𝕏: @SerhanOnX
Going into the 2024 season, the Cincinnati Bengals had hope coming into the season. Coming off a 9-8 season in 2023, with star QB Joe Burrow missing half the season with a wrist injury, and a strong finish with Jake Browning going 4-3 in the team’s final 7 games, they was hoping to be able to compete with teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Buffalo Bills for AFC supremacy. Burrow fully came back healthy, had a full training camp with the rest of the team, it looked like, at least “on paper” the team would lt least return to the playoffs after missing out in 2023.
That’s why I said “on paper.” Because what actually happened took a life of its own.
With WR Tee Higgins (playing on a franchise tag) and teammate Ja’marr Chase unable to agree to long-term extensions before the start of the season, you had a sense something was not going to go right as both missed time during training camp. What also didn’t help was for the 5th straight pre-season, the Bengals decided to hold out its starters from getting any in-game preseason snaps (aside from the 1st drive vs. Arizona), and it also didn’t help that Higgins suffered a hamstring injury just days before the season opener
That’s where it started, and the worst was to follow week 1 when the New England Patriots (their first game in the post Bill Belichick era) came into Cincinnati and won the game 16-10, as the defense (which gave up the most yards per play in 2023) allowed 170 yards on the ground, 120 of them to Rhamondre Stevenson (who didn’t have a 100-yard rusing game in all of 2023), while Burrow and the Bengals offense got virtually next to nothing going the entire game in a disgraceful, pathetic effort. This was a loss to the same New England Patriots team who finished 4-13 season.
The signs were there on that day the Bengals were staring at a long season.
After losses to the Chiefs and Commanders in the next 2 weeks, the Bengals found themselves at 0-3 to begin the season, with the common theme being the defense giving up big plays and being unable to get off the field. After beating Carolina for their first win, there was the big week 5 showdown against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. It turned out to be a wild game where both offenses made big play after big play, but an inexcusable interception by Burrow with the team up 10, and the inability for anyone on the defense to slow down Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense left the team with a 1-4 start, while going 0-3 at home.
From then on, erratic play on both sides of the ball, especially on defense, put the Bengals at a 4-8 hole and on the outside looking the playoffs, despite the offensive efforts by Burrow and Chase. However, they would get a lucky bounce on a muffed punt by the Dallas Cowboys and they were able to escape with a win. They would follow the win versus the Cowboys up with subpar wins over the Titans and Browns before closing the season solidly against the Broncos and Steelers, to finish the season with 5 straight wins and an overall record of 9-8 for the second straight season.
However, it wasn’t good enough, as the team fell short of making the playoffs, a spot they really didn’t deserve. This marks the first time in NFL history where a team missed the playoffs with a winning record for two straight seasons. This despite Burrow finishing the season as the league leader in passing yards (4,918) and passing TDs (43), Chase being the NFL Triple Crown Winner (127 receptions, 1798 yards, 17 TDs) while setting franchise records for receptions and yards in a single season, and having the NFL sacks leader in Trey Hendrickson (17.5). Despite all the individual success that the players had and finishing one gem above .500, the season as a whole will be remembered as a failure due to the inability to get the quality wins necessary to make the playoffs.
When you have elite level production from “elite” players at key positions, and you fail to make the playoffs for the 2nd straight season with the roster the Bengals has in 2024, it’s the definition of inexcusable and unfathomable. Topped off by the lack of accountability being shown as the season went along, while resorting to excuses and finger pointing elsewhere as a result. The biggest one was accusing the Kansas City Chiefs of intentionally and purposefully quitting in the season finale against the Denver Broncos by resting their starters without merit (a game the Broncos won 38-0 to clinich the final playoff spot in the AFC).
When you’re unable to handle your own business like a grown adult, you get exactly what you deserve in the end. It’s exactly what happened with the team this season. Everyone affiliated with the 2024 Cincinnati Bengals (specifically ownership, coaches, players, fans, “super fans”, and media members) were the perfect example of this, and it’s time for everyone to simply do better, be better, conduct and carry themselves better moving forward if they don’t want this to happen ever again. Otherwise, the 2025 season will be a carbon copy of 2024.
If no one wants to see this again, everyone in Cincinnati needs to holds themselves and everyone accountable now, leave the season behind, make changes necessary, and move forward. There’s work to do.
Photo Credits; FOX19, baltimoreravens.com, New York Post, Sports Illustrated, USA Today(X2), WKRC.
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