Stat of the Jay: Where Does Bengals Losing Streak in Cleveland Rank Among Their Longest In Other Cities?

Jay Morrison | Oct 15, 2024

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

CINCINNATI – Until the Cincinnati Bengals win a road game against the Cleveland Browns, they are going to have to answer questions about it every time the Battle of Ohio road trip comes up on the schedule.

The Bengals have never won in Cleveland since Zac Taylor took over in 2019, and they also lost there in Marvin Lewis’ final trip in 2018.

Cincinnati hasn’t won in Cleveland since Oct. 1, 2017 – a 31-7 triumph in Week 4 to end a 0-3 start to the season that featured the firing of offensive coordinator Ken Zampese.

The average margin of defeat during the six-game skid has been 11 points, with last year’s 24-3 decision in the season rainy season opener being the biggest blowout.

The six-game losing streak is the Bengals’ longest active road skid against another franchise, but it’s not the longest of all time.

It’s actually not even close.

There are eight longer road losing streaks in franchise history, including a three-way tie for the longest.

Pittsburgh, 10

The Bengals lost 10 in a row in Pittsburgh from 1970-79. Six of the 10 losses were by double digits, including a 23-point blowout in 1972.

Cincinnati finally snapped the skid with a 17-16 win in 1980, with the difference being a missed extra point.

Denver, 10

The Rocky Mountain low picked up as the Three Rivers tribulations were ending, stretching all the way from 1979 to 2015.

Six of the 10 straight losses in Denver were by a touchdown or less, including each of the final three games in the skid – 24-23 in 2006 (bad PAT snap that would have sent the game to OT); 24-22 in 2011; and 20-17 in overtime in 2015.

The Bengals final broke the streak in 2017 with a 20-17 victory.

Oilers, 10

Another decade of dominance from a division foe as the Bengals lost 10 in a row from 1985-94.

Seven of the 10 losses were by double digits, including routs of 41-6, 48-17 and 35-3.

Jets 9*

The skid ran from 1984 to 2010 and included a 37-0 loss in the 2009 season finale when the Bengals rested their starters.

The streak ended in the 2016 season opener on the 15th anniversary of 9/11 with a narrow 23-22 victory.

The Bengals actually lost 12 in a row in New York (East Rutherford, N.J.). They never won a game at old Giants Stadium in 11 trips, losing eight times to the Jets and three to the Giants. Then they lost their first visit to MetLife Stadium in 2010.

Colts, 7

Peyton Manning was 8-1 against the Bengals and 6-0 at home, which accounts for the bulk of this losing streak that ran from 1998-2014.

Jaguars, 7

Six of the seven losses came when the teams were division rivals in the old AFC Central Division. The streak ran from 1996 to 2005.

Patriots, 7

The Patriots upset the 6-0 Bengals during the 1988 Super Bowl season and went on to win another six in a row through 2016.

Cincinnati’s Christmas eve win in 2022 ended the skid.

Raiders, 7

The Bengals lost the first seven games they played against the Raiders from 1968 to1985.

A 45-21 thrashing early in 1988 gave Cincinnati its first ever win in Oakland.

Ravens, 7

Another division foe, the Ravens ripped off a seven-game streak against the Bengals in Years 2-8 as a franchise from 1997-2003.

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