If you were hoping for a January miracle in the Queen City, I hate to be the one to break it to you. The math has officially stopped mathing. After a roller-coaster season that felt like a fever dream at times, the Cincinnati Bengals' chances of playoffs are officially at zero.
It’s over.
Actually, it’s been over since mid-December, but the finality of it really set in when the clock hit triple zeros against the Cleveland Browns in Week 18. Losing 20-18 in the finale was basically a microcosm of the whole year: close, frustrating, and ultimately not enough. The Bengals finished the 2025-26 campaign with a 6-11 record. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a team that not too long ago was a literal inch away from a Super Bowl ring.
What happened to the Bengals chances of playoffs?
Honestly, the season was a mess from the jump. You look at the schedule and see those early losses to the Vikings and Broncos in Weeks 3 and 4, and you just knew the margin for error was gone before the leaves even turned. Joe Burrow finished the year with some decent stats—36 touchdowns is nothing to sniff at—but he was also sacked 55 times. You can't ask a guy to make magic happen when he's spending half the game looking at the sky from his backside.
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The real "nail in the coffin" moment? That 24-0 shutout at home against the Ravens in Week 15. Going into that game, there was this tiny, flickering 7% hope. Fans were talking about weird tiebreaker scenarios and "what if the Steelers lose out?" But getting blanked by a division rival in your own stadium? That’ll kill a vibe real quick. It officially eliminated them from contention and turned the last three weeks into a glorified scouting mission for the 2026 NFL Draft.
It wasn't all Burrow's fault, though. The defense was... well, "porous" is a nice way to put it. They gave up over 22 points a game and couldn't get off the field in the red zone. When you're losing shootouts to the Bears (47-42) and the Jets (39-38), you don't really deserve to be playing in late January.
The AFC North was a weird place this year
If you want a silver lining—and I'm reaching here—the Bengals actually played okay within the division. They went 3-3 in the AFC North. They beat the Ravens once (that weirdly dominant 32-14 win on Thanksgiving) and split with the Steelers and Browns. Usually, if you go .500 in the hardest division in football, you're at least in the hunt.
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But the non-conference games were a disaster.
The Bengals' chances of playoffs died because they couldn't beat the teams they were supposed to beat. Losing to the Patriots in Week 12? That’s the kind of game that haunts a coaching staff all offseason. While the Steelers are getting ready to deal with the Texans in the postseason and the Ravens are looking at a rebuild, the Bengals are sitting at home with the 10th overall pick in the draft.
A quick look at the 2025-26 wreckage:
- Final Record: 6-11
- Division Rank: 3rd in AFC North
- The Turning Point: Week 15 vs. Baltimore (The 24-0 loss)
- Draft Position: 10th Overall
Where do they go from here?
The front office has some serious work to do. Zac Taylor is staying put for now, but the heat is definitely rising in the kitchen. They have already confirmed their 2026 opponents, and it doesn't look much easier. They’ve got the Chiefs, Jaguars, and Titans coming to Paycor Stadium next year, plus road trips to play the Texans and Falcons.
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The focus now has to be the offensive line. Again. I know, we’ve heard this story for four years, but 55 sacks is a death sentence. You have Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins (assuming they can keep that duo together through the offseason drama), but those guys can't catch passes if the ball is still in Burrow's hand while he's being buried under a 300-pound defensive tackle.
Basically, the 2025 season was a "lost year." It happens. But in the NFL, you don't get many of those before the "Super Bowl window" everyone talks about slams shut.
Actionable next steps for the offseason
- Prioritize the O-Line (For real this time): The 10th pick has to be a tackle or a guard. No "best player available" fluff. Protect the franchise.
- Fix the Red Zone Defense: They were 28th in the league in preventing touchdowns once teams got inside the 20. That needs a schematic overhaul or some heavy hitting at linebacker.
- Resolve the Tee Higgins Situation: The "will he or won't he" stay in Cincy is a massive distraction. They need a firm answer by the start of free agency so they can plan the draft accordingly.
The Bengals' chances of playoffs for this cycle are buried, but with a healthy Burrow and a top-10 pick, the 2026 turnaround isn't just possible—it's expected.