Finishing 6-11 was not exactly what anyone thought the Cincinnati Bengals’ record would be heading into the 2025 season. The bottom-line results were simply unacceptable, but much of it stemmed from yet another major injury from Joe Burrow.
But Joe Flacco played plenty well enough in Burrow's stead to keep Cincinnati in the playoff mix. For one reason or another, these Bengals couldn't play complementary football often enough to avoid double-digit losses on the year.
Surely, most thought that Week 18 would end in a win and the Bengals would finish out on a high note.