What do Bengals need to make the playoffs? Where Joe Burrow and co. stand after Week 18 win vs. Steelers

The Bengals defeated the Steelers 19-17 in their final game of the 2024 NFL regular season to finish with a 9-8 record. It is a welcome relief for a team that was 4-8 at one point. They won five straight games to end the season and will feel they have some momentum going into the playoffs if they can get there.

Because despite winning this matchup and finishing with a winning record, Cincinnati has not punched its postseason ticket yet. Their early losses ensured that they finished just one game above 0.500 and now they will need help from other teams to ensure that they can make it past the regular season. Therefore, there is not much the Bengals can do other than hope.

Bengals' playoff chances after defeating Cardinals 19-17

The reason the Bengals need favors from other teams is because the Broncos have a 9-7 record. They need to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday afternoon to finish with an identical 9-8 record to Cincinnati. If their records are tied, Joe Burrow and company will have the advantage since they defeated Denver in their Week 17 matchup and thus have a better head-to-head record in the tiebreaker.

However, that is not all that the Bengals need. Miami currently has an 8-8 record and knows that they can get into the playoffs if they defeat the Jets and the Chiefs beat the Broncos. In that case, they will also have an identical 9-8 record to Cincinnati, but they hold the tiebreaker over Denver.

Therefore, for the Bengals to make the postseason, the Broncos need to lose their game to the Chiefs, and the Dolphins must either tie or lose against the Jets. Both of them are tough asks because Kansas City is likely to rest its starters because they have already clinched the top seed in the AFC, and New York is one of the worst teams in the NFL with a 4-12 record. Therefore, Cincinnati's chances of making it past the regular season are still very low.

Bengals' playoff scenario amid 9-8 record

Sportskeeda's Playoff Predictor only serves to reinforce that. We ran a simulation and we finished with the Broncos taking the final seventh seed, whereas the Bengals and the Dolphins missed out.

Sportskeeda Playoff Predictor Scenario

In this scenario, both Denver and Miami won against their opponents, which is likely given what we have identified before. However, there is some reason for hope too for Cincinnati.

The Chiefs might be playing their backups, but they would be hungry to prove their worth. Additionally, they are the two-time Super Bowl champions and current AFC top seed. Andy Reid is one of the smartest coaches out there and he will be looking to win this game. Last year, he rested his players in the final match against the Chargers too, and eked out a 13-12 win.

Similarly, the Dolphins might be favorites to beat the Jets but they might have to do so without Tua Tagovailoa, who is doubtful for this game. He is battling a hip injury and his production might be down even if he features. Miami really does not have a good alternative to their starting quarterback and New York might be fired up to finish this season on a high in their home stadium.

Therefore, the Bengals are not quite out yet. However, they need a lot of things to fall into place tomorrow to make it to the playoffs as the seventh seed. And whichever team has the pleasure of doing so will only find the road ahead tougher as they would have to travel to Buffalo to face Josh Allen and the second-seeded Bills.