The Cincinnati Bengals have very slim playoff hopes with three weeks left, but, as Yogi Berra famously said, it ain’t over until it’s over.
Entering Week 16, the Bengals sit two games out of the final AFC Wild Card spot. The problem for the Bengals is that spot is held by the Los Angeles Chargers, whom the Bengals lost to in Week 11. Also working against the Bengals is they lost tiebreakers to the other 6-8 teams, the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins.
All that said, the Bengals have a simple elimination scenario for Week 16: lose. If the Bengals lose Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, they are eliminated. They would also be eliminated if they tie and the Chargers win or tie Thursday against the Denver Broncos.
That’s it. In other words, Sunday is a must-win for the Bengals. If they win, they are still alive heading into Week 17, where a huge opportunity awaits against the Broncos. But first things first, the Bengals need to take care of business against the Browns Sunday. Do that, then we can advance to the next step.
