Stat of the Jay: As Bengals Pursue 7 Seed, a Significant No. 1 - One They Haven't Seen Since 1975 - Is Within Reach

Jay Morrison | 13 Hours Ago

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) and running back Chase Brown (30) celebrate after a first down run by Burrow in the second quarter of the NFL Week 16 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. The Bengals led 17-0 at halftime. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals have been ranked No. 1 in passing offense since Week 11, but the Detroit Lions are closing the gap.

The Bengals only had 210 net passing yards in Sunday’s 24-6 win against the Cleveland Browns, lowering their season average to 267.3.

Meanwhile the Lions followed their 473-yard performance in Week 15 with 329 more Sunday against the Chicago Bears to bring their season average 264.7 – just 2.6 yards behind.

Can the Bengals hold on?

If they do, it will be significant.

Cincinnati hasn’t led the NFL in passing offense since 1975, when Ken Anderson, Isaac Curtis and the rest of the group averaged 231.5 games per game.

That was 23.1 yards better than Washington that season.

The highest the Bengals have finished in the Joe Burrow era was fifth in 2022 (265.0), which marked the sixth time since the top ranking in 1975 that Cincinnati has been in the top 5.

2005 – Fifth (238.8)

1986 – Third (247.3)

1985 – Fourth (232.3)

1982 – Third (259.9)

1981 – Third (249.7)

The Bengals’ final two games are against the Denver Broncos, who rank 18th in pass defense, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are 20th.

The Lions’ final two games are against the San Francisco 49ers (third) and Minnesota Vikings (29th).

The team that has finished first in the league in passing offense has reached the playoffs in four consecutive years.

But prior to that, six of the eight teams that finished first failed to make the playoffs.

If the Bengals maintain their current pace, 267.3 passing yards per game would set a new franchise record, topping the 265.0 they posted in 2022 when they finished fifth.

While 267.3 would be a Cincinnati record, it would not come close to the NFL mark.

In fact, it wouldn’t even be in the Top 100.

The record is 340.3 by the 2013 Denver Broncos.

Cincinnati’s current average of 267.3 would rank 120th in the Super Bowl era.

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Make sure you bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

-----

Join the 47,000+ Bengals fans that subscribe to us on YouTube.

Follow us on Twitter: @BengalsTalkSI

Like Our Facebook Page

Follow on TikTok