Three Games That Could Have Put The Bengals In The Super Bowl

Much has been said about the Cincinnati Bengals 2015 season. Unlike any in the past five years, Bengals fans were treated to an awesome start. The eight-game winning streak created a firestorm that caused analysts to take notice. Sadly, the season ended like so many others — with a playoff loss. But there were three games that could have made a difference. If the Bengals had won one of them, they would have been the AFC No. 1 seed.

The wild card game between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh will be remembered as one of the ugliest battles ever played. There were so many heroic efforts that could stand out for the home team Bengals, yet the only thing that will stay foremost in the minds of fans will be the fourth quarter. The media-hyped meltdowns of Vontaze Burfict and Adam Jones were labeled the reason for another Bengals postseason loss.

Before that explosion of errors was ever given the chance to happen, the Bengals had four opportunities to better their playoff outlook. After beating the Cleveland Browns 31-10 in Week 9, the Bengals were in control of the AFC North. They had beaten the Steelers, and both offense and defense seemed to be clicking. Then something odd happened. They finished the season 4-4. Here’s a look at three games that could have given them a two-week bye and possibly a trip to Super Bowl 50.

Houston, we have a problem

After cruising to an 8-0 record, a Bengals letdown seemed impossible against the lowly Houston Texans, but that’s exactly what happened. Cincinnati was under the bright lights for a Monday night battle against their playoff nemesis. The mantra all week had been positive. This was a new Bengals team that knew the meaning of pressure. They were ready. The Texans left town with a 10-6 victory.

The Bengals defense was as good as advertised. Per ESPN stats, before Brian Hoyer left the game, he wasn’t a factor. The notorious Bengals killer was held to a 51.9 passer rating thanks to fierce pressure. T.J. Yates did the damage. A last-minute TD was the heartbreaker.

Once again, the Bengals running game was stuffed. Hue Jackson was predictable in the loss, and the offense looked flat. An easy win was squandered, and the doubts were back.

The Palmer Files

This was supposed to be a preview of Super Bowl 50. The high-powered Bengals and Arizona Cardinals hooked up on Sunday Night Football. Carson Palmer was anxious to show the nation why he wanted to leave Cincinnati. The Bengals’ defense was buying it and contributed to a 14-7 halftime lead.

Unfortunately, the Bengals didn’t get the memo to show up in the third quarter. Arizona scored 21 unanswered points. Another fourth quarter “meltdown” was fuel for the officials. Domata Peko was called for unsportsmanlike conduct on third-and-11, giving Arizona a first down. The “phantom” call set up the winning field goal. A golden opportunity to shine in prime time was lost.

Miscues at Mile High

This would have definitely secured the Bengals as the top seed. After starting out slow, the Bengals were able to find some offensive balance. The running game looked great until the loss of Ryan Hewitt. AJ McCarron was sound. His ability to throw the deep ball was uncanny. The Orange and Black looked good and led 14-3 at halftime.

The football gods toyed with the Bengals in the second half. After allowing Cincinnati to tie the game at 17 and a shanked field goal, the game went into overtime. Denver gets three points to go up 20-17. McCarron losses the snap, DeMarcus Ware falls on it, and the game is a wrap. No adjustments to the Broncos’ adjustments caused another unnecessary defeat.

If they’d won any of those games, the Bengals would be 13-3 and looking at no worse than a No. 2 seed. Looking at the results of this year’s seeds, that may have cost them a trip to the Super Bowl.

[Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]