The very key that helped the Bengals win their first two games created their worst loss in franchise history
One of the worst days in Bengals history had an obvious culprit.
Every football coach who’s ever lived has mentioned winning the turnover battle as one of the keys to victory, if not THE key to victory. The last three weeks for the Cincinnati Bengals look like a tribute to that adage.
Cincinnati relied on two crucial interceptions to squeak out a Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns. A week later, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, they countered Jake Browning’s three INTs with two of their own and a turnover-on-downs that tilted the game to their favor.
The Bengals were 2-0 largely because of mistakes made by the opposition. They’re now 2-1 because of their own errors, and there were plenty in the 48-10 loss they just suffered to the Minnesota Vikings.
Bengals’ 5 turnovers were the obvious culprit in Week 3 loss
It’s like once the floodgates opened, there wasn’t anything that could close them.
Browning’s pick-six, Fant’s fumble-six (both scored by Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers), Ja’Marr Chase’s fumble (also forced by Rodgers), and Samaje Perine’s fumble all happened in the first 30 minutes. The three fumbles happened on consecutive drives and in a span of four plays.
Otherworldly horrendous, and the most straightforward path to the worst loss in franchise history.
“Turnovers, I mean, I don’t know how clearly I can say five turnovers put you in a horrible spot,” head coach Taylor said after the game to reporters. “Four of them in the first half, two of them for touchdowns. So that’s going to lead to a lot of historical issues when you have two that suck the momentum right out of you, when you’re in scoring position, and they get 14 points out of it without their offense having to walk on the field. That’s a blow to the gut, and the score is going to be ugly when that happens.”
Worst Losses in Bengals History
- 38 points (10-48) vs. Minnesota Vikings, 9/21/2025
- 37 points (14-51) vs. New Orleans Saints, 11/11/2018
- 37 points (0-37) at New York Jets, 1/3/2010
- 37 points (0-37) at Baltimore Ravens, 9/24/2000
- 37 points (7-44) vs. Chicago Bears, 9/28/1986
There’s just no coming back from that. The score was 34-3 at the break, and the Vikings’ offense barely had to do anything outside of the first drive. Carson Wentz, playing for an injured J.J. McCarthy, didn’t play for the entire fourth quarter. He didn’t need to hand the Bengals their only defeat of at least 38 points in the club’s 58-year history
Learning how Cincinnati’s offense would deviate with Browning taking over for Joe Burrow was supposed to be a critical story from Sunday. Not only did the unit prove it can’t run the football worth a damn, but it also forgot how to hold onto the football entirely.
Browning will need time, as he did two years ago when he took over for Burrow the first time he was tasked with such a tall order. His teammates simply can’t squander more chances than the opportunities he’s likely to give the other team on his own.
Five turnovers are at least three too many for this version of the team to be competitive. It doesn’t help that Wentz and Co. kept the ball out of harm’s way for the entire game as well.
Turnovers carried the Bengals to their first 2-0 start in seven years. They will now be the antagonist behind one of the bleakest days in franchise history.
And, if things don’t get sorted soon, it’ll be a bleak season from here on out.
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