What is the story about?
On Sunday, October 26, 2025, the Cincinnati Bengals hosted the New York Jets at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati and suffered a heart-breaker, 39-38. The result was one of the more maddening losses of the season for Cincinnati. Here’s a full breakdown of the good, the bad, and yes — the ugly.
The Good
- Offensive production still showed life
- Quarterback Joe Flacco completed 21 of 34 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions.
- The Bengals moved the ball and accumulated 398 total net yards.
- Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase had 12 receptions for 91 yards — showing he’s still a weapon even in a chaotic game.
- Running backs contributed: Samaje Perine rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown, and Chase Brown added 73 yards and a score.
- The Bengals jumped out to a strong start, taking a 10-0 first-quarter lead and a 24-13 lead at halftime.
All in all, the offense gave hope that this team can still move the ball and score, which matters.
- Red-zone efficiency early
- Flacco’s two touchdown passes came relatively early — one to Tee Higgins (44 yards) and one to Chase Brown (19 yards) — helping build the lead.
That kind of execution gave Cincinnati a platform to win.
- Flacco’s two touchdown passes came relatively early — one to Tee Higgins (44 yards) and one to Chase Brown (19 yards) — helping build the lead.
- Some defensive flashes
- In the first half, the Bengals’ defense held the Jets to 13 points and seemed to have control. They also forced some early stops.
– Especially coming off earlier losses, it was good to see the Bengals defend reasonably in stretches.
- In the first half, the Bengals’ defense held the Jets to 13 points and seemed to have control. They also forced some early stops.
The Bad
- Letting a manageable lead slip away
- Despite leading 31-16 entering the fourth quarter, the Bengals allowed the Jets to score 23 points in the final quarter and lost by one.
- Time of possession: The Jets held the ball for 33:40 vs. the Bengals’ 26:20. That kind of edge often factors in late-game breakdowns.
In short, you build a lead, but you must finish the game. The Bengals didn’t.
- Defensive collapse when it mattered most
- The Jets ran for 255 yards (and 254 was noted in some accounts) and executed key plays in the fourth quarter.
- The Bengals failed to create turnovers or big plays in the red zone late. According to Bengals notes: “someone’s got to step up … create a turnover … win offensively explosive play … never happened for us.”
The defense simply didn’t hold up when it mattered most.
- Special teams / situational miscues
- The play that killed them: a sack of Flacco on the game-deciding drive, setting up the Jets’ final score.
- Fourth-down and late-game sequence miscues hurt.
These details really add up, especially against a team that came in 0-7.
The Ugly
- Blowout on paper, razor-thin on result
- It’s one thing to lose a close game; it’s another to lead by 15 points in the fourth quarter and still lose. That magnifies every mistake.
- Some outlets are already calling this the worst loss of coach Zac Taylor’s era.
The ugliness is in the collapse.
- Moral victory turned bitter
- For a team like the Jets to earn their first win of the year at Cincinnati? That stings. The Bengals became the spoiler.
- The Jets’ running game, led by Breece Hall (133 yards, two rushing TDs plus a passing TD), overshadowed the Bengals in the final quarter.
When the “winless” team comes back and beats you — that’s a problem.
- Playoff implications and larger narrative
- Cincinnati fell to 3-5 with this loss. According to standings at the time, this drops them behind many AFC competitors.
- The lack of defensive identity and late-game resilience raises deeper questions about this roster’s championship or even playoff viability.
It’s ugly because it forces reflection: Is this team built for big moments?
Final Thoughts
The Bengals showed that their offense can still function and that they can build leads. But the fundamental issue remains the same: finishing games and defending when it counts. A 15-point lead entering the final
quarter should translate into a win, especially at home. Instead, it turned into a gut punch.
If Cincinnati wants to salvage the season and make a push, it must learn from this game:
- Defend the fourth quarter with the same intensity as the first.
- Create turnovers and big plays when the opponent is mounting a surge.
- Clean up situational football (third-down stops, sacks allowed, red-zone defense).
Otherwise, this loss won’t just sting today — it might echo for the rest of the year.
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