotten frequently torched on the back end, allowing ample opportunities for a big play. Quite frankly, it’s a disaster.
The unit has been without interior linemen Sheldon Rankins and B.J. Hill, which has decimated its ability at the point of attack. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is as gifted as they come and has all the tools to salvage this mess. At worst, they can get back to being a middle-of-the-pack group.
Most 0-3 squads have been devoid of talent and rolled over due to the deep hole they created for themselves. With a seven-team playoff, the odds of bouncing back and fighting for a spot in the dance aren’t so insurmountable.
Cincinnati is only a game out of the seven-seed, with a loaded offense and a defense that can’t play much worse. Everything points to them being right in the thick of things—you just won’t catch me buying any stock.
Their schedule still has six games against the AFC North and three against a feisty AFC West. By the time everything comes together, it’ll likely be too little, too late.
DraftKings currently has the Bengals at +115 to make the playoffs.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
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