Is the Bengals' season over? Let's discuss

"We're not a championship-level team right now,” - Joe Burrow following their fourth loss of the season.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals are off to yet another rough start after finishing the 2023/24 season 9-8 with their backup QB. They are currently tied for the worst record in the league at 1-4.

It’s hard to pick apart their games, as they struggled against the worst team in the NFL from last season, but also only lost by one to the reigning Super Bowl Champs.

What players have been missing?

Many Bengals players have been missing throughout the first five games, but has it really torn their team down that dramatically?

Tee Higgins was out for the first two games due to a supposed hamstring injury. However, he was also trying to negotiate a long-term contract with the franchise during this time. Higgins has been one of the Bengals’ biggest offensive threats in the past couple of years, going for 1,029 yards in 2022 and 1,091 in 2021.

Ja’Marr Chase also attempted to renegotiate his contract all the way up to the first game of the season, which likely resulted in him being in “pre-season form” during their first game against New England, which they lost 16-10.

With Higgins out, this put extra pressure on Ja’Marr Chase and presented challenges for the Bengals' offense. Chase only gained 97 yards during the first two weeks with zero touchdowns. When Tee Higgins came back, it helped increase offense production. Chase had 85 yards and one touchdown followed by 118 yards and two touchdowns.

In regards to their defense, defensive end Trey Hendrickson was out for a total of two games as well as defensive tackle B.J. Hill. This took a toll on the team’s defense and helps explain why their defense is one of the weakest in the NFL.

How does this season compare to others?

The Bengals have been known to have bumpy starts. Though four losses seem like a lot, they reached the Super Bowl in 2021 with seven losses. That year they had started their season 3-2, not as bad as 1-4, but also not very strong either.

Their 2022 season, after starting 2-3, ended at 12-4 after losing in the AFC Championship. What does this mean? It means that there's still potential for the Bengals if they can get their act together.

However, it also means that Burrow has to stay healthy. Their 2023/24 season ended at 9-8 when Burrow got hurt in Week 11.

How do the Bengals compare against other teams?

Looking at team stats, we can clearly notice the Bengals’ weaknesses.

Their offense is soaring, standing at 9th in the league in yards per game and seventh in the league for total yards. However, that's not the case for their defense. The Bengals are second to last in third-down defense at 47.5 percent. This implies that the Bengals only stop their opponents on third down around half the times they are on third down.

Furthermore, they are ranked No. 26 for red zone defense, letting their opponents score 66.7 percent of the time. This is incredibly significant compared to the Saints' 25 percent TD rate or even the No.

13 Bills team who are at 50 percent.

Based on these stats, it's clear that the Bengals must be a more cohesive unit to become a playoff-contending team.

So is the season really over? Do the Bengals have a chance of getting to the Super Bowl? In reality, their chances are low, yet unpredictable.

The Bengals are known to be a streaky team, and streaky they have been. However, their upcoming games should be relatively easy. The Giants (10/13) are 2-3 this season, the Browns (10/20) are 1-4 and the Eagles (10/27) are 2-2.

This upcoming Giants game should show the league if the Bengals are showing up this season as the Giants' defense has been pretty strong all season.

If the Bengals can stay healthy and win these next three games, their chances are looking good to make a playoff run.

Erin Wilder is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email eew5390@psu.edu.