Cincy Jungle
If you thought things felt different for the Bengals during January of 2022, you wouldn’t have been wrong. That month started with the Bengals clinching the AFC North with a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, who, at the time, were the two-time reigning AFC Champions and had won eight straight games coming into that first Sunday of 2022 at Paul Brown Stadium.
Two weeks later, the Bengals broke a 31-year drought without a playoff victory by beating the Las Vegas Raiders on a memorable and cathartic interception by Germaine Pratt. One week later, the Bengals overcame the Tennessee Titans, sacking Joe Burrow nine times, and won their first road playoff game in franchise history on a 52-yard field goal by rookie kicker Evan McPherson.
Then, in the AFC Championship at Kansas City —one of the most memorable days in Bengals’ history —after giving up a touchdown on their first three drives, the Bengals’ defense held Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and the vaunted Chiefs’ offense the rest of the way. Joe Burrow brought the Bengals back from a 21-3 deficit, tied for the largest comeback in Conference Championship history, and led a go-ahead fourth quarter and game-winning overtime drive to take the Bengals to the Super Bowl.
Bengals fans, myself included, were riding an all-time Who Dey high. The best part was that it felt like the beginning of something huge, sustained, and a long run of success for this Bengals franchise. With Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Joe Mixon, Tyler Boyd, Trey Hendrickson, Logan Wilson, and Jessie Bates, it felt like the Bengals were going to be a Super Bowl contender for a long time.
Trailing 13-10 to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, with 2:10 to play in the first half, Bengals’ safety Jessie Bates III intercepted Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford in the end zone. Another big play by the Bengals’ defense, two minutes left in the first half, the Bengals’ high-flying offense coming back onto the field to potentially go tie the game or take the lead… and Vernon Hargreaves.
Remember him? The guy who ran onto the field in flip-flops, celebrating Bates’s interception? Instead of starting at their own 20-yard line, the Bengals had to start their ensuing drive at their own 10-yard line. Just when it looked like the momentum of the Super Bowl was about to completely flip to the Bengals, something as stupid as any stupid Vontaze Burfict penalty or bad snap by Brad St. Louis happened.
That stupid play aside, Burrow did hit Tee Higgins for a 75-yard touchdown on the first play of the second half to give the Bengals a 17-13 lead. On their first defensive snap on the Rams’ ensuing drive, Chidobe Awuzie intercepted Matthew Stafford to give the Bengals the ball at the Rams’ 31-yard line. Great teams would have gone for the knockout blow right there. The Bengals got a field goal on that drive to go up 20-13… and leave the door open....
