The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t mathematically eliminated from the playoffs just yet.
But the outlook is dire.
With Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Bengals secured a losing season and can at best finish 8-9 this year.
On the same day, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens, creating the worst-case scenario for the Bengals.
A look at the AFC North standings after Week 14.
Bengals playoff chances, AFC North standings
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Steelers: 7-6
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Ravens: 6-7
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Bengals: 4-9
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Browns: 3-10
A few things must happen for the Bengals to make the playoffs by stealing the division:
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The Bengals must win out (vs. BAL, at MIA, vs. ARI, vs. CLE)
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Ravens lose one more game after losing to Bengals next week
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Steelers lose three of their last four
The Steelers finish the season against Miami and Detroit, plus AFC North bouts with Cleveland and Baltimore. For whatever it’s worth, those Dolphins have managed to win four in a row and the Lions are 8-5 and going strong.
Even so, it’s a minimal chance for the Bengals at this point after Sunday’s events. And if they lose to the Ravens next week, it will be officially impossible to make the playoffs.
“I think that makes it a little tougher. That probably lowers our chances even more, but that’s how the cookie crumbles,” Joe Burrow said after the game. “I knew it was going to be an uphill battle for us when I was coming back and that wasn’t really in my thought process too much. I just wanted to come back and put on a show and play well in front of everybody.”
