Jan 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (29) and wide receiver Andrei Iosivas (80) react as they leave the field after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Stat of the Jay: How Many Teams Translate Season-Ending Win Streaks Into Division Titles the Following Year?

Originally posted on Cincinnati Bengals on SI
By Jay Morrison | Last updated May 22, 2025 3:21 PM ET

CINCINNATI – This isn’t the first time the Cincinnati Bengals have been in this position.

And they’re hoping this time isn’t like the last.

The Bengals closed the season on at least a five-game winning streak for the second time in three seasons.

In 2022, they ended the regular season with an eight-game win streak. And while streak continued with a run to the AFC Championship Game, the Bengals became one of the rare teams to stumble at the start after a scorching finish.

In the last 10 seasons, there have been 18 teams who have finished the regular season with at least a five-game winning streak.

In addition to the Bengals, the Washington Commanders also did it in 2024, so there are only 16 teams with data from the following season.

Of those 16, 11 followed up their end of season win streak with a run to a division title.

That’s 68.8 percent.

Of the five that didn’t win a division title, two finished with winning records but missed the playoffs (including the 2023 Bengals), while three went completely the other direction and finished with losing records.

Only one team that finished the year on a five-game winning streak started the following season with a five-game run – the 2022-23 San Francisco 49ers.

Among the 18 teams who finished the season with at least a five-game winning streak, 16 made the playoffs.

The 2024 Bengals (9-8) and 2017 49ers (6-10) are the outliers.

And that’s not a good group to be paired with for the Bengals.

That hot finish to 2017 had absolutely no carryover as the 2018 49ers began the season 1-7 and finished 4-12.

It’s hard to imagine any scenario in which the 2025 Bengals would post a record similar to that.

This year’s Bengals should be in the running to join the 68.8 percent of teams that have followed up a season-ending five-game winning streak with a division title the following year.

Here is a look at the 18 teams who have ended a season with at least a five-game win streak:

This article first appeared on Cincinnati Bengals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: