Joe Burrow hits Ja’Marr Chase for a touchdown versus the Pittsburgh Steelers (Photo Credit: Erik Schelkun/Bengals.com).
By Dr. John Huang
(CINCINNATI, Oh.) – It’s December—that usual time of the year when Who Dey Nation still maintains a flicker of hope. Until the flame gets totally snuffed out.
Final Score: Pittsburgh 44, Cincinnati 38.
It’s over. Mercifully, agonizingly, definitively over.
Not mathematically, mind you—oh no, the NFL loves to dangle that tiny sliver of postseason hope like a carrot in front salivating sportwriters. But at 4-8, it’s time for Bengals fans to do what they do best: mentally draft the eulogy for yet another season and turn their eyes toward next year.
This December, there will be no fretting over wild-card tiebreakers, no last-minute heartbreak, and no painful eliminations in Week 17. Instead, we can all enjoy something rare in Cincinnati: closure.
The Game That Sealed the Deal
It didn’t start that way. The Bengals came out swinging against their AFC North rivals. A 51-yard pick-six by Cam Taylor-Britt had fans roaring with optimism just three minutes into the game. When rookie Chase Brown followed up with a dazzling 40-yard scamper and a one-yard plunge, Cincinnati had a 14-7 lead, and the Jungle was rocking.
And then Burrow and Chase did Burrow and Chase things, connecting on a four-yard TD strike to make it 21-14. Chase’s 13th touchdown of the season felt like a welcome dollop of shredded cheddar cheese atop what could have been a delicious Skyline Coney.
Unfortunately, Pittsburgh wasn’t interested in playing the role of chopped onions. The team known for terrible towels amassed a whopping 520 total yards while Cincinnati’s defense served up missed tackles and penalties one after another. By halftime, the Bengals trailed 27-21, and the writing was on the wall: this wasn’t going to end well.
When 33 Points Aren’t Enough
For the fourth time this season, Cincinnati scored 33 or more points and still lost. That’s an impressive and utterly maddening statistic. You’d think with Joe Burrow throwing for 309 yards and three touchdowns, the Bengals would walk away victorious. You’d think wrong.
Instead, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson shredded the Bengals secondary for 414 yards and three touchdowns, making it look more like a leisurely Sunday stroll than an NFL game.
Postgame Purgatory
Joe Burrow’s postgame presser was a masterclass in resigned professionalism. You could almost hear the subtext in his measured responses.
“There’re still a lot of reps to improve your game and put great stuff on tape,” he said. Translation: “I’m not quitting, but let’s be honest, this ship has sailed.”
“Playoffs are the farthest thing from my mind,” Burrow continued, while simultaneously extinguishing any remaining fan delusions.
Zac Taylor, ever the optimist, kept the faith. “It’s no one’s fault but our own. We haven’t earned it. But there’re still opportunities in front of us to get some momentum.”
Momentum? Sure. For the draft board.
Why This Might Be a Good Thing
Here’s the twist, Bengals fans: This might be the healthiest thing that could happen to you.
No last-second heartbreak. No gut-wrenching “what if” scenarios. No agonizing over the six other teams that need to lose just so Cincinnati can sneak into the playoffs.
It’s clean. It’s decisive. It’s over.
In the long run, this might be exactly what the team needs, too. A chance to reset. To focus on what’s broken (hint: it’s not just the defense) and rebuild for a stronger future.
For now, fans can take solace in the little things. Ja’Marr Chase is still electrifying. Joe Burrow is still Joe Burrow. And even in this lost season, there have been moments of sheer brilliance—moments that remind us why we keep coming back year after year.
Eyes on the Future
So, what now?
There’s a trip to Dallas on Monday Night Football, where the Bengals will try to salvage some pride against the Cowboys. And then? It’s all about evaluating talent, planning for free agency, and dreaming about how next season could—will—be better.
Until then, Bengals fans can do something they haven’t been able to do in years: relax. December heartbreak is off the table. The worst is already behind us.
And in some twisted, poetic way, isn’t that something to be thankful for?
Dr. John Huang is a retired orthodontist, military veteran, and award-winning author. He covers the Bengals for Sports View America. Follow him on social media @KYHuangs and check out his debut novel, “Name, Image, and Murder,” and all his books at Amazon.
