Cincinnati Bengals Defense on Historic Run of Fourth-Quarter Futility After Meltdown Against New York Jets

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals have posted another franchise first, and it’s still stinging everyone who works and/or cheers for the team.

Sunday’s 39-38 loss to the New York Jets saw the Bengals surrender 23 points in the fourth quarter.

While it fell short of the single-game record of 27 points allowed in the fourth quarter, it marked a franchise-record streak of three consecutive games allowing 14 or more points in the final 15 minutes.

The Bengals gave up 17 points in the fourth quarter in the loss to the Green Bay Packers, 14 in the home win against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Sunday’s 23 against the Jets.

The NFL record since the 1970 merger is four, which is shared by four teams – the 2017 Indianapolis Colts, the 2009 St. Louis Rams, the 1996 Baltimore Ravens and the 1986 Denver Broncos.

That Broncos team reached the playoffs by winning the AFC West.

All told, the Bengals are one of three teams to have streaks of at least three games long.

Surprisingly, 11 of those 37 made the playoffs.

That could be a product of really good teams jumping out to huge leads before coasting in the fourth quarter.

When you take the streak element out of the occasion and just look at most fourth-quarter points allowed in a three-game span, the Bengals have 54.

That’s only tied for the 13th most.

The 1978 Cleveland Browns hold the record with 65.

The Bengals contributed to that with a 24-point fourth quarter to kick off the three-game span with a 48-16 win.

The New York Jets scored 24 points in the fourth the following week to force overtime, only to lose 37-34.

And the Seattle Seahawks put up 17 in the fourth quarter of a 47-24 win to round out the three-game span.

The Bengals would have to surrender 28 fourth-quarter points to the Bears on Sunday to match that Cleveland mark.