Bengals achieve a couple minor but needed victories on Sunday without even playing
The Cincinnati Bengals were the first team to lose in Week 10 when they fell to the Baltimor Ravens on "Thursday Night Football," but they weren't the only team in the AFC playoff race to be defeated this week.Officially, the 4-6 Bengals are in 9th place in the AFC standings after Week 10, one game […]
The Cincinnati Bengals were the first team to lose in Week 10 when they fell to the Baltimor Ravens on "Thursday Night Football," but they weren't the only team in the AFC playoff race to be defeated this week.
Officially, the 4-6 Bengals are in 9th place in the AFC standings after Week 10, one game behind the 5-5 Denver Broncos for the 7th seed. The 4-6 Indianapolis Colts hold tiebreakers over the Bengals and are in 8th place at the moment.
All three of those teams lost this week, which became good news for the Bengals.
Bengals' updated playoff chances see a boost following Sunday's games
Cincinnati entered Sunday's slate with a 30% chance at making the playoffs. That percentage is now at 42% thanks to Denver and Indianapolis both losing Sunday. The Broncos lost in the final seconds to the Kansas City Chiefs thanks to a blocked field goal, and the Colts fell to the Buffalo Bills hours earlier.
The New York Jets, who also lost Sunday and are now 3-7, also gave the Bengals a slight boost in their percentage. The two teams who capped the Bengals' percentage were the Los Angeles Chargers, who moved to 6-3 after beating the Tennessee Titans, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, who virtually clinched a playoff spot by beating the Washington Commanders and are now 7-2.
Coincidentally, the Chargers and Steelers are the Bengals' next two opponents. Playoff odds will be directly impacted based on both games.
The Bengals are, somehow, still in a position to control their own destiny. By winning six of their last seven games, a 10-7 record with wins over the Chargers, Steelers, and Broncos would give them tiebreakers to claim one of the final seeds. Winning out would certainly give them a spot as well.
Neither of those scenarios are likely, so the Bengals will need all the outside help they can get. Sunday was a decent start to that.
Bengals’ waiver claim signals injury issues may not be over anytime soon at key position
Cincinnati added a rookie off waivers Friday.
