The Cincinnati Bengals Face Must-Win Stretch to Keep NFL Playoff Dreams Alive

In the blink of an eye, the 2024-25 NFL regular season is coming to a close. While some teams are cruising through the final game, it's a make-or-break scenario for a few other organizations — including the Cincinnati Bengals.

Despite an MVP-caliber season from quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals have struggled this season (largely due to their defense). However, after a thrilling overtime victory over the Denver Broncos on December 28, the Bengals are still in the hunt for a playoff spot.

So, how can they actually make the playoffs? Here's what you need to know.

After their dramatic overtime victory against the Broncos, the Bengals kept their playoff hopes alive. And with the Indianapolis Colts falling to the New York Giants on December 29, their path to the postseason got just a little less difficult.

But with only one regular-season game left, the Bengals now face a must-win situation against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh on Saturday, January 4. As of now, The Athletic has the Bengals favored by half a point in the matchup. They lost a nail-biter 38-44 to the Steelers back in Week 13, so there's plenty of motivation to get revenge.

"It's going to be another do-or-die [in Pittsburgh]," cornerback Mike Hilton said after the Bengals win against the Broncos, per the Bengals official website. "We have to go out there and win a tough game against a good opponent. Obviously, we need some things outside our control to happen, but tonight was big for us to even have a shot. That's all you can ask for at this point in the year."

If they can beat the Steelers, the Bengals will still need some help to secure a playoff spot. First, they'll need the Denver Broncos to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, January 5. Coming off a dominant 29-10 win over the Steelers, the Chiefs have already clinched the top seed in the AFC, so there's a good chance some of their star players will be rested for the final game. Still, the Bengals and Who Dey Nation hope the Chiefs can get the job done, even with backups on the field.

The Bengals also need the Miami Dolphins to fall to the New York Jets on January 5. Miami was one of the teams the Bengals needed to see lose one of their final two games, but the Dolphins took care of business with a 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns on December 29. Now, Cincinnati is hoping Miami rests its key players and drops a game to the 4-12 Jets.

All in all, any victory by the Steelers, Broncos, or Dolphins this week will end the Bengals' playoff hopes. It's a lot to ask, but as Joe Burrow pointed out, his focus remains on what they can control.

"We found our way back into it," he said, according to the Bengals' website. "All we can do now is control what we can control and try to get a big win next week."