What do the Bengals need to make the playoffs? Cincinnati's Week 15 scenarios explored

The Cincinnati Bengals recorded a hard-fought 27-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football in Week 14. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase played yet another dominant game, reminding the rest of the league how dangerous they could be when the stars align.

With Week 14 now in the books, let's look at the Bengals' playoff chances heading into the last four matchups of the regular season.

What do the Bengals need to make the playoffs? Cincinnati's Week 15 scenarios explored

What do the Cincinnati Bengals need to make the playoffs?

The Cincinnati Bengals are 5-8, and they'll need to win all of their remaining games for the season and hope that other teams in contention for the playoffs record losses ahead of them. That's the only way a 9-8 Bengals team can make it to the wild-card round of this season's playoffs.

However, according to the Sportskeeda playoff predictor, the Bengals will end the season with a 5-12 record. That means the franchise won't win another game for the rest of the season, thereby halting its postseason hopes. Cincinnati's only consolation will be a high draft pick in next year's draft.

Cincinnati Bengals playoff chances in Week 15

The Cincinnati Bengals have performed well below their preseason expectations going into Week 15. The Joe Burrow-led franchise has lost a number of games from winnable positions, and their injury issues haven't helped its quest for postseason glory in 2024. This season will likely go down as a wasted one in the potentially storied careers of superstars Burrow and Chase.

The Bengals' playoff chances are rather slim as they're up against two playoff-chasing franchises to end the season. After relatively winnable matchups versus the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, they're squaring off against the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers. With such a dicey end to the season, it might be time for the Bengals fans to prepare for the 2025-26 season.

Cincinnati Bengals lock horns against the Tennessee Titans in Week 15

The Cincinnati Bengals will travel to Tennessee to face the Titans in Week 15 of the regular season. The Titans are also having a difficult season and are currently in the Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter sweepstakes.

The Bengals will likely win against the Titans and potentially in the next game against the Cleveland Browns. However, their last two games against the Broncos and the Steelers will be tricky, considering the circumstances involved.