When was the last time Bengals won a playoff game?
The 2021 NFL postseason begins this weekend with the Wild Card Round and the Cincinnati Bengals seem to have the most momentum among AFC teams.
The whole city is behind you, @Bengals! 🧡🖤
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Cincinnati won the AFC North for the first time since 2015, their 11th division title since 1970. At 10-7, Cincinnati turned around the franchise after a disastrous 4-11-1 season with rookie quarterback Joe Burrow missing most of the second half of the season.
Burrow and his college teammate Ja'Marr Chase helped pump some life into the offense this season, which has paid off better than anyone expected.
The Bengals haven't been legitimate contenders in the NFL since 2015 with Andy Dalton, and they seem to be on the verge of breaking the league's longest current playoff losing streak.
The Cincinnati Bengals lost seven straight playoff games under Marvin Lewis
While the Bengals are currently No. 4 seed in the AFC in 2021, they are still in the middle of the longest active streak without a win in the playoffs. It sort of became a constant running joke through the 2010s that Cincinnati would lose in the Wild Card Round if they reached the postseason.
There was a five-year span where they made the playoffs every season and had a first-round exit. In total, head coach Marvin Lewis went 0-7 in the playoffs from 2003-2018.
Will the Bengals break their streak this Saturday against the Raiders?? https://t.co/24dKep0Kru
The last playoff win for the Bengals came in 1990 under head coach Sam Wyche. Boomer Esiason was the starting quarterback, leading the team to a 9-7 record and a Wild Card win over the Houston Oilers. Cincinnati would lose 20-10 to the Oakland Raiders in the Divisional Round, thus starting the losing streak.
A loss against the Las Vegas Raiders this weekend would mark 32 straight seasons without a playoff win. Ironically, Cincinnati can break the streak against the team that first started it in the first place.
Should they find a way to beat the Raiders, the Detroit Lions would have the longest active streak at 31 seasons. The Lions already have the most consecutive playoff losses at nine, which Cincinnati can tie with a loss to the Raiders.
With as much talent as is on Cincinnati's roster, a loss in the playoffs this season wouldn't be a total blemish on the year. The future looks bright for the franchise with young stars Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The AFC North is in for a major shift in power, with Cincy having the potential to become a powerhouse for the next several seasons.
Also check out: Kansas City Chiefs Playoff History, Appearances, Wins and more