Joe Burrow-led Cincinnati Bengals have risen like the Phoenix in Week 18. Beating the Steelers with a close 19-17 win, Zac Taylor‘s team kept their slim chances of making it to the postseason alive. Russell Wilson and Co. added another loss to their record. They’ve made it to the playoffs, but honestly, losing four games in a row says a lot about their form. That nail-biter win pumped up the Bengals’ coach. 

Amid this little hope, the team’s head coach, Zac Taylor, warned the other playoff teams. Taylor said, “Capable of everything. No one is going to want us in the tournament. We work really hard on that. We focus on bringing in the right guys that when the times are the toughest they’re going to respond the right way.” Well, to even get in the tournament first, they must pray they’ve done their part on the gridiron. For the Bengals to make it to the postseason now, the Broncos must lose to the Chiefs. Looking at the Chiefs’ form, that’s quite possible, but there’s another condition too: the Dolphins must lose to the Jets. That’s a lot of ‘ifs.’

But you know, anything could happen in this crazy league. Chiefs star QB Patrick Mahomes is sitting out in the upcoming game. The team’s probably giving their MVP a breather before the playoffs, or maybe it’s because Mrs. Mahomes is due any day now. Whatever the reason, the Bengals are hoping it works in their favor. With Mahomes out, Carson Wentz will take the gridiron, ready to prove himself. But the Broncos won’t come slow either; they know it’s their last chance to make it further.

And then, isn’t expecting a win from the Jets asking for too much? Amid all these unsettling scenarios, there’s yet another worry for the Bengals.

More troubles for Zac Taylor’s team as Chase Brown deals with an injury

On one hand, the Bengals have done everything they can to keep the season from slipping completely out of their grasp. On the other, a dark cloud hovers over them. In Week 16, Bengals’ RB1 Chase Brown suffered a right ankle injury during the game against the Broncos. Following this, he couldn’t play in the week 18 game. Although he worked out before the game, he was ultimately sidelined. Addressing Brown’s injury, Zac Taylor shared, “That was a coach’s decision. He was hopeful [to play]. We didn’t really push it until today. We did a couple warm-up things, and you could tell he couldn’t go.”

Although Joe Burrow and Co. managed a win without their starting RB, you can’t always count on luck. Anyway, they’re out of games to play for now. If they do make it to the postseason, they’ll face Josh Allen’s Bills in the playoffs. And to go up against a strong team like the Bills, you need your top players on the field. But then again, their playoff hopes rest on both the Broncos and Dolphins losing. Whether that happens or not, we’ll find out in just a few hours.

So, stay tuned to the 2024-25 NFL season for intense, action-packed entertainment.