Stat of the Jay: Can the Cincinnati Bengals Do Something Only 5 Teams Have Achieved Since 1990?

Jay Morrison | Oct 7, 2024

The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had his first career five-touchdown passing game against the Ravens NFL Week 5 Sunday October 6, 2024 at Payor Stadium. The Bengals lost 41-38 in overtime. / Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – As damaging as the 1-4 start is for the Cincinnati Bengals’ playoff hopes, the fact that three of those four losses came at home might be even more problematic.

It’s the 14th time in franchise history the Bengals have lost their first three home games.

Never in the previous 13 seasons did they rally to make the playoffs, and only twice did they win more than four games.

2019: 2-14

2008: 4-11-1

2002: 2-14

2000: 4-12

1999: 4-12

1994: 3-13

1993: 3-13

1991: 3-13

1987: 4-11

1985: 7-9

1983: 7-9

1979: 4-12

1978: 4-12

There is at least some precedence of teams rebounding from an 0-3 home start to make the playoffs.

But not much.

Since the 1990 playoff expansion to six teams per conference, only five teams have lost their first three home games and fought back to reach the postseason.

Three of those five instances happened in the same season. It occurred in 2021 when the NFL again expanded the playoffs to seven teams per conference.

The New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers all lost their first four home games in 2021 and still found their way into the playoffs.

The 49ers went all the way to the NFC Championship Game.

The Eagles and Patriots both lost in the wild-card round.

The only other teams to pull it off were the 2013 Eagles, who also started 0-4 at home and 3-5 overall before winning five in a row and seven of eight to capture the NFC East title.

Then they lost at home to the New Orleans Saints in the wild-card round.

The other team to lose its first three home games and reach the postseason was the 2004 Green Bay Packers, who won six in a row and 9 of 11 after their third home loss to open the season.

The Packers won the NFC North but lost at home to the Minnesota Vikings in the wild-card round.

So history suggest that even if the Bengals can turn things around, their stay in the postseason could be a short one.

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