Bengals NFL Playoff Odds: Can Cincinnati Still Make the Postseason?

Iain MacMillan | 3 Hours Ago

Joe Burrow and the Bengals are +700 to make the NFL Playoffs. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It feels like we have written off the Cincinnati Bengals several times this season but we're through Week 15 and they still have life. They need a lot of things to go their way, but the Bengals still have a shot at making a run at the NFL Playoffs.

Let's take a look at their latest odds and their path to get the job done.

Bengals Playoff Odds

• Yes +700
• No -1200

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

At +700 odds the Bengals have a 12.5% chance of making the playoffs.

Bengals Path to the Playoffs

It goes without saying that for the Bengals to have any realistic shot of making the playoffs, they'll have to win their final three games of the season. Their last three opponents are the Browns, Broncos, and Steelers. If they win all three of those games, they'll finish with a 9-8 record and will be in the mix for a playoff spot.

Unfortunately, they are on the wrong end of the tiebreaker with the Chargers meaning they will need they would need them to implode in their final three games to leapfrog them. If Los Angeles wins just one of its final three games against the Broncos, Raiders, or Patriots, the Chargers would hold the tiebreaker against the Bengals if they both finish 9-8.

The most likely path for Joe Burrow and company to sneak into the playoffs would be for the Broncos to go 0-3 in the final three weeks, with losses to the Chargers, Chiefs, and of course a Week 17 loss to Cincinnati. If that happens, the Bengals will get in if both the Colts and Dolphins lose at least one of their final three games by holding the head-to-head tiebreaker against Denver.

The chances of the Bengals to get in are slim, but there's a path for them which is reason enough for fans to not yet lose hope. The biggest game for Cincinnati fans to watch is this Thursday night's showdown between the Broncos and the Chargers. The Bengals will need the loser of that game to also lose in both Week 17 and Week 18.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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