The Cincinnati Bengals’ path to the playoffs just got steeper after a crushing 37-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
Their ground game struggled mightily, mustering only 58 yards at a meager 2.9 yards per carry – a concerning pattern that’s plagued them this season.
Despite the setback, Joe Burrow remains focused on the bigger picture.
Speaking to reporters after the game, the quarterback laid out the math plainly:
“I think 10 wins usually gets you in. We got to win seven out of nine. That’s doable. It’s doable, so we’ll go from there.”
#Bengals QB Joe Burrow on the 3-5 start: “I think 10 wins usually gets you in. We gotta win 7 out of 9. That’s doable.”pic.twitter.com/z8vXz2E9Bv
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 27, 2024
History backs up Burrow’s calculation. Since the NFL’s shift to a 17-game schedule in 2021, every team that’s hit the 10-win mark – all 33 of them – has clinched a playoff berth.
Had the Bengals (3-5) pulled off a victory Sunday, they would’ve reached .500 with nine games remaining.
Instead, the Eagles (5-2) transformed a 10-10 halftime deadlock into a rout, scoring on every second-half possession while the Bengals’ offense stalled, failing to cross midfield in their final four drives.
The road ahead looks daunting for Cincinnati. They’re still hunting for their first home win after dropping all four games at Paycor Stadium this season.
This 20-point shellacking by the Eagles stands out among their losses – their previous four defeats were tight contests decided by six points or fewer.
Not since Week 4 of last season, when the Tennessee Titans handed them a 27-3 defeat, has Burrow experienced such a lopsided loss.
While Burrow sees the playoff path as achievable, the Bengals need to find another gear to secure those seven crucial wins. The margin for error has essentially vanished.
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