Can Bengals make the playoffs after 4-8 start? Cincinnati's chances and scenarios explored post 44-38 loss to Steelers

The Cincinnati Bengals dropped to 4-8 after a high-flying duel against their divisional rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on Sunday. Once again, Joe Burrow showed off his skillset and connected with his receivers, but the defense couldn't keep up with the Steelers offense, ultimately losing a 44-38 shootout.

Joe Burrow threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough as Cincinnati once again fell. Despite scoring 41, 34, 27 and 38 points, respectively, in their last four matchups, they only have one win to show for it.

The expectations ahead of this season were high, but as the weeks have gone by, Cincinnati has paid the price for its slow start. After 13 weeks of action, it's hard to imagine them making it to the postseason, especially considering the level of the teams ranking above them.

Bengals' playoff chances after falling to 4-8

The Cincinnati Bengals could finish the season with a winning record as long as they win their next five matchups. The first of these duels is scheduled for next Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET against the Dallas Cowboys.

After that, they'll have to visit the Tennessee Titans before hosting the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos. They will close out the regular season against Week 13 opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That schedule might look easy for several fans, but the Cowboys and Titans have shown that they can surprise opponents and win games unexpectedly. The Browns have a fierce rivalry with them, meaning that they'd try everything to ruin the Bengals' plans.

As for the Broncos, a direct opponent for a potential playoff berth, they are heating up at the right time, while the Steelers are one of the hottest teams in the league and will play that game at home.

Sportskeeda's Playoff Predictor

According to Sportskeeda's Playoff Predictor, the Bengals will only win one of their next five matchups and finish the season with a 5-12 record, which is strongly disappointing considering how high the expectations were before the start of the season.

The lowest seed in the AFC playoff bracket in this simulation is the Denver Broncos with an 11-6 record. So even if they win their last five games, the Bengals still may not be able to make it to a wild card spot.

Cincinnati Bengals' playoff scenario amid 4-8 record

Zac Taylor's team currently sits third in the AFC North division, trailing the Steelers (9-3) and Ravens (8-4), respectively. They could still aspire to the division title if they won every game and Pittsburgh and Baltimore lost their remaining games. Still, that scenario is highly unlikely.

If that's not the case, they could sneak into the postseason as a wild card. As of right now, the Denver Broncos and LA Chargers are the two wild cards in the AFC, and if they lost a couple of games, the Bengals could make it to the playoffs, although the Chargers would have the tiebreaker over them after their Week 11 win.

Winning five consecutive games for a team that has lost games after scoring more than 25 points is hard. Cincinnati might still have a chance to advance to the playoffs, but the chances are getting slimmer by the week.