The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t just lose Sunday.
With a 49-13 knee-slapper of a performance against the Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals inched closer to the 2020 draft’s top pick while looking like a legitimate 0-16 contender.
Defensive end Carlos Dunlap called it “disgusting” and “embarrassing,” according to Fox 19’s Joe Danneman, which is only really beginning to scratch the surface of the disaster.
Keep in mind this all happened after a bye week. The Bengals held the ball for more than 36 minutes but scored 13 points. Baltimore technically didn’t need to take the field offensively thanks to two Ryan Finley turnovers that gave the Ravens 14 points — which would’ve won the game.
Remember that loss 51-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints last year? This slots comfortably behind it by a single point as the second-worst loss in team history. A field goal with 2:29 left stopped it from becoming the worst.
This was also the team’s 11th straight loss, which ties a team record.
Also consider the following from Jay Morrison of The Athletic:
First time in #Bengals history they've allowed at least 49 points through three quarters.
Previous high was 38 in a 51-45 loss to the Browns in 2007.— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) November 10, 2019
And this miserable Bengals defense let up a historic day for the opposition, too:
Lamar Jackson's 47-yard Rush TD is the longest rush of his career, and longest rush by a quarterback since Cam Newton on Dec. 10, 2017 (62 yards).
It is also 1 yard longer than the longest Rush TD of Michael Vick's career. #BALvsCIN pic.twitter.com/4rkFzALNgT
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 10, 2019
At this point, words don’t do the situation justice. It shouldn’t have gotten to this point at all, and the options for improvement seem minimal.
Which is to say, the Bengals won’t run into a player like Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson every week, but wins are going to be hard to come by regardless given the lack of improvement out of the bye.
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