Final Score of the Bengals Game: A Heartbreaking Way to End 2025

What Really Happened with the Final Score of the Bengals Game

Honestly, the final score of the Bengals game—that 20-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns—kinda feels like a microcosm of the entire 2025-2026 season. It was messy. It was frustrating. You had Joe Burrow throwing for three touchdowns and basically willing the team to a lead with 72 seconds left, only to watch the whole thing evaporate because of a rookie kicker and a defense that couldn't quite get that one last stop.

It's one of those games where the box score totally lies to you. If you just looked at the stats, you'd think Cincinnati cruised. They outgained Cleveland 364 to 200. They held the ball for over 35 minutes. Usually, when you hold a team to 200 total yards, you win that game by two touchdowns. Instead, the Bengals finished the year 6-11, sitting at home while the playoffs start without them.

A Records-Breaking Day That Still Felt Like a Loss

The weirdest part about the final score of the Bengals game is that it happened on a day when history was being made all over the field. Myles Garrett was the big story for the wrong reasons if you’re a Cincy fan. He got his 23rd sack of the season on Joe Burrow, officially breaking the NFL single-season record. It happened with about four minutes left in the game, and you could just feel the air leave Paycor Stadium.

But the Bengals had their own milestones. Ja'Marr Chase was out there doing Ja'Marr Chase things. He caught eight balls for 96 yards and a touchdown, which officially moved him past Tyler Boyd for the fourth-most receptions in franchise history. He’s only been in the league five years. That’s insane. He also hit 125 catches for the season, which led the entire NFL.

Then there was Chase Brown. He finally hit that 1,000-yard rushing mark for the first time in his career. He needed some tough yards late in the game to do it, and he finished with 72 yards on 13 carries. It’s a bright spot in a season that felt mostly dark, especially with the defense giving up so many big plays throughout the year.

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Why the Bengals Couldn't Close It Out

If you’re wondering how you lose a game when you dominate the stat sheet, look no further than the "little things" Zac Taylor keeps talking about. Evan McPherson, who is usually the most reliable guy on the roster, had a nightmare. He missed two extra points. Two. One was blocked, sure, but he sliced the other one wide right. In a game you lose by two points, those missed PATs are the difference between a win and a walk-off loss.

Cleveland didn't even score an offensive touchdown until that final field goal. Think about that. Their defense scored twice. Devin Bush had a massive 97-yard interception return for a touchdown after a ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage. Later, Sam Webb scooped up a fumble and took it 47 yards to the house. The Browns' offense was basically stagnant all day under rookie Shedeur Sanders, but it didn't matter because the Bengals kept giving them points.

Basically, the Bengals beat themselves. Burrow said it himself after the game—false starts, turnovers, mental errors. It wasn't high-level football.

The Final Drive and Andre Szmyt’s Redemption

After Chase caught that 4-yard TD pass to put the Bengals up 18-17, there was a tiny glimmer of hope. But the Browns got the ball back with over a minute left and all three timeouts. Shedeur Sanders, who had been struggling all day, suddenly found a rhythm. He hit Isaiah Bond for a 13-yard gain on third-and-long, then found Jerry Jeudy to get them into field goal range.

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Enter Andre Szmyt. This is the kid who missed a potential game-winner against the Bengals back in Week 1. This time, he didn't blink. He nailed a 49-yarder as time expired. 20-18. Season over.

Key Stats From the Season Finale

While the final score of the Bengals game is the number that matters, these specific performances shaped the outcome:

• Joe Burrow: 29 of 39 for 236 yards and 3 TDs. He played well enough to win, but the protection broke down at the worst possible times.
• Tee Higgins: He caught a beautiful one-handed touchdown late in the first half. That was his 11th of the year, a new career high.
• The Defense: They actually played great, holding Cleveland to 111 passing yards. Cam Sample had two sacks in his best game since returning from his Achilles injury.
• Time of Possession: 35:34 for Cincy vs. 24:26 for Cleveland. Usually, a recipe for a blowout, but not today.

What Happens Now for Cincinnati?

The 2025 season is officially in the books, and it’s a disappointing one. A 6-11 record means the Bengals will have a high draft pick in 2026. The focus is going to immediately shift to the offensive line—again—and whether the defense can find more consistency. They showed flashes of being elite, like when they shut down the Browns' run game, but the lapses are too frequent.

The AFC North is a gauntlet. The Steelers won the division at 10-7, and even the Ravens missed out on a tiebreaker. For the Bengals to get back to the top, they have to stop losing games where they outgain the opponent by 160 yards.

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If you’re looking for a silver lining, it’s that the core of Burrow, Chase, and Higgins is still there and still breaking records. Chase is pacing to be the greatest receiver in the history of the franchise if he keeps this up. But individual records don't mean much when you're watching the playoffs from your couch.

For those tracking the draft order, the Bengals are currently slotted in the top 10. This offseason is going to be about finding the pieces to make sure the final score of the Bengals game in Week 18 next year actually means something for the postseason.

If you want to stay updated on the off-season moves, keep an eye on the upcoming free agency period starting in March. The Bengals have some cap space to work with, and they’ll need it to fix the holes that 2025 exposed. Check out the official NFL schedule release in May to see how the 2026 path looks for Burrow and company.