Could the Cincinnati Bengals make the NFL playoffs? Here’s what has to happen
BENGALS ARE GOING TO BE WITHOUT THEIR STAR RECEIVER, TEE HIGGINS TONIGHT. OF COURSE, HE’S IN CONCUSSION PROTOCOL AFTER THAT NASTY INJURY LATE IN THE GAME LAST SUNDAY. THE GOOD NEWS IS THINGS SOUND POSITIVE THERE. HE IS EXPECTED TO BE BACK WEEK 14 AS THE BENGALS GO TO BUFFALO TO TAKE ON THE BILLS, BUT ONLY ON READY TO ROAR. SPORTS DIRECTOR CHARLIE CLIFFORD RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH TEE TO TALK ABOUT LIFE OUTSIDE PAYCOR STADIUM. BRING ME TO MARCH 16TH HANDSHAKE ON THE DEAL. ALL THAT WORK. WHEN DID THAT WEIGHT OF THAT ACHIEVEMENT REALLY HIT YOU? YEAH, MAN. YOU KNOW, ONCE, ONCE SHOOK THE HANDS, YOU KNOW, SIGNED THE DEAL. AND ONCE I GOT HOME, THAT’S WHEN IT HIT ME, YOU KNOW, JUST TURNED OFF ALL MY LIGHTS, MAN. JUST JUST SOAKED IN THE MOMENT, YOU KNOW? AND IT WAS JUST A GREAT FEELING. I TEARED UP A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE JUST ALL THE HARD WORK, YOU KNOW? THEN I CALLED MY MOM AND WAS JUST LIKE, FINALLY. BLITZ 5. NEWS 5. HERE. WHAT’S YOUR MOOD DURING A GAME? CALM, RELAXED. JUST ME. HONESTLY, I’M JUST CALM AND RELAXED, MAN. I DON’T EVER GET TOO AMPED UP. WAS IT EVER ANYTHING DIFFERENT? DID YOU TRY TO. I’M GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT GUY. NEVER BEEN DIFFERENT. EVEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, LIKE EVEN PREGAME. I DON’T LISTEN TO HEADPHONES LIKE MUSIC IN MY HEADPHONES. I JUST LISTEN TO THE OUTSIDE NOISE. HAVE YOU LEARNED TO JUST. THIS IS THIS IS USELESS FOR ME DURING THIS SEASON BECAUSE I’VE NOTICED YOU RARELY POST. I ONLY SEE YOU POSTING AFTER WINS FOR ME. I’M NOT GOING TO POST AFTER A LOSS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE’S NOTHING TO POST ABOUT. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU POST AFTER A LOSS, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE ALL TYPES OF COMMENTS, PEOPLE ON YOUR ON YOUR — JUST SAYING, LIKE, WHY ARE YOU POSTING THIS AND THAT? SO I JUST TRY TO KEEP THE THE NOISE, YOU KNOW, JUST OUT OF MY EAR HOW MUCH IS UP HERE? I’VE NEVER SEEN T HIGGINS HAVE A BAD DAY. IS THAT A SUPERPOWER? HONESTLY, I JUST FEEL LIKE I FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING THAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH AS A YOUNG BOY, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED WITH MY MOM, YOU KNOW, I TRY TO. I LEARNED TO BOTTLE IN. IT’S NOT GOOD ALL THE TIME, BUT I LEARNED TO BOTTLING, LIKE, MY EMOTIONS AND NOT LASH OUT AT THINGS WHEN I COULD. SO I FEEL LIKE IT’S A IT’S A GIFT AND A CURSE. I CAME OUT A FEW YEARS AGO SAYING THAT I WAS MENTALLY ILL AND, YOU KNOW, I HAD GOT HELP AND IT HELPED ME A LOT, YOU KNOW, HELPED ME TO BE THE MAN I AM TODAY. WHAT WAS STEP ONE ON THAT JOURNEY? REACHING OUT TO SOMEONE AND JUST LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT’S WHAT’S GOING ON WITH ME? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THAT’S THE HARDEST. THAT’S THAT’S ONE OF THE HARDEST STEPS, IS REACHING OUT AND TELLING SOMEBODY YOUR PROBLEMS AND TELLING THEM WHAT’S GOING ON. TEE HIGGINS, ENJOY THE HIGHS, ENJOY T
Could the Cincinnati Bengals make the NFL playoffs? Here’s what has to happen
Updated: 3:47 PM EST Dec 1, 2025
The Cincinnati Bengals’ chances of making the playoffs are low but certainly not zero.With their win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving night, the Bengals improved to 4-8 and with a loss by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, sit two games behind in the race for the AFC North division title.If Joe Burrow and the Bengals are going to make a late charge to the postseason field, it will likely come through a division championship, with a wild card berth looking out of reach.So, what needs to happen for the Bengals to do that?For starters, the Bengals will need to win their remaining five games against the Buffalo Bills, Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns.By doing so, the Bengals would be 9-8 and would put themselves in the best position possible to win the AFC North.Of course, that also depends on how the Ravens and Steelers perform down the stretch. If one of those teams goes 4-1 in their final five games, they would seal the division title with 10 victories.But what if there is a tie atop the division between the Bengals and one of those teams? Or even all three teams?The NFL would then revert to its tiebreaking scenarios, with head-to-head record first, followed by records in division games.So far this season, the Bengals went 1-1 against the Steelers and are 1-0 against the Ravens, with a crucial matchup against Baltimore set for Dec. 14 at Paycor Stadium.The Bengals are 3-1 in their four division games played this season, with two more games in the AFC North remaining.According to ESPN, the Bengals have a seven percent chance of making the playoffs, as of Dec. 1. That number would only increase if the Bengals can keep winning.
CINCINNATI —
The Cincinnati Bengals’ chances of making the playoffs are low but certainly not zero.
With their win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving night, the Bengals improved to 4-8 and with a loss by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, sit two games behind in the race for the AFC North division title.
If Joe Burrow and the Bengals are going to make a late charge to the postseason field, it will likely come through a division championship, with a wild card berth looking out of reach.
So, what needs to happen for the Bengals to do that?
For starters, the Bengals will need to win their remaining five games against the Buffalo Bills, Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns.
By doing so, the Bengals would be 9-8 and would put themselves in the best position possible to win the AFC North.
Of course, that also depends on how the Ravens and Steelers perform down the stretch. If one of those teams goes 4-1 in their final five games, they would seal the division title with 10 victories.
But what if there is a tie atop the division between the Bengals and one of those teams? Or even all three teams?
The NFL would then revert to its tiebreaking scenarios, with head-to-head record first, followed by records in division games.
So far this season, the Bengals went 1-1 against the Steelers and are 1-0 against the Ravens, with a crucial matchup against Baltimore set for Dec. 14 at Paycor Stadium.
The Bengals are 3-1 in their four division games played this season, with two more games in the AFC North remaining.
According to ESPN, the Bengals have a seven percent chance of making the playoffs, as of Dec. 1. That number would only increase if the Bengals can keep winning.