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Win, and the Cincinnati Bengals are in


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Win, and the Cincinnati Bengals are in
December, 22, 2014
Dec 22
8:00
AM ET
By Coley Harvey | ESPN.com

 

CINCINNATI -- Bottom line, the Cincinnati Bengals now have to win.
 

With Pittsburgh's win Sunday afternoon against Kansas City, the playoff push has accelerated for the Bengals. They have been in do-or-die mode the past two weeks, but now the burden of needing at least one more regular-season victory becomes even bigger.

At this point, two straight losses -- beginning with one potentially on ESPN on Monday night at home against the Denver Broncos -- could mean the team that has been on top of the AFC North since Week 11 could end the season out of the playoffs for the first time since 2010. If the Bengals do lose their final two games, though, there also would be a very slim chance that they could still advance. In order for that to happen, they would need San Diego and Baltimore to both lose next weekend before Cincinnati's Sunday night game in Pittsburgh.

But if you're Cincinnati, you don't want to leave your fate in the hands of another team.

"We control our destiny," safety George Iloka said a couple days ago. "So it doesn't really matter as of right now what another team does. We'll definitely know going into Monday what we need or don't need to determine the outcome of the season."

It's simple: just win.

Regardless what happens Monday night, the Bengals will have a chance to clinch not only a playoff berth but also a second straight division title, with a win at Pittsburgh next week. In that sense, the pressure is comparatively low against the Broncos. Quarterback Andy Dalton, who normally seems to play tight in prime-time games, should be loose Monday. Next Sunday night at Heinz Field, though, could be a different matter.

The NFL announced this past Sunday that next Sunday's game will be flexed from a 1 p.m. ET kickoff into prime time. The 8:30 p.m. ET game will now air on NBC, and give the Bengals a second straight night game. Ahead of Monday's contest, they are 0-2 so far this season at night, and 2-6 since 2011.

 

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/cincinnati-bengals/

 

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Yes, it's definitely OR.

 

If the Bengals lose 2 & SD wins & Balt loses.

 

SD 10-6 (#1 WC)

Cin 9-6-1 (#2 WC)

Balt 9-7

 

same thing if Balt wins & SD loses.

 

I could see SD losing in KC.  Baltimore at home to Cleveland is a stretch.

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