The Bengals: A Case Study in Fanbase Entitlement
As a Cincinnati Bengals fan, I was relieved to see the end of such a long and bitterly disappointing season. My faith in the team had faded as early as November. Even the 5-game winning streak to close out the season served only to highlight how woefully underperforming this team was in the wins and losses department. But my relief was short-lived as I faced a harsh reality: Bengals fans, my fellow fanbase, have taken entitlement to a new level. Many now claim it’s “unfair” that we’re mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Some fans genuinely believe Joe Burrow’s nearly 5,000-yard season and a semi-decent defense merit a pity spot in the playoffs—regardless of records, schedules, or tiebreakers.
The Fallacy of Feeling "Screwed" Out of the Playoffs
Few teams in sports history can legitimately claim they were “screwed” out of postseason contention. Those instances typically occur in the NCAA, where subjective committees make flawed objective choices. Take Florida State in 2023 as a prime example: undefeated, yet left out—that’s being screwed. But this isn’t college football; it’s the NFL, where playoff spots are earned based on an objective, merit-based system. It’s simple: win games.
In the NFL, you win your division by outperforming rivals you play twice a season. Can’t win your division? Win enough games, and the NFL generously allows three additional teams per conference into the playoffs as “Wildcard” entries. Everything hinges on results, not campaigns, narratives, or strength of schedule. Teams get 18 weeks and 17 games to prove their worth on the field. Unfortunately, the Bengals finished with only nine wins—three shy of what it would’ve taken to secure a playoff spot.
Close Losses That Cost the Bengals the Postseason
For Bengals fans lamenting their playoff absence, let’s revisit the losses that sealed our fate:
- Loss to Patriots: 16-10
- Loss to Chiefs: 26-25
- Loss to Commanders: 38-35
- Loss to Ravens (twice): 41-38 and 35-34
- Loss to Chargers: 37-24
- Loss to Steelers: 44-38
That’s seven of eight losses decided by a single score. Had the Bengals flipped just three of those games into wins, they could’ve landed the 5th seed. Winning the majority of these close games might have even secured the division title and a home playoff game. These narrow defeats, not league bias or bad luck, are the real reasons the Bengals missed the postseason.
Why Blaming Others Won’t Help
The Bengals had playoff hopes alive until the very end. A Broncos loss to Kansas City in Week 18 would’ve opened the door for Cincinnati to clinch the 7th seed. It was a slim chance, but still a chance. However, let’s remember: the Broncos won 10 games—one more than the Bengals—and clinched the spot fair and square. They earned it behind a rookie quarterback and a scrappy, unheralded defense.
If you’re upset because the Bengals beat the Broncos in Week 17 but still missed out, that’s understandable. But it doesn’t change the reality: winning matters in the NFL. Blaming the Broncos or backup players on other teams for your playoff elimination misses the mark entirely.
Redirecting the Blame: Bengals Leadership
Bengals fans should direct their frustration toward the franchise’s decision-makers. The Broncos and the NFL don’t deserve your ire—Katie Blackburn and Zac Taylor do. Their incompetence continues to plague the team. Taylor scapegoated Lou Anarumo, firing him on Black Monday (https://youtube.com/shorts/o7bt59Hi-28?si=gX0YGutnI6JVnvnq), and Blackburn’s refusal to invest in key areas around Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase further hampers the team’s potential.
Contracts for Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson could easily fall apart by free agency. Worse, Ja’Marr Chase might face the same fate at the end of next season. If that happens, who will carry the Bengals’ lofty expectations into the future?
