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CINCINNATI -- After missing two months due to injury, Joe Burrow is finally making his return this week and it's just in the nick of time for the Cincinnati Bengals. 

At 3-8, the Bengals' playoff hopes are on life support, but if anyone can save the team it's Burrow. The Bengals quarterback has gone almost a full year without losing a game. Since Week 14 of the 2024 season, the Bengals have gone 7-0 with Burrow as their starter and if that run can continue, Cincinnati could end up pulling off one of the most improbable playoff berths in NFL history. 

As things stand now, the Bengals have a 0.7% chance of making the postseason, according to the odds from SportsLine. 

If the Bengals are going to make the playoffs, they really only have one option: They have to win the AFC North. For most 3-8 teams, the idea of winning the division is laughable, but luckily for the Bengals, the AFC North has turned into the division that no one wants to win this year. The Bengals were 4-8 at one point last year before running off five straight wins to end the season, so the team certainly knows what it takes to get hot. 

During a press conference on Tuesday, Burrow was asked what he thought about the possibility of the Bengals running the table. 

"I think we've just got to take it one game at a time," Burrow said. "Yeah, we pretty much have to win every game at this point. The only way you're going to do that is by attacking each week. You have to be 1-0 that week and move on to the next."

If the Bengals are going to win out, that run will have to start on Thursday night with a Thanksgiving win over the Baltimore Ravens. 

So what would have to happen for the Bengals to steal the division title? Let's take a look at the most plausible scenario, but first, let's check out the division standings. 

AFC North Standings

Overall record

Division record

Conference record

Ravens

6-5

2-0

4-3

Steelers

6-5

2-1

5-2

Bengals

3-8

2-1

3-4

Browns

3-8

0-4

2-6

As you can see, the Bengals are currently three games behind both the Steelers and Ravens and they have six weeks to make up that ground. 

It won't be easy, but here's the most plausible scenario that would end with the Bengals winning the division. 

BENGALS
Remaining opponents: at Ravens (Win), at Bills (Win), Ravens (Win), Dolphins (Win), Cardinals (Win), Browns (Win)
What has to happen: This one is easy, the Bengals have to run the table and win their final six games. If they pull that off, that would mean a sweep of the Ravens, which would bring Cincinnati right back in the division race. 
Final record: 9-8, 5-1 in division

RAVENS
Remaining opponents: Bengals (Loss), Steelers (Win), at Bengals (Loss), Patriots (Win), at Packers (Loss), at Steelers (Win)
What has to happen: The Bengals need the Ravens to go 3-3 over their final seven games. Since the Bengals have to sweep the Ravens, that means that Cincinnati only needs Baltimore to lose one other game on the schedule, so let's say the lose on the road at Green Bay. That would also mean that the Ravens sweep the Steelers, which would basically take Pittsburgh out of the division title race. 
Final record: 9-8, 4-2 in division

STEELERS
Remaining opponents: Bills (Loss), at Ravens (Loss), Dolphins (Win), at Lions (Loss), at Browns (Win), Ravens (Loss)
What has to happen: The Steelers have a brutal schedule down the stretch and if they get swept by Baltimore, that might put them in a position where they don't even make it to 9-8. In our scenario, Mike Tomlin finishes with a losing record for the first time in his Steelers' career.  
Final record: 8-9, 3-3 in division

Like I said at the top, there's only a 0.7% chance of the Bengals getting into the playoffs, so please cue the Lloyd Christmas meme. 

Burrow led the Bengals to a 2-0 record to the start the season before missing eight games due to a turf toe injury and the team went just 1-7 in his absence. The Bengals star quarterback was originally expected to return in mid-December, but he has defied the odds by making an early return, and now he'll be looking to defy the odds once again by leading the Bengals to an improbable playoff berth.