At this point, it's tough to see the Cincinnati Bengals making the playoffs. However, fans shouldn't count out the possibility altogether. How does it happen? Let's not waste time and dive right in.
The most possible scenario definitely seems to be that the Bengals sneak in as the seventh and final seed, earning the last Wild Card spot. In order for that to come to fruition, a specific series of events needs to happen. Courtesy of John Breech over at CBS Sports, here's what the Bengals need, in a nutshell.
First and foremost, the Bengals have to win their four remaining games against the Titans, Browns, Broncos and Steelers. Cleveland and Denver are home games.
Second, Cincinnati needs the Broncos to win no more than one game down the stretch, going 1-3 at best. Denver plays the Colts, Chargers, Bengals and Chiefs to end the year.
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From there, both the Dolphins and Colts must go 2-2, at best. Miami plays the Texans, 49ers, Browns and Jets, while the Colts play the Broncos, Titans Giants and Jaguars.
In the grand scheme of things, this isn't exactly impossible. The toughest task of all might be seeing the Bengals go 4-0 to end the year. But, if they do, then they immediately become that team which is as unpredictably dangerous as they come.
Now, real quickly, also courtesy of Breech, the most wild scenario of all would be for the Bengals to somehow land the AFC's fifth seed. That, folks, seems impossible. But, it's not.
The Bengals would have to win out. The Chargers and Ravens both lose out while the Broncos finish 1-3, but that sole victory must be over the Chargers next week. Indianapolis has to go 2-2 at best, but they have to beat Denver in one of those victories. Then, Miami also must finish 2-2 at best.
The Bengals could become the team nobody wants to face in the playoffs
It doesn't necessarily matter how they do it, but if the Bengals were to finish the season winning their final five games and earning a playoff bid, they automatically become as scary as anyone in the AFC. That's how this works.
Don't think the league has been asleep while Joe Burrow is putting up what will likely be a career year and, if Cincy. makes the postseason, that'll become an MVP-caliber type campaign. Everyone has seen what Burrow is doing, carrying this team on his back.
In the playoffs, if he, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are all healthy, then this offense can score on anybody. The biggest question of all will be whether or not the Bengals defense can hold. That's been the question all year.
And, if the defense can somehow figure out how to play just a bit better (level-up, so to speak) then the Bengals may make everyone forget the misery that was most of the regular season.
With Burrow under center, and this team in the playoffs, the Bengals are right back in the thick of contending.