2022 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 2022 season was the Cincinnati Bengals' 53rd in the National Football League, their 55th overall, and their fourth under head coach Zac Taylor. After an 0–2 start, the Bengals quickly turned around, winning 12 out of their last 14 games to match their franchise best record of 12–4. The Bengals improved upon their 10–7 record from the previous season and clinched the AFC North title for the second straight year. Cincinnati's Week 17 game against Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo] was declared a no-contest after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest, resulting in only 16 games played. Despite the incident, they won the AFC North and won their last game to finish 12–4, tied for the best record in the history of the franchise, but they did not clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs as 1 seed as a result of the cancellation and risked losing home advantage if they lost their last game and coin toss to the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Denver Broncos. Instead, they defeated Baltimore 27–16 to avoid that situation.
The Bengals defeated Baltimore 24–17 in the Wild Card round. The most notable play was a fumble recovery and 98-yard touchdown return by defensive end Sam Hubbard after linebacker Logan Wilson stripped the ball from Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley on a quarterback sneak. The following week, the Bengals traveled to face Buffalo. Despite Buffalo's home-field advantage and snowy conditions, the Bengals prevailed 27–10. With the win, they advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the second consecutive year, a first in franchise history. The Bengals faced 2022 [Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City] in Arrowhead Stadium for a rematch of the previous year's contest and found themselves tied 20–20 late into the fourth quarter. However, a personal foul penalty by defensive end Joseph Ossai on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes would aid a late Kansas City field goal attempt and the Bengals ultimately lost 23–20 to the eventual Super Bowl LVII champions.
Shortly before the beginning of the preseason, the Bengals renamed their stadium Paycor Stadium. The stadium had been named after the team's founder and first head coach, Paul Brown, since it opened in 2000.
Offseason
Draft
Draft trades| Name | Position | College | Ref. |
| Cal Adomitis | LS | Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pittsburgh] | |
| Ben Brown | G, C | Ole Miss | |
| Devin Cochran | OT | Georgia Tech | |
| Allan George | CB | Vanderbilt | |
| Jaivon Heiligh | WR | Coastal Carolina | |
| Clarence Hicks | LB | UTSA | |
| Delonte Hood | CB | Peru State | |
| Shermari Jones | RB | Coastal Carolina | |
| Kwamie Lassiter II | WR | Kansas Jayhawks football team|Kansas] | |
| Desmond Noel | G | Florida Atlantic | |
| Kendric Pryor | WR | Wisconsin | |
| Bookie Radley-Hiles | S, CB | Washington | |
| Justin Rigg | TE | Kentucky | |
| Jack Sorenson | WR | Miami (OH) | |
| Tariqious Tisdale | DT, DE | Ole Miss | |
| Carson Wells | LB | Colorado | |
| Drew Plitt | QB | Ball State |
NFL Top 100
| Rank | Player | Position | Change |
| 21 | Joe Burrow | QB | NR |
| 24 | Ja'Marr Chase | WR | NR |
| 38 | Joe Mixon | RB | NR |
| 78 | Trey Hendrickson | DE | 5 |
Regular season
Schedule
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Bengals started the 2022 season against their division rival Steelers in Cincinnati. The Steelers scored first in the first quarter when Minkah Fitzpatrick returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown to make it 7–0. The Bengals made it 7–3 when Evan McPherson made a 59-yard field goal which was the longest in franchise history. The Steelers then went ahead 10–3 after Chris Boswell kicked a 20-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Steelers moved ahead 17–3 after Mitchell Trubisky found Najee Harris on a 1-yard touchdown pass. The Bengals drew closer at halftime when McPherson made a 26-yard field goal to make it 17–6. After the break, the Bengals came within 3 in the third quarter when Joe Burrow found Tyler Boyd on a 2-yard touchdown pass to make it 17–14. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers moved ahead by 6 when Boswell kicked a 48-yard field goal to make it 20–14. Later on in the quarter, the Bengals tied the game when Burrow found Ja'Marr Chase on a 6-yard touchdown pass. to send the game into overtime tied at 20–20. After going back and forth on possessions, the Steelers managed to win the game when Boswell kicked the game winning 53-yard field goal with seconds left to make the final score 23–20.With their 3-game winning streak against the Steelers snapped, the Bengals started the season 0–1. Wins by the Browns and Ravens would leave them at the bottom of the AFC North. Joe Burrow committed 5 turnovers throughout the course of the game.
Week 2: at Dallas Cowboys
Despite a fourth quarter comeback, the Bengals allowed the Cowboys to claim the win by marching down the field in the dying seconds of the game. With the loss, Cincinnati dropped to 0–2. This marked the third 0–2 start in four seasons, as well as the first team since the 2015 Seattle Seahawks to start 0–2 after playing in the Super Bowl the year prior. This also marked the first 0–2 start by a defending AFC champion since the 1999 Denver Broncos started 0–4 after winning Super Bowl XXXIII. The Bengals once again failed to beat the Cowboys, not having done so since 2004, and extended their losing streak against them to five games.Week 3: at New York Jets
After a disappointing 0–2 start to the season, the Bengals bounced back with a win against the Jets. Trey Hendrickson had 2.5 sacks, including 2 forced fumbles, and Joe Burrow threw for 275 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions, preventing an 0–3 start.Week 4: vs. Miami Dolphins
On Thursday Night Football, the Bengals defeated the Miami Dolphins 27–15. The Bengals had a quick start, getting a touchdown in the first possession of the game from Joe Mixon. The Bengals defense also held the Dolphins offense to 1 touchdown.Week 5: at Baltimore Ravens
In a primetime showdown on NBC, the Ravens won on a crucial 43-yard Justin Tucker field goal. With the loss, the Bengals dropped to 2–3.Week 6: at New Orleans Saints
With 1:57 left on the clock and a 2-point deficit, Joe Burrow connected with Ja'Marr Chase for a 60-yard touchdown, essentially winning the game. With the win, the Bengals improved to 3–3 and returned to.500Week 7: vs. Atlanta Falcons
The Bengals jumped out to a 28–17 halftime lead before scoring the only points in the second half to make it 35–17 and improved to 4–3.Week 8: at Cleveland Browns
In the 2022 Battle of Ohio Round 1, the Browns made it an 11–0 halftime lead, scoring all the first half points in the second quarter. After the third quarter, they had made it 25–0. The Bengals finally got on the board in the fourth quarter, making it 25–6 by way of Joe Burrow's 13-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Boyd. Though, the Browns scored again, making it 32–6 with Nick Chubb's 11-yard touchdown run. Joe Burrow connected with Tee Higgins on a 41-yard touchdown pass for the final points of the game, making it 32–13.The loss dropped the Bengals to 4–4. Joe Burrow's personal starting record against the Browns dropped to 0–4. This was the Bengals' only loss of the season by more than 3 points.
Week 9: vs. Carolina Panthers
The Bengals jumped out to lead 35–0 at halftime before the Panthers finally got on the board in the third with Baker Mayfield's 8-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Tremble, making it 35–7. The Bengals made it 42–7 by way of Joe Mixon's 14-yard touchdown run. The Panthers scored the remaining points in the fourth, making the final score 42–21.The Bengals were able to go into their bye week 5–4, which was coincidentally the same record they had in the first 9 games on the previous season.
Week 11: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Coming off of their bye week, the Bengals traveled for Round 2 against the Steelers. In the first quarter, the Bengals scored first when Evan McPherson kicked a 45-yard field goal to make it 3–0. The Steelers then tied it up when Matthew Wright kicked a 42-yard field goal to make it 3–3. The Bengals then moved back into the lead when Joe Burrow found Samaje Perine on a 29-yard touchdown pass to make it 10–3. In the second quarter, the Steelers tied the game up at 10–10 when Najee Harris ran for a 19-yard touchdown. The Bengals then moved into the lead again when Burrow and Perine connected on a 11-yard touchdown pass to make it 17–10. The Steelers were able to tie it up at 17–17 when Kenny Pickett found George Pickens on a 24-yard touchdown pass. They took the lead at halftime 20–17 when Wright kicked a 30-yard field goal. In the third quarter, the Bengals retook the lead when Burrow found Trenton Irwin on a 1-yard touchdown pass to make it 24–20. The Steelers drew closer when Wright kicked a 34-yard field goal to make it 24–23. The Bengals then pulled away when McPherson kicked a 54-yard field goal to make it 27–23. In the fourth quarter, the Bengals scored a couple more times including a touchdown where Burrow and Perine connected for the third time on a 6-yard touchdown pass for a 34–23 lead and then McPherson kicked a 44-yard field goal to make it 37–23. The Steelers concluded the scoring of the game when Harris ran for a 1-yard touchdown. After a failed onside kick, the Bengals won with a final score of 37–30.With the win, the Bengals improved to 6–4.
Week 12: at Tennessee Titans
After a close win, the Bengals traveled again to take on the Titans. The game was tied at 10–10 at halftime. In the third quarter, Evan McPherson kicked a 38-yard field goal to make it 13–10 Bengals before the Titans tied it up at 13–13 with Caleb Shudak's 24-yard field goal. The Bengals moved up 20–13 when Joe Burrow connected with Tee Higgins on a 27-yard touchdown pass. The Titans countered with another 38-yard field goal by Shudak. After getting stopped in the red zone, the Bengals kicked a field goal to make the score 23–16. However, a personal foul against the Titans took back the field goal and resulted into an automatic first down, ending the game and making the final score 20–16.With the win, the Bengals improved to 7–4.
Week 13: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
The Bengals then went home to take on the 9–2 Chiefs. After leading 14–10 at halftime, the Chiefs took a 17–14 lead in the third quarter by way of Isiah Pacheco's 8-yard touchdown run. The Bengals then tied it up at 17–17 when Evan McPherson kicked a 36-yard field goal. Patrick Mahomes then ran for a 3-yard touchdown to put the Chiefs back on top 24–17. The Bengals scored the remaining points in the fourth quarter with McPherson's 41-yard field goal, making it 24–20 and taking the lead with Joe Burrow's 8-yard touchdown pass to Chris Evans. After a missed 55-yard field goal by Harrison Butker, the Bengals faced 3rd and 11. The Bengals converted, making the final score 27–24.The Bengals improved to 8–4 with the upset win, and extended their winning streak in Cincinnati against the Chiefs to seven games. Joe Burrow's personal starting record against Patrick Mahomes improved to 3–0.