Cincinnati Bengals fans and NFL media dubbed Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans as a trap encounter and that wound up true.
There, the Bengals lost, 30-27.
With a date against the Baltimore Ravens on primetime set for next Thursday night, the Bengals looked like the team that won four in a row for just a single drive early before falling apart.
Joe Burrow’s offense and a usually reliable defense often looked perplexed at best about the feistiness of the visiting Texans.
Here’s a look at the top reactions by fans and media after the game with so little time before the short turnaround to a must-win game against the Ravens.
Like I said, needed a TD.
And now Trey Hendrickson is down on a fluke injury.
Inexcusable loss. Completely inexcusable.
— Andrew Russell (@Andrew_Russell7) November 12, 2023
Not a trap game. They were 4-4. They were too good to be a trap game. That’s just a poor game.
— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) November 12, 2023
All Germaine Pratt to do was bring him down
Just do that and you force overtime.
What an awful and pitiful loss
— Mohammad Ahmad (@MohammadAhmadTV) November 12, 2023
Tyler Boyd didn’t lose that game. Letting Noah Brown eat your lunch for 4 quarters was a way bigger factor.
— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) November 12, 2023
Look, they started poorly. Could’ve won.
The sample pick or the final pick in end zone.
Boyd making TD (tho he had the huge YAC to 10).
Cappa sack 1st and goal.
Scott and Pratt give up extra yards before FG. Easier now.
Look – they don’t have enough pass rush.
— Matt (@MrKCincy) November 12, 2023
I can’t believe Tyler Boyd dropped that. Inexcusable.
— Blake Jewell (@BlakeJewellNFL) November 12, 2023
Now I'm depressed. 2 interceptions in the RedZone by Burrow and the dropped TD by Boyd, with horrible defense https://t.co/iZbi1wOZXJ
— Tyler🐝 (@aGrillerDad) November 12, 2023
Well I’m going to say season over. Such a disappointment. https://t.co/s0se2NHX1K
— Bob Mangio (@N_8_B) November 12, 2023
it physically hurts to be a bengals fan sometimes https://t.co/9shor3Xou2
— carly ⸆⸉ (@lovingbluntly) November 12, 2023
One of those classic Zac Taylor doesn’t know how to call an offense game. Defense still giving up big leads. Boyd drops what would have been a game winning TD. Hendrickson looked hurt. This Bengals team is not making it past the 1st round of the playoffs if it even makes it there https://t.co/hGzdQljxFY
— Tyler (@T_Mane11) November 12, 2023
We got out coached today!!! Gave up career yards to the RB and WR! That’s embarrassing! https://t.co/2mL3f9AisI
— Derek Webster (@lbcoach43) November 12, 2023
If they win on Thursday night, they won’t lose again
— Matt (@CoachMinich) November 12, 2023
Bengals got outplayed and deserved to lose. Cool that they came back but that was a miserable performance.
Bengals are now 1-4 in the AFC.
— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) November 12, 2023
Bengals have been 5-4 after 9 games in each of the past two seasons.
Huge game in Baltimore on Thursday night.
— Andre Perrotta (@andreperrotta13) November 12, 2023
Going to be a lot of hate going Boyd's way, but there was like 55 minutes of terrible offensive football played there and Boyd was the one who took them all the way down there to begin with.
Have to imagine he is more frustrated with that play than any of us are.
— Patrick Judis (@PatrickJudis) November 12, 2023
Bengals chose the wrong year to start off slow cause they in the toughest division looking up at everyone smh
— 🗝 (@notnaridamus) November 12, 2023
Bengals really stunk for a majority of the day. Really poor. A lot to unpack from the game. At the end they’re a Boyd drop in the end zone from having a potential 4 point lead and the win. My last point will be positive to say they were that bad and still had a chance.
— M (@MarkSp88) November 12, 2023
The bengals really disappointed me today 😢😢😢😢
— Anicia 🫶🏾 (@ayoprettyy) November 12, 2023