Stat of the Jay: Could the Bengals Set Franchise Records For Both Points Scored and Points Allowed This Season?

Jay Morrison | 21 Hours Ago

Dec 1, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) celebrates his touchdown catch with Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (30) during the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals rank fifth in the league in average points scored per game at 27.9.

After losing 44-38 to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Cincinnati’s 335 points scored rank second in franchise history through the first 12 games of a season.

Only the 1988 Super Bowl team had more with 360.

That team finished with an average of 28.0 points per game while going 12-4.

In order for the 2024 squad to top that, the Bengals would need to score 143 points – or 28.6 points per game – over the final five contests.

The highest-scoring five-game stretches in franchise history occurred in 2005 and 1981.

In 2005, they scored 181 points in five games.

45-37 loss to the Colts

42-29 win against the Ravens

38-31 win against the Steelers

23-20 win against the Browns

41-17 win against the Lions

The Bengals scored 177 over five games in 1981 on the way to Super Bowl XVI.

34-21 win against the Oilers

40-17 win against the Chargers

24-10 win against the Rams

38-21 win against the Broncos

41-21 win against the Browns

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the Bengals have allowed 28.3 points per game.

If that holds, it would be the fourth worst performance in franchise history, and it won’t take much of an increase to get to the bottom of the heap.

The 1999 team allowed 28.8 ppg, followed by 2002 (28.5) and 2018 (28.4).

The Bengals would have to allow 150 points – 30.0 per game – over the final five contests to set the record for most ppg allowed in a season.

Lou Anarumo’s defense has allowed 174 points in its last five games, so 150 certainly seems doable.

The 174 stands as the fourth-highest total in any five-game span in franchise history, although the three instances with more all overlapped.

The 2018 Bengals allowed 175 points from Games 5-9; 182 points in Games 6-10 and 189 points from Games 7-11.

The Bengals fired defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, who currently holds the same job with the Pittsburgh Steelers, after Game 9, a 51-14 home loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Could the Bengals set the record for average points for and average points against in the same season?

They’re both within reach.

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