Schedule Note: Intra-division opponents are in
bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at Cleveland Browns With the win, the Bengals won their first Week 1 game since
2021.
Week 2: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars With the win, the Bengals started 2–0 for the first time since
2018. However, the team suffered a major blow as quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a Grade 3
turf toe injury in the second quarter which resulting in him missing the next nine games and required surgery. Backup quarterback
Jake Browning stepped in to finish the game, securing the win. Thereafter, Browning was announced as the Bengals' starting quarterback in Burrow's absence, and head coach Zac Taylor said that the team has full confidence in him. Burrow underwent successful turf toe surgery on September 19. He did not return until Thanksgiving against Baltimore in Week 13.
Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings The 38-point margin defeat marked the worst loss in Bengals franchise history. With the horrific loss, Cincinnati fell to 2–1 and 0–1 against the NFC North.
Week 4: at Denver Broncos With their second straight blowout loss, the Bengals dropped to 2–2.
Week 5: vs. Detroit Lions With the loss, the Bengals fell to 2–3 and were defeated by the Lions for the first time since the
1992 season, ending a seven-game winning streak against them. Following the loss, the Bengals released practice quarterback
Mike White and acquired quarterback
Joe Flacco via a trade with the Browns. Flacco was announced as the new starting quarterback for the Bengals the next day, and Jake Browning returned to a backup quarterback position.
Week 6: at Green Bay Packers Similar to the Packers' Week 3 meeting with the
Browns, the Packers were up with a lead at halftime, but Flacco managed to rally to keep closer, except it led to the Packers getting their revenge on a missed 56-yard field goal from McPherson. With the close loss, the Bengals were handed their fourth straight loss and now sit at 2–4.
Week 7: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Snapping their 4 game losing streak, the Bengals returned home for a Thursday Night Football win against their
division rival Pittsburgh Steelers. With the win, the Bengals improved to 3–4, and beat the Steelers at home for the first time since 2021.
Week 8: vs. New York Jets The Bengals started strong and entered the fourth quarter leading 31–16. After both teams exchanged touchdowns, Cincinnati held a 38–24 lead with 10:21 remaining. However, the Bengals’ defense allowed the Jets to score two unanswered touchdowns, including a touchdown pass from running back
Breece Hall to tight end
Mason Taylor, giving New York a one-point lead. The Bengals attempted a late comeback but turned the ball over on downs, as the Jets earned their first win of the season and became the last team in the NFL to record a victory. The Bengals’ defense struggled, allowing the Jets to finish with 502 total yards of offense, including 254 rushing yards.
Week 9: vs. Chicago Bears After another close battle, the Bears appeared to seal the game when wide receiver
D. J. Moore scored a 16-yard touchdown to make it 41–27 with 4:53 remaining. However, Joe Flacco led the Bengals on a four-play touchdown drive that concluded with a 23-yard touchdown pass to
Noah Fant with 1:43 left. Tee Higgins then caught a two-point conversion to trim the Bears’ lead to 41–35. The Bengals successfully executed an onside kick that deflected off the leg of Bears linebacker
Daniel Hardy and was recovered by
Joseph Ossai. With 49 seconds remaining, the Bengals took a one-point lead after Flacco threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to
Andrei Iosivas. On the ensuing drive, Bears quarterback
Caleb Williams connected with tight ends
Colston Loveland for a 58-yard touchdown with 17 seconds left, giving Chicago a 47–42 victory and thwarting the Bengals’ comeback attempt. Despite Flacco throwing for a career-high 470 yards and leading the Bengals to 42 points, Cincinnati’s defense struggled once again, allowing the Bears to accumulate 576 total yards of offense. With yet another defensive collapse, the Bengals suffered their 4th loss to Chicago since
2013 to fall to 3–6 entering their bye week, while also getting swept by the
NFC North.
Week 11: at Pittsburgh Steelers With a sluggish performance, the Bengals fell to 3–7 and 2–1 against the AFC North. During the game,
Ja’Marr Chase reportedly spat on Steelers cornerback
Jalen Ramsey, who retaliated by punching him and was ejected shortly afterward. Chase denied spitting on Ramsey, and the following day, he was suspended for one game. Chase attempted to appeal his suspension, but the NFL denied his appeal. Ramsey was later fined $14,491 for punching Chase. Chase later apologized after the incident.
Week 12: vs. New England Patriots On the final play of the opening half, Bengals kicker
Evan McPherson converted a 63-yard field goal, setting a new Bengals franchise record for the longest field goal. It wouldn't be enough for the Bengals to avoid their second straight loss to the Patriots, which dropped them to 3–8 and 0–2 against the AFC East.
Week 13: at Baltimore Ravens Thanksgiving Day games This was Cincinnati's first game on Thanksgiving since
2010. It was also announced that Joe Burrow would likely return sooner after his turf toe injury in Week 2 and play on Thanksgiving night. Joe Burrow later confirmed that he would start on Thanksgiving night. With Burrow's return now official, Joe Flacco went to a backup quarterback position. Burrow completed 24-of-46 pass attempts for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Ja'Marr Chase, returning from a one-game suspension, recorded seven receptions for 110 yards. Evan McPherson also recorded six field goals, the most in his career, and tied for the second-most in Bengals history. The Ravens committed four fumbles, including two by quarterback
Lamar Jackson, all of which contributed to a Bengals victory. With the win, the Bengals improved to 4–8 (3–1 against the AFC North) and won on Thanksgiving for the first time in franchise history. The game was also the most-watched Thanksgiving night game in NFL history with an average of 28.4 million viewers across NBC,
Peacock, and
Telemundo.
Week 14: at Buffalo Bills Although the Bengals held a 28–18 lead in the fourth quarter with 8:44 remaining, two interceptions thrown by Burrow ultimately doomed the team. The first was a pick-six returned by Bills cornerback
Christian Benford, and the second set up a Bills touchdown that gave Buffalo a lead they never relinquished, resulting in a Bengals loss. With the loss, the Bengals were guaranteed to finish with a losing record for the first time since
2020. Despite the loss, one of the few bright spots for the Bengals was when Ja'Marr Chase reached 1,000 receiving yards in each of the first five seasons of his career, becoming the fifth player in NFL history to do so.
Week 15: vs. Baltimore Ravens With the loss, the Bengals dropped to 4–10. This was Cincinnati's first home game with Joe Burrow back as starting quarterback since his turf toe injury in Week 2. Burrow and the offense struggled throughout the game, as the Bengals recorded their first shutout loss since losing 20–0 in the
2017 season opener, which coincidentally, was also at home against the
Ravens. Burrow was shut out for the first time in his six-year career. Also with the loss, the Bengals were eliminated from playoff contention.
Week 16: at Miami Dolphins With the win, the Bengals improved to 5–10 and finished 1–3 against the AFC East. Cincinnati also finished 3–5 on the road.
Week 17: vs. Arizona Cardinals With the win, the Bengals improved to 6–10 and finished 1–4 against the NFC. Ja'Marr Chase also became the first wide receiver in NFL history to complete at least 80 catches, 7 touchdowns, and 1,000 yards in each of the first 5 seasons of his career.
Week 18: vs. Cleveland Browns Although the Bengals entered the game as 9.5-point favorites, early mistakes by Joe Burrow put Cincinnati in a hole. Burrow threw a 97-yard pick-six to Browns linebacker
Devin Bush Jr., then on the ensuing drive was sacked and fumbled, leading to a 47-yard fumble return touchdown by Browns cornerback
Sam Webb, giving Cleveland a 14–6 lead. Additionally, Burrow was sacked by Browns defensive end
Myles Garrett, allowing Garrett to set the NFL single-season sack record. Although the Bengals rallied to take an 18–17 lead with 1:29 remaining, Browns quarterback
Shedeur Sanders led a late drive that set up kicker
Andre Szmyt for a 49-yard game-winning field goal. Szmyt, who had missed an extra point and a field goal in Cleveland’s 17–16 loss to Cincinnati in Week 1, converted the kick as the Bengals fell in an upset loss. The Bengals ended their season at 6–11, finishing 3–3 against the AFC North and 3–6 at home.
Standings Division Conference == Notes ==